Sermons - Calvary Chapel Portsmouth

John Chapter 1 (part 2)

BrianH — Sun, 13 Sep 2026 12:36:00 +0000

This second section of chapter 1 continues the elaboration of the fundamentally divine nature of Jesus the Messiah.

Many small items in scripture add up to a magnificent interlocking edifice of evidence to the supernatural, long-timespan, matrix of paths to the birth, life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus.

Pastor Barry told us the reason that John included what he did (and left out much). “What he’s given us is the key things, the things that the Holy Spirit had instructed him and laid upon his heart to communicate that we would have this record.

 And he says, "but these things are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life through his name.
 That is an incredible verse.
 It's telling us that John's written this stuff, that everything contained here is enough for us to know that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah: God manifest in the flesh.
 He's the Son of God.
 It speaks of the Trinity.
 ... and that believing - and that's all we have to do, just simply believe in Jesus - we will have life, eternal life through his name.
 And this is why John is writing this Gospel.

There is a section on the dating of the writing of the book (much earlier than some scholars suggest).
A section on the Bible stating that Jesus IS God (and many ramifications of that).

In a section dealing with an old questoin, Pastor Barry reiterated that no man has seen God as he truly is.
 "For now God has chosen to reveal himself through physical manifestations, as we've noted already in Scripture, and Jesus is the ultimate and final physical manifestation of God.
 In the Old Testament, all those other examples we've quoted or spoken of, they are what some people refer to as a Christophany: it's an Old Testament appearance of Jesus.
 There's the second person of the Trinity that appears in a human form, that speaks to people, wrestles with Jacob, speaks to the parents of Samson, and so on, but nobody has seen God the Father, and that's why Jesus says he's come, to reveal him.

There is a substantial treatment of “The Transfiguration” event (Jesus taking Peter & James & John up the mountain and meeting Moses and Elijah). The significance of “two men” and the question of where that mountain is was answered by sifting through the evidence (the contrasting nature of Mount Nebo and Mount Hermon was also dealt with).

Several instances of “Witnesses” were examined (from Deuteronomy Ch9v15 to Revelation Ch 11v3-6) and the importance of the concept related to this chapter.

John the Baptist gets a fairly extensive treatment: he came to prepare the way for The Lord (as prophesied 700 years earlier by Isaiah).

The nature of our own, personal coming to faith was discussed and elaborated (variety of routes and experiences, but all with one common feature).

Pastor Barry also dropped in a tantalising little hint of exciting things to come: “Some of the things, personally, I’ve been studying at the moment, are just blowing my mind. At some point, I’m going to share with you some of the things that the Lord has been showing me from his word, about his creation. I am enjoying studying the scripture at the moment in a way that I’ve not done for many, many years. There’s just so many wonderful things.”

In conclusion Pastor Barry gave us a quotation from Adam Clarke (an expansion-cum-commentary on verse 50) and explained that this shows “what God wants to do with each one of you: Reveal more of himself to you, so you are in absolutely no doubt whatsoever who Jesus Christ is. He is God manifest in the flesh. He has come to light the way back to the Father that we can have this walk that God intended from the beginning that we would walk in.”

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TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON
To download the transcript text-file, click on the “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). See below (“PS0” for full info)

PS2: ::: The latest development on the “Transcript” section is that the text-file will be subject to far less editing than before. It will still be converted to sentence-column form as before, but any trimming and polishing will be left to the user (according to their own taste of format, etc). Any shortcomings in the transcription software should be pretty obvious and so not a problem in getting the meaning (and the audio file will provide the necessary clarification if required )

PS1: ::: {not-so-}NEW FORMAT of the transcript.
To ease the processing and preparation of the transcript, and we hope improve the readability of the text, a new format was been adopted in mid October. This breaks the text into sentences instead of arbitrarily-sized “paragraphs”. When the reader opens the file in a program such as Notepad (in MS Windows), then the appearance can be just like a newspaper column. The format is such that the user has many options available, depending on preferences and what software they like to use.
Any feedback on usefulness, improvement suggestions, or whatever, would be most welcome.

PS0 ::::: TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). This actually links to a text-file to download. It is a transcript of the sermon. At present it is at an experimental stage: it is an aid to getting the most out of the sermon audio. There is no substitute for listening to the verbal delivery of a sermon. However, searching through an audio file lasting the best part of an hour can be somewhat difficult. When you approach the search knowing that you’re sure there is something about “redemption”, for example, then a transcript text-search can take you right there and show you the time in the recording where you will find it! The file is simple “text” rather than a more sophisticated form so that you can edit or reformat as you prefer.

This transcript is in 2 forms (in the one file). One half consists of normal text arrangement. The other section is short bunches of words (8 to 12 nomally) beneath the TIMES at which they occur (for the whole sermon).
This facility is in development (“experimental” as mentioned above) so any feedback on usefulness, improvement suggestions, or whatever, would be most welcome.

The post John Chapter 1 (part 2) first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

John Chapter 1 (part 1)

BrianH — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 12:34:00 +0000

This is the first study in our verse-by-verse expositional study of the Gospel of John.

Some have tried to say the Bible never claims that Jesus is God. This gospel was written as an intentional defense of the fact that Jesus is God, manifest in the flesh, Who came to reveal the Father to us.

The Gospel is based around seven miracles, seven witness statements, all claiming the deity of Christ; seven ‘I AM’ statements, declaring that Jesus is the same I AM who revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush.

May you be blessed and encouraged as you journey with us through this life-changing gospel!

TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON
{{Transcript has been created but not yet edited & uploaded …}}

To download the transcript text-file, click on the “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). See below (“PS0” for full info)

The post John Chapter 1 (part 1) first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapters 44 to 48

BrianH — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 12:37:00 +0000

The sermon begins with a quick overview of the several sections of the book. Then the main theme is expanded: The Restoration of Israel. Several sub-themes are identified:

The Holiness of God (and not just “Holy” == “Set apart”, but above and beyond that limited definition).
?How does a Holy God dwell among His people?
Restoration of “The Priesthood” (including the demotion of the Levite tribe)
The duty of a priest and a pastor is to teach (particularly The Word of God)
The behaviour and character of a believer will have an influence on the people around her or him

There is a substantial section on “Weights and Measures”, necessary because chapter 45 goes into considerable detail about procedures and amounts to be used and such.

xxx

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TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON
To download the transcript text-file, click on the “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). See below (“PS0” for full info)

The post Ezekiel Chapters 44 to 48 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapters 40 to 44

BrianH — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 12:33:00 +0000

The sermon began with a condensed overview of the book of Ezekiel: its sections and their themes. Then the main theme of this group of chapters was described: The Restitution of the nation of Israel.

A major part of the exposition is a long description of The Third Temple – a clear manifestation of the existence of restoration of The Nation of Israel to the status that God intended. The wealth of detail is a significant factor in the magnitude of this section of the book.

Here’s a direct extract from the transcript:

“But in the wilderness and so on, they looked upon the fire. They looked upon the cloud.
They looked upon the glory of God in the temple.
But for us, the glory of God dwells within us.
Seven times in the New Testament, we are told that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
These details, and I know it’s a bit laborious going through it, but these details just speak of the awesomeness of God.“

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TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON

{{This has been corrected and the current upload is now the accurate text}}.
To download the transcript text-file, click on the “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). See below (“PS0” for full info)

PS2: ::: The latest development on the “Transcript” section is that the text-file will be subject to far less preparation than before – less editing and correction. It will still be converted to sentence-column form as before, but any trimming and polishing will be left to the user. Any shortcomings in the transcription software should be pretty obvious and so not a problem in getting the meaning (and the audio file will provide the necessary clarification if required )

The post Ezekiel Chapters 40 to 44 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

TEST of insertion into the past

BrianH — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 21:39:26 +0000

This is just a trial of putting a historical date in the “Published” entry, to see if the “sermon” is added at the right place in the time-sequence.

The post TEST of insertion into the past first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Genesis Chapters 6 & 7: The Case For The Flood

BrianH — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 12:15:00 +0000

In this study we look at the Biblical account of the Flood of Noah, as recorded in Genesis; systematically presenting evidence to demonstrate the historical basis of a worldwide flood as recorded in the Bible, and as alluded to in over 270 flood legends passed down from cultures all around the world.

Ranging from geology, hydrology through to genetics of animal “kinds” and population growth mathematics, the supporting science is irrefutable.

In addition, the philosophical / theological questions of “Why” was the flood necessary and “The use of water in the act of salvation” are addressed.

TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON

The post Genesis Chapters 6 & 7: The Case For The Flood first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapter 39

BrianH — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 12:40:00 +0000

Ezekiel chapters 38 & 39 describe what many scholars believe will be a Russian-led, Islamic invasion of Israel, that may well be on our imminent horizon. These chapters, penned around 2,600 years ago, have long fascinated students of Biblical Prophecy, but with recent global events, now more than ever, the world may be poised to finally witness these dramatic events firsthand! In this study, pastor Barry looks at the possible time of this world-changing event, and many signs suggest we are very close!

Join us as we study verse-by-verse through chapter 39.

This is part 2 of this study, and Ezekiel focuses on the aftermath of the battle, and God’s intended purpose: That through this Israel will know YHVH is for them, and the World will know that there is a God!

There is a great wealth of detail in the logical analysis of who are the protagonists and how things progress. There is also comment on the people who do not get involved!

Further description to follow …

TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON

This is soon to be produced and checked visually. It is intended that it will be uploaded … soon
There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). See below (“PS0” for full info)

The post Ezekiel Chapter 39 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapter 38

BrianH — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 12:25:00 +0000

Ezekiel chapters 38 & 39 describe what many scholars believe will be a Russian-led, Islamic invasion of Israel, that may well be on our imminent horizon. These chapters, penned around 2,600 years ago, have long fascinated students of Biblical Prophecy, but with recent global events, now more than ever, the world may be poised to finally witness these dramatic events firsthand! In this study, pastor Barry asks who will be involved in this offensive, why do many nations – including the UK – sit passively by, and what will the outcome be? Are we really about to witness the first aggressive use of nuclear weapons since WWII?

Join as pastor Barry takes us verse-by-verse through chapter 38.

This is part 1 of this study

Further description to follow …

TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON

This has already been produced (by two different processes) but has not yet been checked visually. It is intended that it will be uploaded … soon
There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). See below (“PS0” for full info)

The post Ezekiel Chapter 38 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapter 37

BrianH — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 12:22:00 +0000

In this study, pastor Barry takes us verse-by-verse through Ezekiel ch37. This is one of the most remarkable prophecies in the Bible, and one that we are seeing fulfilled in the days we are living in. Seldom does a day go by where the Nation of Israel are not in the news. This 2600 year old prophecy from Ezekiel sheds on the reason why.

The main theme of this rather famous chapter (“The Valley of Dry Bones”) is the resurrection of Israel. The restoration of a dispersed, scattered, down-trodden population, the Nation of Israel, to their God-given patch of the world.

Following on from that is a section which relates some of the events in the present day to the present-day status of the nation of Israel. There is particular reference to the recently-issued statement by the Church Of England Synod: “Kairos Palestine II”.

Further description to follow …

TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON

The post Ezekiel Chapter 37 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapters 35 & 36

BrianH — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 12:27:00 +0000

In Ezekiel chapter 37 – the famous Valley of Dry Bones – we see God fulfill the proimises He made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give the Children of Israel a homeland that would be theirs forever.

However, before the Jews could be brought home, the Land itself needed to be made ready. In Exekiel chapters 35 and 36 we see God do two things, remove and bring judgment on Edom (modern-day Jordan) for their hatred toward their brother (Ch35), and for the Land itself to turn from being a baren wilderness, bursting forth into life and becoming an ‘abundant field’.

Pastor Barry takes us verse-by-verse through these hugely signifcant chapters in the days in which we are living.

Further description to follow …

TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON

This will be uploaded … soon
There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). See below (“PS0” for full info)

WAS== This transcript is in 2 forms (in the one file). One half consists of normal text arrangement. These ‘blocks’ were at purely arbitrary boundaries (boundaries were inserted at about 800 character intervals, purely to avoid having one huge unbroken deluge of text, i.e. no attempt at grammatical accuracy). The format has now been changed as described above in PS1. The other section is short bunches of words (8 to 12 nomally) beneath the TIMES at which they occur (for the whole sermon).
This facility is in development (“experimental” as mentioned above) so any feedback on usefulness, improvement suggestions, or whatever, would be most welcome.

The post Ezekiel Chapters 35 & 36 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapter 34

BrianH — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 12:15:00 +0000

This week continues the uplifting section of the Book of Ezekiel. It begins with a quick summary of the chapters leading up to number 34, then there is an overview of Chapter 34 itself.

The early section deals with church leaders exploiting the congregation, with parallels in today’s church strongly emphasised.

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TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON

This will be uploaded … soon

There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). See below (“PS0” for full info)

PS0 ::::: TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON
There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). This actually links to a text-file to download. It is a transcript of the sermon. At present it is at an experimental stage: it is an aid to getting the most out of the sermon audio. There is no substitute for listening to the verbal delivery of a sermon. However, searching through an audio file lasting the best part of an hour can be somewhat difficult. When you approach the search knowing that you’re sure there is something about “redemption”, for example, then a transcript text-search can take you right there and show you the time in the recording where you will find it! The file is simple “text” rather than a more sophisticated form so that you can edit or reformat as you prefer. This transcript is in 2 forms (in the one file). One half consists of normal text arrangement. These ‘blocks’ were at purely arbitrary boundaries (boundaries were inserted at about 800 character intervals, purely to avoid having one huge unbroken deluge of text, i.e. no attempt at grammatical accuracy). The format has now been changed as described above in PS1. The other section is short bunches of words (8 to 12 nomally) beneath the TIMES at which they occur (for the whole sermon).
This facility is in development (“experimental” as mentioned above) so any feedback on usefulness, improvement suggestions, or whatever, would be most welcome.

The post Ezekiel Chapter 34 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ruth – Session 5

Barry Forder — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 19:30:00 +0000

Having gone verse-by-verse through the Book of Ruth, in this session we look at the models that God had intentially woven into the naritive of this incredible book.

We will see how the story itself is a model of the gospel; how Naomi is a type of Israel, Ruth a type of the Church, Boaz a type of Christ, Orpha a model of the unbeliever, and even the position of the book is by Diving design!

We also look at the one character that, up to now, has not been mentioned! He plays a major role and yet is never mentiond in the book! But unlocking the mystery of this man who ‘hides in plain sight’ it helps us to see the brethtaking magnitude of God’s plan of Redemption!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study!

The post Ruth – Session 5 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapter 33

BrianH — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 12:32:00 +0000

This sermon moves into the section of Ezekiel which is somewhat more encouraging than previous weeks’ chapters.

Pastor Barry began with an overview of what went before (Chapters 1 to 32)
In the same vein a preparation for Ch33 followed, broadly describing themes etc.

There followed detailed examination of verse-contents, with expansion into the relevance to our day-by-day lives. Examples include “Christian life” : “Nominal” or “Real” – is it bearing fruit (i.e. is it useful in moving society closer to God?)

The validity of many of the predictions given by Ezekiel was frequently illustrated, for example by observations published by Mark Twain in 186,7 that Israel WAS desolate and barren, just as Ezekiel predicted.

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TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON
There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). See below (“PS0” for full info)

The post Ezekiel Chapter 33 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ruth Chapter 4

Barry Forder — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 19:30:00 +0000

In this final chapter of the book of Ruth we see Boaz go up to the city gate to settle the legal right of redemption before ten elders of the city. Though a nearer kinsman initially agrees to buy the land, he quickly backs out when he learns he must also marry Ruth the Moabitess, refusing to risk marring his own inheritance. Boaz triumphantly steps forward to perform the kinsman’s part, drawing off the shoe to confirm the covenant, buying back all that belonged to Elimelech’s family, and purchasing Ruth to be his wife. This magnificent climax beautifully mirrors how Jesus Christ made Himself of no reputation, willingly making the sacrifice to purchase His Gentile Bride and buy the field of this world. Ultimately, Ruth’s barrenness is turned to fruitfulness in Bethlehem as she brings forth Obed, completing a breathtaking design that perfectly anticipates the lineage of King David and the ultimate restoration of blessing.

We look at the Biblical significance of ‘gates’, ‘shoes’, ‘the tenth man’ and discover an incredible hidden code within the text of Genesis 38 and see how this highlights God’s preference for using what the world disqualifies. David’s line should have been ruined by the shame of Genesis 38. The line was infused with Gentile blood through Tamar, Rahab and Ruth the Moabitess. Yet, God took a line that was legally “shut out” for ten generations, redeemed it through a faithful Kinsman-Redeemer (Boaz), and used the tenth man to establish the eternal royal throne of Israel.

It serves as a direct blueprint for how Jesus (the ultimate descendant of this line) takes our spiritually bankrupt, disqualified status and legally qualifies us to sit with Him in heavenly places!

May you be blessed and ancouraged by this study.

The post Ruth Chapter 4 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ruth Chapter 3

Barry Forder — Fri, 29 May 2026 21:27:22 +0000

The book of Ruth is one of the most amazing in the bible on account of the models and types found in its 86 verses. The surface narrative of the Book of Ruth is a literary masterpiece, it is the perfect ‘rags to riches’ story. But concealed within the text we have:
‒The entire gospel from Genesis to Revelation

‒The history and future of the Nation of Israel

‒The account of the Kinsman Redeemer who is willing to forfeit his own standing to claim a gentile bride

‒The jubilee principle, where that which was lost is found, where the land is returned to its rightful owner

‒The reason for Bethlehem’s significance

‒The practical demonstration of Romans 8:28

Chapter 3

In chapter 3 we see Naomi genuinely concerned about Ruth’s future happiness so poses the question ‘My dear Ruth, have you thought of getting remarried and settling down?’
It is interesting that we find Naomi use the expression ‘seek rest’ as an idiom for marriage. Throughout scripture the idea of rest is prophetically linked to the marriage of the Bride and our Heavenly Groom. The ultimate rest will be found in Him, when we are joined to Him and free from the toil and trials of this world. The Hebrew word for rest is ‘manowach’ (maw-no’-akh); which literally means ‘quiet’, i.e. (concretely) a settled spot, or (figuratively) a home. This is how a marriage should be, a place of loving fulfilment and peace. As Matthew Henry comments: “A married state is, or should be, a state of rest to young people. Wandering affections are then fixed, and the heart must be at rest.”
Sadly, we are bombarded with the world’s view of marriage as a place of strife and turmoil, where dreams go to die and to endure is the best we can hope for.
Love is hard to conceal and it may well have been that Naomi had already noticed a spark between Ruth and Boaz, after all, it would seem they had spent a couple of months daily in each other’s company by this point in time. Ruth however, being a foreigner, would no doubt have felt it not her place to initiate anything with her wealthy relative.

Signifcantly, we finally see Ruth and Boaz together at the end of the harvest! What a picture of Christ and the church, who will be finally united once the time of eartholy harvest is over and His ‘wheat’ has been safely gathered into His barn (see John 14:2-3 & 1 Thes 4:16-17).

There are many lessons to glean from this chapter! May you be blessed and encouraged as you study God’s Word.

The post Ruth Chapter 3 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapters 31 & 32

BrianH — Wed, 27 May 2026 17:24:43 +0000

More on the Judgements wreaked on the nations which mistreat Israel. This time the focus is on Egypt.

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TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON
The transcript will be uploaded ASAP (other commitments have delayed the preparation of this material and the transcript is at the end of the list)

There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). See below (“PS0” for full info)

The post Ezekiel Chapters 31 & 32 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ruth Chapter 2

Barry Forder — Fri, 22 May 2026 21:34:20 +0000

In this study we continue over verse-by-verse joutney through the book of Ruth. It has been said that this book stands out like a diamond on a black cloth, ‘a beautiful day in the midst of a season of storms’. Spurgeon said “The Book of Ruth is like a lovely flower in a garden of weeds. It shows us that even in the darkest times of the Judges, God had a people, and His grace was at work in the most unexpected places”.

If the surface story in the book of Ruth is wonderful, then the models that God has given us are nothing short of breath-taking! As we look at the similitudes, we will begin to see how this book is a wonderful and powerful model that prefigures God’s work of redemption and plan for mankind. Specifically, we see how Naomi, as a type of Israel, through unbelief and rejection of God is expelled from the land, being dispersed among the gentiles, later to be brought home in bitterness before being restored. •We also see Ruth, as a type of the Church, being a gentile bride who finds grace in the eyes of Boaz who, as a Kinsman-Redeemer, purchases her for himself! •Then there is the land itself; as in the book of Ruth where the land was lost, only to be redeemed again by Boaz, so Adam lost the ‘title deed’ of this earth to Satan, only to find that the Second Adam, our Kinsman-Redeemer will redeem this earth and claim back what Adam lost!

Chapter 2

As we move into chapter two we meet the kinsman-redeemer, Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

The opening verse is the type of verse that preachers like Spurgeon would have spent an entire sermon expounding! We must be careful not to just read over the magnitude of what this verse is saying, for it ultimately speaks of Jesus Christ. Psalm 40:7 tells us “in the volume of the book it is written of me”, and many Bible commentators have pointed out that you can find Jesus on every page of the Bible, either boldly presented, or subtly concealed in the types, shadows and details. Proverbs 25:2 says: “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter”, and Paul explains, in regard to the feasts of Israel, that they too are “a shadow of things to come; but the substance (i.e. the fulfilment) is of Christ” (Col 2:17).

It seemed to have slipped Naomi’s mind that there was a relative who could, potentially at least, act as the kinsman-redeemer, to purchase back that which had belonged to Elimelech. As we will go on to see, Boaz was a wealthy man and of great standing in the community, but it’s when we turn to the types and shadows we see the depth in this verse. Four key facts that are revealed:

1) Naomi had a kinsman,

2) He was a mighty man of wealth

3) He was of the family of Elimelech

4) His name was Boaz

Firstly, Naomi had a kinsman: Later in the book we will not find Naomi complaining that she didn’t have a number of able kinsmen who could have redeemed her, nor will she complain that it was too restrictive, narrow and dogmatic to only have been offered one way out of her predicament – a predicament that had been brought about by her decision to leave the Land God had given her, ultimately, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). The incredible fact here is the Naomi had a kinsman, there was a way, it was possible for a sinner to be restored because there was a kinsman-redeemer! Of course this speaks of Jesus; He is The way, The truth and The life. None can come (back) to the Father but through Him (John 14:6). The world may foolishly complain that Christianity is too exclusive, that it is narrow and dogmatic to affirm there is just One way to heaven – through Jesus Christ, but the most amazing fact is, that there is A way. It is actually possible. We have a Kinsman; one who is able and willing to redeem us (purchase us back). Furthermore, our Kinsman came to rescue us while we were yet sinners, lost and alienated from the commonwealth of Israel (just as Naomi had been).

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him” (Rom 5:6-9).The second point to mention is that ‘he was a mighty man of wealth’. Speaking of Boaz, we know that he was a wealthy land owner with a number of servants, and also that he was a man of great importance within the town, and the Hebrew implies he was mighty in valour. But this verse also speaks of Jesus. You could have a mighty man who had little in the terms of wealth; or you could have a wealthy man who had little or no might, but our Boaz (Jesus Christ) is both Mighty and of unfathomable wealth. Not only do we have a Kinsman, but He is mighty to save (Isaiah 63:1); He is the captain of the armies of the LORD (Joshua 5:14), who will destroy His enemies with the brightness of His coming (2 Thess 2:8).

In regard to His wealth, Paul says: “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” (Rom 11:33) God’s riches are not just confined to the material, and here Paul speaks of the unfathomable depth of the riches of both God’s wisdom and knowledge. God is all knowing, all powerful and all wise. I wonder how poverty stricken Ruth felt to discover she was related to a philanthropist millionaire? How would you react to such a discovery? To discover that you have such a Kinsman in Jesus Christ, who is willing and able to redeem you, provide for your, establish you, and Whom will never forsake you, should fill your heart and mind with unspeakable joy and peace!

The third fact we are told is that Boaz was of the family of Elimelech. As we have noted, the name Elimelech means ‘God is my king’. Boaz was of the family of ‘God is my king’; his was a Godly family. His mother was Rahab, a gentile who had been saved by her faith in Yeshua. Although Rahab had once been known as a harlot, even by the time we are introduced to her in the book of Joshua, there is evidence that her life was changing, for we are told she was drying flax in the roof of her house. This was time consuming and would have been to produce garments for sale, to earn her living in a more honourable way (linen etc. was made from flax). Rahab’s encounter with the God of Israel changed her forever, and as Jesus Himself testified of another ex-harlot “Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little” (Luke 7:47). As with Boaz, Christ also is of the family of ‘God is my King’. God alone was His King; He came to do the will of His Father (John 5:30 / 6:38). Only one who seeks first the kingdom of God can be truly pleasing to Him (Matt 3:17 / Matt 6:33).

Finally, we are told that ‘his name was Boaz’. Boaz’ name means ‘to strengthen’. You can mix sand, stones and water together all day long and you will have a soggy mix of sand, stones and water. However when you add cement to your sand, stones and water you have something that you can make the largest buildings from. This is what Christ does for us. He puts into us something that was not there before. “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” (Phil 4:13). Christ is our strength, and His strength is made perfect in our weakness (1 Peter 5:10 / 2 Corinthians 12:9). He was strong enough to endure temptation in the wilderness, to endure the trial in Gethsemane, to endure the mockery and scourging of the Pharisees and Romans, to endure the agony and humiliation of crucifixion, and ultimately to endure the wrath of God poured on Him for the sins of the world. What strength! What a Saviour!

“For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Heb 12:3). Boaz must have make an impression on his great grandson, Solomon, for when Solomon was building the temple “ he reared up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.” (2 Chron 3:17) Jacinth means ‘to establish’, and Boaz, ‘to strengthen’.

As we continue through this chapter there are many more insights and shadows that point to Christ.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Ruth Chapter 2 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapters 29 & 30

BrianH — Sun, 17 May 2026 12:27:00 +0000

This continues the section of the book which deals with God’s judgement on the nations which treat Israel badly.

The expression “The Day of The Lord” is explained in the context of “… bringing terror and slaughter to Egypt and all her regional allies”

TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON (to follow on Thursday ...)
There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). See below (“PS0” for full info)

The post Ezekiel Chapters 29 & 30 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ruth Chapter 1

Barry Forder — Thu, 14 May 2026 19:30:00 +0000

The book of Ruth is considered one of the most beautiful stories in the Bible. The events recorded took place during the time of the judges, which was a period of national spiritual chaos and darkness where ‘every man did that which was right in his own eyes’ (Judges 21:25) Against this background the book of Ruth stands out like a diamond on a black cloth, a beautiful day in the midst of a season of storms. However this book is far more than just a story of love and commitment. As we will discover, the key theme to the book is ‘redemption’. One dictionary definition of ‘redeem’ is: “to recover possession or ownership of by payment of a price or service; regain” On the surface we see the account of Naomi and her loss and subsequent regaining (redemption) of that which was lost. We also see the redemption of the land that had been sold, and the redemption and purchasing of Ruth by a kinsman-redeemer named Boaz. However, as we will see, the book also has another level. In Hosea 12:10 God says: “I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.”. The word ‘similitudes’ means a ‘type’ or a ‘model’. A model is simply a representation of something for our insight and instruction.

If the surface story in the book of Ruth is wonderful, then the models that God has given us are nothing short of breath-taking! As we look at the similitudes we will begin to see how this book is a wonderful and powerful model that prefigures God’s work of redemption and plan for mankind. Specifically we see how Naomi, as a type of Israel, through unbelief and rejection of God is expelled from the land, being dispersed among the gentiles, later to be brought home in bitterness before being restored. We also see Ruth, as a type of the Church, being a gentile bride who finds grace in the eyes of Boaz who, as a Kinsman-Redeemer, is a type of Jesus. Then there is the land itself; as in the book of Ruth where the land was lost, only to be redeemed again by Boaz, so Adam lost the ‘title deed’ of this earth to Satan, only to find that the Second Adam, our Kinsman-Redeemer will redeem this earth as we see unfolded in the book of Revelation.

For a book that is only 85 verses long, it is truly amazing!

As we have noted, there are at least 3 levels to the book:

Firstly, it is an historical account of the events that took place at that time
Secondly, it serves as a tutor for all who read it in regard to commitment, faithfulness and trust. The lessons we learn here are practical instructions for every day living.
Thirdly, it is a model laid out in advance of God’s plan of redemption through Jesus.

In the 85 verses:

God’s name is used 17x (When you see LORD written in capitals it means that in the Hebrew it was written as YAWH, which we pronounce as ‘Yahweh’ or ‘Jehovah’ and was considered by the Jews to be the unpronounceable name of God.) ‘the God who keeps His covenants’
- El hoeim is used x 3 (this is the plural for God and hints at the trinity – Father, Son & Spirit.) – ‘the Creator God’
- El shadai x 2 – God almighty / all powerful
- Redeem / Redeemer / Kinsman over 20 x in just 85 verses.

Hence the theme of the book is established as the ‘redemption by God’.

Timing: – As we have mentioned the events in the book of Ruth occurred during the time of the Judges (Ruth 1:1). Judges itself covers the period around 1400 – 1050 B.C. We know from the genealogy in Matthew 1 that Boaz’s father was Salmon and his mother was Rahab – who was spared in the destruction of Jericho by Joshua. This would place these events fairly early on and probably around the time of chapter 3 – 4 of Judges. It is just a conjecture but we read in Judges 3 that God raised up a man called Ehud to deliver Israel from the hand of the King of Moab. After Ehud’s personal victory, we read in verses 27 – 30, how Ehud blew a trumpet in Ephraim and rallied an army that went and defeated the Moabites. It may have been that Elimelech, being from that area and old enough to fight, was part of the army that went into and conquered Moab. We are told that as a result of this victory: “So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.” (Judges 3:30) Given this situation, it would make sense that Elimelech, having already been to Moab on a military exercise, and in order to escape the famine now in Israel, chose to take his family to a land that Israel had subdued and was therefore under Israeli control at that time.

If this conjecture is correct, how ironic (and yet familiar in our own circumstances) that whilst being given a victory from God, Elimelech was impressed by the land of Moab, and hence it becomes the place he chooses to go to at this time. The blessing that God had given became the very thing that drove him and his family away from their God. How often have we enjoyed blessings from God’s hand, only to let them become that thing that drives a wedge between us and God? Maybe you have prayed that God will give you a new job, but when you get it you find that now you are too busy to read the Bible or pray anymore, or attend church meetings; maybe you have prayed for a child, only to find that when God answers your prayer, unlike Hannah in 1 Samuel, you don’t always go to church because you want to spend time with your family. The list goes on so fill in the blanks. Blessings that are not given back to God but kept for ourselves are like the manna that was taken and ‘hid under the tent’, they turn to rottenness. (See Exodus 16:14-20)

Author? – Some think that it may have been Samuel and that one of the reasons for writing the book was to show the genealogy of King David as recorded in chapter 4.

Position of the book: It is interesting to note that the book is the eighth book in the Bible. Eight signifies new beginnings – 8th note in an octave is the start of a new octave; 8^th day of the week is the start of a new week; 8^th colour in the rainbow starts a new spectrum etc. The book records a new beginning for Naomi, Ruth and Boaz and prophetically speaks of a new beginning for Israel, the Church and Jesus who will be united with His bride and begin to rule.

The book is a story of grace and bridges the gap between the darkness and chaos of the times of the Judges and the time when God’s appointed king will be established in Jerusalem as recorded in Samuel. Again, viewed prophetically, the world was in spiritual darkness until Jesus came, who is the light of the world. Since the cross we are now living in a period of God’s grace and are looking forward to God’s appointed King of Kings to establish His throne and rule from Jerusalem.

Importance of the book: All scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness so that we might be thoroughly furnished – have all that we need – in order that we might do work of Him who called us. This book is no exception; there is abundant instruction here.

Without this book the reason why the Messiah was born in Bethlehem would not be known, and the field that the shepherds were in when the angel spoke may have been unoccupied if it were not for the events that take place here. Again, as we have noted many times, this book serves to remind us that there are no meaningless details in the Bible. Every number, every word, every name and every place-name are all there by deliberate supernatural design proving once again that the Bible is the work of someone outside of our space-time who can tell the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done!

(2 Timothy 3:16 / Isaiah 46:10)

May you be blessed and ancouraged by this study.

The post Ruth Chapter 1 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapter 28

BrianH — Sun, 10 May 2026 12:30:00 +0000

Pastor Barry continues his in-depth examination of the prophecies for the nations which mistreat Israel.

The King of Tyre is examined as not just a human being of great wealth and power, but as an entity in the supernatural realm. This reveals some deeper concerns about nature of creation (not just the solid matter of the universe, but living beings of various types).

There is a substantial portion which deals with the nature of Hell. There is also a major chunk which deals with the way that Satan got to be the way he is. The book of Esther is used in this as an illustration of the process.

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TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON
There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). See below (“PS0” for full info)

The post Ezekiel Chapter 28 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapter 27

BrianH — Sun, 03 May 2026 12:22:00 +0000

Pastor Barry began with a brief recap of some of the structure and content of the preceding parts of Ezekiel. Then followed more on the demise of the city of Tyre (“The elaborate, poetic funeral dirge for a city not yet dead”!)

Tarshish was the focus of the next section – the region or city which also exhibited excessive pride. The location of Tarshish has been identified as Cornwall (& Devon) in the United Kingdom.

The web of interelationships between Great Britain and other nations and their treatment of the Jews over many years (but particularly recent times) and the repercussions therefrom was also delved into. The connections with the Book of Revelation was also touched on.

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TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON (to follow on soon ...)
There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). See below (“PS0” for full info)

The post Ezekiel Chapter 27 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapter 26

BrianH — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 12:28:00 +0000

This session deals with one of the most striking, specific and detailed prophecies in the Bible: The total destruction of the city of Tyre. The nature of its destruction and the extended history of the process and the variety of people and processes involved come together to make the results truly astounding.

There are also two significant “asides” that clarify and correct some commonly held misconceptions. These deal with the nature of “Hell” and “The Pit” (what happened to Jesus in the three days following His death). {{These occur at 4m35s and 34m39s minutes respectively in the audio}}

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TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON
There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). See below (“PS0” for full info)

The post Ezekiel Chapter 26 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Ark Of The Covenant (part 3)

BrianH — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 12:28:00 +0000

The Ark of the Covenant is a mysterious thing. Its creation and history are rather unusual. Happenings connected with it were far from normal – some were downright supernatural!

Jim described in detail some of these events and the people who were involved.

<<< There were no slides used with this presentation, but your diligent editor found a helpful picture out there on the WWWeb (see “pdf”) >>>.

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PS0: ::: The latest development on the “Transcript” section is that the text-file will be subject to far less preparation than before – less editing and correction. It will still be converted to sentence-column form as before, but any trimming and polishing will be left to the user. Any shortcomings in the transcription software should be pretty obvious and so not a problem in getting the meaning (and the audio file will provide the necessary clarification if required )

PS2 ::::: TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON
There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). This actually links to a text-file to download. It is a transcript of the sermon. At present it is at an experimental stage: it is an aid to getting the most out of the sermon audio. There is no substitute for listening to the verbal delivery of a sermon. However, searching through an audio file lasting the best part of an hour can be somewhat difficult. When you approach the search knowing that you’re sure there is something about “redemption”, for example, then a transcript text-search can take you right there and show you the time in the recording where you will find it! The file is simple “text” rather than a more sophisticated form so that you can edit or reformat as you prefer. This transcript is in 2 forms (in the one file). One half consists of normal text arrangement. These ‘blocks’ were at purely arbitrary boundaries (boundaries were inserted at about 800 character intervals, purely to avoid having one huge unbroken deluge of text, i.e. no attempt at grammatical accuracy). The format has now been changed as described above in PS1. The other section is short bunches of words (8 to 12 nomally) beneath the TIMES at which they occur (for the whole sermon).
This facility is in development (“experimental” as mentioned above) so any feedback on usefulness, improvement suggestions, or whatever, would be most welcome.

The post The Ark Of The Covenant (part 3) first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Wilderness

BrianH — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 22:37:49 +0000

This sermon deals with how we get into a “wilderness” situation, what to do when we are in one, and how we get out of it. The “getting out of it” is not something we achieve by our efforts, but by reliance on our Father God’s grace and mercy. Visiting Pastor Matt Hobbs supplies copious examples of characters in scripture who suffered their own indivdual wilderness experiences. These are carried through to the point of resolution and beyond, illustrating God bringing forth good from events that look hopeless and destined for disastrous outcomes.

{{{ No slides were used in this presentation }}}

>>>>>>>>>>

The audio file has been attached but as a result of a hardware problem the quality is not up to the usual standard. It is good enough to hear what Pastor Hobbs is telling us, but not exactly “BBC Broadcast Quality”. To help with this at this stage the transcript has been provided in its unedited form (straight out of the transcriptor software!). These files will be replaced with better versions if such can be created.

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The post The Wilderness first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Our Hope In His Resurrection (Easter Day)

BrianH — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 18:01:42 +0000

This is a real tour-de-force: a deluge of evidence for the Resurrection.

More details on the contents in due course.

(Transcript in preparation at the time of publishing these two items)

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The post Our Hope In His Resurrection (Easter Day) first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Joshua Ch 14 v4-14

BrianH — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 12:30:00 +0000

The major theme of the sermon is that we will have obstacles to face in our lives (“mountains to cope with”) but when we acknowledge our dependence on God our Father – and tackle them with determination, with strong faith – then they can be overcome.

The determination of the enemy to resist also plays a part in our progress (ref various sectors of Canaan not totally conquered!)(and causing trouble later!).

Pastor Tonye (from Liverpool) delivery his sermon with plenty of dramatic gestures to illustrate his points. He described some of the reasons for going to work in some of the places he’s been to.

NB: SLIDES were not used to support the sermon, so the week’s notices have been uploaded instead.

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The post Joshua Ch 14 v4-14 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapter 25

BrianH — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 12:41:00 +0000

The teaching began with the Outline table and reviewing a broad picture.
A major topic concerns Judgements meeted out by God on misbehaving groups of people.

There was a long section which dealt with the New Testament books and their connection to the ideas dealt with in Ezekiel (not just chapter 25).

There is reference (and relevance) of the surrounding countries (to be dealt with in following chapters of Ezekiel) that were very antagonistic to Israel.

At about 2/3 through the time, we get into Ezekiel Ch 25 -propper …

(the transcript is 98% done and will uploaded later today )

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The post Ezekiel Chapter 25 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapters 23 & 24

BrianH — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 12:44:00 +0000

Pastor Barry began with a table showing an outline of the whole book.

“This is a provocative chapter – one of the worst in the Old Testament” “Difficult and uncomfortable”. It was introduced as “The Tale of Two Sisters”. It deals with Ohola and Oholibah (analogues of Samaria and Jerusalem).

There were also parallels drawn with the behaviour of modern-day politicians in international relationships and policies in the major denominations of churches. There was mention of the correlation between the 7 ages of Israel and the Ages of the Christian Church. It has been said by some that God is cruel, but it was pointed out that sometimes the appalling behaviour of people warrants severe retribution!

A section deals with the goings-on between Zedekiah and Babylon.

A timeline showing the precision of prophecy was examined. In 573BC Cyrus issued his decree, and the idea that Persia is being liberated this year (2026) was put forward. The similarity of time-gaps between events was highlighted. This was another instance showing the extent of God’s control over history.

Ezekiel’s obedience is evident in the description.

To conclude, a passage is highlighted which is “the death-knell of replacement theology”

(and the transcript will follow in due course )

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The post Ezekiel Chapters 23 & 24 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapter 22

BrianH — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 12:31:00 +0000

The picture becames even more grim than earlier in the chapter!

More details to follow … (and the transcript will follow)

V^V^V^V^V

More description later today (all being well )( – better to have material available now, with little description, than wait until full description generated). Same applies to transcript of the audio

VVV

VVVVV

VVVVVV

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The post Ezekiel Chapter 22 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Ch 20(end) & Ch21

BrianH — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 12:33:00 +0000

We’re getting into some pretty fierce stuff now – supernatural flashing swords and the like!

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The post Ezekiel Ch 20(end) & Ch21 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Ch19 &Ch20-to-v44

BrianH — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 12:35:00 +0000

Fuller description to be added soon, but essentially:

The timeline picture (850 to 425 BC);
Comparison of “The Path of Life” and “The Path of Death” (Psalm 1)
Two lamentions by The Lord Himself
The end of the ordinary human dynasty of King David
Chapter 20 – The History of Rebellion, then …
The return of a section of the Israelites to the Promised Land
Releatively modern History: Diaspora
People journeying to Israel (Mark Twain; Charles Warren)
Future Creation of Mount Zion

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Transcript to be added in due course

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NB:::: There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). This actually links to a text-file to download. It is a transcript of the sermon.

PS2: ::: The latest development on the “Transcript” section is that the text-file will be subject to far less preparation than before – less editing and correction. It will still be converted to sentence-column form as before, gross errors (like repetitions of lines) will be removed, but any trimming and polishing will be left to the user. Any shortcomings in the transcription software should be pretty obvious and so not a problem in getting the meaning (and the audio file will provide the necessary clarification if required )

PS0 ::::: TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON
There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). This actually links to a text-file to download. It is a transcript of the sermon. At present it is at an experimental stage: it is an aid to getting the most out of the sermon audio. There is no substitute for listening to the verbal delivery of a sermon. However, searching through an audio file lasting the best part of an hour can be somewhat difficult. When you approach the search knowing that you’re sure there is something about “redemption”, for example, then a transcript text-search can take you right there and show you the time in the recording where you will find it! The file is simple “text” rather than a more sophisticated form so that you can edit or reformat as you prefer. This transcript is in 2 forms (in the one file). One half consists of normal text arrangement. These ‘blocks’ were at purely arbitrary boundaries (boundaries were inserted at about 800 character intervals, purely to avoid having one huge unbroken deluge of text, i.e. no attempt at grammatical accuracy). The format has now been changed as described above in PS1. The other section is short bunches of words (8 to 12 nomally) beneath the TIMES at which they occur (for the whole sermon).
This facility is in development (“experimental” as mentioned above) so any feedback on usefulness, improvement suggestions, or whatever, would be most welcome.

The post Ezekiel Ch19 &Ch20-to-v44 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapter 18

BrianH — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 12:32:00 +0000

This sermon begins with a historical overview of the activities dealt with in the Book of Ezekiel. An expansive timeline is featured in the pdf-file of graphics accompanying the audio.

There is a substantial treatment on the thorny subject of “Once-Saved-Always-Saved” (aka “Can You lose your “saved” status”?), drawing on the unexpected source in Ezekiel.

Pastor Barry began looking at the details of the Timeline graphic to give the broad sweep of the context of the Book of Ezekiel.
Picking out some salient features,

the Kings of northern kingdom were invariably bad,and there were only 5 good kings in Judah.
Two really good ones stand out: Hezekiah & Josiah
The Book of Joel kind of sets the tone of all the prophetic books, in a few short chapters, he encompasses a great deal of history. It is quoted by Peter on the day of Pentecost and so on.
In Ezekiel,part of the message is the one of the coming Redeemer, the Messiah.
Chapter 18 is speaking of the restoration of the nation of Israel.
Many references to many of the prophets and their references to The Messiah.Isaiah & Jeremiah get a lot of attention.
More historical sweeps, then focussing on 593 to 574 BC

Digging into Ch 18:

One substantial theme elucidated is that the verdict that God pronounced was fully justified.
the normal human nature to want to avoid blame (responsibility) by blaming someone or something else. The case quoted here was “our forebears fault (even quoting one of the proverbs to support their case!)(which gets shot down later)”.
Ch 18 is a rebuttal of this – responsibility for a person’s sin rests on that person alone!

Another substantial theme treated is “If you do accept the Bible, it’s all or nothing!”.
Further topics examined are

About the character of God and how we perceive Him
Chapter 18 is about living and dying (three generational examples).
Real-world history of three of the Judean kings (contrasted, in type, – Hezekiah, that godly king; The ungodly son, Manasseh (the worst king); then the “godly grandson”, Josiah.
Usury (interest on loans)(or not!)
Repentance of Manasseh
Importance of grandparents and their influence on children.
About sinners repenting and righteous becoming sinners and the repercussions thereof
Importance of finishing well.

There is a big chunk = more on “The Security of Salvation”:
The Christian may lose his righteous standing before God, BUT in support of the security of the believer, these passages in Ezekiel do not teach the eternal loss of the saved person, but relate to the righteousness which is of God, by faith.
The punishment threatened refers only to physical death rather than to eternal death.
The texts in Ezekiel must be considered in the light of such New Testament texts as John 10, Romans v5, 8, 9, and so on and Philippians 1v6 (the security of the believer is clearly taught) BUT Christians can lose their REWARD if they backslide!

Section about the “Fairness” of God (ref some of the severe punishments meted out, which some say were “not fair”).
More on personal responsibility for your own sins.

Finally, there is a reminder that Christ, through his blood, can “purge the very conscience”.

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NB:::: There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). This actually links to a text-file to download. It is a transcript of the sermon.

PS2: ::: The latest development on the “Transcript” section is that the text-file will be subject to far less preparation than before – less editing and correction. It will still be converted to sentence-column form as before, gross errors (like repetitions of lines) will be removed, but any trimming and polishing will be left to the user. Any shortcomings in the transcription software should be pretty obvious and so not a problem in getting the meaning (and the audio file will provide the necessary clarification if required )

The post Ezekiel Chapter 18 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapter 17

BrianH — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 12:30:00 +0000

The first 11 minutes are devoted to setting the scene leading to Chapter 17, establishing the context for the material. This effectiveley summarises the 16 chapters that have gone before in the 11 previous sermons. Part of this is the change of role of Ezekiel – not a priest as expected, but a full-blown prophet! He was sustained by God in his stressful role.

There is a section on riddles and figures of speech in scripture (over 200 figures of speech documented by Bullinger). The Eagle – its significance and frequent use as symbol of power (not just in scripture) – is discussed at length.
The Davidic royal family lineage is examined in some measure, from the apparent break at Zedekiah through the ages to the birth of Jesus, and how God arranges things to bring about a resumption of the Kingly Line of David (with a brief digression into the family of Zelophehad, with his five daughters, the eldest being named Mahlah).

There is a section on the politics of Nebuchadnezzar and misbehaviour of Zedekiah and the movements of people between Israel/Judea and Babylon. The nature and significance of the vine-plant are elucidated and the fact that Israel was equivalent to a vine in these concerns (and not the sturdy, independent cedar tree).
God used Nebuchadnezzar as His instrument of punishment for Israel’s misbehaviour

Oaths feature prominently in the next section (an oath to God is binding, even when made by mistake!)
More on the politics and scheming of Zedekiah and the severe repercussions
A few words about Proverbs Ch 3v5&6 – about trusting in God wholeheartedly, in ALL things, not just partially.
More analogies with vegetation: the scion (tender top growth) and The Messiah; planting in important places (mountain).
Every other power, every other authority will be subservient.
Trees are used as symbols of nations/powers and God states that He will establish the one that He wants to be ascendant.

There is a tailpiece where Pastor Barry showed a collection of photos of mesas and butes and pointed out that they look remarkably like tree-stumps. Enormous tree-stumps, but tree-stumps nonetheless! The world before The Flood might well have had things that we don’t see now.

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NB:::: There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). This actually links to a text-file to download. It is a transcript of the sermon.

PS2: ::: The latest development on the “Transcript” section is that the text-file will be subject to far less preparation than before – less editing and correction. It will still be converted to sentence-column form as before, gross errors (like repetitions of lines) will be removed, but any trimming and polishing will be left to the user. Any shortcomings in the transcription software should be pretty obvious and so not a problem in getting the meaning (and the audio file will provide the necessary clarification if required )

The post Ezekiel Chapter 17 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapter 16v28-63

BrianH — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 12:40:00 +0000

Pastor Barry began with a brief recap of the nature of the book and earlier sermons. He then launched out into what is dealt with in Chapter 16 verses 27 onwards.

The parallels with today are striking! Judgement was (is) long overdue. Various features of the content are noted: the faithful were removed before judgement came The abominations being done were staggering; holy places were being desecrated; the Spirit of God departed and iniquity abounded!
It was stressed the The Holy Spirit was given to the church FOREVER, so things did dramatically change once the faithful were removed (and we can expect similar the next time it happens).
Ezekiel 4 contains a list of things that would be symptoms of the judgement.
Returning to Ch 16:
Ahaz & Manasseh: pro-Asyrian policy (2 Kings 16v7 & 21v1; 2 chron 33v1–)

Pastor Barry digressed a little and spoke about the frequency & duration of praying and of scripture-reading. There was a comparison of praying and the procedure at a drive-through for buying fast-food.

There was an examination of stoning being punishment for adultery (marriage faithfullness is highly Sanctified in God’s eyes).

The Crimes of Sodom were examined at some length: a list of things was presented (NOT what we commonly associate with Sodom!)
The crime of Samaria – idolatry! Jerusalem was WORSE!
Arrogance was added to the list.
Pastor Barry reminded us that Sin usually looks worse on others (not so much on ourselves)
The comforting fact was evident, that God promised restoration; also “Healing of the Land”.

We were reminded that God is just and sins attract judgement; that God’s judgement did fall, but on His Son, not on us.

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The post Ezekiel Chapter 16v28-63 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapter 16 (verses 1 to 27)

BrianH — Sun, 18 Jan 2026 12:25:00 +0000

Pastor Barry here returns to the study of the Book of Ezekiel. First there is a recap of the overall theme of the book and the material presented about the previous 15 chapters. Next there is examination of the behaviour of the Jews, falling into the despicable practices of the neighbouring countries.

It is a significant feature of Chapter 16 that God is getting Israel to be aware of her failings, iniquities, abominations and unfaithfulness! It’s laid on really thickly! It is also pointed out the Israel is unwilling to acknowledge these facts. Israel’s history (in a genetic sense) is shown, and the comparison with Sodom and Gomorah is illustrated. Jerusalem and its longs history (under other names in early times) is described at length. Pastor Barry describes the development of Jerusalem through the ages, even up to the time of Christ, and brings in the wonders of the Grace of God and the loving works of Jesus.

The events involving Ruth & Boaz are shown to have parallels with these relationships and events. Even matters concerning preparations for weddings. Solomon and Sheba and their interaction are described and parallels drawn.

Unfortunately Israel still goes astray in many ways (child-sacrifice gets a mention here).

The subject of tithing it touched on briefly (10% being an unrealistic figure )

To close Pastor Barry draws comparisons of Ezekiel’s catalogue of woes with the state of a large proportion of The Church in our present world.

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The post Ezekiel Chapter 16 (verses 1 to 27) first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Teaching on Timing (Divine Plan)

BrianH — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 12:40:00 +0000

This sermon has the major theme of God’s Timing – things that are pre-ordained are not to happen before their appointed time.

Jesus kept a low profile, not wanting to draw attention to himself, until, again, the right time.
So Jesus wasn’t just doing things at random, like many Christians do.
Jesus wasn’t just a random person, to put it that way.
Everything was according to God’s plan, and according to God’s calendar.
Jesus knew when to hide. He knew when to speak, and when not to.
When he has said these things, he remained in Galilee. As Jesus obeyed his Father, he lived out of the truth that God’s timing is an important expression of his will. Something may be in God’s will, but not yet in his timing.
When out on the streets preaching the gospel, people have said, you guys are strange. You guys are hard. You are weird, They see us as a strange one because we are the light.
There is something that is a key point: verse 11: John 7v11 At the festival, the Judeans were looking for him. “Where is he?” they asked.

God’s ways & thoughts are not the same as our ways & thoughts.

Lekan reminds us: Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kind of evil against you, but mark this, falsely, make sure it’s false. The timing is important for God to have all the glory. And it’s very important the time that we do things. The Bible says everything is Beautiful in its own time. So when it’s not the time, it doesn’t look as beautiful. {for example, a Christmas meal in May}

Lekan made the point that you can never hear something about Jesus and remain neutral. Like a preacher said, you can’t sit on the fence: It’s not comfortable!

Lekan talked about trust: “The worst thing you can say to a person is “I don’t trust you”. That’s the most painful, the most derogatory thing you can say to someone.

Verse 14: The first time Jesus went to the temple for the Passover was to cleanse the temple. That’s very significant for us as Christians: before Jesus taught in the temple, he cleansed it.

When we speak (preach, teach and the like) it must be for God’s glory, not for our own “vain glory”. The doctrine must be Christ’s doctrine, not ours.

Jesus is saying your understanding depends on obedience to known truth. Jesus questioned the Pharisees about that: That’s a challenge for us too.

Lekan recounted several examples that Jesus quoted concerning the Jews mis-applying the Law (e.g. healing on Sabbath vs circumcising on the Sabbath)

Lekan reminded us about the confusion among the Jews about where Jesus was born, and the significance of it in relation to the prophesied birthplace of The Messiah.

There is a short section about the signs that validated the Messiahship of Jesus and the Jews not seeing the signs right before their eyes – Jesus doing what He did.

Lekan went on to talk about God’s provisions when people are in need (e.g. during The Exodus)

In the Old Testament, we are told that the Holy Spirit came UPON people, but in the New Testament, The Holy Spirit came INTO people.

WE, the people, are the Temple (there is no more “physical” temple i.e. a building)

Next there is a section on Jesus giving living water, then being The Bread Of Life

Close to the end there is a substantial section about a person not needing self-confidence to go out to preach on the street, or to give invitations to come to church, but it is sufficient to have a reliance on The Holy Spirit to work through them.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The post Teaching on Timing (Divine Plan) first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Christmas 2025 Part 3

BrianH — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 12:03:00 +0000

“Most people are familiar with the Christmas story, yet one aspect of it goes largely unnoticed—or at least unspoken. In fact, there is eight times more scripture devoted to the ‘other’ part of the story than to the ‘Baby born in Bethlehem and laid in a manger.’

Who were the wise men? Where did they come from, and why did they undertake a three-month journey to visit Jesus? Why were Herod and all of Jerusalem so shaken by their arrival? In this study, we discover why these Parthian king-makers came to Israel 2,000 years ago, and why their declaration regarding the rightful King of Israel is poised to shake the world yet again in our time.”

(Further introduction/summary will be inserted when the transcript has been produced)

Transcript will be added in due course.

The post Christmas 2025 Part 3 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Christmas 2025 – Part 2

BrianH — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 12:45:00 +0000

This, the second of the three-sermon series, deals with “Christmas Present”. It begins with a quick recap of part 1 and then describes how Satan has attempted to divert people from the one true religion by establishing a diversity of counterfeit religions around the world, all based on the model of “Mother and Child to be worshipped”. “In trying to conceal the truth in his deceptions, he inadvertently revealed it to an extent even most Christians would have missed!” Yet again Satan had “shot himself in the foot”…. !

The main block of the sermon elucidates in detail the time and place of the birth of The Messiah. Not in an open-air hut as shown in common Christmas cards, but in a strong, protective tower. Not lain in a rickety wooden crib, but in a sturdy, protective stone manger. Not showing lots of bare skin but carefully wrapped in cloth of from a source of highly-significant spritual nature. Not surrounded by a crowd of shepherds and Three Kings/Magi/Wise-Men, but attended by several awe-struck priest-shepherds (the Magi came later).

The time and place are deduced from several items of historical fact and various items of meterological information. There is a wealth of information about the nature of the place, the people involved and the circumstances that led to the events that unfolded. There’s the prophecy in the book of Micah tied into it all.

To conclude there is a proposed “Christmas Greeting” designed to avoid giving offence to the current crop of individuals who are reported to have started taking offence at “Happy Christmas”! (This proposal may be a little “tongue-in-cheek” )

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The transcript will be available within a few days

The post Christmas 2025 – Part 2 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Christmas 2025 Part 1 (“Past”)

BrianH — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 12:39:00 +0000

This first part of the Christmas Exposition by Pastor Barry contrasts the picture presented to us by “Tradition” with the picture we see when we examine the evidence in scripture and history.

The way that the wiles of Satan have been turned to good use by God are brought out in the second half of the presentation

The transcript of the sermon will be uploaded in due course >>>

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The post Christmas 2025 Part 1 (“Past”) first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapter 15

BrianH — Sun, 16 Nov 2025 12:33:00 +0000

This sermon starts with a set of 23 “Lessons to Remember” as distilled from the book of Ezekiel. These were written by John H Waddey in a commentary that he wrote in the year 1977.

Main theme of the teaching is about the nature and significance of the vine-plant and vine-metaphor.

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Transcript to follow in due course

The post Ezekiel Chapter 15 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapters 13 & 14

BrianH — Sun, 09 Nov 2025 12:39:21 +0000

The first short section is a review of Chapters 1 to 12. Pastor Barry then dealt with the false prophets that abounded in Ezekiel’s day, describing the two classes of those people. The concept of “blotting out the names of the ungodly” and the severe consequences was described. The appearance of the word “many” was stressed (and the fact that it appeared in both positive and negative contexts).

The existence of Prophetesses is covered, with several examples given.

Hypocrisy is illustrated (“hearts given over to idols” despite people appearing to follow God)

Pastor Barry reminded us that people are always calling out for “Signs for God” but stressed that God HAS provided many signs over the centuries!

A substantial section stresses that intercession is valuable (and there’s reference to Wrath vs Intercession) but prayer must always be according to God’s Word – praying in other directions is futile!

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

ZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZ

PS1: ::: RECENTLY INTRODUCED FORMAT of the transcript.
To ease the processing and preparation of the transcript, and we hope improve the readability of the text, a new format was adopted in mid October. This breaks the text into sentences instead of arbitrarily-sized “paragraphs”. When the reader opens the file in a program such as Notepad (in MS Windows), then the appearance can be just like a newspaper column. The format is such that the user has many options available, depending on preferences and what software they like to use.
Any feedback on usefulness, improvement suggestions, or whatever, would be most welcome.

PS2 ::::: TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON
There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). This actually links to a text-file to download. It is a transcript of the sermon. At present it is at an experimental stage: it is an aid to getting the most out of the sermon audio. There is no substitute for listening to the verbal delivery of a sermon. However, searching through an audio file lasting the best part of an hour can be somewhat difficult. When you approach the search knowing that you’re sure there is something about “redemption”, for example, then a transcript text-search can take you right there and show you the time in the recording where you will find it! The file is simple “text” rather than a more sophisticated form so that you can edit or reformat as you prefer. This transcript is in 2 forms (in the one file). One half consists of normal text arrangement. These ‘blocks’ were at purely arbitrary boundaries (boundaries were inserted at about 800 character intervals, purely to avoid having one huge unbroken deluge of text, i.e. no attempt at grammatical accuracy). The format has now been changed as described above in PS1. The other section is short bunches of words (8 to 12 normally) beneath the TIMES at which they occur (for the whole sermon).
This facility is in development (“experimental” as mentioned above) so any feedback on usefulness, improvement suggestions, or whatever, would be most welcome.

The post Ezekiel Chapters 13 & 14 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapters 11 & 12

BrianH — Sun, 26 Oct 2025 12:35:00 +0000

This sermon deals with the fate of kings of Israel & Judah. Ezekiel prophecied details of the retribution that would come upon them because of their ignoring the life-rules that God had decreed. It also describes the abhorent worship of other … things … instead of The One True God, particularly by the leadership.

Pastor Barry began with a quick summary of the previous chapters / teachings before delving into the details of Chapters 11 and 12.

The main body of the teaching examined the two distinct group of Israelites: those who stayed in Jerusalem and those who were taken away. Their beliefs and behaviours were contrasted (who were the favoured people?!). Warnings of retribution were contrasted with promises of – the opposite. “Peace and Safety” was a recurring theme, and the renewal of that cry in modern day politics was noted!

Pastor Barry pointed out – stressed – that “being born again” is by no means a New Testament concept, being illustrated in this section of Ezekiel.

<<< More will be added in due course – {publication has been delayed long enough!} >>>

ZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZ

PS1: ::: NEW FORMAT of the transcript.
To ease the processing and preparation of the transcript, and we hope improve the readability of the text, a new format was been adopted in mid October. This breaks the text into sentences instead of arbitrarily-sized “paragraphs”. When the reader opens the file in a program such as Notepad (in MS Windows), then the appearance can be just like a newspaper column. The format is such that the user has many options available, depending on preferences and what software they like to use.
Any feedback on usefulness, improvement suggestions, or whatever, would be most welcome.

The post Ezekiel Chapters 11 & 12 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapters 9 & 10

BrianH — Sun, 19 Oct 2025 12:55:00 +0000

Pastor Barry continues with the exposition, working through chapters 9 & 10. Before getting down to detail, though, there is a substantial commentary on present-day behaviour of various sections of our society and comparison with the things that Ezekiel was told to warn Israel about.

Pastor Barry stressed several times the “God protects His own”. Comparisons with the Book of Revelation were again highlighted. The significance of the 144,000 Jews in the end-times is outlined.

There is a section dealing with the events and behaviour in Gaza in the present day. On top of this, the fact that God is good, loving & just was stressed.

More details of Ezekiel’s vision follow, in the context of the nature of the “Mercy Seat”

The concept of “God’s presence leaving” a person or group is dealt with at some length, refering to several people and instances in ancient and modern times. The nature (and behaviour) of The Holy Spirit is expounded here (ref Saul, David, Samson, Ichabod, …).

To conclude, there is the clear assertion and substantiation that the salvation of believers “is assured”.

ZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZXZ

PS1: ::: NEW FORMAT of the transcript.
To ease the processing and preparation of the transcript, and we hope improve the readability of the text, a new format was adopted in mid October. This breaks the text into sentences instead of arbitrarily-sized “paragraphs”. When the reader opens the file in a program such as Notepad (in MS Windows), then the appearance can be just like a newspaper column. The format is such that the user has many options available, depending on preferences and what software they like to use.
Any feedback on usefulness, improvement suggestions, or whatever, would be most welcome.

The post Ezekiel Chapters 9 & 10 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapters 7 & 8

BrianH — Sun, 12 Oct 2025 12:30:00 +0000

In this fifth part of the examination of the Book of Ezekiel, Pastor Barry looks at some of the warnings and predictions of what is in store for Israel (and Jerusalem in particular) if they do not TURN BACK TO GOD. Comparisons with modern day events and trends are prominent in the latter half of the sermon.

To kick off, Pastor Barry likened the book of Ezekiel to Ch 6 of the Book of Revelation.

There is a quick recap of previous 3 sermons (Ch 1 to 6), then an overview of what was planned to cover in this sermon.
The following matters are spoken of: – the 3 sieges of Jerusalem.
– Comparison with developments in present-day UK
– Chapter 10 (Ezekiel) & amillenialism
– The “so-called Christian Church ” is falling for the various deceptions permeating the country / world and getting into a perilous state! It also appears that many are merely social clubs.
– These things will merit God’s judgement and punishment

Pastor Barry next turned his attention back to Ezekiel’s day: Jerusalem was going to be destroyed – no doubt about it!
Next is a verse-by-verse analysis.

Change and return to normal were discussed, in the context of upheaval and irrevocable disruptions (Israel never returning to how they were before, in contrast to our post-Covid-19-epidemic lives). The Rapture was briefly touched on, with reference to people not heeding the signs of what they are approaching.

Pastor Barry spent some time dwelling on the expression in scripture, "full of violence", (an estimated 458,000 international murders occur each year) and provided a wealth of statistics on this subject, including abortions and killing of Christians.

The way that the Israelites worshipped many idols and things of different types is covered in the next section. Many correspondences between ancient individuals (often thought of as being in the mythology of Greek, Roman and Eastern gods but also in the ancestries listed in the Bible) were shown in projected slides (present in the PDF file available here) and spoken of at length.

In the present day, goings-on in the Vatican and Canterbury cathedral are giving cause for concern. These are described in some detail and slides show some ot the results of questionable policies!

Current trends and activities (immorality, abortion, selfishness and similar) are discussed on the context of God’s laws. Finally, the reference to “God’s fury” is brought up and related to the matters preceding here. Pastor Barry stressed that of course Christians abhor violence and do not advocate it, but we have to be prepared for God treating people in a way that is commensurate with their behaviour.

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PS1: ::: NEW FORMAT of the transcript.
To ease the processing and preparation of the transcript, and we hope improve the readability of the text, a new format has been adopted. This breaks the text into sentences instead of arbitrarily-sized “paragraphs”. When the reader opens the file in a program such as Notepad (in MS Windows), then the appearance can be just like a newspaper column. The format is such that the user has many options available, depending on preferences and what software they like to use.
Any feedback on usefulness, improvement suggestions, or whatever, would be most welcome.

The post Ezekiel Chapters 7 & 8 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapters 4-6

Barry Forder — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 12:25:00 +0000

To start the ball rolling Pastor Barry gave on overview in terms of geographical & temporal locations. Also the Stature of Ezekiel exhibiting excellence in his prophetic role and the intensity of the content of the book (“not to be studied until reach age of 30”) were stressed.

Ezekiel doesn’t just talk, he acts, he demonstrates, he graphically portrays. With great persistence!

Three major events were prophesied: Seige of Jerusalem; acting out many small details; about Israel being scattered among the nations (The Gentiles).

Pastor Barry made the following points as he went along:
– Israel was to be scattered (across the world)
– Lots of laws about eating
– Cooking with dung as heat source (Ezekiel given the choice between two types!) – designed to provoke horror in the people who saw it!
– Activities were designed to attract attention and provoke strong reactions
– Rationing of food & water made obvious
-The various conditional rulings are also given (“if this then that, otherwise …!.!)

A large section is devoted to the arithmetic of the lengths of sections of the history of Israel and the detailed prophecies defining them. Pastor Barry even describes a computer program that is provided by astronomers for examining planetary and stellar movements and which he used for examining times between specified dates, or dates that arise after a specified number of days.
Several examples are presented and the correspondence between prophecies and the dates of recent events is “staggering”.
Ezekiel’s hair plays a prominent part in the next section. The prophetic significance of cutting it (the shock-value) is detailed. Other defilements and their consequences are outlined. The modern-day situation of the Jews around the world is mentioned.
By the end of chapter 5 the pile of many punishments has grown!

In chapter 6 the land itself is being prophesied against!
The comparison with today – the idols that people set up for themselves – is touched on next.
A working out of prophecies which began in 1867 is described in some detail next (right up to the 1948 climax).
The Lord’s lament over the behaviour of the Israelites is highlighted and then God’s motives in the events that He is going to bring about are noted (“God wants to bring Israel back to him”). The progress along the way to that goal is noted (i.e. “Still in progress”)
Pastor Barry finished with the current trend of history and the likely worsening of Israel’s problems (as foretold by Jeremiah “The time of Jacob’s trouble”) but with the hope of a good outcome.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

PS1 ::::: TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON
There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). This is actually a text-file. It is a transcript of the sermon. At present it is at an experimental stage: it is an aid to getting the most out of the sermon audio. There is no substitute for listening to the verbal delivery of a sermon. However, searching through an audio file lasting the best part of an hour can be somewhat difficult. When you approach the search knowing that you’re sure you heard something about “redemption”, for example, then a transcript text-search can take you right there and show you the time in the recording where you will find it! The file is simple “text” rather than a more sophisticated form so that you can edit or reformat as you prefer. This transcript is in 2 forms (in the one file). One half consists of normal text arrangement of paragraph-blocks. These blocks have purely arbitrary boundaries (i.e. no attempt at grammatical accuracy). The boundaries are inserted at about 800 character intervals, purely to avoid having one huge unbroken deluge of text. The other section is short bunches of words (8 to 12 normally) beneath the TIMES at which they occur (for the whole sermon).
This facility is in development (“experimental” as mentioned above) so any feedback on usefulness, improvement suggestions, or whatever, would be most welcome.

The post Ezekiel Chapters 4-6 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel Chapters 1-3

BrianH — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 12:39:00 +0000

In this sermon Pastor Barry begins delving into the details of Ezekiel’s circumstances and early visions. The hardships of a warlike nature are described, and various encircling empires. The initial calling that God places on Ezekiel is covered. Ezekiel’s relationship to other prophets and their prophecies is described in some detail.

The Pastor Barry spends some time describing and interpreting the strange creature with 4 faces and associated wheels and their … unusual mode of movement!

There is also commentary on how this material should guide us in our behaviour as servants of (and workers for) God. “It just really speaks of what Jesus said in Matthew 13, also in Revelation 2 and 3, the letters to the churches. So applicable to us. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. You see, this is our call. It was the call of Ezekiel, but it’s the call of us also.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

PS2 ::::: TRANSCRIPT OF THE SERMON
There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). This is actually a text-file. It is a transcript of the sermon. At present it is at an experimental stage: it is an aid to getting the most out of the sermon audio. There is no substitute for listening to the verbal delivery of a sermon. However, searching through an audio file lasting the best part of an hour can be somewhat difficult. When you approach the search knowing that you’re sure you heard something about “redemption”, for example, then a transcript text-search can take you right there and show you the time in the recording where you will find it! The file is simple “text” rather than a more sophisticated form so that you can edit or reformat as you prefer. This transcript is in 2 forms (in the one file). One half consists of normal text arrangement of paragraph-blocks. These blocks have purely arbitrary boundaries (i.e. no attempt at grammatical accuracy). The boundaries are inserted at about 2000 character intervals, purely to avoid having one huge unbroken deluge of text. The other section is short bunches of words beneath the TIMES at which they occur (for the whole sermon).
This facility is in development (“experimental” as mentioned above) so any feedback on usefulness, improvement suggestions, or whatever, would be most welcome.

The post Ezekiel Chapters 1-3 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel – Part 2 (Overview & Introduction)

BrianH — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 12:32:00 +0000

In this sermon Pastor Barry completes the introduction to the book of Ezekiel. Here he describes Ezekiel himself and his environment and his circumstances. Ezekiel’s contemporaries Jeremiah and Daniel are also mentioned to give further context. Various nations and the judgements meted out to them appear, with some reference to the background and reasons for the judgements. These things are also related to things that are happening in the modern world! There is a major chunk devoted to the city of Tyre: it’s significance and its demise and extended history related to it. Some of the declarations that God made through the prophets concerning the future of the Jews and their extensive history are described and Pastor Barry notes the ups-and-downs of the Israelite nation and the promise of their ultimate restoration.

Chapter 36 comes in for particular focus: “in the entire Bible, this is a wonderful chapter. It speaks of the regathering.” Strong recommendation for books by Dave Hunt appears, concerning reasons for the current state of affairs. The relation of Chapters 38 & 39 to what might soon come about is mentioned. Activities of Russia and Middle East countries are related to all these things too. Names of countries and their derivations from the names of people way back in the time of Noah provides a very interesting section.

The next section deals with the developments concerning the building of the Third Temple in Jerusalem, other events in progress around the world and sequences and timetables related to these events. In conclusion Pastor Barry briefly summarizes the general picture of the return of The Lord Jesus Christ.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

PS2 ::::: There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). This is actually a text-file. It is a transcript of the sermon. At present it is at an experimental stage: it is an aid to getting the most out of the sermon audio. There is no substitute for listening to the verbal delivery of a sermon. However, searching through an audio file lasting the best part of an hour can be somewhat difficult. When you approach the search knowing that you’re sure you heard something about “redemption”, for example, then a transcript text-search can take you right there and show you the time in the recording where you will find it! This transcript is in 2 forms (in the one file). One half consists of normal text arrangement of paragraph-blocks. The other is short bunches of words beneath the TIMES at which they occur (for the whole sermon).
This facility is in development (“experimental” as mentioned above) so any feedback on usefulness, improvement suggestions, or whatever, would be most welcome.

The post Ezekiel – Part 2 (Overview & Introduction) first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Ezekiel – Part 1 (Overview & Introduction)

BrianH — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 12:46:11 +0000

This sermon is Part 1 of the series in the study of the Book of Ezekiel. Pastor Barry gives a general description of the nature and contents of the book.

<<<<<<<<<<

PS1: Transcript still only 90% finished (as at 2025-09-17)

PS2 ::::: There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). This is actually a text-file. It is a transcript of the sermon. At present it is at an experimental stage: it is an aid to getting the most out of the sermon audio. There is no substitute for listening to the verbal delivery of a sermon. However, searching through an audio file lasting the best part of an hour can be somewhat difficult. When you approach the search knowing that you’re sure you heard something about “redemption”, for example, then a transcript text-search can take you right there and show you the time in the recording where you will find it! This transcript is in 2 forms (in the one file). One half consists of bunches of 6 or 7 words beneath the TIMES at which they occur (for the whole sermon). The other is the normal text arrangement of paragraph-blocks.
This facility is in development (“experimental” as mentioned above) so any feedback on usefulness, improvement suggestions, or whatever, would be most welcome.

The post Ezekiel – Part 1 (Overview & Introduction) first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

What Time Is It ?!?

BrianH — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 18:09:00 +0000

This sermon by Pastor Barry provides a wide view of events in our world which are relevant to The Rapture. Many such events are alluded to in scripture and things that are happening today can be seen to correspond to those writings ~2000 or more years ago. There are 12 specific topics, “Signs of the Times” (hence the title “What Time Is It?”), and these give pretty persuasive weight to the suggestion that “It won’t be long now!”

NB: The presentation included videos embedded in the PowerPoint file. Rather than subject the visitor to a complex PPTX file (121 MB) the material has been provided as a PDF file as usual (4.5MB). The locations of the videos are clear because an insert-picture is visible in the frame. The sound component of the video can be heard in the audio file which is part of this sermon-package and that also appears in the transcript text.

PS1 — Transcript to follow very soon :-)

PS2 ::::: There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). This is actually a text-file. It is a transcript of the sermon. At present it is at an experimental stage: it is an aid to getting the most out of the sermon audio. There is no substitute for listening to the verbal delivery of a sermon. However, searching through an audio file lasting the best part of an hour can be somewhat difficult. When you approach the search knowing that you’re sure you heard something about “redemption”, for example, then a transcript text-search can take you right there and show you the time in the recording where you will find it! This transcript is in 2 forms (in the one file). One half consists of bunches of 6 or 7 words beneath the TIMES at which they occur (for the whole sermon). The other is the normal text arrangement of paragraph-blocks.
This facility is in development (“experimental” as mentioned above) so any feedback on usefulness, improvement suggestions, or whatever, would be most welcome.

The post What Time Is It ?!? first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Countdown to Judgement Part 3

BrianH — Sun, 27 Jul 2025 23:27:00 +0000

In this section Pastor Barry moves beyond the Tribulation of persecution by people. The wrath of God meted out on unbelievers is dealt with here.

It’s curious that after this sermon we should hear on the news of the record-breaking earthquake in eastern Russia!

The church is going to be very prominent in the symptoms of the decline of …

The parable of the wheat and the tares is examined in some detail.

The Seven Churches in Revelation are again examined and parallels drawn with modern-day groups and behaviours.

What will happen to the believers while that wrath of God is being poured out? They will be taken to a place of protection and not be exposed to it.
The Earth will be inherited by the meek (The Church == Jews & Gentiles)

There is clarification of the meaning of “Rapture”: It’s being physically taken from the earth to heaven without dying.
The existence of seven examples in scripture is noted (not all examined here).

Aan extensive section deals with the questions “Why?” and “When?”
Four reasons for the church needing to be raptured are examined in some detail.
The “When” question is answered in contextual terms, i.e. NOT in the form of “24 of September 2027”, but in the form of “when ‘A’ happens, ‘B’ will follow and then The Rapture will soon follow”

The post Countdown to Judgement Part 3 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Countdown to Judgment: Pt2

Barry Forder — Sun, 20 Jul 2025 10:30:00 +0000

This is the continuation of the series of three. Pastor Barry has described more instances of the way this world is sliding downwards towards the Day of Judgement. (Further elaboration of this intro will be provided in a second draft)

The link to “Download Video” is again for downloading the TRANSCRIPT and time-index for the text (first draft whilst in the experimental stage)

The post Countdown to Judgment: Pt2 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Countdown To Judgement: Part-1

BrianH — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 12:08:00 +0000

This sermon by Pastor Barry begins a description of the progress we are making towards Judgement Day. The first section today covers the broad picture of what is involved and a few definitions of terms. The later part gives several examples of how the predicted behaviours of people match what has been foretold in scripture in these days shortly before the “end times” (with particular emphasis on CHURCHES going astray and preaching doctrine contrary to scripture).

PS 1 ::::: The audio file has some moments when the recording was unclear. Efforts have been made to resolve this and the recording has been improved. There are, however, some words that are not unambiguously discernable. These points are greatly aided by (a) following the slides as you listen (one particular word in 1_Corinthians 10v11 is a very good illustration – it is no longer is present in our vocabulary) and (b) consulting the transcript.

PS 2 ::::: There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). This is actually a text-file. It is a transcript of the sermon. At present it is at an experimental stage: it is an aid to getting the most out of the sermon audio. There is no substitute for listening to the verbal delivery of a sermon. However, searching through an audio file lasting the best part of an hour can be somewhat difficult. When you approach the search knowing that you’re sure you heard something about “redemption”, for example, then a transcript text-search can take you right there and show you the time in the recording where you will find it! This transcript is in 2 forms (in the one file). One half consists of bunches of 6 or 7 words beneath the TIMES at which they occur (for the whole sermon). The other is the normal text arrangement of paragraph-blocks.
This facility is in development (“experimental” as mentioned above) so any feedback on usefulness, improvement suggestions, or whatever, would be most welcome.

The post Countdown To Judgement: Part-1 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Desire For The fire

BrianH — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 11:28:00 +0000

The theme of this sermon is the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. It covers the nature of the event, the misconceptions involved, the benefits and ramifications from it and the forces working to impede or prevent it. Our guest speaker Jamie Raath concluded with an impassioned plea for us all to be aware of what is needed and for us to strive towards receiving that baptism.

PS 1 ::::: The audio file has 2 sections. The first is the sermon. The second is the time of ministry which followed. This constituted a quiet time, then some quiet worship songs led by the band. This was followed by a brief period of prayer.

PS 2 ::::: There is a “button” labelled “Save Video” (or “Download Video” sometimes). This is actually a text-file. It is a transcript of the sermon. At present it is at an experimental stage: it is an aid to getting the most out of the sermon audio. There is no substitute for listening to the verbal delivery of a sermon. However, searching through an audio file lasting the best part of an hour can be somewhat difficult. When you approach the search knowing that you’re sure you heard something about “redemption”, for example, then a transcript text-search can take you right there! This transcript is in 2 forms (in the one file). The first half consists of bunches of 6 or 7 words beneath the TIMES at which they occur (for the whole sermon). That is followed by the normal text arrangement of paragraph-blocks.
This facility is in development (“experimental” as mentioned above) so any feedback on usefulness, improvement suggestions, or whatever, would be most welcome.

The post Desire For The fire first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Bible – Its Origin & Transmission – Part 2

Barry Forder — Sun, 15 Jun 2025 10:30:00 +0000

What is the Bible? How did we get it? How do know it hasn’t changed? Why are there so many translations? What do the footnotes in our Bibles that refer to the ‘Oldest’ and ‘Most Reliable Manuscripts’ mean? Why are so many verses missing from modern tanslations of the Bible?

In this study, Pastor Barry answers these questions with information about our Bible’s every serious Christian should know.

May you be blessed and your faith strengthened in God’s Word through this study.

The post The Bible – Its Origin & Transmission – Part 2 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Bible – Its Origin & Transmission Part 1

Barry Forder — Sun, 08 Jun 2025 10:30:00 +0000

In this study, Pastor Barry answers these questions with information about our Bible’s every serious Christian should know.

May you be blessed and your faith strengthened in God’s Word through this study.

The post The Bible – Its Origin & Transmission Part 1 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans 16

BrianH — Sun, 25 May 2025 10:30:00 +0000

By a quirk of fate Chapter 16 has been processed before Chapter 15. Chapter 15 will be done soon

In this final chapter of The Book of Romans (aka Paul’s Letter to The Romans), Pastor Barry delves into the subject of Relationships: the Who, the Why and The Importance. During his ministry, Paul had met lots of people and established many valuable friendships. This book lists a good few and elucidates how they came to be and the results developing from them. Pastor Barry also investigates the background and details that are not obvious from a simple reading of the text.

Geographical diversity is a feature that is brought out (maps show the range of Paul’s travels and communications)

Pastor Barry shows that 33 people are focussed on, with several others getting a mention, not by name, but by rôle in life, for example. The sermon describes people, their characteristics, responsibilities, duties, generosities, …

Their rôle in the spread of the Gospel, by the expansion of the Church, is also expanded upon.

As a bonus, there is a final section about “The Chain of Gold” – a sequence of events that our Heavenly Father orchestrated to further the enlightenment of many millions of people in the modern era. This linked 7 men: EK, DLM; FBM; JWC; BS; MH; BG. Each of the first six was responsible in one way or another for the path taken by the man following in the chain, leading up to the huge influence of the last one.

The post Romans 16 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans Ch14

Barry Forder — Sun, 11 May 2025 22:30:00 +0000

In this study of Romans chapter 14, Pastor Barry takes us through Paul’s teaching on how we as Christians should act toward each other when we disagree!

It is inevitable that, within the church, there will be practices considered permissible by some but not by others, particularly (using the examples given by Paul) in relation to dietary laws and the observance of specific days. He urges those who are “stronger” in their faith – those who understand the freedom they have in Christ – to welcome and not despise those who are “weaker” and hold more scrupulous views. Similarly, those with stricter convictions should not pass judgment on those who exercise their liberty.

Paul underscores the principle that each believer is ultimately accountable to the Lord. Whether one eats or abstains, whether one regards a certain day as special or considers all days alike, the underlying motivation should be to honour the Lord. For Christians, life and death are both oriented towards Christ.

The Apostle strongly cautions against judging or belittling fellow believers over such disputable matters. He asserts that all will stand before the ‘Bema’ judgment seat of Christ, and therefore, instead of placing stumbling blocks in each other’s way, believers should strive to live in a manner that promotes peace and mutual edification, whilst ‘working out their own salvation with fear and trembling!’.

Paul emphasises that while all food is inherently clean, it becomes wrong for someone to eat if it causes another believer to stumble in their conscience. He concludes by stating that everything that does not come from faith is sin, thereby highlighting the importance of acting in accordance with one’s sincerely held beliefs and showing consideration for the sensitivities of others within the church.

Oswald Chambers comments: “Always keep your life measured by the standards of Jesus. Bow your neck to His yoke alone, and to no other yoke whatever; and be careful to see that you never bind a yoke on others that is not placed by Jesus Christ. It takes God a long time to get us out of the way of thinking that unless everyone sees as we do, they must be wrong. That is never God’s view. There is only one liberty, the liberty of Jesus at work in our conscience enabling us to do what is right. Don’t get impatient, remember how God dealt with you — with patience and with gentleness; but never water down the truth of God. Let it have its way and never apologize for it. Jesus said, “Go…and make disciples” not — make converts to your opinions. – Oswald Chambers

In essence, Romans chapter 14 is a plea for tolerance, mutual respect, and the prioritisation of unity and love over personal preferences in matters of conscience within the church.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

The post Romans Ch14 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans Ch13

Barry Forder — Sun, 04 May 2025 10:30:00 +0000

In this study of Romans ch13, Pastor Barry looks as Paul’s instructions concerning how believers are to act and react toward human government.

In essence, Paul instructs believers to maintain a posture of submission to governing authorities, asserting that all legitimate authority is ordained by God. Consequently, to resist such authority is to oppose the ordinance of God, potentially incurring the punitive measures administered by those in power, who are appointed by God for the maintenance of order and the chastisement of evildoers. Conversely, those who conduct themselves lawfully have no legitimate cause for apprehension.

But what do we do when those authorities are themselves corrupt? How does Paul’s teaching apply to a democracy, where the government officials are elected by the people – in effect they are our employees!

Where should Christians stand in regard to capital punishment? Why were there no prisons in ancient Israel? Should a Christian pay taxes to a corrupt government who then use that money to propagate that which is clearly against the moral and ethical teaching of Scripture?

This is a complex subject!

Paul concludes by reminding us that we must love our neighbour, the fulfilment of this commandment inherently satisfies the requirements of the law. We are also to forsake ‘deeds of darkness’ and to conduct ourselves with propriety, eschewing evil. Instead, we are to ‘put on the Lord Jesus Christ’ and not give any occasion to the flesh to fulfil the desire thereof.

In essence, Romans chapter 13 outlines the Christian’s duty regarding civil obedience, financial responsibility, neighbourly love as the epitome of legal compliance, and a manner of living that reflects the imminence of their faith.

May you be challenged and encouraged by this study.

The post Romans Ch13 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans Ch12

Barry Forder — Sun, 27 Apr 2025 10:30:00 +0000

In this study, Pastor Barry continues our study through the book of Romans.

In chapter 12, Paul urges believers to offer their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is our logic, and reasonable spiritual act of worship. He then emphasises the importance of not conforming (or constantly being confiormed) to the patterns of this world but insted we should be continually transformed by the renewing of our minds, so we can discern God’s will and walk pleasing to Him.

He then urges unity and diversity within the body of Christ, using the analogy of a human body with many members. Each believer has been given unique gifts that should be used humbly and in service to others.

The concluding practical exhortations are focused on how to live in community of beleivers, including:

Genuine love and abhorrence of evil.
Devotion and honor towards one another.
Zeal and serving the Lord.
Joy in hope, patience in affliction, and perseverance in prayer.
Sharing with those in need and practicing hospitality.
Blessing persecutors and living in harmony with everyone.
Avoiding revenge and overcoming evil with good.

In essence, Romans 12 is a blueprint for Christian living, emphasising transformation, unity, service, and love in action.

May you be encouraged and strengthened in His Word through this study.

The post Romans Ch12 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans 11 28-36

Barry Forder — Sun, 02 Mar 2025 10:30:05 +0000

In this teaching, given on 2nd March 2025, Pastor Barry concludes our study of Romans 11:28-36, emphasising its critical role in understanding God’s plan for the Jews, Gentiles and what awaites us in these last days.

Paul’s assertion that Israel’s current spiritual blindness is temporary, and a future restoration assured, is not merely his opinion, but is firmly rooted in Old Testament prophecies. The sheer volume of scripture dedicated to Israel’s disobedience, dispersion, regathering, and restoration underscores its centrality to God’s redemptive plan.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Romans 11 28-36 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans 11:26-27

Barry Forder — Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:30:46 +0000

In this study, given on 23rd February 2025, pastor Barry continues our study in Romans chapter 11, looking at the mystery of Israel.

Not only does the Apostle Paul state that Israel’s national spiritual blindness will be removed, but he tells us when it will happen, and the circumstances that will lead to it.

This topic is key to understanding scripture and the times we are living in.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Romans 11:26-27 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans 11:1-25

Barry Forder — Sun, 16 Feb 2025 10:30:44 +0000

Has God finished with Israel?

That’s the question Paul asks in Romans chapter 11.

His emphatic answer should put an end to the debate, yet sadly, antisemitism has been as rife in the Christian church through the centuries as it has in the world.

Here, Paul not only makes his case from scripture, but warns against those who would just dismiss Israel.

Yes, ‘national Israel’ have been blinded, but that blindness is only temporary. Once God had gathered in all the Gentiles who will accept His call and the free-gift of Salvation through Jesus, Israel’s blindness will be removed and ‘so all Israel will be saved’ – both the believing remnant who formed the early church, and the unbelieving Jews who were blinded for their rejection of their Messiah.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Romans 11:1-25 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans 10:18-21

Barry Forder — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 10:30:19 +0000

In Romans chapter 10, the Apostle Paul states that ‘faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God’.

To put it another way, the Word of God causes us to hear, to perceive, to understand. It gives us an understanding of who God is, of what He’s done, of His faithfulness to the saints of old. By so-doing it produces faith. The more we read and study God’s Word, the more our faith grows.

But what is faith? It is not a blind leap in the dark. Dr George Eldon Ladd said:

“Faith does not mean a leap in the dark, an irrational credulity, a believing against evidences and against reason. It means believing in the light of historical facts consistent with the evidences, on the basis of witnesses”

In this study pastor Barry looks at a number of examples to show us we really can trust God’s Word. We can have a faith that is certain and unshakable.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Romans 10:18-21 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans 10:1-17

Barry Forder — Sun, 02 Feb 2025 10:30:50 +0000

In this study we look at Romans ch10 vs 1- 17.

In these verses Paul begins to lay out the fact that Israel had every opportunity to respond in obedience to the Word of God, but instead they ‘would not’, and so their ‘house was left unto them desolate’. (see Matt 23:37-39)

Paul drives home the simple fact, using Abraham and Moses as his witnesses, that righteousness does not come through our works – however well intentioned – but by God grace alone. The Law was given to reveal to us God’s perfect standard, and to show that we can never attain to that standard. But Christ came and fulfilled the Law, offering to exchange our sin for His righteousness, so that we can be declared ‘not guilty’ before a Holy God.

As has been said; He paid a debt He didn’t owe because we owed a price we couldn’t pay.

We conclude by considering just how important the Word of God is to our faith.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Romans 10:1-17 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans 10 – Introduction

Barry Forder — Sun, 26 Jan 2025 10:30:26 +0000

In this introduction to Romans chapter 10, pastor Barry looks from the book of Isaiah at Israel’s past, present and future and note that throughout her history, Israel has repeatedly gone from a place of blessing, to disobedience and the resulting judgment, only to then cry out to God for deliverance and once again receive His mercy and grace. This is dramatically seen in the 490 year cycle that demonstrates God’s control of world history, centered around the Nation of Israel.

In Matthew 23:37-39 Jesus outlines Israel’s past, present & future.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings…

This tells us the purpose of all history: that God might gather His children together. (Jerusalem is a synecdoche for all of Israel). The image of the mother bird gathering and covering her brood is a familiar one. Moses used it in his farewell sermon (Deut. 32:11). It is a picture of love, tender care, and a willingness to die to protect others. Jesus did die for the sins of the world, including the nation of Israel: but “His own received Him not” (John 1:11).

Israel’s past is the underlying theme of Romans chapter 9.

and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

As Chuck Missler says: The purpose of all history was that God might gather His children together. The tragedy of all history is that through disobedience and rejecting their Messiah, Israel ‘would not’, and consequently ‘her house has been left desolate’, with the Jews scattered around the world.

This sums up Israel’s present condition and is the underlying theme of Romans chapter 10.

For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Jesus left the nation with a promise: He would one day return, the nation would see Him and say, “Blessed be He that cometh in the name of the Lord!” This is a quotation from Psalm 118:26, that great messianic psalm that was quoted so many times in His last week of ministry. The crowds had used those very words (Matt. 21:9). This is a statement of the hope Israel has, and that Paul alludes to, that the Nation of Israel will be regathered and restored, albeit a remnant.

This future hope is the theme of Romans chapter 11.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The PowerPoint slides used in the study are available for free download.

The post Romans 10 – Introduction first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans 9 6-33

Barry Forder — Sun, 19 Jan 2025 10:30:12 +0000

In this study we continue our verse-by-verse study through Romans chapter 9, touching on the subject of predestination.

How do we understand the fact that God can sovereignly chooses whom He will, and yet at the same time reconcile this with our own personal responsibility?

Paul tells us in this chapter that God has sovereignly chosen the Nation of Israel to be His instrument through whom He has revealed Himself to the world. In Deuteronomy we read: “The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations” (Deut 7:5-9).

As hard as is it for us to grasp, God’s choice is His, free of any obligation. If Gid did not elect, none would be saved. Salvation is of the LORD and His sovereign choice of Israel as His instrument, to whom He made unconditional promises, is not negated through through their disobedience.

Paul gives the example of Esau and Jacob. Jacob was chosen and Esau was hated. Some may argue: “God is unjust if He chooses one and leaves another”. But the purpose of God goes beyond justice; for if God did only what was just, He would have to condemn all of us! The question is not ‘why was Esau rejected?’, but “why was Jacob chosen?”!

Paul states in regard to God’s sovereignty: “Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?”

However, on account of Israel’s disobedience, God (in His foreknowledge) has made a way for the ‘whomsoever’, both Jews and Gentiles to come to Him.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The slides used in this study are available for free download.

The post Romans 9 6-33 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans 9 1-5 Pt2

Barry Forder — Sun, 12 Jan 2025 10:30:26 +0000

In this study we continue looking at one of the most foundational topics in scripture, the Nation of Israel.

We see how God has used the Nation of Israel to reveal Himself to the world, and intertwined in their ‘appointed times’ and Feast days we see evidence of God’s divine control of history. We also look at 10 belssings, alluded to by the Apostle Paul, unique to the Nation of Israel found in Roamns 9: vs 1-5.

Note: Additional slides detailing the four unconditional covenants God has made with Israel, along with a summary of the history of the Nation are also included for further study.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study given by pastor Barry on 12th January 2025.

If you want to support this ministry you can donate here: https://www.calvaryportsmouth.co.uk/product/make-a-donation/

The post Romans 9 1-5 Pt2 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans 9 1-5 Pt1

Barry Forder — Sun, 05 Jan 2025 10:30:32 +0000

In this study we look at one of the most foundational, and yet divisive topics in scripture, the Nation of Israel.

It is a topic we cannot ignore! From Genesis 12 to Acts 2, the Nation of Israel is the major theme of the Bible; and we cannot escape the fact that Jesus was Jewish, as was all the early Christian church.

In chapters 9 to 11 of the book of Romans the apostle Paul asks the question, if God is so faithful and his promises sure, why have Israel as a nation been ‘cast off’? and what is to be the future for them? Have they really forfeited the blessings God promised them? Is it true that these blessings, (promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their biological descendants), now somehow fall on the church, as many in today’s church claim?

In this first part of our study on the opening five verses of Romans chapter 9, we look at some of the promises God made to Israel and consider the history of this nation, a nation unlike any other in the history of the world, and look at the staggering prophecies that foretold their future in advance.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study given by pastor Barry on 5th January 2025.

If you want to support this ministry you can donante here: https://www.calvaryportsmouth.co.uk/product/make-a-donation/

The post Romans 9 1-5 Pt1 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Hidden Treasures of Christmas Pt2 (2024)

Barry Forder — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 10:30:16 +0000

This is the second part of our Christmas 2024 study, looking at the hidden treasures in the Christmas narrative we can find when we look beyond the tradition.

This study was taught by Pastor BarryForder.

Jesus said that tradition undermines God’s Word. That has never been truer than in regard to the Christmas narrative that almost all of us have grown up with.

As we study God’s Word, we discover that the traditional timing of Christ’s birth is wrong; the traditional setting is wrong, and the traditional attendees at the birth of Christ are at best, confused.

In this two-part study we ask the questions:

Why was Bethlehem chosen as the birthplace for Jesus? (Why not Jerusalem?)
Do we know anything about the shepherds to whom the angels appeared the night of Jesus’ birth? Why were they chosen of all people?
Who really were the Magi? What do we know about them and why did they travel to see Jesus?

We pray that the stunning answers to these questions will fill you with a greater love for God’s Word and a desire to faithfully serve Him!

The slides accompanying these studies are available for free download.

The post The Hidden Treasures of Christmas Pt2 (2024) first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Hidden Treasures of Christmas Pt 1 (2024)

Barry Forder — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 10:30:15 +0000

This is the first part of our Christmas 2024 study, looking at the hidden treasures in the Christmas narrative we can find when we look beyond the tradition.

This study was taught by Pastor Bob Forder, founding pastor of Deal Christian Fellowship (https://dcf.church), and part of the Europe Regional Oversight Team for Calvary Chapel Association. (https://calvarycca.org/international-region-europe)

Jesus said that tradition undermines God’s Word. That has never been truer than in regard to the Christmas narrative that almost all of us have grown up with.

In this two-part study we ask the questions:

Why was Bethlehem chosen as the birthplace for Jesus? (Why not Jerusalem?)
Do we know anything about the shepherds to whom the angels appeared the night of Jesus’ birth? Why were they chosen of all people?
Who really were the Magi? What do we know about them and why did they travel to see Jesus?

We pray that the stunning answers to these questions will fill you with a greater love for God’s Word and a desire to faithfully serve Him!

The slides accompanying these studies are available for free download.

The post The Hidden Treasures of Christmas Pt 1 (2024) first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans 8 18-39

Barry Forder — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 10:30:27 +0000

This teaching on Romans 8:18-39 was given by pastor Barry on 1st December 2024.

In this study we conclude Romans 8 – one of the most incredible chapters in the Bible!

What does it mean to be saved? How secure is our salvation? Is there anything that can separate us from the love of God?

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Romans 8 18-39 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Eternal Gospel (Pt2)

Barry Forder — Sun, 24 Nov 2024 10:30:57 +0000

In this study our guest speaker, Ivan Santos, from Disciples Church, Leatherhead, brings a message entitled ‘The Eternal Gospel’.

What is the Gospel? Was it ‘plan B’ following the Fall?

Who is the Gospel for, and how do we share it with the world around us?

May you be blessed and encoueaged by this second part of a two-part study. 10

The post The Eternal Gospel (Pt2) first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans Ch8 7-17

Barry Forder — Sun, 17 Nov 2024 10:30:06 +0000

***Apologies… There was a problem with the audio quality of this recording***

In this study of Romans chapter 8:7-17 we continue looking at Paul’s teaching on how it is possible to live the Christian life, not by our own good intentions or will power (that will only end in failure and disappointment), but by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The slides used in this study are available for free download.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Romans Ch8 7-17 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Eternal Gospel (Pt 1)

Barry Forder — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 10:30:55 +0000

In this study our guest speaker, Ivan Santos, from Disciples Church, Leatherhead, brings a message entitled ‘The Eternal Gospel’.

What is the Gospel? Was it ‘plan B’ following the Fall?

Who is the Gospel for, and how do we share it with the world around us?

May you be blessed and encoueaged by this first part of a two-part study.

The post The Eternal Gospel (Pt 1) first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans Ch8 1-6

Barry Forder — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 10:30:27 +0000

Romans chapter 8 is considered by some to be the high-ground of the New Testament.

The Apostle Paul begins the chapter by stating that there is no possibility of condemnation for those who are in Christ, and ends the chapter by asserting that there is no possibility of separation from Him either!

This should fill the hearts of every belliever with unspeakable joy!

In this study, pastor Barry takes just the first 6 verses of the chapter to contemplate the reality and the effect the indwelling Holy Spirit should have on the life and walk of the believer.

May you be blessed and encouaged by this study.

This study was given on the 3rd Novembe 2024.

The post Romans Ch8 1-6 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans Ch7

Barry Forder — Sun, 27 Oct 2024 10:30:46 +0000

In this verse-by-verse study of Romans chapter 7, given on the 27^th October 24, pastor Barry looks at what the Apostle Paul taught us about the purpose and nature of the Law. It cannot make us righteous, it can only condemn. It cannot keep us from sinning, it can only awaken the sinful nature within.

The Law leaves us defeated and like Paul we find we end up doing the things we know are wrong, and feeling powerless to do the things we know are right. Thus, the Law drives to cry out: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Rom 7:24)

If that were the end is would be a sad conclusion! But it is not the end of the matter, for Paul declares that there can be deliverance, there can be freedom, there can be the reality of walking in victory of the demands and dictates of the flesh life – and it is though the Person and power of the indwelling Spirit of Christ!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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Romans Ch6

Barry Forder — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 10:30:10 +0000

In this study, pastor Aaron Evans (Disciples Church, Leatherhead), takes us through a verse-by-verse exposition of Romans chapter 6.

What does it mean to be buried with Christ? How sould someone who has given their life to Christ now live?

Some have tried to argue that we should continue living in sin that God’s grace may abound. In Romans chatpter 6, the Apostle Paul addresses this and makes it clear that a Christian is, by very definition, someone who has been changed from the inside out and is no longer to be a slave to sin.

May you be blessed as pastor Arron teaches through this chapter.

For more teaching from pastor Aaron, go to: https://discipleschurch.co.uk/sermon-speaker/aaron-evans/

The post Romans Ch6 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans Ch5

Barry Forder — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 10:30:00 +0000

In this study, given on 6th October 24, our guest teacher, pastor Bob Forder continues our study in the book of Romans.

In chapter 5, the Apostle Paul continues his explanation of salvation through grace.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Romans Ch5 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans Ch4

Barry Forder — Sun, 29 Sep 2024 10:30:22 +0000

In this study of Romans chapter 4, we look at the basis for salvation.

How can a just God justify sinful man? It doesn’t matter how good we may think we are, even our highest standard still falls short of the perfection of a holy God.

None of us could earn heaven by our efforts, no matter how hard we tried.

So how does God demonstrate His mercy and yet maintain His righteous justice?

The Apostle Paul takes us to two Old Testament examples, Abraham and David, to show that Salvation is not by works, nor by the keeping of the law, but by faith in His grace alone. But that faith will show itself to be genuine by the fruit it produces.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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Romans Ch3

Barry Forder — Sun, 22 Sep 2024 10:30:19 +0000

In this study in Romans chapter 3 we see the Apostle Paul ask the question, if the Jews and the Gentiles are both in the same predicament on account of their sin, what advantage is there in being a Jew?

At a time in history when antisemitism is on the rise, when the world is largely united in its condemnation of Israel, this is an important question that every Christian should have a clear answer to! For the majority of the Bible is concerned with the call, establishment, preservation and future of the Jewish people.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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Romans Ch2

Barry Forder — Sun, 15 Sep 2024 10:30:43 +0000

In this study we continue our study in the book of Romans and look at the plight of the ‘pagan man’ who choses to reject God, and the consequences for so doing.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Romans Ch2 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Romans Ch 1 8-32

Barry Forder — Sun, 08 Sep 2024 10:30:25 +0000

In this study we continue our verse-by-verse study of Romans chapter 1.

In this chapter Paul addresses the plight of the immoral / pagan man who has willfully rejected God, chosen to worship creation rather than the Creator, and reaped the consequences of wanting to do it ‘my way’!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

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Romans Ch1 1-7

Barry Forder — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 10:30:26 +0000

This opening study in our verse-by-verse journey through the book of Romans was taught by pastor Barry Forder on 1st August 2024.

On their website, Libertly University in America state: “The great apostle Paul authored at least 13 New Testament epistles. If he were here today with us, and was asked which epistle was the most needed for this time in history, I believe he would say without hesitation, the book of Romans. And the reason? Well, 2000 years ago he warned that “in the latter times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons” (1 Tim. 4:1). So then, the only real cure for bad doctrine is biblical doctrine; thus, the most theological book ever written – the book of Romans!”

That is quite a statment, but one that will undoubtedly prove to be true as we begin a study through this incredible book.

John Calvin said: “if we understand this epistle we have a passage opened to us to the understanding of the whole of Scripture”.

Indeed, Romans unlocks, expounds and sheds Divine light on many of the key doctrines in Scripture. If all of the Bible were lost except Romans, scarcely any fundamental doctrine would be lacking. As he explained the gospel in Romans, Paul quoted from the Old Testament more often than in all his twelve other letters combined—showing how important the Old Testament is to understanding the gospel. No less than 57 quotes can be found.

Additional study notes from this session:

Author: Paul this is not disputed. – Paul was a Roman citizen (adopted by Sergius Paulus – governor of Cypress (hence for then on taking his family name).

“Paul” = the least; the little one. Understood grace.
- “I am the chief of sinners” 1 Tim 1:12-15
- Significantly, the most devoutly religious man who ever lived! Phil 3:1ff
So God has already saved one who is far worse than you or me!…

Addressee: The Saints in Rome (not a single church but the collective body of believers), various congregations, no doubt meeting from home to home.

Paul sent greetings to the church that met in the home of Aquila and Priscilla. Rom 16:5

28 people are named in the letter

Many of the believers in Rome were Paul’s converts
He was writing to believers
- Not preaching for them to be converted
- Teaching them what salvation is really all about

Written from Corinth

Though he never mentions it, he wrote from Corinth.
- Cenchrea being its eastern harbor. 16:1
Written at the close of his third missionary journey on c. AD 57-58

Time of Writing:

In 1947 a Bedouin boy made one of the greatest archeological discoveries of all time in a cave at Qumran in southern Israel.

Much is said about the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls,…

They comprise some 800 documents

…dating from around 250 BC to 68 AD

Among the Scrolls are partial or complete copies of every book in the Hebrew Bible

except the book of Esther

But what is not so widely publicised is that fragments of a number of New Testament books were also discovered in cave 7… including the Book of Romans.

The caves at Qumran are famous for the hoard of Old Testament and other manuscripts that have been found there. But the thing which receives the least publicity (if any publicity at all) is the fact that the caves have also yielded fragments of New Testament books. This absence of publicity – this blanket denial of their identity – is not to be wondered at.

It was really most awkward. In fact, it still is very awkward for them, for it means that the fragments must have been written out – copied from even earlier exemplars – well before A.D. 68, which undermines everything that the critics have been claiming all these years.

The fact of the matter is this, that these manuscripts were deposited in the caves at Qumran by the year A.D. 68 at the very latest, when Qumran and the surrounding area was overrun by the Roman 10th legion, and according to the critics, the New Testament had not been written by that time. – Dr Bill Cooper

This means that Romans – which we know was written by Paul – was written at a time the Christian church in the Roman world was not being persecuted, but was allowed to flourish and thrive!

Construction of the Colosseum began under the Roman emperor Vespasian between 70 and 72,

By that time, Romans, and indeed copies of the Book of Romans were already in circulation among the Christian church!

Theme: The Grace of God Revealed:

God’s righteousness,
Our iniquity, and
God’s remedy through Grace

There are many self-help books on the market today that all tell you to follow your heart!

The Bible tells us in Jeremiah 17:9 that the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked

Self-help books simply give you a new set of rules to follow that all too quickly you break and fail to keep!

The Book of Romans focuses on the Gospel – which does not merely give us a set of rules to follow, it tells us that firstly we cannot keep (any) set of rules, but that Jesus alters the mainspring of our lives, changes our disposition and places withing us something that was never there before, the Person of God’s Holy Spirit and by His power we can live!

Christ did not come to make bad men good;
but to give dead men life!

The Impact of the Book

“The most profound of all literature”

Romans became the cornerstone to the Reformation in Europe.

Martin Luther had tried relentlessly to get right with God… but failed. A wise old monk told him to read Habakkuk – a man who like Luther knew a thing or two about struggling!

In Habakkuk Luther read “The Just Shall Live by Faith”

Habakkuk 2:4 has lead to a Trilogy of epistles by Paul in NT.
The Just… (Who are they?) Romans Rom 1:17
…Shall live (How?) Galatians Gal 3:11
…By Faith! Hebrews Heb 10:39

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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A Blessed Life – Psalm 84

Barry Forder — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 10:30:53 +0000

As we conclude our mini-series, pastor Barry looks at what the Bible says about blessings.

Jesus said that He came to give us an abundant life, but how can we experience it amidst the stresses and pressures of life?

Throughout the book of Psalms we are repeatedly told that there are blessings we can have, but they are conditional.

In this final session we look at this psalm written for the sons of Korah.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The PowerPoint slides used in this study are available for free download.

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A Blessed Life – Psalm 40

Barry Forder — Sun, 18 Aug 2024 10:30:17 +0000

As we continue our mini-series, pastor Barry looks at what the Bible says about blessings.

Jesus said that He came to give us an abundant life, but how can we experience it amidst the stresses and pressures of life?

Throughout the book of Psalms we are repeatedly told that there are blessings we can have, but they are conditional.

In this third session David speaks from personal experiance of how God had lifted him out of his troubles and set his feet upon a rock… the Rock!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The PowerPoint slides used in this study are available for free download.

The post A Blessed Life – Psalm 40 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

A Blessed Life – Psalm 32

Barry Forder — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 10:30:41 +0000

As we continue our mini-series, pastor Barry looks at what the Bible says about blessings.

Jesus said that He came to give us an abundant life, but how can we experience it amidst the stresses and pressures of life?

Throughout the book of Psalms we are repeatedly told that there are blessings we can have, but they are conditional.

In this second session we look at the instruction given by kinf David in Psalm 32, who wrote this Psalm following his transgression with Bathsheba.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The PowerPoint slides used in this study are available for free download.

The post A Blessed Life – Psalm 32 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

A Blessed Life – Psalm 1

Barry Forder — Sun, 28 Jul 2024 10:30:25 +0000

In this mini-series, pastor Barry looks at what the Bible says about blessings.

Jesus said that He came to give us an abundant life (John 10:10), but how can we experience it amidst the stresses and pressures of life?

Throughout the book of Psalms we are repeatedly told that there are blessings we can have, but they are conditional.

In this first session we look at the instruction given in Psalm 1 if we are walk the path of blessing.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The PowerPoint slides used in this study are available for free download.

The post A Blessed Life – Psalm 1 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Reasons We Believe

Barry Forder — Sun, 21 Jul 2024 10:30:50 +0000

In this teaching, pastor Barry looks at the overwhelming evidence we have to show the historical reliability of the Bible and factual basis of the Christian faith.

The audio and full PowerPoint slides are available for free download.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Reasons We Believe first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

2 Corinthians Ch12v20 – Ch13

Barry Forder — Sun, 14 Jul 2024 10:30:12 +0000

In this teaching by Pastor Barry, we conclude our verse-by-verse study of 2nd Corinthians.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

All the studies in our journey through 1st and 2nd Corinthains are now online and available for free download.

The post 2 Corinthians Ch12v20 – Ch13 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

2 Corinthians Ch12 1-19

Barry Forder — Sun, 07 Jul 2024 10:30:27 +0000

In this teaching by Pastor Barry, we continue our verse-by-verse study of 2nd Corinthians.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

The post 2 Corinthians Ch12 1-19 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

2 Corinthians Ch11

Barry Forder — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 10:30:37 +0000

In this teaching by Pastor Barry, we continue our verse-by-verse study of 2nd Corinthians.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

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2 Corinthians Ch9-10

Barry Forder — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 10:30:15 +0000

In this teaching by Pastor Barry, we continue our verse-by-verse study of 2nd Corinthians.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

The post 2 Corinthians Ch9-10 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

2 Corinthians Ch7-8

Barry Forder — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 10:30:06 +0000

In this teaching by Pastor Barry, we continue our verse-by-verse study of 2nd Corinthians.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

The post 2 Corinthians Ch7-8 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

2 Corinthians Ch6

Barry Forder — Sun, 02 Jun 2024 10:30:41 +0000

In this teaching by Pastor Barry, we continue our verse-by-verse study of 2nd Corinthians.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

The post 2 Corinthians Ch6 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

2 Corinthians Ch5

Barry Forder — Sun, 26 May 2024 10:30:40 +0000

** The audio quality of this recording is poor due to a technical issue on the morning it was recorded**

We continue our study of 2nd Corinthians as Paul restates the Christian’s calling, current ministry and future hope.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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2 Corinthians Ch4

Barry Forder — Sun, 19 May 2024 10:30:14 +0000

As we continue our study of 2nd Corinthians, we look at the mandate given to the church by the Apostle Paul; namely to shine as lights in this world reflecting the glory of God as we become mirrors of Him.

It is the light of the gospel reflecting from us that will reveal God to un unsaved world… but if any do not receive it is because their minds have been blinded by the god of this world.

May this study bless and encourage you to shine for Jesus!

This study was recorded on 19th May 2024.

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2 Corinthians Ch3

Barry Forder — Sun, 12 May 2024 10:30:39 +0000

This study of 2 Corinthians chapter 3 was recorded on 12th May 2024.

In this teaching, Pastor Barry looks at Paul’s admonition for Christians to shine and reflect the glory of Christ. If Moses’ face shone when he received the Law, how much more should Christians shine who have the privilege of being ambassadors of the Gospel of Grace to this world.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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The Journey of the Ark – Part 2

Barry Forder — Sun, 05 May 2024 10:30:02 +0000

This teaching was given by elder Jim Eden on 5th May 2024.

In this study Jim continues looking at the journey of the Ark of the covenant, from the opening chapters of the book of First Samuel, and the lessons we can learn from it.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post The Journey of the Ark – Part 2 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Are you faithfull with what you’ve been given?

Barry Forder — Sun, 28 Apr 2024 10:30:42 +0000

In this teaching, by guest speaker Wilfrid Wolmarans, the question is asked “Are you faithful with what you’ve been given?”

What are you doing with your gifts?

What are you doing with your weapon?

What are you doing with your salvation?

May you be challenged and encouraged by this teaching.

This study was recorded on 28th April 2024.

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2 Corinthians Ch1vs12 – Ch2

Barry Forder — Sun, 21 Apr 2024 10:30:44 +0000

This study of 2 Corinthians Ch 1 vs12, to the end of chapter two, was given by paster Barry Forder on 21st April 24.

Christ is our resurrection and hope. He not only raised from the dead Himself, but raises us up to new life, not just the coming resurrection as the time of the Rapture, when all the saints will be raised incorruptible, but even now Christ is able to bring life into that which had died in our lives.

In this portion of scripture, the great Apostle Paul speaks for despairing of life itself! Wow! Can that be right? Did Paul really come to a point where he felt he just couldn’t go on? YES! …and what a great comfort to the rest of us who, at times, feel so crushed under the burden God seems to have laid upon us; be it health, financial challenges, emotional trauma, unappeased longing, emptiness, confusion of purpose… (and the list goes on and on!)

Paul was there too! and yet found that Jesus can raise us up.

May you be encouraged by this study and strengthened by God’s grace.

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2 Corinthians Ch1 vs 1-11

Barry Forder — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 10:30:11 +0000

This is our first study in our verse-by-verse journey through 2nd Corinthains.

Have you ever been discouraged by the constant trials?

In this letter, Paul pours his heart out to the saints in Corinth and teaches them that the sufferings and tribulations we so often experience are used by God to demonstrate His comfort to us that we might then be a comfort to others, and that we might come to the end of our own self-reliance and trust solely in His grace.

Paul speaks of something many of us know too well, that of despairing of life, of coming to the end of our rope and not wanting to keep on fighting. Sometimes life can just seem too hard. But it when we have nothing left that we discover God is there waiting for us, to wrap His arms around us.

Oswald Chambers said:

“No one experiences complete sanctification without going through a “white funeral” — the burial of the old life. If there has never been this crucial moment of change through death, sanctification will never be more than an elusive dream. There must be a “white funeral,” a death with only one resurrection— a resurrection into the life of Jesus Christ. Nothing can defeat a life like this. It has oneness with God for only one purpose— to be a witness for Him.

Have you really come to your last days? You have often come to them in your mind, but have you really experienced them? You cannot die or go to your funeral in a mood of excitement. Death means you stop being. You must agree with God and stop being the intensely striving kind of Christian you have been”.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 Corinthians Ch16

Barry Forder — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 10:30:31 +0000

In this concluding study of 1st Corinthians Pastor Barry asks if we love Jesus more now than when we began?

Paul uses his ‘farewell’ address to remind the Corinthian beleivers of the things he had taught them and to encourage them to stand firm, hold fast, and not waiver in their faith, but to also do everything in a spirit of love.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

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1 Corinthians Ch15 12-58

Barry Forder — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 10:30:15 +0000

Sir Edward Clarke once said: “As a lawyer I have made a prolonged study of the evidence for the events of the first Easter Day. To me the evidence is conclusive, and over and over again in the High Court I have secured the verdict on evidence not nearly so compelling. Inference follows on evidence, and a truthful witness is always artless and distains effect. The Gospel evidence for the resurrection is of this class, and as a lawyer I accept it unreservedly as the testimony of truthful men to facts they were able to substantiate”

In his clasic work, ‘Church History in Plain Language’ Bruce Shelley stated: ““1 Corinthians fixes belief in the historical resurrection of Jesus as the indispensable basis of salvation”

In this study on 1 Corinthains chapter 15, we consider Paul’s words which do indeed place the resurrection as the indispensible basis of salvation and the Christian faith. Without the fact of the resurrection we (as Christians) have no hope and no assurance that our sins are forgiven. The resurection of Jesus gives us both!

As Theoosus Harnack said: “To me Christianity stands of falls with the Resurrection!”

May you be blessed by this teaching.

This study was given by Pastor Barry Forder on 31st March 2024.

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Palm Sunday 2024

Barry Forder — Sun, 24 Mar 2024 10:30:39 +0000

This study, on the signficance of Palm Sunday, was given by Pastor Barry Forder on the 24th March 24.

Palm Sunday… It was, of course, the day we remember Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey – famously fulfilling the prophecy from Zechariah 9:9 given sone 500 years earlier. We know from scripture that a ‘multitude’ of Jesus disciples spread their coats on the ground, waved palm branches and sang praises to God (actually singing from Psalm 118) as Jesus rode by. That much tradition has passed down to us. (Palm Sunday is one of the few things tradition actually gets right!). We know too that this really angered the Pharisees! – but why?

But why was this day really so important? Why does Psalm 118 speak of this specific day saying “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalms 118:24).

Did you also know that not only Zechariah but Daniel also recorded details of this specific day 500 years before it happened?

David spoke of this day one thousand years before it came to pass! That is mind-boggling! Try to think of an event on a specific day that will take place 1000 years in the future!

But we discover that even Moses recorded details about this day almost one thousand five hundred years before!

In fact, we can go back two thousand years before this day, to the time of Abraham, and find it alluded to in Genesis 22!

So what is really so special about this day? Why does this day stand out from the crowd and demand our attention?

The answer lies in one of the greatest conundrums in the Bible!

Jesus came to reveal Himself to Israel and the world, right? So why, for almost His entire ministry, did He play-down who He really was? He constantly told people He healed to not make him known! “See you tell no man” was Jesus’ reply to those who wanted to shout abroad His greatness. He even silenced evil spirits from revealing His identity: “And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known“. (Mark 3:11-112). Incredibly, after feeding the 5000 the multitude wanted to crown Him and make Him their king there and then! But “When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone” (John 6:15).

Whilst all this ‘downplaying’ his identity was going on, another strange phenomenon was taking place. On a number of occasions, Jesus’ enemies came to take Him by force to silence Him. Yet each time Jesus simply walked through their midst as if protected by a spiritual force-field! They just could not touch him!

But then, on Palm Sunday everything changed! Jesus not only allowed the crowds to worship Him as the Messiah (“Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD” ( Psalms 118:26 )), He actually arranged the whole event, telling the disciples to go and get the donkey, and riding into Jerusalem as a king (just as Solomon had ridden into Jerusalem as a king in 1 Kings 1:38). When the Pharisees tried to silence the disciples Jesus retorted that even the stones would sing out His praise, such was the significance of this day!

So why this day? Why reveal Himself now?

Because this was the one and only day, prophesied by the angel Gabriel (and recorded by Daniel) when the Messiah would reveal Himself to Israel!

The prophecy is found in Daniel chapter 9, and foretells the exact day that Israel’s Messiah would come – and He did! But although a group of His disciples acknowledged it, the nation slept on in their ignorance and unbelief. They missed the ‘time of their visitation‘ (Luke 19:44). As a result, Jesus pronounced national blindness upon them – which Paul tells us in Romans 11:25 will last until ‘the fulness of the Gentiles be come in‘.

The significance of this day to Jews and Gentiles alike cannot be overstated!

It stands as a testimony to a God who is outside of time and can tell the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:9-10) foretelling events thousands of years before they happen. It stands as a warning to not neglect the prophetic scriptures and the signs of the times, and it stands as a reminder that the Gentiles have been ‘grafted in’ to the family of Abraham by faith.

19 “Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. 20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off”. Romans 11:19-22

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Palm Sunday 2024 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

1 Corinthians Ch15 1-11

Barry Forder — Sun, 17 Mar 2024 10:30:37 +0000

First Corinthians chapter 15 is regarded by some as one of the most important chapters in the Bible!

In this study, Pastor Barry starts to unpack this chapter asking ‘why do we believe’? ‘What is the basis for our hope and faith’?

The Apostle Paul begins by reminding the Corinthian believers that he had come to them and declared the gospel, the good news about salvation through Jesus Christ, the good news that was foretold in the scriptures.

Sadly, today many see little value in the Old Testament, viewing it a just a collection of ancient stories. Paul contends otherwise! The gospel – good news – is all hidden in the Old Testament. The early church taught the gospel from the Old Testament scriptures alone. In Acts chapter 7, Stephen gave the Sanhedrin a Bible study about Jesus exclusively from their own Jewish scriptures!

After the resurrection Jesus joined two disciples as they travelled from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They did not recognise Jesus at first, and seeing their sadness Jesus said to them “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:25-27).

The whole gospel story is given to us in the pages of the Old Testament, starting in Genesis with the promise of the Seed of the woman who would one-day conquer man’s great adversary the Devil, though every chapter and every page, to the Messiah who will return to rule and reign on the Thone of David.

The New Testament does not add to the Old Testament, it clarifies, explains and unveils what God had already concealed.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

p.s. The closing part of this study contains a warning for any who would consider questioning the accuracy and integrity of the Word of God. A lack of understanding on our part does not give sufficient cause to claim that God’s word is in error!

“The words of the Lord are pure words:
as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
Thou shalt keep them, O Lord,
thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” – Psalm 12:6-7

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1 Corinthians Ch14

Barry Forder — Sun, 10 Mar 2024 10:30:51 +0000

This study on 1 Corinthians chapter 14 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 10th March 2024.

In this chapter Paul continues to speak about the proper use of spiritual gifts within the church, and how they should be used for the glory of God and the edification of the whole congregation. There is not a competition as to who has the best gifts, or who can use it most frequently, they should be encouraged, sought after, but only for the building up of the congregation.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post 1 Corinthians Ch14 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

1 Corinthians Ch13

Barry Forder — Sun, 03 Mar 2024 10:30:37 +0000

This study of 1 Corinthians Ch3 was given by Pastor Barry Forder on 3rd March 2024.

G. Campbell Morgan said that examining this chapter was like “dissecting a flower to understand it. If you tear it apart too much, you lose the beauty”.

Alan Redpath said one could get a spiritual suntan from the warmth of this chapter!

There is so much depth and instruction in these 13 verses that we can learn and glean from.

Love is, and what should be, the one thing that holds us all together wihtin the body of Christ – the Church. God is love. We are to take the free gift of His love and let it flow from us to those around us. Paul said: “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Rom 5:5).

Without the love of God imparted to us by the Holy Spirit we cannot truly love others.

Of all the gifts Paul speaks about, love is the greatest.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 Corinthains Ch12

Barry Forder — Sun, 25 Feb 2024 10:30:22 +0000

This teaching on 1 Corinthians 12 was given by Pastor Barry Forder on 25th February 2024.

In this chapter, Paul begins to address questions the Corinthian believers had regarding the work of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life – particularly in regard to the gifts the Holy Spirit endows us with.

The chapter begins with Paul urging us not to be ignorant about these things, however this is, and has been historically, an area that has led to division and disagreement within the body of Christ. Yet, Paul makes it clear at the outset, the purpose of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is to build up and edify the Church, whilst bringing glory to Christ – the Head of the body.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 Corinthians Ch11

Barry Forder — Sun, 18 Feb 2024 10:30:55 +0000

This study of 1 Corinthians chapter 11 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 18th February 2024.

In this chapter, the Apostle Paul clearly lays out God’s authority structure, how He intends it to be. Sadly, because many have taken verses in this chapter out of context, it has led to much legalism and erroneous doctrines being taught.

Jesus declared “I am my Father are one!” (John 10:30), yet we see throughout Jesus’ ministry that He was willing to submit to the will of His Father for the sake of the Divine order. Jesus said: “I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30). Jesus is clearly no less important or no less God than the Father, but for the sake of the order He was willing to submit to the Father’s will.

In just the same way, Paul tells us in this chapter that the ‘head’ of the woman is man (either her father for an unmarried woman, or her husband for a married woman). Woman is no less than man, and man is as much dependant on the woman as the woman is of the man, but for the sake of the order, she is to acknowledge the man as the head in the family. In fact, the influence she can exert from her proper place is great and more effective than if she discredits and usurps her husband’s authority.

God’s structure and order is not intended to elevate man and put down women, but to elevate both men and women to their rightful place in God’s design.

Paul gives a clear authority structure in the third verse: God > Jesus > Man > Woman. It is dishonouring for a woman to reject the authority of her husband (or father), and it is dishonouring to Christ for man to allow another authority over his life than Christ alone.

Today’s world, in it’s drive for equality has rejected God’s order and paid the consequences as the following comments for Calvary Pastor, David Guzik make clear:

Citizens do not have the same respect for government’s authority; students do not have the same respect for the teacher’s authority; women do not have the same respect for men’s authority; children do not have the same respect for parent’s authority; employees do not have the same respect for their employer’s authority; people do not have the same respect for the police’s authority; and Christians no longer have the same respect for church authority.
It’s important to ask: have the changes been good? Do we feel safer? Are we more confident in our culture? Have television and other entertainment gotten better or worse? In fact, our society is presently in, and rushing towards, complete anarchy – the state where no authority is accepted, and the only thing that matters is what I want to do.
1. iii. It is fair to describe our present moral state as one of anarchy. There is no moral authority in our culture. When it comes to morality, the only thing that matters is what one wants to do. And in a civil sense, many neighborhoods in our nation are given over to anarchy. Do you think that government’s authority is accepted in gang-infested portions of our inner city? The only thing that matters is what one wants to do.

We must see the broader attack on authority as a direct Satanic strategy to destroy our society and millions of individual lives. The devil is accomplishing this with two main attacks: first, the corruption of authority; second, the rejection of authority.
These ideas of authority and submission to authority are so important to God that they are part of His very being. The First Person of the Holy Trinity is called the Father; the Second Person of the Holy Trinity is called the Son. Inherent in those titles is a relationship of authority and submission to authority. The Father exercises authority over the Son, and the Son submits to the Father’s authority – and this is in the very nature and being of God! Our failure to exercise Biblical authority, and our failure to submit to Biblical authority, isn’t just wrong and sad, it sins against the very nature of God. Remember 1 Samuel 15:23: For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. (Taken from The Blue Letter Bible commentary on 1 Corinthians 11 by David Guzik)
1. https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/study-guide/1-corinthians/1-corinthians-11.cfm?a=1073001

Paul concludes the chapter by reminding us of the sanctity and purpose of our times of meeting together as a congregation. It is for edification and love with Christ at the centre.

May you be blessed and engouraged by this study.

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Go in peace!

Barry Forder — Sun, 11 Feb 2024 10:30:34 +0000

In this study, our guest speaker Lekan Adejumo, teaches from Luke 8 about the woman who had the issue of blood for 12 years before meeting Jesus.

Jesus’ words ‘Go in peace’ have resounded through the centuries and can carry as much meaning for you today.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

Leken, his wife & children serve at Calvary Portsmouth but Lekan also serves with Andy Economides as an evangelist for Soteria Trust (www.soteriatrust.org.uk)

If you would like to support Lekan’s ministry, go to: www.soteriatrust.org.uk/you-can-help/

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1 Corinthians Ch10:13-33

Barry Forder — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 10:30:48 +0000

This study of 1 Corinthians Ch10 vs 13-33 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 4th February 2024.

In this study, we continue Paul’s admonition to the Corinthian believers to consider others before ouselves. Our lives should show forth the love and compassion we have recieved from God. Our freedom and liberty should never become a stumbling block for another believer.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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The Journey of the Ark – Part 1

Barry Forder — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 10:30:51 +0000

This teaching was give by elder Jim Eden on 28th January 2024.

In this study Jim considers the incredible fact that many of Israel’s most tragic historical events have all occured on specific dates – demonstarting God’s control of history.

Jim then looks at the opening chapters of the book of First Samuel and the journey of the Ark of the covenant and the lessons we can learn from it.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post The Journey of the Ark – Part 1 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

1 Corinthians 10:1-12

Barry Forder — Sun, 21 Jan 2024 10:30:43 +0000

This study of 1 Corinthians hapter 10:1-12 was given by pastor Barry on 21st January 2024.

In these verses, Paul builds the theme of the previous two chapters, namely, that we should be careful that our so-called ‘knowldge’ doesn’t become a stumbling block for another believer, and that we should be careful that our confidence, which can quickly become apathy, does not cause us to fall!

In his summary David Guzik says the following:

“i. In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul established two principles. First, an idol really is nothing, and it was fine for Corinthian Christians who understood this to act according to this knowledge, in regard to themselves. Second, for Christians love is more important than knowledge. So even though I may “know” eating meat sacrificed to an idol is all right for myself, if it causes my brother to stumble, I won’t do it, because it isn’t the loving thing to do.

ii. In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul showed how important it is for Christians to give up their “rights.” Just as Paul gave up his “right” to be supported by his own preaching of the gospel, so some of the Corinthian Christians must sometimes give up their “right” to eat meat sacrificed to idols, based on the principle of love towards a weaker brother. In the end of chapter 9, Paul showed how a Christian must be willing to give up some things – even “good” things – for the sake of winning the race God has set before us, otherwise we will become disqualified (1 Corinthians 9:27) in the competition of the Christian life.”

Now in this chapter Paul takes us back to consider the Children of Israel, who, despite their incredible beginning, being delivered from Egypt, passing through the midst of the Red Sea, seeing water come pouring from a rock, seeing God descend on Mt Sinai in fire… despite all of this they still stumbled and fell.

Paul urges us to not make the same mistakes.

Tragically, when we look at the history of Israel and compare it to the history of the Church, we see that the Church has made exactly the same mistakes. It seems we have learned nothing!

See the following comparission:

In this incredible evidence of design, we see a parallel of Israel’s history that has been repeated by the church.

As an interesting study, compare the 7 parables in Matthew 13 with the 7 letters in Revelation 2 & 3.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study

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1 Corinthians Ch8-9

Barry Forder — Sun, 14 Jan 2024 10:30:08 +0000

This study on 1 Corinthians 8-9 was given on 14th January 2024 by pastor Barry Forder.

In these chapters, Paul continues addressing the questions the Corinthain believers had raised, particularly here in regard to whether or not they should eat food offered to idols. To understand the context of the question, David Guzik comments: “The meat offered on pagan altars was usually divided into three portions. One portion was burnt in honor of the god, one portion was given to the worshipper to take home and eat, and the third portion was given to the priest. If the priest didn’t want to eat his portion, he sold it at the temple restaurant or meat market. The meat served and sold at the temple was generally cheaper. Then, as well as now, people loved a bargain (including Christians).”

Some believers, knowing that idols were really nothing but figments of man’s imagination (see Psalm 115:4-8 / Jeremiah 10:3-5), had no qualms about eating this meat that could be purchased at a discounted price. However, for other believers, this was a real problem of conscience. Paul’s teaching is emphatic “it is a sin against Christ to sin against your brother by encouraging him to do something he thinks is wrong. So if eating meat offered to idols is going to make my brother sin, I’ll not eat any of it as long as I live because I don’t want to do this to him.” (Living Bible Paraphrase).

Paul’s message is clear: Don’t do anything that, although you may a freedom of conscience regarding, is going to be a stumbling block to another believer. We should not be set upon serving ourselves, but upon thinking about and serving others. Our ‘knowledge’, however great, should always be subservient to love. Loving one another is more important than making a point to prove we are right!

This in no way negates the importance of the truth, but we are admonished to ‘speak the truth in love!’ (Eph 4:15).

May you be encouraged and blessed by this teaching.

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1 Corinthians Ch7

Barry Forder — Sun, 07 Jan 2024 10:30:16 +0000

This teaching was given by pastor Barry on 7th January 2024.

1 Corinthians chapter 7 is one of those chapters we don’t readily go to if we want to preach a good ol’ gospel message!

It is probably fair to say that, unless your church teaches expositionaly (chapter-by-chapter, verse-by-verse) through the Bible, your pastor will more than likely avoid this chapter!

It is said that, if you want to avoid contention, you should avoid talking about politics, religion and sex!

Yet here, in God’s Word, is a chapter about sex and it’s proper place in a loving relationship between a man and a woman.

The world has a totally distorted view of sex, seeing it as more as a means of personal gratification, rather than a gift you lovingly give to one you intimately love.

Sadly, the world’s focus on lust instead of love has led much of the church throughout history to view sex as something unclean or sordid just as the Corinthians were doing in this chapter. The question they had asked Paul was “Is it not better to not marry at all?”

David Guzik comments: “Why would the Corinthian Christians suggest complete celibacy – which is what they mean by a man not to touch a woman? They probably figured that if sexual immorality was such a danger, then one could be more pure by abstaining from sex altogether, even in marriage”.

Hodge comments: “The idea that marriage was a less holy state than celibacy, naturally led to the conclusion that married persons ought to separate, and it soon came to be regarded as an evidence of eminent spirituality when such a separation was final.”

Adam Clarke holds no punches when he responds: “What miserable work has been made in the peace of families by a wife or a husband pretending to be wiser than the apostle, and too holy and spiritual to keep the commandments of God!”

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

Note: In this study pastor Barry alludes to an article that was published in Reders Digest some years ago. The article was as follows:

Johnny Lingo’s Eight-Cow Wife

My trip to the Kiniwata Island in the Pacific was a memorable one. Although the island was beautiful and I had an enjoyable time, the thing I remember most about my trip was the fact “Johnny Lingo gave eight cows for his wife.” I’m reminded of it every time I see a woman belittle her husband or a wife wither under her husband’s scorn. I want to say to them, “You should know why Johnny Lingo gave eight cows for his wife.”

Johnny Lingo is known throughout the islands for his skills, intelligence, and savvy. If you hire him as a guide, he will show you the best fishing spots and the best places to get pearls. Johnny is also one of the sharpest traders in the islands. He can get you the best possible deals. The people of Kiniwata all speak highly of Johnny Lingo. Yet, when they speak of him, they always smile just a little mockingly.

A couple days after my arrival to Kiniwata, I went to the manager of the guesthouse to see who he thought would be a good fishing guide. “Johnny Lingo,” said the manager. “He’s the best around. When you go shopping, let him do the bargaining. Johnny knows how to make a deal.”

“Johnny Lingo!” hooted a nearby boy. The boy rocked with laughter as he said, “Yea, Johnny can make a deal alright!”

“What’s going on?” I demanded.

“Everybody tells me to get in touch with Johnny Lingo and then they start laughing. Please, let me in on the joke.”

“Oh, the people like to laugh,” the manager said, shrugging. “Johnny’s the brightest and strongest young man in the islands. He’s also the richest for his age.”

“But …” I protested. “… if he’s all you say he is, why does everyone laugh at him behind his back?”

“Well, there is one thing. Five months ago, at fall festival, Johnny came to Kiniwata and found himself a wife. He gave her father eight cows!”

I knew enough about island customs to be impressed. A dowry of two or three cows would net a fair wife and four or five cows would net a very nice wife.

“Wow!” I said. “Eight cows! She must have beauty that takes your breath away.”

“She’s not ugly, …” he conceded with a little smile, “… but calling her ‘plain’ would definitely be a compliment. Sam Karoo, her father, was afraid he wouldn’t be able to marry her off. Instead of being stuck with her, he got eight cows for her. Isn’t that extraordinary? This price has never been paid before.”

“Yet, you called Johnny’s wife ‘plain?’ ”

“I said it would be a compliment to call her plain. She was skinny and she walked with her shoulders hunched and her head ducked. She was scared of her own shadow.”

“Well,” I said, “I guess there’s just no accounting for love.”

“True enough.” agreed the man. “That’s why the villagers grin when they talk about Johnny. They get special satisfaction from the fact the sharpest trader in the islands was bested by dull old Sam Karoo.”

“But how?”

“No one knows and everyone wonders. All of the cousins urged Sam to ask for three cows and hold out for two until he was sure Johnny would pay only one. To their surprise Johnny came to Sam Karoo and said, ‘Father of Sarita, I offer eight cows for your daughter.’ ”

“Eight cows.” I murmured. “I’d like to meet this Johnny Lingo.”

I wanted fish and pearls, so the next afternoon I went to the island of Nurabandi. As I asked directions to Johnny’s house, I noticed Johnny’s neighbors were also amused at the mention of his name. When I met the slim, serious young man I could see immediately why everyone respected his skills. However, this only reinforced my confusion over him.

As we sat in his house, he asked me, “You come here from Kiniwata?”

“Yes.”

“They speak of me on that island?”

“Yes. They say you can provide me anything I need. They say you’re intelligent, resourceful, and the sharpest trader in the islands.”

He smiled gently. “My wife is from Kiniwata.”

“Yes, I know.”

“They speak of her?”

“A little.”

“What do they say?”

“Why, just … .” The question caught me off balance. “They told me you were married at festival time.”

“Nothing more?” The curve of his eyebrows told me he knew there had to be more.

“They also say the marriage settlement was eight cows.” I paused. “They wonder why.”

“They ask that?” His eyes lighted with pleasure. “Everyone in Kiniwata knows about the eight cows?”

I nodded.

“And in Nurabandi, everyone knows it too?” His chest expanded with satisfaction. “Always and forever, when they speak of marriage settlements, it will be remembered that Johnny Lingo paid eight cows for Sarita.”

So that’s the answer, I thought: Vanity.

Just then Sarita entered the room to place flowers on the table. She stood still for a moment to smile at her husband and then left. She was the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. The lift of her shoulders, the tilt of her chin, and the sparkle in her eyes all spelled self-confidence and pride. Not an arrogant and haughty pride, but a confident inner beauty that radiated in her every movement.

I turned back to Johnny and found him looking at me.

“You admire her?” he murmured.

“She … she’s gorgeous.” I said. “Obviously, this is not the one everyone is talking about. She can’t be the Sarita you married on Kiniwata.”

“There’s only one Sarita. Perhaps, she doesn’t look the way you expected.”

“She doesn’t. I heard she was homely. They all make fun of you because you let yourself be cheated by Sam Karoo.”

“You think eight cows was too many?” A smile slid over his lips.

“No, but how can she be so different from the way they described her?”

Johnny said, “Think about how it must make a girl feel to know her husband paid a very low dowry for her? It must be insulting to her to know he places such little value on her. Think about how she must feel when the other women boast about the high prices their husbands paid for them. It must be embarrassing for her. I would not let this happen to my Sarita.”

“So, you paid eight cows just to make your wife happy?”

“Well, of course I wanted Sarita to be happy, but there’s more to it than that. You say she is different from what you expected. This is true. Many things can change a woman. There are things that happen on the inside and things that happen on the outside. However, the thing that matters most is how she views herself. In Kiniwata, Sarita believed she was worth nothing. As a result, that’s the value she projected. Now, she knows she is worth more than any other woman in the islands. It shows, doesn’t it?”

“Then you wanted …”

“I wanted to marry Sarita. She is the only woman I love.”

“But …” I was close to understanding.

“But,” he finished softly, “I wanted an eight-cow wife.”

The above story was based partially on an article found in Reader’s Digest (February, 1988). The original work was copyrighted by Patricia McGerr in 1965.

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The Hidden Treasures of Christmas – Part 2 (2023)

Barry Forder — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 10:30:09 +0000

Q. What do the Wise Men, Simeon and Anna all have in common? (see Luke Ch2 vs 25-26 / 36-38 / Matt 2:2)

A. The arrival of Israel’s new-born king didn’t take them by surprise! They had been patiently awaiting, and expecting, His arrival.

The Wise Men (Matthew gives them their proper title ‘Magi’ in the original Greek text), had been waiting since the time of the prophet Daniel, some 500 years earlier, for the arrival of the One who was to be King of the Jews – but who were these Magi, why had they travelled so far? Why did all Jerusalem shake at their arrival,

Join pastor Barry as we uncover more hidden truths from the Christmas story.

May you have a blessed and Christ-Centred Christmas!

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The Hidden Treasures of Christmas – Part 1 (2023)

Barry Forder — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 10:30:39 +0000

Jesus said that tradition undermines God’s Word – Matt 15:6. But sadly, because of tradition people miss out on incredible truths and blessings found in the Word of God. Tradition blinds people and builds up walls against the truth,;so much so, that people will vehemently defend their tradition over the truth! This is never truer than in regard to the Christmas narrative.

The story of Christmas doesn’t begin 2000 years ago in a manger in Bethlehem, the origin of Christmas can be traced back to before the foundation of the world!

Join with pastor Barry in this, the first part of a two-part series, looking at the hidden treasures that can be found in the Christmas story we all think we know!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

(The PowerPoint slides used in this study are available for free download – in PDF format).

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The Other Christmas Story

Barry Forder — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 10:30:59 +0000

The Other Christmas Story – the one that’s never told!

You know the traditional Christmas story right? You might know ‘the truth’ about Christmas… But do you know the other Christmas story?

By the time December comes around, the other Christmas has been been sung about for weeks. Supermarkets and Shopping malls have been declaring it; yet 90% of churches in this country deny it! Bible colleges will not teach it and world governments actively seek to undermine it.

It is not politically correct, but scripture gives 8x more print to the other Christmas story than to the traditional one!

Listen to pastor Barry as he takes you through this study that gives all Christians a reason to celebrate Christmas!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

(The PowerPoint slides used in this teaching are available for free download – in PDF format)

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1 Corinthians Ch6

Barry Forder — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 10:30:03 +0000

What does it mean to be a Christian? How should a Christian differ from those in the world around us?

In this study of 1 Corinthains chapter 6, pastor Barry takes us through this chapter vers-by-verse and highlights how Christians should stand out in today’s world in our morality, attitudes and actions. The world is so focussed on its ‘rights’! Everyone is now quick to demand ‘their rights’ even at the expense of another, and sadly this mindset is as prevalent in the church today as it was in the church of Corinth in the 1st century.

However, Paul askes the question, “Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?” (1 Cor 6:7). In other words, rather than demanding justice, demanding our rights when someone wrongs us, should we not just leave the matter with the LORD? In the book of Romans, Pauls says: “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:19).

We are quick to demand what we think we rightfully deserve; but remember that we rightfully deserve the wrath of God, not His grace! It is His grace that has forgiven us a debt we could not pay because Christ paid a debt He did not owe!

The next time someone wrongs you – and they will! – don’t seek retribution or justice, respond by showing grace, the grace imparted to you by His Holy Spirit.

The late Oswald Chambers went to Bible College in Dunoon, Scotland, where the principle was Duncan MacGregor. Oswald Chambers once commented of MacGregor: “I never knew him in a controversy in my life. He always let the other man have it all his way. I have known him to be defrauded over and over again; but I never knew him to be defrauded without knowing it.”

Let that be our witness, showing Grace to those around us because we have received the greatest Grace!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

This teaching was recorded on 19th Novemeber 2023.

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1 Corinthians Ch5

Barry Forder — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 10:30:13 +0000

This study on 1 Corinthians chapter 5 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 5th November 2023.

In this chapter Paul addresses two serious problems in the church at Corith. Firstly, there was a man within the fellowship in an immoral relationship, but secondly, the church had failed to do anything about it.

Paul makes it clear that the church must act to ‘purge’ out anything that draws believers’ hearts and affections away from Christ.

There are those in the church today who want to live worldly lives during the week, but think is ok to ‘put on their Sunday best’ when at church. No so. Being a Christian, a follower of Jesus, is a 24/7 lifestyle choice that must impact out thoughts, actions and behaviour. We must be different from the world around us because we have bought at a price so (as Paul will say in the next chapter) we are to honour God in our bodies as well as our spirits.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 Corinthians Ch4

Barry Forder — Sun, 29 Oct 2023 10:30:42 +0000

This study of 1 Corinthians chapter 4 was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on 29th October 2023.

In this chapter, Paul continues his words of correction for the Corinthian believers who had allowed divisions to occur in the church. Paul reminds them that God’s servants are not to be exalted. Christ alone is the head of the church.

Paul highlights that, rather spend our time on pointless arguments over who is the most important, and rather than trying to artificially create a sence of self-worth, we should realise that we have been entrusted with divine insights, ‘mysteries’, that make sense of our world, God’s plan and the time we are living in. We should know and understand these mysteries and then communicate them to a desperate world that ‘those who have ears to hear’ would hear and come to a saving-faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul uses this word ‘mystērion’ (meaning something that was once hidden, but now had been revealed) 21 times.

Scholars have tried to catalogue these, and the list below is a helpful summary:

Mystery of the Kingdom of God
- Luke 8:10; Mark 4:11;
Mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven
- Matt 13:11
Mystery of Manifestation in the Flesh
- 1 Tim 3:16
Mystery of Salvation by Faith
- Eph 3:19; Rom 16:25,26; 1 Tim 3:9
Mystery of the Will of God
- Eph 1:9
Mystery of Jews & Gentiles in same Body
- Rom 16:25; Eph 3:3
Mystery of the Bride of Christ
- Eph 5:10; Eph 2:6; 1 Cor 6:17
- Col 1:26,27; 2:2; 4:3
The Mystery of the Harpazo
- 1 Cor 15:51; 1 Thes 4:12-18
- OT: Isa 26:19-21; Ps 27:5; Zep 2:3
The Mystery of Iniquity
- 2 Thes 2:6-12
Mystery of the Seven Churches
- Rev 1:20
Mystery of Israel’s Blindness
- Luke 19:42-44; Rom 11:25
Mystery Babylon (Counterfeit Kingdom)
- Rev 17, 18 (Cf Gen 10:10, 1^st mention)

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 Corinthians Ch3

Barry Forder — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 10:30:27 +0000

This study of 1 Corinthians chapter 3 was recorded on 22nd October 2023 at Calvary Portsmouth.

In this study, pastor Barry considers how Christians should have a profound sense of self-worth when we consider God’s love for us and the price God paid to purchase and redeem us. Understanding how much we mean to God should help prevent the factions that had developed in the Corinthian church, where we so often try to align ourselves with others we perceive to be successful – in life or ministry – in an attempt to ‘feel good’ about ourselves. We all want to back a winner!

In the Corinthian church, some perceived Paul to be the most learned, others sided with Apollos because of his eloquence and wisdom; still others saw Peter as the leader they wanted to be seen to follow.

Paul argues that we should all simply be followers of Christ, not a man or ministry. Good Bible teachers, ministers and pastors should lead us to Christ, not to themselves.

Rather than producing greater spiritual depth, this attitude had actually stunted their growth. They were like babies that could only handle milk and were not yet ready for solid food.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 Corinthians Ch2

Barry Forder — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 15:41:36 +0000

This study of 1 Corinthians chapter 2 was given by Pastor Barry Forder on 15th October 2023.

In this study we consider the wisdom of God’s plan of redemption, hidden (but very present) in the Old Testament, but revealed in the New Testament. Through it we see the importance of the whole Bible in unveiling God’s will for all things to be brought together in Christ.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 Corinthians Ch1

Barry Forder — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 10:30:05 +0000

This study of 1st Corinthains chapter 1 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 1st October 2023.

In this opening chapter Paul focuses on the centrality of Christ for our salvation, sanctification, enrichment, growing in grace, sustaining and eventually to present us faultless before the throne in Heaven.

Christ is our all in all.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 Corinthians – Introduction

Barry Forder — Sun, 24 Sep 2023 10:30:27 +0000

This study was given by pastor Barry on 24th September 2023 at Calvary Portsmouth.

We are beginning a verse-by-verse study of Paul’s first letter to the Christians in Corinth.

Paul visited three times, and in all wrote to the Christians there on four occasions – our book of ‘first Corinthians’ was actualy the second letter Paul wrote to them.

The church at Corinth was close to Paul’s heart. He had founded it, and continued to have a pastor’s heart toward it, and so is stern when he needs to be, correcting and purging out error so that is does not fester and affect the whole body.

Dr J Vernon McGee gives the following useful breakdown of the book:

OUTLINE: (Three Main Sections)

Chapter 1:1-9 Salutation and thanksgiving,
Chapters 1:10—16:9 Concerning conditions in the Corinthian church,
Chapter 16:10-24 Closing exhortations and benediction,

CHAPTER BREAKDOWN:

Chapters 1:10—4:21 – Concerning DIVISIONS and party spirit,

1Cor 1:10-31 Centrality of Christ crucified Corrects divisions,
1Cor 2 Clarity of Holy Spirit Corrects human wisdom,
1Cor 3 Correct conception of God Clarifies Christian service,
1Cor 4 Conditions of Christ’s servants Constrain Christian conduct,

Chapters 5, 6 – Concerning SCANDALS in the Corinthian church,

1 Cor 5 Impurity addressed,
1 Cor 6 Handling of internal grievances among members of the church

Chapter 7 – Concerning MARRIAGE,

Chapters 8:1—11:1 – Concerning CHRISTIAN LIBERTY

1Cor 9 Liberty of the minister,
1Cor 10:1—11:1 Liberty is not license,

Chapter 11:2-16 – Concerning AUTHORITY

Chapter 11:17-34 – Concerning the LORD’S TABLE

Chapters 12—14 – Concerning SPIRITUAL GIFTS

– Endowment of gifts,

1 Cor 12 1-11 Gifts are given to maintain unity in diversity,
1 Cor 12:12-31 Members of human body compared to gifts of Holy Spirit,

– Energy of gifts — Love,

1Cor 13 The greatest of the gifts

– Exercise of gifts,

1Co 14:1-22 Gift of prophecy is superior to gift of tongues,
1Co 14:23-40 Order in local church for exercise of any gift,

Chapter 15 – Concerning the GOSPEL,Chapter 15

1 Cor 15:1-4 Prominence of resurrection in the gospel,
1 Cor 15:5-19 Proofs of resurrection,
1 Cor 15:20-28 Parade of resurrection,
- a. Christ, the firstfruits
- b. Those who are Christ’s (the church)
- c. Old Testament saints, Tribulation saints
- d. Kingdom set up, Christ reigning
- e. Death destroyed
- f. Christ returns to His place in the Trinity
1 Cor 15:29-50. Program and pattern of resurrection,
1 Cor 15:51-58. Power of resurrection,

Chapter 16:1-9 – Concerning COLLECTIONS

May you be blessed and encourages as we study through this book.

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The Judgment Seat of Christ

Barry Forder — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 13:57:29 +0000

Inheritacne of the Saints – Part 3

In this concluding session of our 3-part mini-seies on ‘The Inheritance of the Saints’ was given by pastor Barry on 17th September 2023.

In this final part we look at the day that is coming, referred to by the Apostle Paul as ‘The Judgment Seat of Christ‘ and what is means (or should mean!) for us now.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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The hope laid up for us in Heaven

Barry Forder — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 10:30:04 +0000

Inheritacne of the Saints – Part 2

This topical study – given on 10th September 2023 – is a continuation of our theme from last week, looking at ‘The Inheritacne of the Saints’ amd what awaits us in Heaven.

In this study pastor Barry reminds us of the faithfulness of God who is not unjust to forget our labour and the love we have shown to others in His Name, but rather has promised us eternal rewards for our obedience and faithfulness.

It is easy to get weary in doing good, to sometimes feel that it’s not worth all the effort when we seem to see so little fruit at times; but that is precisely when we need to take hold of the shield of faith and let scripture remind us that we will reap in due season if we don’t lose heart, and as the Apostle Paul affirms, our labour is not in vain.

We need to keep on keeping on as we see the day of rejoicing drawing near!

May you be refreshed and encouraged by this teaching.

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Looking Forward To Our Heavenly Home

Barry Forder — Sun, 03 Sep 2023 10:30:00 +0000

Inheritacne of the Saints – Part 1

This first part of a three-part topical study on ‘The Inheritance of the Saints’ was given by pastor Barry on 3rd September 2023.

The Bible says much about what we can expect in our eternal home, yet so often it is not thought about or considered.

In this study we ask what Heaven will be like? Why does the Bible speak of our eternal home as a tangible hope we should have? Why should our understanding of Heaven shape the way we live our lives here and now?

The PowerPoint slides used in this study are available for free download.

May you be encouraged and strengthened by this study.

The post Looking Forward To Our Heavenly Home first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch23-24

Barry Forder — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 10:30:12 +0000

This final study in our journey through the Gospel of Luke – chapters 23-24 – was taught by pastor Barry on 20th August 2023.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Luke Ch23-24 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch22

Barry Forder — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 10:30:26 +0000

This study of Luke chapter 22 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 6th August 2023 at Calvary Portsmouth.

In this study we look at the day leading up to Jesus’ arrest and trials before the crucifixion.

At the beginning of the chapter Luke gives us an important insight from a Jewish perspective that helps us plot the details of this week and clarify the timings of the events that took place. Rather than just ‘meaningless details’, we discover that Jesus was able to celebrate the Passover meal with His disciples in the upper room on evening of the 14th Nisan (our March/April time) – revealing to His disciples the stunning truth that all along the Passover had pointed to His ultimate death as the spotless Lamb of God, and yet He could still be offered as The sacrificial Lamb the next day, but still on the 14th Nisan as the Law of Moses decreed.

Part of our understanding of this comes from realising that the Jewish Day began in the evening (drawn from the days of Creation where God declared that ‘Evening and Morning were the first day.’).

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Luke Ch22 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch21

Barry Forder — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 10:30:00 +0000

This study of Luke 21 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 30th July 2023 at Calvary Portsmouth.

The PowerPoint slides and notes used in this study are available for free download.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Luke Ch21 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch20

Barry Forder — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 10:30:16 +0000

This teaching on Luke chapter 20 was given by pastor Barry Forder on Sunday 23rd July 2023 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

All the studies in this series are available for download with the accompanying PowerPoint slides.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

The post Luke Ch20 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Kingdom Parables

Barry Forder — Sun, 16 Jul 2023 10:30:40 +0000

This study of the Kingdom parablels was given by guest speaker, pastor Matt Hobbs from Calvary Chapel Maidstone.

The PowerPoint slides used in this study are available for free download.

For more teaching by Pastor Matt, go to https://calvarychapelmaidstone.uk

The post The Kingdom Parables first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch19:45-48

Barry Forder — Sun, 09 Jul 2023 10:30:11 +0000

This study of Luke 19 vs 45-48 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 9th July 2023.

In this study we look at the incredible events of Palm Sunday. Why was this day so important? Why did Jesus hold Israel accountable for not knowing the significance of this day, and why did Jesus pronounce national blindness on Israel for ‘missing the day of their visitation’?

The answer is found in a prophecy recorded over 500 years beforehand in the book of Daniel chapter 9 – one of the most astonishing prophicies in the Bible!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The PowerPoint slides used in this study are available for free download.

The post Luke Ch19:45-48 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

John Ch2 1-11

Barry Forder — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 10:30:31 +0000

In this study, our guest speaker, Lekan Adejumo, takes us through the account of the wedding at Cana as recorded in John ch2 1-11.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post John Ch2 1-11 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch19:1-44

Barry Forder — Sun, 25 Jun 2023 10:30:59 +0000

This teaching on Luke 19 vs 1-44 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 25th June 2023.

As we continue our study in the Gospel of Luke we see Jesus drawing closer to Jerusalem. In this study we consider the events of Palm Sunday and see how Jesus orchestrated the events to intentionally fulfil the prophesies of Zechariah and Psalm 118.

These are some of the most amazing prophecies in the Bible.

May you be blessed an encouraged by this study.

The post Luke Ch19:1-44 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch18:15-43

Barry Forder — Sun, 18 Jun 2023 10:30:24 +0000

This teaching on Luke chapter 18, verses 15-43, was given by pastor Barry Forder on 18th June 2023.

In the study we continue our journey through Luke, as Jesus moves closer to Jerusalem for the ‘final showdown’.

We see here the disciples rebuked for trying to stop the children from coming to Jesus, to which Jesus explains that the kingdom of God is for those with a child-like simple confident faith. He then answers the question of a ‘certain’ Jewish leader – probably a member of the Sanhedrin. Contrary to the commonly held belief, riches are not a sign of God’s approval, and very often those with them allow them to become a barrier to trusting God.

The chapter ends with yet another healing, as Jesus shows compassion on a blind man.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Luke Ch18:15-43 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch18:1-14

Barry Forder — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 10:30:30 +0000

This teaching on Luke 18:1-14 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 11th June 2023 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Unfortunately, there is no audio recording for this study, but the PowerPoint slides used in this study are available for free download.

The post Luke Ch18:1-14 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch17:11-37

Barry Forder — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 10:30:20 +0000

This study of Luke 17:11-37 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 4th June 2023 at Calvary Portsmouth.

In this study we see 10 lepers healed by Jesus, as yet a further demonstration that He was indeed the long-awaited Messiah of Israel. The lepers were then sent to the High Priest, according to the Law of Moses to confirm their healing and to offer the sacrifices prescribed by the law. Throughout Israel’s history there had never been a case where leprosy ad been healed, the priests had never had to turn to Leviticus 13 and follow the instructions. Now, a single leaper had been healed back in Luke 5:12 – that had been remarkable enough! But now ten more lepers turn up at Caiaphas’ door for him to inspect and pronounce clean! You have to wonder at the hardness of Caiaphas’ heart to still reject Jesus as the Messiah in the face of such amazing evidence!

Then, on the back of these healings, Jesus answers a question put to him by the pharisees regarding the coming Messianic kingdom. Maybe these healings had prompted the question as to whether Jesus really could be the Messiah? If so, what did HE have to say about their current predicament under Rome, and the Old Testament promises of a restoration of David’s throne?

The Jews were expecting the Messiah to establish His throne, overthrow the oppression of Rome and rule the nation from Jerusalem. Thier expectation was not wrong! Even the disciples were expecting Jesus to do the same – remember Peter’s boldness in the garden of Gethsemane, as he reaches for his sword? Was this to be the moment the insurrection against Rome would begin? Peter clearly jumped the gun! But it was exactly what the Messiah was to do, as confirmed by the Spirit-inspired words of Zechariah:

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel;
for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David;
As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets,
which have been since the world began:
That we should be saved from our enemies,
and from the hand of all that hate us;
To perform the mercy promised to our fathers,
and to remember his holy covenant;
The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies
might serve him without fear,
In holiness and righteousness before him,
all the days of our life”. Luke 1:68-75 (emphasis added)

Even the Angel Gabriel declared to Mary that her Son “shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” Luke 1:32-33 (emphasis added)

[Even after the Resurrection – in Acts 1:6-7 – the disciples asked if finally now was the time for the kingdom to be restored to Israel? Jesus doesn’t say ‘Guy’s you’ve got it all wrong’! He confirms it will happen, but just not yet!]

So it is, here in Luke 17, Jesus explains that the kingdom was already there and among them. He was ‘with them’, although they did not recognise Him, but it was also to come – a real physical kingdom on Earth, centered in Jerusalem, with the Messiah ruling and reigning over the whole earth (Daniel 2:35 / 2:44-45), and Jesus also reveals that, whist they were curious about the coming kingdom now, the days would come when they would long to see the days of the Messiah’s deliverance and rule – but they would not see it, because two things must first happen:

The Messiah must suffer and be rejected by that generation (according to God’s plan that the Messiah must first give His life as a ransom for many),
Deception must also come, to the would world (2 Thes 2:11) but particularly to the Jews (John 5:43).

Jesus then makes it clear that when the kingdom does finally come, it will obvious to the whole world, just as lightning flashing across the sky. However, that time will also be accompanied with great trial. The world will carry on pursuing their ungodly lives and lifestyles but then, just as suddenly as destruction came on the world in Noah’s day, and as it was in Lot’s day, ‘sudden destruction will come upon them as labour pains upon a pregnant woman’ (1 Thess 5:2-3).

“Behold, the day of the Lord cometh,
cruel both with wrath and fierce anger,
to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light:
the sun shall be darkened in his going forth,
and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
And I will punish the world for their evil,
and the wicked for their iniquity;
and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease,
and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible”. (Isaiah 13:9-11)

For the Jews living in Israel in those days it will be unimaginable! Zechariah records:

“And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God”. (Zech 13:8-9)

Jeremiah records: “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” (Jeremiah 30:7)

The amassed armies of Antichrist will gather together at Armageddon ready to march against and destroy Israel (Rev 16:16). But then, in their greatest hour of need, Israel will cry out to Yeshua (Jesus), their Messiah whom they will, by then, acknowledge – with repentant tears – to be their Messiah (Zech 12:9-14), and He will return from Heaven and take vengeance on His (and Israel’s enemies). (see Isaiah 63:1-6).

Whlie all of this is unfolding on earth, the Church will be safely with the LORD in heaven: (John 14:1-3 / 1 Thes 4:16-18)

“Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers,
and shut thy doors about thee:
hide thyself as it were for a little moment,
until the indignation be overpast.
For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place
to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity:
the earth also shall disclose her blood,
and shall no more cover her slain.” (Isaiah 26:20-21)

“For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess 5:9)

However, rather than simply enjoying the wonder and joy of Heaven, it seems from the book of Joel that we (the Church) will be called upon to interceed for Israel during this time of Tribulation. We read:

“Blow the trumpet in Zion [Heaven?],
sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders [cf Rev ch4:4 / 5:8],
gather the children, and those that suck the breasts:
let the bridegroom [Jesus] go forth of his chamber, and the bride [Church] out of her closet.
Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar,
and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord,
and give not thine heritage to reproach,
that the heathen should rule over them:
wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?” (Joel 2:15-17)

The Jews will be preserved, Jesus the Messiah will return to establish and rule in the throne of David forever, and the Church will rule and reign with Him!

To be continued…

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

Please consider joining us each Sunday as we continue to study God’s word, as we see the day drawing closer!

If you would like to support this ministry, you can donate here: https://www.calvaryportsmouth.co.uk/product/make-a-donation/

The post Luke Ch17:11-37 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch17:1-10

Barry Forder — Sun, 28 May 2023 10:30:23 +0000

This teaching of Luke ch17:1-10 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 28th May 2023 at Calvary Portsmouth.

At the start of this session reference is made to a discussion by the Christian Institute regarding allegations by Peter Tatchell, regarding a Ugandan Archbishop, made to Archbishop Justin Welby.

The full discussion can be seen on the Christian Institute’s website:

https://www.christian.org.uk/resource/debunking-lgbt-claims-about-christian-views-on-sexual-ethics/

The PowerPoint slides used in this study are also available on-line for free download.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Luke Ch17:1-10 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch16

Barry Forder — Sun, 21 May 2023 10:30:35 +0000

This study in Luke chapter 16 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 21st May 2023.

In this chapter, Jesus warns the disciples about the deceitfulness of riches. As Bible commentator Adam Clarke put’s it, “Riches promise MUCH, and perform NOTHING: they excite hope and confidence, and deceive both: in making a man depend on them for happiness, they rob him of the salvation of God and of eternal glory. For these reasons, they are represented as unjust and deceitful”.

The chapter begins with the parable of the unjust steward – a man who had acted deceitfully toward his boss, and as a result loses his job. But before he is dismissed, he calls all those who owe his boss. Using the authority of his position (while it lasts) he writes off much of the outstanding debt of these people – reducing the amount they individually owe to his boss, in the hope that his act of kindness toward them will be reciprocated to him when he is shortly to be looking for work!

Jesus uses this example to make the point that “the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light”. v8

“[Jesus] was not commending his unrighteous action or his sin, but only his wisdom in that, knowing the limited amount of time he had left he used his position to prepare for his future” – Arnold Fruchtenbaum

How much thought and care do those in the world give to their (earthly) future, their inheritance, and to maximizing their opportunities? In contrast, how much do the Children of God give time to their inheritance and maximizing their opportunities now? Is it not a sad reflection on the Church, in general, that it does not have the same zeal for Godly things, laying up treasure in Heaven, that the world has for material things and the acquisition of the world’s riches?

The lesson Jesus is teaching is twofold: Firstly, trusting in riches is a great deception. Secondly, his disciples should be as focussed on using our time, money and gifts for His glory and the coming kingdom as the children of this world are in their pursuit of worldly gain.

Psalm 119 gives us a number of insights into how our attitude should be toward riches:

I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. v14
Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word. v17
Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. v36
The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law. v61
The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. v72
Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart. v111
I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. v127

We cannot serve (or pursue) money and God. Only one can be the overruling passion of our lives.

We then come to one of the most well-known parables in the New Testament – the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus!

The key point of the parable, in keeping with all that Jesus had been saying, was that you can live for the pursuit of wealth, gain the world, and lose your soul! – Mark 8:36

However, the parable also gives us a glimpse into the unseen world and what happens after death. Jesus taught that there were two eternal destinations for all mankind.

–Heaven or Hell

However, ‘Hell’ is a word that can refer to two different and distinct locations.

Firstly, the ‘Eternal abode of the wicked’
- Also referred to as the ‘Lake of Fire’
  - Rev 19:20 / Rev 20:13

We know from Matthew 25:41 that Hell (the eternal Lake of Fire) was not originally intended for man, but for the devil and his angels. God did everything possible to prevent any man ever having to go there; He sent His only Son that whosoever believes on Him should not perish, but instead, have everlasting life! However, those who reject this offer of Salvation in Jesus will ultimately end up in this place of eternal punishment. According to Revelation 19:20 / 20:13, the first souls to enter Hell will be ‘Antichrist’ & the ‘False Prophet’ – at the time of the Second Coming. No other being will be confined to this place until the Great White Throne judgment as recorded in Revelation 20:11-15.

So, this begs the question, what happens to unbelievers when they die, until then? Throughout the Old and New Testament allusion is made to a ‘temporary holding place’ – seemingly at the centre of the earth – were all the departed souls will await the final judgment.

This place is also referred to as ‘Hell’, but is also referred to as:

Hell
- Ps 139:8 / 2 Sam 22:6 / Ps 16:10 / Prov 9:18
Sheol (OT Hebrew)
- Ps 16:10 / Is 14:15
Hades (NT Greek)
- Acts 2:27 / 1 Cor 15:55
The Pit
- Num 16:33 / Isaiah 14:15 / Ezek 26:20
The ‘low parts of the earth’
- Ezek 26:20

It is the place were all souls went upon death. It is the bottomless it of Revelation 17:8, and it is the place where Satan will be bound for 1000 years during Christ’s reign on Earth.

However, until the Cross, this ‘holding place’ was split into two distinct areas – as alluded to in this parable.

–The righteous section: Paradise / Abraham’s bosom

–The wicked section: Hell / Sheol / Hades / The Pit etc.

At the time of the Crucifixion Jesus descended into hell – but not the ‘bad’ part! – Acts 2:27 / Eph 4:9. He told the thief on the cross ‘today you will be WITH ME in Paradise’

But why did Jesus need to go to this place? –Certainly not to suffer!

From scripture we know that there is salvation in no other name! Only by accepting Jesus as Lord can you go to Heaven! But this is also true for Adam, Noah, David, Elijah & Daniel et al. They all had to put their faith in Jesus, which is why Jesus presented Himself to them following His crucifixion so they could believe on Him!

Then Jesus literally shifted ‘Paradise’ from being ‘captive’ within the Earth, to Heaven. We read in Ephesians 4:7-10: “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)”

When Jesus ascended, He took that which had been help captive in the lower parts of the Earth and moved it to Heaven. Now when a believer dies they immediately go to Heaven to be ‘with the Lord’ – Phil 1:23 / 2 Cor 5:8.

What Christ has done for us is truly amazing grace! …and just as with Lazarus, though we may have endured hardship here on Earth, in Heaven we will be comforted and honoured.

“When we shall come home and enter to the possession of our Brother’s fair kingdom, and when our heads shall find the weight of the eternal crown of glory, and when we shall look back to pains and sufferings; then shall we see life and sorrow to be less than one step or stride from a prison to glory; and that our little inch of time-suffering is not worthy of our first night’s welcome home to heaven.” – Samuel Rutherford

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Luke Ch16 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch15

Barry Forder — Sun, 14 May 2023 10:30:40 +0000

This teaching on Luke 15 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 14th May 2023 at Calvsary Portsmouth.

In this study we see Jesus, in reponse to the Pharisees’ murmuring about His time spent with ‘sinners’, give three of His most well known parables:

The parable of the lost sheep
The parable of the lost coin
The parable of the lost son

Each once challenges the Pharisees notion of salvation and their view of ‘sinners’, and who was ‘worthy’ and who was not!

Each also shows God’s compassion for those who have gone astray, and that He initiates the mechanism by which they might return. It is shown to be entirely a work of Grace.

The PowerPoint slides used in this study are available for free download.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Luke Ch15 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch14

Barry Forder — Sun, 07 May 2023 10:30:49 +0000

This study of Luke ch14 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 7th May 2023 at Calvary Portsmouth.

We are currently teaching through the Gospel of Luke – verse-by-verse – all the previous sessions, including study notes and the PowerPoint slides used in the teaching are available for free download.

If you are blessed by this resource, let us know and please consider supporting this ministy:

https://www.calvaryportsmouth.co.uk/product/make-a-donation/

The post Luke Ch14 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch13

Barry Forder — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 10:30:02 +0000

This study of Luke chapter 13 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 30th April 2023.

The PowerPoint slides used in this study are avialvble for free download.

May you be encouraged by this study.

The post Luke Ch13 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch12

Barry Forder — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 10:30:31 +0000

This study of Luke chapter 12 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 23rd April 2023.

As we continue our journey through Luke’s gospel Jesus now begins to show clearly the two different ways we can choose to live. We can either live for ourselves, serving the god of materialism and the perceived need to continually strive to have more to have the latest thing, to have financial stability and success… or we can choose to live our lives trusting in God and His word, living our lives based solely on the promises He has given, allowing Him to direct our paths, to provide for us through whatever means He engineers.

Oswald Chambers put’s it succinctly:

“If God so clothe the grass of the field…shall He not much more clothe you?”

A simple statement of Jesus is always a puzzle to us if we are not simple. How are we going to be simple with the simplicity of Jesus? By receiving His Spirit, recognizing and relying on Him, obeying Him as He brings the word of God, and life will become amazingly simple.

“Consider,” says Jesus, “how much more your Father Who clothes the grass of the field will clothe you, if you keep your relationship right with Him.”

Every time we have gone back in spiritual communion it has been because we have impertinently known better than Jesus Christ.

We have allowed the cares of the world to come in, and have forgotten the “much more”of our Heavenly Father.

“Behold the fowls of the air” — their main aim is to obey the principle of life that is in them and God looks after them. Jesus says that if you are rightly related to Him and obey His Spirit that is in you, God will look after your “feathers.”

“Consider the lilies of the field” — they grow where they are put. Many of us refuse to grow where we are put, consequently we take root nowhere. Jesus says that if we obey the life God has given us, He will look after all the other things.

Has Jesus Christ told us a lie? If we are not experiencing the “much more,” it is because we are not obeying the life God has given us, we are taken up with confusing considerations.

How much time have we taken up worrying God with questions when we should have been absolutely free to concentrate on His work

“Take no thought for your life.” “Be careful about one thing only,” says our Lord — “your relationship to Me.” Common sense shouts loud and says — “That is absurd, I must consider how I am going to live, I must consider what I am going to eat and drink.” Jesus says you must not. Beware of allowing the thought that this statement is made by One Who does not understand our particular circumstances. Jesus Christ knows our circumstances better than we do, and He says we must not think about these things so as to make them the one concern of our life. Whenever there is competition, be sure that you put your relationship to God first. – Oswald Chambers (My Utmost For His Highest)

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The PowerPoint slides used in this teaching are available for free download.

The post Luke Ch12 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Walking The Walk – John 14:13-17

Barry Forder — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 10:30:42 +0000

This topical study on John 14:13-17 was given by pastor Bob Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth on 16th April 2023.

In the Gospel of John, chapters 13-17 we see Jesus teaching His disciples vital truths in His final hours before His arrest.

In this study, pastor Bob brings home the importance and significance to us today of Jesus words to His disciples.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

Pastor Bob Forder is the founding pastor of Calvary Chapel Deal (a.k.a. Deal Christian Fellowship). Bob’s eldest son, Barry, is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Portsmouth and his youngest son, Simeon, has recently taken over the role of lead pastor at Calvary Chapel Deal.

For more studies by Pastor Bob, go to: https://dcf.church/sermon-speaker/bob-forder/

The post Walking The Walk – John 14:13-17 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Power of His Resurrection

Barry Forder — Sun, 09 Apr 2023 10:30:02 +0000

This study was given by pastor Barry Forder on Resurrection Sunday, 9th April 2023, at Calvary Portsmouth.

The Power of His Resurrection

In Philippians 3:10-12, the Apostle Paul states the following: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”

Paul tells us that the historical fact of the Resurrection of Jesus has the power to change us! Firstly, as a result of the Resurrection, we can actually know Jesus personally – if your heart is still beating that should stagger you and become your new no#1 goal in life! Secondly, by understanding what Jesus did for us in laying down His life in obedience to His Father, we can, in the same way, lay down the right to our own lives to God and begin to live… not merely ‘be alive’ but really begin to live the abundant life Jesus spoke of (John 10:10). Paul then tells us the reason Christ ‘took hold’ of us was so that we might ‘take hold’ of Him. By giving ourselves to Him, He gives Himself to us! Jesus loves you and wants an intimate relationship with you… but it has to be on His terms, because only He knows what is best for us.

To try to understand this incredible proposition we are going to look at a model found in the Old Testament book of Joshua – written around 1500 years before the time of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. The model itself is yet further proof of the supernatural origin and design of the Bible; only a God who is outside of time could record events with such precision before they happen. God Himself lays this challenge before any sceptic: “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure” (Isaiah 46:9-10).

Models in Advance

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul’s definitive chapter on the subject of the resurrection, he makes the point that the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus had been foretold and recorded in advance in the Old Testament scriptures (see 1 Corinthians 15:1-4). We could actually go back to Genesis chapter 3 to get the first hint of Christ’s victory over Satan on the cross; but then in Genesis 22 we have the dramatic acting-out (two thousand years in advance) of the events of the crucifixion and resurrection. Abraham (a type of God the Father) is told to “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell you of” (Genesis 22:2). As we consider this, we start to see that, whilst being a real event that occurred in the life of Abraham, It was also a ‘model’ or ‘type’ of God the Father who, 2000 years later, gave up His only son for mankind.

This model becomes even more remarkable when we realise that the place that Abraham was told to offer up Isaac (on top of Mount Moriah), was later to be known as Golgotha, the very spot where Jesus was to be crucified. Abraham renamed the place: “Jehovah-jireh” which means, “In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen” (Gen 22:14). Thus, it would seem that Abraham actually realised he was acting out prophecy, anticipating what was to come. This is confirmed in Hebrews 11:17-19: “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son; of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.”

From the account in Genesis 22, we know that an innocent ram was eventually sacrificed in the place of Isaac, and again in this we see a model in anticipation of Jesus who, like that innocent ram, was sacrificed in our place so that, like Isaac, we too could go free.

Before we come to our text in the book of Joshua, there is one other model we need to consider, for that will lay an important foundation.

The 7 Feasts of Israel

God, through Moses, led the Children of Israel out of Egypt through the Red sea and gave them seven Feasts (holy festivals) that they were to celebrate each year to continually remind them of what God had done for them, as wells as His continued provision and their obligation to be holy before their God. Various passages of scripture outline the Feasts and their purpose, such as Exodus 12:14-17 / Leviticus 23 :4-44 / Deuteronomy 16:1-16.

The 7 feasts in the order that they were to occur each year are as follows:

The Feast of Passover (14th of the 1st month Abib – our March/April time)
The Feast of Unleavened bread (15th of the 1st month Abib)
The Feast of Firstfruits (celebrated on the Sunday following the Passover)
The Feast of Harvest (also known as the Festival of Weeks / Pentecost – celebrated 50 days after Firstfruits)
The Feast of Trumpets (the 1st day of the 7th month)
The Feast of Atonement (the 10th day of the 7th month)
The Feast of Tabernacles (also known as the Feast of Ingathering – celebrated on 15th day of the 7th month)

These feasts had a practical / spiritual significance to Israel during their time in the wilderness and later when they entered the promised land; but as we will discover, these feasts were also supernaturally designed to be ‘a shadow of things to come’ (Col 2:17), prophetically looking forward to events that would take place many years in the future.

As compelling evidence of God’s Divine design throughout the Bible, these feasts were intended by God to be models that find their fulfilment in:

The crucifixion and death of Jesus – Passover
His burial and victory over sin and death – Feast of Unleavened Bread
His resurrection – Feast of Firstfruits
The birth and subsequent rapture of the Church – Pentecost
God’s judgement during the Tribulation – Feast of Trumpets
God’s purging of Israel during the tribulation – Feast of Atonement
and finally: Tabernacles. The regathering of the Jews back to the land of Israel (Feast of Ingathering) when Jesus returns to establish His millennial kingdom and ‘tabernacle’ among us.

Thus, they paint a picture that spans the whole of human history from the birth of the nation of Israel to the beginning of the millennial kingdom of Jesus.

All of these Feasts are really worth studying, but it is the first three that are of significance in this study.

The Feast of Passover

For 400 years the Children of Israel were ‘sojourners’ without a land of their own, a fact that had been prophetically revealed to Abraham in a dream (Genesis 15:13). The last 215 years of this time had been spent in Egypt; firstly in prosperity and blessing during the time of Joseph, but toward the end of this time ‘there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph’ (Exodus 1:8). This new Pharoah treated Israel harshly, eventually prompting them to cry to the LORD for deliverance. Just as God had promised Abraham, when the time was right, his descendants would return to the land of Canaan, leaving Egypt with great wealth. We know from Exodus chapters 3 through 12 that God called Moses and sent him before Pharaoh with the request that Abraham’s descents, the Children of Israel, be allowed to leave the land of Egypt. Pharaoh repeatedly refused despite being sent plagues that all but destroyed the land.

Finally God said to Moses: “Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether……Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more” (Exodus 11:1-6).

Thus, as a judgment for the way Egypt had treated God’s ‘firstborn’ (i.e. Israel), the firstborn of all the Egyptians would die (see Exodus 4:22-23). However, as God had done throughout all the other plagues, He made a way for the people of Israel to be protected.

“And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:” (Exodus 12:1-3).

“Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it” (Exodus 12:5-7).

“……it is the LORD’s passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:11b-13).

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

In Leviticus we read: “ the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD:” (Leviticus 23:6). This Feast of Unleavened Bread, although being part of the seven-day period where unleavened bread was to be eaten, was itself to be a distinct Feast and observed in its own right.

The Feast of Firstfruits

Leviticus 23:10-11 also details the Feast of Firstfruits. This was to occur on the day after the Sabbath. “And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.” It is clear from the context that this Feast was to be on the day after the Sabbath that followed the Passover, in other words, always on a Sunday.

So we see from all of this that we have 4 specific markers:

The 10th day of the 1st month – when the lamb was to be taken
The 14th of the 1st month – when the lamb was to be slain
The 15th of the month – to mark the eating of unleavened bread (leaven is analogous to sin, so it speaks of the removal of sin)
The Sunday (the first day of the week), following the Passover was to be the Feast of Firstfruits. As this Feast was fixed to a specific day (i.e. Sunday), the actual date would change from year to year (much like Easter does for us). It could occur as early as the 16^th (if the Passover fell on a Friday), or as late as the 22^nd (if the Passover fell on a Saturday Sabbath), but always on a Sunday. In the year of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection the Feast of Firstfruits fell on the 17th of the 1st month.

Incredible Fulfilment!

With a little diligent study we can ascertain that it was on the 10th day of the Jewish month that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the day we now celebrate as Palm Sunday (in precise fulfilment of Daniel 9:24-25). This was the day the Lamb of God was ‘taken’ by the people as they waived palm branches and hailed Him their king.

It was then on the 14th (the Feast of Passover) that Jesus was crucified as a spotless Lamb, bearing the sins of the world, thus becoming our Passover Lamb, His blood being shed to purchase our freedom from the slavery of sin.

It is important to note that the Jewish day begins in the evening (Genesis 1:5), so as the evening began on the 14th, the next Jewish day – the Feast of Unleavened Bread – started. From the gospels we know that Jesus died at 3pm and His body remined on the cross for a short while before being requested by, and then laid in, Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb; yet because the new day was about to begin, there was not enough time to properly anoint Jesus’ body for burial – which is why the woman planned to return at the earliest opportunity (after the Sabbath’s had passed) to complete the anointing procedure. Just a week before this, Jesus Himself had prophetically said: “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24), and so on the 15th, as the Feast of Unleavened Bread began, Jesus’ body, which had borne our sin, was being laid in the ground as a grain of wheat (from which bread is made).

Paul declares: “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7)

The Feast of Unleavened Bread (15th) – which fell on the Friday – was a ‘high sabbath’ where no work was permitted under the Jewish Law. The next day (Saturday 16th) was the regular Jewish Sabbath, again, where no work was permitted. This meant that the earliest opportunity for the woman to return to the tomb and anoint Jesus’ body did not occur until Sunday 17th, the first day of the week. We know from Mark’s gospel that: “when the sabbath[s were] past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun” (Mark 16:1-2). This is of course the day of the resurrection! …and as the first Sunday following the Passover it would also be the Feast of Firstfruits. Thus, on the Feast of Firstfruits “is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15:19).

The Model in Joshua

With all the detail we have just seen, you might be wondering what the connection is with the Book of Joshua? Well, it is simple and yet profound!

We begin in Joshua 4:19 where we read: “And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho”.

Yes! The triumphant day the Children of Israel finally crossed over the Jordan and entered the Promised Land, receiving their future kingdom, was the anniversary in advance of the very same day Jesus entered Jerusalem and was received as Israel’s future King! Of course, for Israel the adulation quickly stopped and they crucified their King. But He will return to sit on the throne of David and rule over Israel and the whole earth (Luke 1:32-33).

Next, we move onto Joshua 5:10, and there we read: “And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho”. The fact that they kept the Passover may not come as much of a surprise – they were simply following the Torah, but look at the detail! They celebrated and ate their Passover lamb ‘in Gilgal… in the plains of Jericho’. Their Passover lamb was killed in a place (Gilgal) synonymous with sacrifice and literally right in full view of their enemy. On the future anniversary of the very same day Jesus was offered up as The sacrificial Lamb, also in a place synonymous with sacrifice (Calvary – see again Genesis 22:13-14), and in full view of ‘principalities and powers’, making a public spectacle of them, triumphing over Satan and forever declaring His victory as Christ declared ‘It is finished’! – Literally in the Greek: ‘Paid in full’! (see Colossians 2:15)

As the inhabitants of Jericho looked on, barricaded within their seemingly impenetrable walls, they must have been shaken and somewhat unnerved to see Israel having a celebration and a feast right in front of thier faces! Israel’s first Passover celebration in the Promised Land was itself looking forward to the ultimate Lamb whose blood would be shed to make atonement for sin once and for all!

But there is more!

Joshua 5:11 tells us: “And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day”. For 40 years the Children of Israel had eaten Manna, the food God had miraculously provided during the wilderness wanderings. Now, on the 15th day of the first month, the very day they were supposed to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, they were able – for the first time – to do just that, with unleavened bread! Unleavened bread speaks of a life without sin, that is only possible for us because Christ became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). But notice once again the detail here: it was the ‘old corn of the land‘. Through Christ’s death (on the 14th) and burial (on the 15th) ‘old things’ are to pass away, all things are to become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). As Paul asks us: “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Romans 6:2). “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin” (Romans 6:6-7).

Paul goes on to say: “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:11-14)

For the Children of Israel with Joshua, after the 14th and 15th came… the 16th! “And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land” (Joshua 5:12a). So, they ate the old corn on the 15th, and the last time Manna fell, the day it ceased, was the next day, the 16th. (If it didn’t fall on the 16th it would have been said to have ceased on the 15th). Why is this significant? Because it means that the 16th represented the old order of things; from ‘tomorrow’ everything would be different. The verse continues: “neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year” (Joshua 5:12b). This is incredible! From the 17th onwards – the exact date of the Feast of Firstfruits in the year of the Resurrection, and the very day of the Resurrection itself, Israel ate the fruit of the Land! This was a new beginning for Israel, they were finally back in the Land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and living off its bounty!

For us, the 17th, the Feast of Firstfruits, the day of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ marks an awesome new beginning! It was also the exact same day that Noah’s Ark finally came rest on the Earth again at the end of the flood – signifying a new beginning for mankind!

Because Christ rose from the dead, we can have certainty that our sins are forgiven (1 Corinthians 15:17), that He will one day come and receive us to Himself (John 14:1-3) and that we will also be resurrected, these mortal, corruptible bodies being changed into glorious incorruptible bodies fit for eternity (see 1 Corinthians 15:35-57).

Just as Israel were able to put behind them the struggle they had endured getting to this place, so we can put behind us the struggle we endured before we came to know the risen Christ. In Christ we are no longer dependant on the old ways; the things we once held dear (Philippians 3:7), the things that once susstained and satisfied us. Old things are gone, all things have become new! “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Romans 8:11).

The Resurrection of Jesus changes everything! That is why it is so powerfull; but remember again the verse from Philippians we began with: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection [the power to forgive our sins He sealed on the 14th as our Passover], and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death [that we too would be dead to sin, being ‘Unleavened‘, our old life being buried as Christ was on the 15th]; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead [just as Christ rose again on the 17th becoming the Firstfruits of those who will rise!]. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:10-12)

There is one final lesson for us from Joshua, and that is how we are to follow:

“And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? And the captain of the Lord’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so” (Joshua 5:12-15) .

When Joshua meets the Captain of the host of the Lord (this is the 2nd Person of the Trinity whom you and I know as Jesus!), he begins by asking if He is on Joshua’s side. The LORD does not say, “Yes Joshua, I’m here to help you in your quest”. The answer probably took Joshua by surprise. In effect the answer given is, “No Joshua, I’ve come to see if you are on My side!”

The Resurrection is not so that we can have Jesus on our side, it’s so we can now be on His! The battle is His, not ours. His is the victory.

And what is it that Joshua does? He worships! That is the end-game. His death, burial and Resurrection are so that we might worship Him. Worship Him with our thoughts, our actions, our lives. Worship Him in all we say and all we do; in all we hope for and all we hold dear. He will then go before us and fight the battles! He alone is the Risen , Conquering, Son. Endless is the victory He over death has won!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study to a deeper walk with our Risen Saviour.

The post The Power of His Resurrection first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch11 14-54

Barry Forder — Sun, 02 Apr 2023 10:30:15 +0000

This teaching on Luke ch11 vs 14-54 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 2nd April 2023 at Calvary Portsmouth.

**unfortunalty the audio quailty of this teaching is very poor due to a technical issue at the time of recording**

Please accept our apologies for this.

All the PowerPoint slides used in this teaching are still available for free download.

The post Luke Ch11 14-54 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch11 3-13

Barry Forder — Sun, 26 Mar 2023 10:30:09 +0000

This teaching on Luke 11 verses 3-13 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 26th March 2023 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

In Luke chapter 11 we have one of the most detailed teachings on prayer in the Bible. In the first part of this study, we looked at the first part of the ‘Disciple’s Prayer’. After watching Jesus pray, probably on a number of occasions, one of His disciples plucked up the courage to ask Him to teach them how to pray. Jesus’ prayer life was different to anything they had seen before; it was not merely a religious observance or ritual, it was a conversation, not with a distant God, but with One whom Jesus called ‘Father’!

Was it really possible to have that kind of intimate relationship with the Divine? Can a mere man approach a holy sovereign God and expect an audience?

These are valid questions, yet the answer is that not only can we approach God as a loving heavenly Father, but He actually encourages us to!

Paul Billheimer, in his book, ‘Destined For The Throne’ states: “ That [God] will do nothing in the realm of human redemption, since its inception, outside this scheme of prayer and intercession, is indicated by God’s many pressing invitations to prayer in His Word. He not only invites us, He entreats and importunes and He urges. He even begs us to exercise this privilege.

Ask, I ask you to ask;
Seek, I entreat you to seek;
Knock, I urge you to knock.

Evidently, He will do nothing without our prayers” – Paul Billheimer (Destined For The Throne p45)

Billheimer goes on to say: “The fundamental importance of this scheme of prayer in God’s economy is further emphasised by God’s binding Himself unequivocally to answer. God’s promises to answer prayer cover such a broad spectrum as to constitute a veritable carte blanche, bearing the authority of His own signature. It is as though God handed us His sceptre and begged us to use it within the constraints of His will”.

This is staggering to try to comprehend! God has entrusted the Church with the most powerful force in the universe – Prayer – and has effectively given us a blank cheque signed in His name “to use it within the constraints of His will”.

In our previous study we considered the first half of the ‘Disciple’s Prayer’, which is all about God – taking the focus (intentionally) off ourselves and our own (perceived) problems and needs and setting our minds on the ‘things above’ (Col 3:2). We are told to focus on:

–1) Our Father – that God is a loving and gracious Father

–2) Our home and future in Heaven,

–3) God’s reputation (Name) and faithfulness,

–4) The fact that He has promised to right every wrong and judge all injustice when His kingdom comes upon this Earth,

–5) That while we are awaiting that, everything He allows in our lives is for the purpose of setting us apart for Himself, that He might truly be our God and we as His adopted and much-loved sons…

Once we consider these things, so much of what we would ordinarily pray for now evaporates! As Oswald Chambers so rightly said: “Suppose God is the God you know Him to be when you are nearest to Him — what an impertinence worry is!”

As we move into the second part of this prayer, where the focus shifts to our needs, we should remember that:

God is not unjust to forget your work and labour of love… (Heb 6:10)
God already knows the things you have need of before you ask! (Matt 6:8)
He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think! (Eph 3:20)
He is able to supply all your need! (Phil 4:19)
God hears the cry’s of the righteous! (Ps 34:4,15)
He has undertaken to provide for us! (Matt 6:30)
He tells us not to be anxious (Phil 4:6)

So why even pray about these things? Because God want’s us to commune with Him. Through prayer we learn to trust Him more and more. We learn to rely on Him, depend on Him, enjoy Him!

Give us this day…

Bread speaks of both our physical and spiritual needs, but note the source of this bread: we are to ask that God give us…

This bread is a gift from God! It cannot be gotten from man. Just as the Manna God gave the Children of Israel in the wilderness, so ‘my God shall supply all your need’ (Phil 4:19).

“And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst”. (John 6:35). God already knows the physical and practical things we have need of (Matt 6:8), and tells us not the be anxious or worry about our clothing or food.

“Take no thought for your life.” “Be careful about one thing only,” says our Lord—“your relationship to Me.” Common sense shouts loud and says—“That is absurd, I must consider how I am going to live, I must consider what I am going to eat and drink.” Jesus says you must not. Beware of allowing the thought that this statement is made by One Who does not understand our particular circumstances. Jesus Christ knows our circumstances better than we do, and He says we must not think about these things so as to make them the one concern of our life. Whenever there is competition, be sure that you put your relationship to God first” – Oswald Chambers,

Our prayer should be “Give me this day Jesus – the Bread of Life – , for if I have Jesus, I’ll have everything I need!” He will never leave me nor forsake me! (Heb 13:5).

“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” (Psalm 37:25)

Forgive us our sins…

When we pray this prayer, we look to something already accomplished, for Christ is the propitiation (payment in full) for our sins and the sins of the whole world! (1 John 2:2). Yet we need to continually avail ourselves of God’s forgiveness when we sin. We cannot enter His presence with unconfessed sin in our hearts (Psalm 66:18). But we have the great assurance that “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. (1 John 1:8-9)

The Greek word used here is ‘aphiemi’, which carries the idea of looking forward, yet it is in past tense!

When we pray this, a transaction takes place: Our debt is placed on Christ’s account; His righteousness is imputed to ours.

As we forgive…

If you live by grace, you will be saved by grace.
If you live by the law (and judge others that way – exacting from others the debt they owe you), you will be judged by the law.

–See Matt 18:23-35

None of us can stand before God except by His grace. We have been forgiven an insurmountable debt. We are to forgive those who have wronged us the small debt they owe us.

Lead us not into temptation…

We need to pray this daily!
Never think you have conquered the flesh life.
“Make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Rom 13:14)
Don’t give a foothold to the Devil (Eph 4:27)
The deliverance was accomplished at the cross, but has to be claimed continually.
Only through the indwelling Holy Spirit can we have victory over the flesh life
“Walk in the Spirit and you will not gratify the lusts of the flesh” (Gal 5:16)

…but the prayer is: ‘don’t let me go into situations or circumstances whereby I might be tempted’
‘Don’t let me become discouraged’.
“But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God” (1 Samuel 30:6)

Deliver us from evil…

This prayer is asking God to bend our wills in line with His (not get us out of holes we dig!)
We are to set our minds on the things above!
We are to constantly be in fellowship with:
1) The Holy Spirit
2) Other believers
We are to hide the Word of God in our hearts
We are to meditate on:
- His Statues,
- His Testimonies,
- His Precepts,
- His Commandments,
- His Judgments

Ask, Seek, Knock…

Jesus concludes this teaching by stating two hugely important things. Firstly, we are to ask, seek and knock, expecting our prayers to be answered, and we are to ask for the Holy Spirit, whom God will not refuse to any who ask. This second point is posibily one of the greatest undiscovered secrets in the Christian life. Those who take Jesus at His Word and ask for the Holy Spirit will never be the same again, for they will discover His transforming power and strength and be equipped for the work of ministry.

Regarding the first point, Paul Bilheimer says: “That [God] will do nothing in the realm of human redemption, since its inception, outside this scheme of prayer and intercession, is indicated by God’s many pressing invitations to prayer in His Word. He not only invites us, He entreats and importunes and He urges. He even begs us to exercise this privilege.

Ask, I ask you to ask;
Seek, I entreat you to seek;
Knock, I urge you to knock.

Evidently, He will do nothing without our prayers”.

“The fundamental importance of this scheme of prayer in God’s economy is further emphasised by God’s binding Himself unequivocally to answer. God’s promises to answer prayer cover such a broad spectrum as to constitute a veritable carte blanche, bearing the authority of His own signature. It is as though God handed us His sceptre and begged us to use it within the constraints of His will”

Persistence in prayer is necessary because we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against a malevolent enemy who seeks to discourage and hinder the Church from actively engaging in her divinely appointed role… that of prayer; specifically, intercessory prayer.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Luke Ch11 3-13 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch11 1-2

Barry Forder — Sun, 19 Mar 2023 10:30:17 +0000

This study of Luke chapter 11, verses 1-2 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 19th March 2023 at Calvary Portsmouth.

The Disciples Payer – Part 1

On a number of occasions the disciples observed Jesus in payer. What must have struck them was the manor in which Jesus prayed. It was not the typical religious observance, a formality conducted out of a sense of duty; it was an intimate conversation between a Father and Son. It was not an arduous labour but a delightful exchange; it was not merely His mouth that spoke but His heart.

Shortly after the 70 had returned from their mission (Luke 10:1-24), one of them had the courage to ask the Master what, no doubt, the others had been thinking: “How is it that You pray as You do? Can you please teach us?” The relationship that existed between Jesus and His Father was one of complete trust. It was evident to all who knew Jesus that the incredible peace that characterised His life was as a result of this unflinching devotional submission and obedience to His Father. The disciples craved this kind of relationship. We should crave this kind of relationship – and Jesus came to show us that we can have it!

When Jesus had been up in the Galilee He had given a similar teaching on prayer at the end of His ‘Sermon on the Mount’ (Matt 6:9-13); but many of the 70 may not have been with Him at that time. Now, as they were approaching Jerusalem for the final time the question is asked: “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples”.

The first thing to note is that those with an understanding of what prayer really is, also have a living relationship with the Holy Spirit. Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:1), John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41-44), Elijah was filled with the Holy Spirit (2 Kings 2:9/James 5:17). As good as the multitude of books and teaching on prayer are, a relationship with the Holy Spirit is the only way to experience a real and meaningful prayer life.

The second thing to observe is that when Jesus went to pray, He resorted to a ‘certain place’ (Luke 11:1). It is good to find a place free from distractions. Jesus said: “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret” (Matt 6:6).

“And he said unto them, When ye pray, say”:

Our Father

The Jews ‘understood’ prayer, but had never called God Father; Jesus always called God ‘Father’ – except on the cross when He cried out ‘My God, My God…’ (Matt 27:46). Jesus introduces us to this new relationship that we can have with God because of the atonement. By beginning prayer this way there is the acknowledgment that God is a good Father; everything He does is good, and that sets the tone of everything else we pray.

There is also the acknowledgment that we are part of a family (‘Our Father’). We are not alone, we are brothers and sisters united in Christ. We have been adopted into God’s family and are now His beloved children. “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father”. (Romans 8:15).

“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons“. (Galatians 4:4-5)

“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved”. (Ephesians 1:5-6)

[Note: As the NIV translates this verse, “He predestined us for adoption to sonship“, we have all (male or female) been given the position of the firstborn son, the one who had the right to inherit the double portion. We are all equal in Christ, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus”. (Galatians 3:28). “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God“ (1 John 3:1). Don’t be robbed by the ‘gender netural’ proponants that rob us of this great truth! You have not been made a ‘child of God’, but a ‘son of God’ – given the honour and blessing of the firstborn son, regardless of your gender!

With these opening two words we are brought face to face with the relationship that God wants to have with each one of us; not one of a master and slave, or of a king and their subject, but one of a loving, doting, besotted Father and a precious son! Yes, our Father is the Master of all and King of the universe, but we are to approach Him as ‘Daddy’!

Which are in Heaven

Why are we to remind ourselves, when we pray, that God is in Heaven? Because it takes our focus off time and this Earth and onto God who is outside of time. God sees the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:9-10) and we need to look at (and pray for things) from God’s vantage point, not ours. So many of our troubles evaporate when we understand that we will never think of something that God has forgotten!

To think of Heaven is to be reminded that this earth is temporary. In the words of C.S. Lewis, this is just a ‘shadow land’. Paul said: “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God”. (Romans 8:18-19)

It is also a reminder that our treasure is laid up in Heaven… awaiting us! (Matt 6:19-22) …not in the things of this world, which is passing. (1 John 2:15-17). We are no longer citizens of Earth, but Heaven (Philippians 3:20), so we should be setting our minds on the things above (Colossians 3:2).

If you went away on business, and stayed in a hotel that was in need of repair, you would not spend your time there trying to fix it up! You would focus on completing your assignment and look forward, even more, to returning home!

It’s funny how our perception changes when our perspective changes! “Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us.” (Psalm 123:1-2).

Hallowed be Thy Name

Is this a prayer that God’s name would be honoured and respected by the world around us? Unlikely!

It is a prayer that God’s great Name would be hallowed and honoured in our lives; it is a prayer of submission! It an acknowledgment that He is God, and we are not! –“We can only see a part of the picture He is painting!” – Steven Curtis Chapman

Psalm 119:55 states: “I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night, and have kept thy law”. To remember His name is to call to mind His reputation, to stop for a moment and think upon who He is and what He’s done. To be reminded that He is the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Samuel, David, Jeremiah, Daniel, Nehemiah, Paul, Peter, John…
He is also the God of Whitfield, Wesley, Spurgeon, Tozer, Husdon Taylor, Finney, Oswald Chambers, Billy Graham, Chuck Smith… He never changes.

He’s dependable, faithful, loving, the “I AM that I AM”, The voice of the burning bush, He is enduringly strong, He is entirely sincere, He is eternally steadfast, He is immortally graceful, He is imperially powerful, He is impartially merciful.

The Heavens declare His glory and the firmament shows His handiwork, He who is, who was and who will always be. He is available to the tempted and the tried; He blesses the young; He cleanses the lepers; He defends the feeble; He delivers the captives; He discharges the debtors; He forgives the sinners; He franchises the meek; He guards the besieged; He heals the sick; He provides strength to the weak; He regards the aged; He rewards the diligent; He serves the unfortunate; He sympathises and He saves!

His offices are manifold; His reign is righteous; His promises are sure; His goodness is limitless; His light is matchless; His grace is sufficient; His love never changes; His mercy is everlasting; His Word is enough; He’s indescribable; He’s incomprehensible; He’s irresistible; He’s invincible!

The Heaven of Heavens cannot contain Him; man cannot explain Him; He has always been and always will be; He had no predecessor and will have no successor; You can’t vote Him out and He isn’t going to resign! His is the Kingdom, the power and the glory… Hallowed be His Name!

There are seven names of God revealed in scripture, each tell us of His character and nature:

JEHOVAH-JIREH –”The Lord our Provider” (Genesis 22:14).

JEHOVAH-NISSI –”The Lord our Banner” (Exodus 17:15).

JEHOVAH-RAPHA –”The Lord our Healer” (Exodus 15:26)

JEHOVAH-SHALOM – The Lord our Peace (Judges 6:24)

JEHOVAH-RAAH –“The Lord our Shepherd” (Psalm 23 )

JEHOVAH-TSID-KENU –”The Lord is our Righteousness” (Jeremiah 33:16).

JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH –“The Lord is Ever-present” (Isaiah 60:19)

JEHOVAH-SHUA (JESHUA) –“The Lord is our Salvation” (Luke 1:31)

How can we ever doubt or fail to trust such a wonderful God, who demonstrated His enduring love for us in that, while we were yet sinners, He sent His Son to die for us. (Romans 5:8)

Now, think about your current problem, crisis or niggling doubt, and ask yourself, is there anything bigger than our God? Is there anything He cannot do? “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear” (Isaiah 59:1).

This is the God who states His reputation – His name – on His promises: “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God” (Isaiah 43:2-3).

Our prayer so far…

We have been reminded as we pray, of:

Our relationship with our loving Father
Our real home and place of comfort, not this temporary dilapidated accommodation
How great our God really is by thinking about His faithfulness and reputation – that He never changes!

Most of what we intended to bring before Him has by now evaporated!

But before we get onto our requests / needs, God would have us reminded of something of immense importance… J U S T I C E !

We have all at times been unjustly treated, especially by this sin-sick world. That is why we are to pray:

Thy Kingdom come

In Psalm 119 the psalmist cries out to God, pleading that God will right the wrongs:

“How many are the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me? The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law. All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me. They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts” (Psalm 119:84-87).

…and in Psalm 73, we see the impassioned prayer of a heart at breaking point as he looks at all the injustice around him: “Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.” (Psalm 73:12-20)

When we pray ‘Thy Kingdom come’ we are praying in confidence and hope that:

God is going to right every wrong! (Ps 119:137)
Every injustice will be brought to light and exposed (1 Cor 4:5)
God’s wrath will fall on the ‘workers of iniquity’
The wicked who have laid snares (Ps 119:110)
dug pits to trip us up (Ps 119:85)
and waited for us to destroy us (Ps 199:95)
will themselves be cast down (Ps 119:119).
Those who have been overlooked by man will be exalted by God (Luke 16)
We will then know and understand (1 Cor 13:12)

The ‘kingdom’ we are to ‘hasten’ (2 Peter 3:12) by our payers is the Millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ upon this Earth (Rev 20:1-6). Jesus will sit on the Throne of David (Luke 1:32) and rule the whole world from Jerusalem. Our prayer is literally: “to put an end to the works of the Devil that oppress and destroy so many lives here and now!”

Our prayer is for all of the pain and suffering to be over! It is such and intense prayer that we are joined in it by the Holy Spirit: “The Spirit and the Bride say come!” (Rev 22:17)

But until that time, until the kingdom comes, we are to wait… “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord”. (Psalm 27:13-14).

…and during this season of waiting, we are to pray…

Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

In a word (actually two words!) this is about Submission and Sanctification!

In this waiting time (before the kingom comes) we are to lay down the right to our own lives and seek for God’s will to be done on Earth – in our lives here and now – just as it is in Heaven by the myriad of angelic beings around the throne. Praying for God’s will to be done on Earth is praying that we will submit to His rulership in our lives and circumstances. Though we may not understand ‘the mind of the Lord’ we are to ‘walk by faith, not by sight’ (2 Cor 5:7). We have to humbly acknowledge that “as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are [God’s] ways higher than [our] ways,and [God’s] thoughts than [our] thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9). We are to ‘trust in the Lord and lean not on our own understanding’ (Proverbs 3:5-6).

It is in this present age the Church is being trained for eternity; the events of our lives are not random or haphazard, they are ordained of God. He leads us by still waters, and through the valley of the shadow of death… But either way we are being taught to ‘fear no evil’. “Thy will be done” is our submission to His work in us.

What is God’s will? It is a question that we may often ask in any given situation or circumstance. It may come as a surprise that the Bible actually gives us the answer, for every situation, trial, problem, disappointment, injustice, hurt… for absolutely everything we have faced, are currently facing, and will face unto the day of His return. The answer is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:3:

“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification”.

That is it! It’s as simple as that! God allows all that happens in your life for one purpose; that you might be sanctified, set apart for Him. Separated from the things of this world (the weak and begerly elements of this world) and be embraced by the heart of a Father who loves you and wants to bless you with His presence, power and purpose.

Oswald Chambers comments: “It is arduous work to keep the master ambition in front. It means holding one’s self to the high ideal year in and year out, not being ambitious to win souls or to establish churches or to have revivals, but being ambitious only to be “accepted of Him.” It is not lack of spiritual experience that leads to failure, but lack of labouring to keep the ideal right. Once a week at least take stock before God, and see whether you are keeping your life up to the standard He wishes. Paul is like a musician who does not heed the approval of the audience if he can catch the look of approval from his Master. Any ambition which is in the tiniest degree away from this central one of being “approved unto God” may end in our being castaways. Learn to discern where the ambition leads, and you will see why it is so necessary to live facing the Lord Jesus Christ. I have to learn to relate everything to the master ambition, and to maintain it without any cessation. My worth to God in public is what I am in private. Is my master ambition to please Him and be acceptable to Him, or is it something less, no matter how noble?”

We are now half-way through this model prayer that Jesus gave us, and we have not yet prayed one word in regard to our own needs, our present problems and difficulties and that which consumes so much of our time and attention! But having spent even just a small amount of time considering 1) our Father, 2) our home and future in Heaven, 3) God’s reputation and faithfulness, 4) the fact that He has promised to right every wrong and judge all injustice when His kingdom comes upon this Earth, 5) that while we are awaiting that, everything He allows in our lives is for the purpose of setting us apart for Himself, that He might truely be our God and we as His adopted and much loved sons… once we consider that, so much of what we were going to prayer about now evaporates! As Oswald Chambers once said: “Suppose God is the God you know Him to be when you are nearest to Him — what an impertinence worry is!”

God already knows the things we have need of before we even ask Him, and He can do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think!

If we spend more time focussing upon Him, we’ll have far less concern about ourselves!

To be continued…

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Luke Ch11 1-2 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch10 25-42

Barry Forder — Sun, 12 Mar 2023 10:30:57 +0000

This study of Luke ch10 verses 25-42 was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on Sunday 12th March 2023.

As Jesus continues His journey toward Jerusalem, He meets an expert in the Jewish Law who tries to entrap him with a question. The question itself is a good one, and one that we should all ask: “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” How sad that so many people go through life never giving a through to their eternal destiny. This has to be one of the most important questions of all. Certainly, it is of more importance than ‘Who am I’ or ‘What am I doing here’ – for you can have oodles of self-confidence and a great career plan for your life, but as Jesus said, what’s the point in gaining the world but ultimately losing your soul? (Matt 16:26).

However, this lawyer’s question wasn’t out of a genuine concern for his own eternal destiny, it was an attempt to justify himself and expose some flaw in Jesus’ teaching.

As was typical with Jesus when asked a question, He turned the question around and asked the lawyer “What is written in the Law? How do you read it”. As an expert, this man surely should have known what the Law said, so Jesus puts him in the spotlight.

John Gill, friend and colleague of Charles Spurgeon, highlights how blessed we are to have access to the written Law in the first place: “It is a great mercy that we have the law written, that we have it thereby reduced to certainty, and that thereby it is capable of spreading the further, and lasting the longer. Having it written, it is our duty to read it, to read it with understanding, and to treasure up what we read, so that when there is occasion, we may be able to tell what is written in the law, and how we read. To this we must appeal; by this we must try doctrines and end disputes; this must be our oracle, our touchstone, our rule, our guide. What is written in the law? How do we read? if there be light in us, it will have regard to this light.”

The lawyer’s answer is spot on: “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself”, but there is a slight twist. His question had been “What single thing must I do…” He was looking to justify himself and his way of living, a ‘quick fix’ solution that would allow him to carry on right as he was. Jesus tears through the heart of his self assuredness, saying that if he can continually do this, continually without ever wavering, never for a moment ceasing to love God fully, or to always and consistently unfeignedly love his neighbour, then he would be saved!

John Gill, once again, gets to the heart of this:

“We must love God with all our hearts, must look upon him as the best of beings, in himself most amiable, and infinitely perfect and excellent; as one whom we lie under the greatest obligations to, both in gratitude and interest. We must prize him, and value ourselves by our elation to him; must please ourselves in him, and devote ourselves entirely to him. Our love to him must be sincere, hearty, and fervent; it must be a superlative love, a love that is as strong as death, but an intelligent love, and such as we can give a good account of the grounds and reasons of. It must be an entire love; he must have our whole souls, and must be served with all that is within us. We must love nothing besides him, but what we love for him and in subordination to him.

We must love our neighbours as ourselves, which we shall easily do, if we, as we ought to do, love God better than ourselves. We must wish well to all and ill to none; must do all the good we can in the world and no hurt, and must fix it as a rule to ourselves to do to others as we would they should do to us; and this is to love our neighbour as ourselves.”

Rather than expose a flaw in Jesus’ doctrine, this lawyer had exposed the problem that we all face in reged to God’s perfect Law… namely, we can’t keep it!

In the book fo Romans, the Apostle Paul explains the real purpose for the Law: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19). In other words, the Law was given to show us that we cannot meet or keep God’s righteous standard.

Paul continues in Galatians: “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” (Galatians 3:10). Even if you could keep 99% of the Law, and only make one mistake, you would be guilty before a holy God whose standard is (and has to be) absolute perfection! ‘Close’ is a gulf still so fathomlessly great as to still separate man from God for all eternity.

This underlines the very purpose for the Law. “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith”.

In a nutshell, the Law was given to show us that we cannot come close to God’s perfect holy standard, so we need a Saviour!

Maybe for the first time in this lawyer’s life he had come face to face to face with his own predicament, but rather than humbly seeking salvation from the One before Him, in Whose name alone salvation can be found, he sought to justify himself, and so asks “And who is my neighbour?”

Jesus then tells the famous story of ‘The Good Samaritan’. A number of commentators think this may have been an actual event that may have recently have happened, and that Jesus’ hearers would have been aware of. Certainly, the road from Jerusalem to Jericho was a treacherous winding path down from the mountainous region around Jerusalem to the flat plain around Jericho.

The story is self-explanatory, our neighbours are anyone in need that it is in our power to help, regardless of colour or creed. But there is also within this account the whole of the Gospel message:

We were (before the fall) in a place of blessing and God’s presence (represented by Jerusalem in this account)

We ended up descending to a cursed place (represented by Jericho here)

We were robbed by an enemy and left for dead.
The Law and religion offered no help.
- The Priest represents all religion.
- There is the hope of help and restoration, but it cannot perform it
- The best religion can do is leave you in the same condition you were found!
- The Levite represents the Law. Note the statement “and looked on him”
- The Law knows our condition……yet “passes by on the other side”
- There is a gulf between the Law and Salvation
- As with religion, it cannot redeem fallen humanity.
Then One despised and rejected of men came our way.
He rescued us, bound our wounds took it upon Himself to pay for our restoration.
- Note that the robbed and injured man had nothing to pay for his sojourn, restoration…
- Nor had he anything with which to repay the Samaritan.
- This was entirely the work of Grace.
He entrusted us to the care and safekeeping of another whilst we remain in this temporary accommodation – all our needs are taken care of!
He promised to return, our gratitude will be great!

We are not told what the lawyer did. Maybe he humbled himself at the feet of Jesus, and now genuinely sought the salvation he had initially so casually inquired about? Maybe he hardened his heart and walked away, unwilling to acknowledge his own desperate need?

His response is not your concern, for it is your response that matters.

This is what you must do to inherit eternal life: Accept the mercy of the One who was despised and rejected of men, yet Who picked you up when you were without strength, bound your wounds, paid for your restoration in His own blood, has undertaken to provide all you need, and leaves you in the safekeeping of the Holy Spirit until He return.

May you be blessed by this teaching.

The post Luke Ch10 25-42 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch10:1-24

Barry Forder — Sun, 05 Mar 2023 10:30:52 +0000

This study of Luke 10:1-24 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 5th March 2023.

As we continue our journey through Luke’s gospel, we now find Jesus, on His way down to Jerusalem, sending out 70 disciples (in pairs), giving them power over unclean spirits and the power to heal sickness as they proclaim the coming of the kingdom of God. In addition, they were to specifically search out places throughout Judea where Jesus would be able to come and stay as He travelled ever closer to Jerusalem for His final showdown with the powers of darkness.

The towns and homes He would stay at had to be ‘sympathetic to the cause’, houses and families where the ‘fruit of peace’ was evident.

A short while later the 70 return having completed their mission, but full of joy and excitement because they had seen miracles take place as they had prayed for people! People had been healed, demons cast out, those bound were set free and the kingdom of God proclaimed!

We then have a remarkable verse: “In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.” (Luke 10:21)

This clearly had bought great joy to Jesus’ heart. But why?

Quite simply, because Jesus had declared, back in Luke 4:18-19, that “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord”.

Jesus was now seeing the first signs of the harvest! All that Satan had caused to be corrupted at The Fall was now to be undone. Satan bought sin, sickness and death into this world. Jesus had publicly stated that He had come to reverse the effects of the fall and undo the damage that had been done, to ultimately bring man back into a right relationship with his Creator-God (for all who would accept His offer of eternal life and salvation). Jesus had started to show that He had the power to forgive sin and heal the sick (Luke 5:24) – undoing this joint-effect of The Fall, and would very soon (Luke 9:22) demonstrate His power over even death itself!

He had sent out the 12 disciples “and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick” (Luke 9:1-2). He had now sent out the 70, and at the end of Mark’s gospel this message of ‘restoration’ is committed to the Church: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16:15-18)

This is why Jesus was overjoyed! Satan’s hold over mankind, to inflict pain and suffering was coming to an end! God, who so loved the World was in the process of redeeming it! Can there be a greater cause for celebration?

Eventually, even this Earth will be wrested back from the hands of our defeated foe: “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” (Rev 11:15)

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Luke Ch10:1-24 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch9 37-62

Barry Forder — Sun, 26 Feb 2023 10:30:44 +0000

This study in Luke 9 vs 37-62 was given by Pastor Barry Forder on 26th February 2023 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

In the last part of Luke chapter 9 we see Jesus, Peter, James and John return from the Mt of Transfiguration to be with the rest of the disciples who had waited somewhere around the base of the mountain (Mt Nebo?) while a large crowed gathered, presumably expecting Jesus’ arrival.

From the crowd, a voice cried out in pain and caught Jesus’ attention. It was the voice of a man whose son had been tormented by demonic spirits since he was a child. Maybe the father had heard how Jesus had shown compassion on the multitudes, healing and delivering all who came to Him from sickness and the bondage of Satan. This might be his only chance to rescue his son.

The man had already spoken to Jesus’ disciples – the 9 who did not go up the mount with Jesus – and had pleaded with them to ‘do something’! But they had failed. They had certainly tried, but what had worked for them up until now just didn’t have any impact. Their failed attempt had clearly been a source of discouragement, and now doubt had set in.

These are two of Satan’s most prized weapons. What he cannot accomplish in other ways he can so often do through these trusted sinister bedfellows.

The father of the man explains this to Jesus, but Jesus’ response must have caught everyone off-guard! “And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither.” (Luke 9:41).

Probably, at this point, Peter, James and John were secretly glad they had been with Jesus up the mountain, so they knew they couldn’t be blamed for this – Peter’s uncharacteristic lack of comment suggests as much!

Jesus then promptly casts out this demon and the man is instantly restored to his right mind.

Matthew’s account (Matt 17:14-21) tells us (indirectly) that persistence is sometimes the key. This is why the disciples failed. ‘Prayer and fasting’ require (and produce) constant fellowship and communion with God. It is from that intimacy that the Power of God’s Holy Spirit can have His way in us and through us. For God to use us, we need to be cleansed vessels. When Jesus had previously sent the disciples out (Luke 9:1-6) and given them “power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases” He had sent them out with nothing: “Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece”. They had nothing except Jesus’ word, and that’s the point. They were totally dependant on Jesus. There was next-to-no-element of self, they knew they were powerless without Jesus’ authority.

But here, at the foot of the mountain awaiting Jesus’ return, they simply became discouraged and gave up.

How many of us are persistent in our prayers? How many of us are serious enough to actually fast? How much time do we spend fellowshipping and communing with Jesus? How much do we realise we are in a spiritual war and Satan will not easily give up ground. He has built strongholds of fear, doubt, discouragement, the belief that sickness is from God and we should simply accept it! We have fallen for Satan’s lies that sickness is actually good for us, and that God uses it to teach us! This is a lie from the pit of hell! It crept into the church during the 3rd – 4th centuries under the mistaken notion that God was somehow pleased by our penance, self-flagellation and suffering.

Yet scripture constantly affirms that God is good and does good! (Psalm 119:68 / Matt 13:37 / Matt 19:17). Only good things come from God! (Matt 7:11 / Rom 10:15 / Heb 9:11). God is not the author of sickness, evil or confusion! In contrast, Satan is the father of lies and from him proceed sickness and all that is bad. Satan brought sickness upon Job; he brought the storms that wreaked havoc and destroyed Job’s possessions. Satan brought the storms on the sea of Galilee… yet somehow, we attribute destructive storms and the like to ‘acts of God’!

God gets the blame and bad press while Satan – the ‘god of this world’ (1 Cor 4:4) and ‘prince of the power of the air’ (Eph 2:2) sits in the background with a smirk on his face.

The chapter ends with a sobering call to set our hands to the plough, to dig some deep furrows where the seed of God’s Word can be sown… but only if we are willing to abandon all else. God is looking for those He can use in this world (2 Chron 16:9), through whom the Power of His Holy Spirit can be manifest to an unbelieving world that will not respond to reasoned arguments. The world today is much like it was at the time of Christ. People are hardened and indifferent to the Gospel.

That is why the disciples prayed: “And now, Lord… grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus”. (Acts 4:29)

What was the result? “And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one“. (Acts 5:14-16)

Are you ready to put your hand to the plough?

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

The post Luke Ch9 37-62 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch9 18-36

Barry Forder — Sun, 19 Feb 2023 10:30:43 +0000

This teaching of Luke 9 vs 18-36, was given by pastor Barry Forder on 19th February 2023 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

In this study we look at: 1) The most important question in the world, 2) The most important decision in the world, and 3) The most important choice in the world.

The question is ‘who do you say Jesus is’? The answer to that will determine your eternal destiny.

The decision is whether you will live for yourself or for Jesus Christ. You can try to have everything this would has to offer, and lose it all, or be willing to let go of all that life promises in exchange for the ‘excellency’ of knowing Christ.

The choice is not ours but Christ’s. After becoming all that God intended a man to be, He chose to come back down from the mount of Transfiguration, knowing that in so doing He would go to the cross for us.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The PowerPoint slides used in this study are available for free download.

The post Luke Ch9 18-36 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch9 1-17

Barry Forder — Sun, 12 Feb 2023 10:30:00 +0000

This study of Luke ch9 verses 1-17 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 12th February 2023.

Having seen Jesus demonstrate His power and authority over sickness and those possessed, Jesus now sends his 12 disciples out to do the same:

“Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick”. (Luke 9:1-2)

On this occasion, this power and authority was given to just the 12, but later Jesus will tell the disciples that this remit is now given to all who follow on and believe in His name: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:15-18)

Paul will later tell us that the ‘healing of the sick’ and ‘working miracles’ are two of the gifts the Holy Spirit will give to the church (see 1 Cor 12:8-11).

Certainly, the early church specifically prayed for this power and authority over sickness and demonic spirits (Acts 4:29-31) and God answered this prayer: “And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.” (Acts 5:14-16).

The South African Bible scholar, author and teacher, Andrew Murray, said: “The Bible does not authorize us, either by the words of the Lord or His apostles, to believe that the gifts of healing were granted only to the early times of the Church; on the contrary, the promises which Jesus made to the apostles when He gave them instructions concerning their mission, shortly before His ascension, appear to us applicable to all times. Paul places the gift of healing among the operations of the Holy Spirit. James gives a precise command on this matter without any restriction of time. The entire Scriptures declare that these graces will be granted according to the measure of the Spirit and of faith.”.

“Oh, that we could learn to believe in the promises of God! God has not gone back from His promises; Jesus is still He who heals both soul and body; salvation offers us even now healing and holiness, and the Holy Spirit is always ready to give us some manifestations of His power. Even when we ask why this divine power is not more often seen, He answers us: ‘Because of your unbelief. The more we give ourselves to experience personally ‘sanctification by faith’, the more we shall also experience healing by faith. These two doctrines walk abreast. The more the Spirit of God lives and acts in the soul of believers, the more will the miracles multiply by which He works in the body. Thereby the world can recognize what redemption means.”.

…and that is the great secret that unlocks this divine power and authority to heal the sick: The Holy Spirit working in the lives of believers! It is not our power, it’s His!

Why do we not see more of this power at work in the Church today?

1) Partly because of unbelief – we have allowed our rational (western) 21st Century mind to tell us it doesn’t / can’t happen today (Satan’s old, regurgitated lie “hath God really said…?”).

2) Because so few Christians today give themselves totally to God to be used by Him as He chooses and not for our own endeavours and plans.

God is still the same. He still wants to see the lost saved. He has paid for our sin and our sickness on the cross (Isaiah 53:4-5). We receive our salvation by faith in His Word, believing it in our hearts and confessing it with our lips. We can receive His healing (that has already been paid for) if we simply ask in faith, believing, not doubting His promise and not doubting His completed work, and then confessing with our lips. (Romans 10:9-10). This is why James boldly states: “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him” (James 5:13-15).

It is why John, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, declares: “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth”. (3 John 1:2).

The LORD is looking today for sanctified vessels (like Stephen – see Acts 6:3-8), ‘full of the Holy Spirit’ that He can use to bring the gospel to the lost. The early church saw multitudes added to the church as the Lord confirmed the Word with signs following (Mark 16:20). We live in a sceptical world that sees no need for God in their busy (desperate) lives.

The power and authority that God gives to His church has not changed because God has not changed.

There is a call, just as in Isaiah’s day, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” (Isaiah 6:8).

Will you be one of the few that answer?

You will either have this word snatched away (Luke 8:12)… Or be one who initially receives this with joy, only for Satan to come and tempt you by saying ‘Has God really said?’ (Luke 8:123) … Or you will simply be too busy with the cares and concerns of this life (Luke 8:14). Or you may be one of those who receive the Word with faith, who produce a wonderful crop unto eternal life! (Luke 8:15).

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Luke Ch9 1-17 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch8 26-56

Barry Forder — Sun, 05 Feb 2023 10:30:27 +0000

This study in Luke 8 vs 26-56 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 5th February 2023 as part of our verse-by-verse study in the Gospel of Luke.

There are three silent, but powerful, ‘enemies’ that hinder the work of God in our lives: Fear, doubt and unbelief. So often, fear leads to doubt and doubt to unbelief. James tells us: “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord”. (James 1:6-7 NIV). Jesus clearly stated that He was unable to work miracles in Nazareth that He did elsewhere ‘because of their unbelief’ (Matt 13:58). Over 300 times we are told to ‘not be afraid’ / ‘fear not’, clearly showing that we have a choice! The only fear we should have is the fear of the LORD which is the beginning of wisdom! Oswald Chambers said that if you fear God, you’ll fear nothing else!

Sadly, instead of fearing God we fear everything else, for what if God’s promises don’t ‘come true’? What then? That leads to us doubting God’s Word, which then gives way to unbelief.

Thinking back to the four soils at the beginning of Luke chapter 8, we see that the seeds that fell on the wayside were immediately met by unbelief: “the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe” (Luke 8:12). The seed that fell on the rocky soil started well, only for doubt to consume and destroy (v13). The seed that fell among the thorns was choked by ‘life’s worries’ (v14) – in a word, fear.

John Piper once said: “The tap root, out of which sprouts all the weeds of sin, is the tap root of unbelief in the promises of God. When you trust, or believe in a promise of God, you glorify God. In fact, trusting somebody’s promise is the most fundamental honour you can do that person. The reverse is also true: The greatest contempt that you can bring down upon a person, is to say to them, ‘I can’t trust you’. So, when we don’t trust a promise of God, we bring contempt upon Him, we give Him a vote of ‘no confidence’.

In Luke 8:22-25 we see the disciples in a boat on the sea of Galilee. Whilst Jesus was asleep, a storm arose. In a state of fear the disciples awoke Jesus who then calmed the storm and chided the disciples for their lack of faith (v25) – their unbelief. Jesus had already ‘given His word’ and told them they were going to the other side of the lake, but here, overwhelmed by the circumstances’ they fear (demonstrating a lack of trust), doubt Jesus’ word, and their unbelief is exposed.

In the remainder of Luke chapter 8 we see Jesus continuing to preach and actively demonstrate the ‘good news’. In quoting from Isaiah Jesus had said “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19).

Now Jesus demonstrates that He had come to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8) – both sin and sickness – by delivering a man who had been possessed by a legion of demons, healing a woman who had an issue of blood for 12 years, and then raising from the dead Jairus’ daughter!

Significantly, Jesus tells the woman with the issue of blood “thy faith hath made thee whole” (v48).

To Jairus (upon his hearing that his daughter had died) Jesus said “Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.” (v50).

We cannot get away from the fact that two thirds of Jesus ministry were spent healing the sick and performing miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit – in direct fulfilment of Isaiah 61:1. This is an integral part of the gospel (good news!) He came to proclaim. The good news is that through Christ there can be reconciliation with God and forgiveness of sins, “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins“* He also heals the sick! Do you believe this?

*(Luke 5:24)

Are you prepared to take God at His Word? Or do we receive the Word with joy, only to have doubt creep in and tell us that this is not how it is, that God doesn’t heal today?

Andrew Murray stated: “Oh, that we could learn to believe in the promises of God! God has not gone back from His promises; Jesus is still He who heals both soul and body; salvation offers us even now healing and holiness, and the Holy Spirit is always ready to give us some manifestations of His power. Even when we ask why this divine power is not more often seen, He answers us: ‘Because of your unbelief. The more we give ourselves to experience personally ‘sanctification by faith’, the more we shall also experience healing by faith. These two doctrines walk abreast. The more the Spirit of God lives and acts in the soul of believers, the more will the miracles multiply by which He works in the body. Thereby the world can recognize what redemption means.”.

“The Bible does not authorize us, either by the words of the Lord or His apostles, to believe that the gifts of healing were granted only to the early times of the Church; on the contrary, the promises which Jesus made to the apostles when He gave them instructions concerning their mission, shortly before His ascension, appear to us applicable to all times. (cf Mark 16:15-18)”

“Paul places the gift of healing among the operations of the Holy Spirit. James gives a precise command on this matter without any restriction of time. The entire Scriptures declare that these graces will be granted according to the measure of the Spirit and of faith.”.

“In this chapter (Isaiah 53), the expression ‘to bear’ occurs twice, but in relation to two different things. It is said not only that the Lord the righteous Servant bore our sins (v12), but also that He bore our sicknesses (v4). Thus, His bearing our sicknesses as well as our sins forms an integral part of the Redeemer’s work. Although He was without sin, He has borne our sins, and has done the same with our sicknesses. “As soon as a sick believer understands the meaning of the words, ‘Jesus has borne my sins’, he is not afraid to say ‘I no longer need to bear my sins’. In the same way, as soon as he fully believes that Jesus has borne our sicknesses, he is not afraid to say ‘I no longer need to bear my sicknesses.’ “Jesus, in bearing sin, bore sickness also, which is its consequence. He has made payment for both, and He delivers us from both. In Jesus, we have both pardon and healing. They are two sides of His redemptive work.”

Consider the impact on your family, friends, colleagues, if they heard of, or came to church and actually saw miracles of healing… It would be just like it was in the Book of Acts where we read: “and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles… And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:43-47). “And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)… There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.” (Acts 5:14-16).

It will not and cannot happen except by the work and power of the Holy Spirit among a people who yield themselves to Him, to ‘Walk in the Spirit’ (Gal 5:16), and who are ‘Led by the Spirit’ (Gal 5:18). Not wavering, not doubting, willing to take God at His Word, letting the Seed of His Word sink down into the good soil of faith and belief. Who not only hear, but also do!

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatian believers and asked: “He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” (Gal 3:5).

May this study challenge and encourage you to a deeper walk with the Holy Spirit.

The post Luke Ch8 26-56 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch8 16-25

Barry Forder — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 10:30:31 +0000

This study of Luke ch8 16-25 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 29th January 2023.

In our study of the preceding verses (1-15) Luke recounts the parable Jesus taught about the four different types of soil – that speak of the condition of men’s hearts when they hear the word of God.

─The Way Side – This is those who reject the Word of God (the Devil snatches the seed before it can germinate)

─The Rocky Soil – This is those who hear the Word with joy, but then doubt takes a hold and we give into the age-old temptation ‘has God really said?’

─The Thorny Soil – This is those who are indifferent (the cares of this life take precedence) and the Word of God is choked out.

─The Good Soil – This is those who hear and believe the Word of God (it is received with faith & produces fruit)

This applies to response of unbelievers who hear the gospel, but it is also the way we (as Christians) respond the to promises of God. We will either simply reject them (the devil will snatch them away) and they will have no effect on us; or we might receive them with joy, such as the promise that God does not put sickness on people or desire them to be sick! But sadly, temptation comes and we hear the voice saying ‘has God really said?’. We doubt God’s Word, and so unbelief takes hold and the Seed doesn’t grow, and consequently don’t see any fruit. Maybe we are so caught up with the cares of this life that we don’t really have the time to consider these things… or we might be those who receive His Word by faith and produce a fruit a hundredfold!

“No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light”. (Luke 8:16)

We are to be light-bearers for Christ in this world. That light should shine to all around, but it will only have a impact if it is a flame kindled by the Holy Spirit. So many of us are trying to replicate that light by our own efforts and then wonder why we are not having an impact on this unbelieving world. That which we bring to God, that which is pleasing to Him, and that which is lasting is the light kindled by the flame of the Holy Spirit. In Numbers chapter 10 we read of Nadab and Abihu who wanted to bring an offering to God, but used their own fire, rather than the fire God had set ablaze. It was not acceptable to God.

This is like so many of us; we try and serve God by our own (best) efforts, but we don’t see the results. In fact, like Nadab and Abihu, our best efforts before God are like ‘filthy rags’ (Isaiah 64:6 / Rom 7:18). But when we ‘discover’ the Fire of God’s Holy Spirit, and when that is lit, all around will see it!

In the book ‘They Found the Secret’ by V Raymon Edman, which looks at the lives of many who impacted their generations for Christ, he summarises a problem common to all of us who have tried to shine brightly for Jesus by our own well-intentioned efforts: “Every now and then we come across a life that is radiant, revealing a richness, a warmth, a triumph that intrigues and challenges us. The details of their experiences are usually quite different yet as we listen to their stories and watch their lives, we begin to see a pattern that reveals their secret. Out of discouragement and defeat they have come into victory. Out of weakness and weariness they have been made strong. Out of ineffectiveness and apparent uselessness they have become efficient and enthusiastic. The pattern seems to be self-centeredness, self-effort, increasing inner dissatisfaction and outer discouragement, a temptation to give it all up because there is no better way, and then finding the Spirit of God to be their strength, their guide, their confidence and companion – in a word, their life!”

That life is possible! That is why in Luke 8:18 Jesus says ‘Take heed therefore how you hear!‘ Don’t let God’s Word be taken away from your heart by unbelief or the cares of this world. Take it by faith, believing, and let it grow.

After the, when Jesus was speaking to the crowd and his family arrive, He cryptically says “My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it”. His family, those who have the most intimate relationship with Him are those who ‘hear the Word of God and do it‘. It is the kind of hearing that produces action that God is looking for. The Word of God sown into a believing heart!

Jesus’ rebuke to the disciples after he calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee (Luke 8:22-25) was “Where is your faith?”. The disciples had defaulted to the ‘second soil type’ – Jesus had said they were going to go to the other side of the lake (Sea of Galilee), but when the storm arose, temptation took hold and they doubted! ‘Has God really said…?’ (Gen 3:1).

God is looking for hearts of faith that take Him at His Word.

To be continued…

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

The post Luke Ch8 16-25 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch8 1-15

Barry Forder — Sun, 22 Jan 2023 10:30:32 +0000

This teaching on Luke chapter 8, verses 1-15 was given by pastor Barry Forder on the 22nd January 2023 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke chapter 8 begins by reminding us that throughout Jesus ministry He proclaimed the good news, accompanied by signs and wonders, healing multitudes. When Jesus sent the disciples out He said: “And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils” (Matthew 10:7-8). When He gave the ‘Great Commission’, He said that those who believe in Him should preach the gospel and make disciples (Matt 28:19), and that they should lay their hands on the sick and they would recover (Mark 16:18). In the book of Acts, Dr Luke records that the early church prayed “with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:29).

Somehow, we have all heard and responded (to some degree or another) to the call to preach the gospel, but it seems only a handful in today’s church have taken Jesus at His Word and are prepared and willing to pray for healing for the sick.

This is largely the result of a lack of faith in God’s Word. We say we believe and trust His Word, but shy away from actually praying for the sick, just in case it doesn’t work! With such unbelief it’s no surprise we see few healed (see Matt 13:58) , and reaching the lost seems like an almost impossible task in a world where people see no need for an empty religion.

But what if… what if it’s true! What if God still heals people today?

Jesus came to destroy the works of the Devil (1 John 3:8)… and repeatedly Jesus attributes sickness to the work of the Devil. (see Luke 13:11-16 / Luke 8:2 / Luke 4:39).

The very ‘good news’ Jesus went throughout every city proclaiming was the mission He declared He’d been given:

─he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor;

─he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,

─to preach deliverance to the captives, and

─recovering of sight to the blind,

─to set at liberty them that are bruised, (Luke 4:18)

The ‘good news’ was that God was breaking the power of the Devil over people’s lives! It included forgiveness of sins (quickening of our souls – see Ephesians 2:1-6), and the quickening of our mortal bodies (Romans 8:11). Our bodies become the Temple of the Holy Spirit when we turn to the cross and put our faith and trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins (1 Cor 3:16). But does the Holy Spirit expect a dilapidated and impaired Temple to dwell in? Most Christians have no doubt that Jesus can quicken our souls; so why do we struggle to believe that the One to Whom all power is given, in Heaven and Earth (Matt 28:18) can and will quicken our mortal bodies if we just look to Him with the same faith for healing that we do for salvation?

In the book of Numbers we read the account of how the Children of Israel murmured against Moses and complained about the Manna God had provided for them. As a result we read that “the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died” (Num 21:6). When the people acknowledged their sin God told Moses to “make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live” (Num 21:8). Anyone that looked upon this serpent on a pole (in faith) was then forgiven for their sin and healed.

In John chapter 3 Jesus Himself explains that this real event for the Children of Israel was a model in advance that spoke of Himself becoming sin for us and being put upon the cross. All who look in faith to Jesus “should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14). Note that here we have the promise that we shall not perish (which applies to the physical life) and the promise of eternal life to come!

Do we really think that the serpent on a pole as a type was more effective than the fulfilment of Christ on the Cross? If the Children of Israel were healed and forgiven by looking at a serpent on a pole, are we who look to the actual Lamb of God, who became sin for us, ‘only’ to expect forgiveness, but somehow cannot expect healing? Is the arm of the Lord somehow shortened? (Isaiah 59:1).

“Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;
who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;
who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;
so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:2-5)

Do we think the blessings under the old covenant with Israel were greater than the New Covenant in the blood of Jesus?

In Luke 8:5-15 we have Luke’s account of the parable of the ‘four soils’, into which the seed is sown. The seed is a picture of the Word of God. Seeds are full of life and can multiply and reproduce once they are put into the right soil and watered. They have found 300o year-old seeds in Egypt that are so dry and brittle they would just shatter if squeezed hard. Yet when put in soil and watered they burst into life!

Such is the Word of God in a believing heart. Unbelief however, chokes out the Word and leaves us unfruitful.

“He saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe!“ (Mark 5:36)

“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” (Mark 9:23)

Will you be like those on the way side, that hear, but then the Devil comes and takes away the Word, replacing it with doubt? (Luke 8:12)

Will you be like those on the rock, that receive the Word with joy – ‘you really want to believe but…’ then succumb to temptation “has God really said?” (Luke 8:13)

Will you be like those among thorns, who have too many interests in this world and can’t really be bothered to find out if this is true? (Luke 8:14)

Or will you be one of the few with an “honest and good heart, having heard the Word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience”! (Luke 8:15)

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him” (2 Chron16:9).

May this study stir up your pure minds as you step out in faith with your eyes upon Jesus!

The post Luke Ch8 1-15 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch7 24-50

Barry Forder — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 10:30:55 +0000

This teaching, by pastor Barry Forder on 15th January 2023, takes us through Luke ch 7 vs 24-50.

John the Baptist had sent his disciples to Jesus with a simple question: “Are you the Messiah?”

Rather than giving a direct response, “Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”” – simply put, Jesus confirms that the prophecy given in Isaiah 61:1-2 regarding the work and ministry of the Messiah was being fulfilled in Him. John the Baptist and his disciples (as well as the Jewish leaders) thought that Jesus – if He were the Messiah – was about to (attempt to) overthrow the oppression of Rome. Jesus’ answer is emphatic, the deliverance that will be wrought at His hand will be infinitely greater than merely the overthrow of the Roman Empire! Jesus has come to destroy the works of the Devil! (1 John 3:8), and the miracles of healing and deliverance were testimony to that.

As John’s disciples head back to give him this answer, Jesus takes the opportunity to question the crowd regarding John. ‘What were you expecting?’ Jesus askes them. ‘A flaky religious nut, blown around by every new idea?’ – that is how many even today view God’s servants! ‘Maybe John was an aloof religious idealist?’ Jesus continues. That is also how the world often sees believers. ‘It’s ok for you… everything is fine in your world… but why does your God allow _____ (fill in the blank). Jesus explains that John did not think himself above others, he hadn’t put himself on a pedestal so he could look down on and judge others.

‘Did you expect a prophet?’ Jesus finally askes? ‘For that is was John was… but he was more than just a prophet’. Jesus then makes an incredible statement: “For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

How can John be greater than Moses, Elijah, Daniel?

As one commentator put’s it: “Since John’s proclamation had been made, Jesus had come; eternity had invaded time; heaven had invaded earth; God had arrived in Jesus; life could never be the same again.” All the prophets before John looked forward to, and prophesied of, the Messiah (either His first coming, or spanning the years to His second Coming), but John, unlike any prophet before him, actually had the honour and privilege of announcing the Messiah! In that way he was greater that all who had gone before him, for the Messiah, prophesied from Genesis through to Malachi, was now here!

But why then is John less than the least in the kingdom of God?

John represents the closing of the Old Testament, the conclusion of the old covenant. John came ‘under the Law’; part of the Mosaic system the depended on the shedding of the blood of bulls and goats to atone for sin. But as the writer to the Hebrews states: “[Jesus] is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.“ (Heb 8:6-12)

The writer to the Hebrews goes on to say: “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance“. (Heb 9:11-15)

There are many benefits we begin to see under the new covenant, not least being that in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was given only for a specific work or task for an individual. For all those who believe in Jesus, under the New covenant, the Holy Spirit is given unconditionally and makes His home in the believer (John 14:16-17 / 1 Cor 3:16 / 1 Cor 6:19), not for a specific task and for a limited duration, but forever! No longer do we have to follow a pillar of fire by night and cloud by day, the Holy Spirit indwells each and every believer and leads us, and prompts us to walk with Him (see Gal 5:16-17).

This is why even the least in the kingdom of God is in a greater position than John the Baptist was! We are living in an age of Grace like no other! Thank you Jesus!

Luke chapter 7 then concludes with an account that truly emphasises the incredible love that God has for us in Jesus! We have been forgiven so great a debt of sin (that we could never have paid), and so our hearts should be overflowing with gratitude and worship! Like the woman in the account in Luke 7:37-50, we must be prepared to recognise our own spiritual poverty, and be willing to humble ourselves and fall at Jesus feet, but in so doing He will lift us up and declare “Thy faith has saved thee; go in peace”!

Simon and his colleagues look on amazed that a man can pronounce forgiveness of sins… for only God can forgive sins. But this man was God! This was the Messiah, come to dwell among men and He offers salvation to all who call upon His name!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

The post Luke Ch7 24-50 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch7 1-23

Barry Forder — Sun, 08 Jan 2023 10:30:04 +0000

This teaching in Luke 7:1-23 was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on 8th January 2023.

As we continue our study in the Gospel of Luke, it becomes increasingly apparent that the Holy Spirit was directing and orchestrating all that happened. Luke’s Gospel could easily be called ‘The Acts of the Holy Spirit as recorded by Luke!”

2:25 – The Holy Spirit was upon Simeon
2:26 – The Holy Spirit revealed that Simeon would see the Messiah
2:27 – Simeon was led into the Temple at the right time by the Holy Spirit
2:40 – Jesus grew in the power of the Holy Spirit
3:2 – John was led of the Holy Spirit to begin his ministry
3:16 – John declared that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit
3:22 – The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus at His baptism
4:1 – Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit
4:1 – Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit
4:14 – Jesus returned from the wilderness in the power of the Holy Spirit
4:18 – Jesus begins His public ministry by stating that the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him (quoting from Isaiah 61:1)

In chapter 7 we see two astonishing miracles where Jesus heals a Centurion’s servant and then raises a widow’s son from the dead!

The purpose of these miracles was to testify and bear witness to Christ’s Deity.

Hearing of these things, John the Baptist, expecting the Messiah to come and deliver Israel (which He will do, but not until His Second Coming), sends two of his disciples to ask Jesus if He is the One… is He really the Messiah who will deliver Israel and establish once again the throne of David?

Back in Luke 4, at the Synagogue in Nazareth Jesus declared His mission: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18)

Jesus’ response to John’s disciples is intentionally an emphatic demonstration and fulfilment of this God-given mission: “Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached”. (Luke 7:22).

Throughout scripture, the preaching of the gospel goes hand-in-hand with signs and wonders. The miracles are the confirmation and evidence of the truthfulnes and trustworthiness of the gospel and of Jesus’ Divine nature.

In John’s gospel Jesus, speaking to His disciples stated: “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake“ (John 14:11).

Speaking to the Jewish leaders Jesus said: “But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.” (John 5:36).

It was the same in the early church. In the book of Acts, signs and wonders (very often healings) accompanied the preaching of the Word to validate the message and convince the hearers, leading to the growth of the church.

Signs > Preaching > Church Growth

Acts 2:1-13 > 2:1-36 > 2:37-41

Acts 2:43 > 2:42 > 2:47

Acts 3:1-11 > 3:12-4:3 > 4:4

Acts 8:6 > 8:6 > 8:12

Acts 8:26-29 > 8:35 > 8:38

Acts 10:3,10,44 > 10:34-43 > 10:47

Acts 14:3 > 14:1-3 > 14:4

Acts 19:11-15 > 19:10 > 19:18

The church today has, to a large degree, forgotten that Jesus said that signs and wonders would accompany the preaching of the gospel.

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover“ (Mark 16:15-18).

Jesus did not just expect us to convince the world with compelling arguments – although we do have compelling arguments! Jesus knew the world would need to be just as convinced today as it was during the 3 1/2 years that He ministered in and around Galilee. Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, in submission to His Father’s will, healed the sick and set the captives free. Jesus told His disciples that they would be given the same power for the same purpose… to show the Father’s love and convince the world that He is the Saviour of the world.

The early church believed in, and expected to see, miracles, and knew that sicknes was part of the ‘works of the devil’ Jesus had come to destory! ( 1 John 3:8).

The Apostle John stated: “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (3 John 12).

The Apostle James stated: “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed“. (James 5:13-16).

Sickness and death only came into this world as a result of the Fall in Genesis 3. Sickness, like death, was never God’s intention for man. There will be no sickness in the New Heaven and New Earth. Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would not only carry our transgressions, but also pay for and carry our sickness. “…by His stripes we are healed”. (Isaiah 53:5).

One pastor put’s it clearly:

“If sickness were the will of God, then every doctor would be a ‘lawbreaker’ and every nurse defying the Almighty. Every hospital would be a House of rebellion, instead of a place of mercy. If sickness with the will of God, then instead of supporting hospitals we should be seeking to close them down! But I believe the scriptures are clear – God is on the side of health. I believe in doctors and nurses; I thank God for the medical profession; it is on the side of health, just as God is on the side of health. Yet some Christians are amazingly illogical. Declining prayer for healing, they say, ’it is the will of God that I am sick.’ Then the next day they go down to the doctor’s to get out of the will of God! If you really believed that it was God’s will that you were sick, you would never take any medicine or go to a doctor but, if we are honest, we don’t really believe that. God is a good God. The devil has propagated the idea that God puts sickness on people, because he knows that it will put the world off God, if they believe he is callous and uncaring. We have so swallowed this wrong concept of God”.

So why don’t we see miracles today like we read about in Luke’s gospel, or that took place in the early church? One of the reasons is that, like those in Nazareth, our unbelief becomes a barrier to the working of the Holy Spirit.

We need, like the Centurion in Luke 7 vs 2-10, to have an unshakable faith in the Word of God, that one word from Jesus will bring healing.

“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” (Mark 9:23-24)

To be continued…

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Luke Ch7 1-23 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Christ the King

Barry Forder — Sun, 11 Dec 2022 10:30:10 +0000

This concluding part of our Christmas studies for 2022 was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on 11th December 2022.

In this 2nd session we look at the other half of the Christmas message – Christ the King!

In our previous session we saw that the truth of Christmas has been obfuscated by tradition, and how that Jesus came as the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world, born in Bethlehem, the town of sacrificial lambs, and specifically in ‘In the Tower of the Flock’ (Migdal Edar) on the outskirts of Bethlehem as prophesied by Micah. We noted how, as a lamb destined to be offered as a sacrificial offering in Jerusalem, He had to be without blemish and so was wrapped in ‘swaddling cloths’ and laid in a manger.

The Levitical shepherds were chosen by God to be the first to see this new born baby precisely because it was their job to inspect the sacrificial lambs that would later be offered in Jerusalem.

But as we now come to consider ‘Christ the King’ we jump forward around two years to the time the wise men (Magi) from the east arrived.

As with the Lamb, the story of Israel’s King begins back in the book of Genesis and is unfolded throughout the Old Testament. In Genesis 14 we see a line of kings and priests, which included Melchizedek, that ruled and reigned in Jerusalem for a period of 1000 years – and incredible model in advance of the Millennial reign of Christ! God established the monarchy in Israel but through the prophet Hosea stated His ultimate goal that “I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes?” (Hosea 13:10).

The last king to sit and reign on the Throne of David in Jerusalem was Zedekiah. He was subjugated and eventually defeated by Nebuchadnezzar in 587 B.C. The ‘crown’ was then effectively taken to Babylon , where it remained for 500 years until a group of Magi – a priestly Medo-Persian sect that the prophet Daniel had once been made ruler over – brought the crown back from Babylon intent on giving it to the rightful King of Israel!

Daniel had evidently instructed these Magi regarding the prophesied coming of the Jewish Messiah. The Magi were renowed for their wise counsel and thus they were consulted by Eastern rulers regarding affairs of state, in particular, the appointment of a new king!

There had been a long rivalry between the Roman Empire, who had granted Herod the title ‘king of the Jews’ and the Parthian Empire, that had been far more sympathetic toward Israel.

Into the midst of this highly charged political environment come – not three kings on camels (tradition is very wide of the mark here!) – but, a great number of Magi looking to anoint and bring their homage to the rightful King of the Jews! No wonder Herod was shaken – and all Jerusalem with him!

As Dr Chuck Missler comments: “The Magi, likely traveling in force with unimaginable oriental pomp and adequate cavalry escort to insure their safe penetration of Roman territory, certainly alarmed Herod and the entire populace of Jerusalem”

Jesus was of the Jewish royal line through both Joseph (via Solomon – Matthew Ch1) and Mary (via Nathan – Luke Ch3), now the Magi ratified that fact.

Before becoming King, Jesus had to first fulfil His role as ‘Lamb of God’ to take away the sins of the world. But when Jesus returns, He will establish His throne and rule over Israel and the whole world from Jerusalem.

“He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end”. (Luke 1:32)

“The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne” (Psalm 132:10)

“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever”. (Daniel 2:44)

“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2)

“And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one… And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles”. (Zechariah 14:9, 16)

–So, when you think ‘Christmas, think…

‘Sacrificial Lamb’!

–This has been fulfilled!”

–Then think…

The King of the Jews

–This will be fulfilled – soon!

May you know God’s richest blessings this Christmastime.

The audio recording and PowerPoint slides used in the study are available for free download.

The post Christ the King first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Christ the Lamb

Barry Forder — Sun, 04 Dec 2022 10:30:16 +0000

This teaching was given on Sunday 4th December 2022 by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

In this, the first of two parts in our Christmas 2022 studies, we look at the subject of Christ the Lamb.

Tradition has so obfuscated the real events of the first Christmas that most are ignorant of the great truths hidden in the visit of the shepherds and the later visit of the magi.

Why did angels appear to a group of shepherds on Bethlehem’s hills?

How did those shepherds know exaclty where to go to find the newbon baby?

How is the message of Christmas sown in the book of Genesis, and grown throughout the Old Testament until angels appear to a select group of Levitical shepherds whose job it was to inspect, tend and care for Behtlehem’s sheep that were destinied to be offered as sacrifices in Jerusalem?

In this study we explore these things and make some incredible discoveries that will forecver change the way we view Christmas!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The PowerPoint slides used in this study are available for free download.

The post Christ the Lamb first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch6

Barry Forder — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 10:30:17 +0000

This study of Luke chapter 6 was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on 27th November 2022.

In this chapter we see Jesus confronted by the Pharisees regarding, as they perceived, a direct violation of their Sabbath laws. Jesus undoes their arguments by quoting scriptural examples to show that ‘the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath’ (Mark 2:27). It is good that we rest one day a week, God has designed our bodies that way; and that rest should be a day when God is our central focus. But as the writer to the Hebrews points out*, the real heart of the Sabbath is the rest our soul’s find in Christ. He is the ultimate rest from our labour.

*Heb 4:1-11

Significantly, the Sabbath was not instituted by Moses at Sinai, it was given in Genesis and affirmed in Exodus 18 (with the provision of Manna) before the giving of the Law in Exodus 20. Also worth noting is that the observance of the Sabbath will continue throughout the Millennium (Isaiah 66:22-23 / Ezekiel 46:1).

We then see Jesus spend all night in prayer before choosing His 12 disciples. There is a great lesson here in the importance of bringing everything to our Heavenly Father in prayer before simply acting on impulse. (See Proverbs 3:4-5 / Proverbs 16:3 / Philippians 4:6) If Jesus needed to take prayer that seriously, how much more do we!

In the rest of Luke chapter 6 we have Luke’s account of the Sermon on the Mount, that Matthew records for us in Matthew ch5-7. This is so familiar to most Christians it’s easy to miss the import of what is being said, and exactly what is expected and required of a disciple of Jesus.

In essence, it is a call to become Chist-like in our thinking and attitudes; it is a call to live a life of prayer, being rooted in God and His Word. However, as Oswald Chambers insightfully points out: “Fancy coming to men and women with defective lives and defiled hearts and wrong mainsprings, and telling them to be pure in heart! What is the use of giving us an ideal we cannot possibly attain? We are happier without it. If Jesus is a Teacher only, then all He can do is to tantalise us by erecting a standard we cannot come anywhere near. But if by being born again from above we know Him first as Saviour, we know that He did not come to teach us only: He came to make us what He teaches we should be. The Sermon on the Mount is a statement of the life we will live when the Holy Spirit is having His way with us”. (Oswald Chambers, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount).

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The PowerPoint slides used in this study are available for free download.

The post Luke Ch6 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch5

Barry Forder — Sun, 20 Nov 2022 10:30:52 +0000

This teaching on Luke ch5 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 20th November 2022.

Have you toiled all night and caught nothing?

Have there been times in your life – maybe even now – where you have tried everything you know to solve a problem you face? It may be a financial problem, maybe a problem at work or school, maybe a problem in the family?

Situations like this can rob us of our joy and leave us feeling despondent and empty.

In Luke chapter 5, the Apostle Peter was in just such a situation. He ran a small fishing business with his two friends on the shores of Galilee in northern Israel. Although we are not specifically told, we get the impression that times were hard. Peter, James and John had been out on the Sea of Galilee in their two boats all night, desperately trying to catch fish so they could eat and pay their bills. But that had caught nothing but the cold night air.

Then, in the morning, Jesus comes to them, asks to use one of their boats as a makeshift pulpit to be able to teach the multitude of people who had gathered along the shoreline.

When the teaching was over and the crowds had begun to disperse, Jesus suggests to Peter that they go out onto the water to catch some fish. Peter was tired. Fishing was his profession. As ‘kind’ as Jesus’ suggestion was, Peter was pretty sure it would be a complete waste of his time. Nevertheless, he agrees.

A little way from shore and they cast in their nets – nets that Peter and his friends had just spent an hour or two cleaning, and here they were, about to get them dirty all over again!

Does that sound familiar? You think things are as bad as they can get, then they get worse!

But no sooner than the nets had been deployed, Peter felt that familiar tug – the tug of fish in the nets!

As Peter tries to haul the catch aboard the boat, he soon realises that there are just too many for him to manage on his own, so calls out to James and John in the other boat. Amazed, astounded, overwhelmed! It’s hard to articulate the emotion of that moment. The joy, the relief, the excitement… then it hits Peter! He falls down at Jesus’ knees and begs forgiveness. Forgiveness for the thoughts he had had when Jesus first suggested going back out on the water – to the natural mind a pointless and time-wasting exercise… but here they were, two boats overflowing with fish! Why had he doubted Jesus?

And there is the question for all of us…

We do we doubt Jesus?

All that toil and hardship, only for it all to change in a moment because of Jesus.

Jesus said that we should “Take no thought for your life.” “Be careful about one thing only,” says our Lord—“your relationship to Me.”

But our common sense shouts loud and says—“That is absurd, I must consider how I am going to live, I must consider what I am going to eat and drink.”

Jesus says you must not. Beware of allowing the thought that this statement is made by One Who does not understand our particular circumstances. Jesus Christ knows our circumstances better than we do.

This is a lesson on trust. It is trusting when the natural mind tells us it’s absurd, ‘a pointless waste of time’. Jesus met Peter’s need at the right time. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Next time you are faced with a problem that seems too great, rather than toiling all night, take it to Jesus, and then wait for Him and His timing.

“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour.” (Isa 43:2-3)

“For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” (Rom 10:11)

“And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” (Ps 9:10)

There are few things worse than misplaced trust. But that is something a Christian will never experience in Christ. “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee…” (Heb 13:5).

In this chapter we see the following:

Jesus teaching the multitudes v1-3
The miracle of the catch of fish v4-7
The calling of Peter, James & John v8-11
The healing of the Leper v12-14
The healing of the multitudes v15
The prayer life of Jesus v16
The healing of the paralytic v17-26
The calling of Levi v27-32
A question about fasting v33-35
The old and the new v36-39

The PowerPoint slides used in this session are available for free download.

May you be blessed and encoraged by this study.

The post Luke Ch5 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch4 15-44

Barry Forder — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 10:30:31 +0000

This study of Luke chapter 4, vs 15-44 was given by pastor Barry on 13th November 2022 – Remembrance Sunday.

On a day where we are encouraged to remember those who have given their lives to secure our freedom – for which we are indeed grateful, pastor Barry calls us also to remember the One who gave His life while we were yet sinners to secure our freedom, to set the captives free and proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord!

In Luke’s gospel Jesus is seen living a life ‘let by the Spirit’. It would serve us well to remember that everything Jesus did was led by the Spirit, in the power of the Spirit. If our lives are to be effective as Christians, we too must be filled with the Spirit and be led by the Spirit.

As Jesus returns to Galilee from His baptism by John in the Jordan, he comes to Nazareth and on the Sabbath day is given the opportunity to preach in the Synagogue – the same synagogue He had no doubt attended many times as a boy growing up in that town.

He is passed the scroll of Isaiah and reads from Isaiah 61:1-2, declaring that is the fulfilment of Isaiah’s words – but omits the last part of the sentence! It was the acceptable year of the Lord, but was not yet the day of vengeance of God – there is an interval of almost two thousand years between the first part of Isaiah 61:2 and the second part. The sentence in Isaiah jumps straight from the time of Jesus’ first coming, to the time of His Second Coming – when it will be ‘the day of vengeance of God’!

There are actually 24 of these ‘dispensational gaps’ in scripture that seem – intentionally – to omit the Church Age.

In Luke 19, the ‘prophetic clock’ stopped ticking for the Jews on Palm Sunday as Jesus rode into Jerusalem and Jesus pronounces national blindness upon Israel (Luke 19:42) for missing the day it had been prophesied the Messiah would come. That blindness will last until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in (Romans 11:25). We are now in the ‘Church age’ when God is grafting gentiles into the olive tree (see Romans Ch 11).

Once ‘the fullness of the Gentiles has come in’, all Israel will be saved (Acts 15:14-16) and the clock will start ticking again.

In Luke chapter 4 we see Jesus – in the power of the Spirit – heal the sick, set captives free and fulfil in actions the words of Isaiah 61:1-2. This should have been enough to convince all that He was the Messiah.

The lesson here is that if we believe Jesus is the Messiah, we will bring our sick loved ones to Him, continually bringing them before His throne, believing in faith that He will heal and deliver them from the clutches of the enemy.

Jesus should be the very first one we turn to, not as is so often the case, our last resort!

Do we believe Jesus has the power to heal today? Do we believe He is the same, yesterday, today and forever? Do we believe He can set our loved ones free?

If we do we will pray in faith, “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him” (James 5:15).

This is something we ought to remember!

May you be encouraged, challenged, and blessed by this study.

The PowerPoint slides used in this session are available for free download.

The post Luke Ch4 15-44 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch4 1-14

Barry Forder — Sun, 06 Nov 2022 10:30:00 +0000

This teaching on Luke 14: vs 1-14 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 6th November 2022 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Most will be familiar with the scene:

Jesus is led into the wilderness for 40 days and is tempted by the Devil; yet for many the ‘why’ question is never pondered.

Consider the following verses from the book of James: “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” (James 1:13-14)

Here we are clearly told that God is not the source of temptation, that much we probably all know. But surprisingly we are told that neither is Satan the source of temptation! Temptations actually come from within, from our own twisted human nature. The notion that ‘the Devil made me do it‘ is bad theology and simply not true!

There are only two individuals in human history that did not inherit sin from their parents, so did not have a ‘twisted human nature’ to begin with. The First Adam and the Second Adam (1 Cor 15:45 / Romans 5:14-19) – Adam, the son of God and Jesus, The Son of God.

Oswald Chambers notes:

“According to the Bible, there are only two Men: Adam and Jesus Christ, and God deals with them as the representatives of the human race, not as individuals. All the members of the human race are grouped round these two Men. The first Adam is called “the son of God”; the last Adam is the Son of God, and we are made sons of God by the last Adam. The Christian is neither Adam nor Jesus Christ, the Christian is a new man in Christ Jesus. The first Adam and the last Adam are the only two Men according to God’s norm, and they both came into this world direct from the hand of God”. (Oswald Chambers, The Psychology of Redemption)

It is to these two alone that Satan comes directly, bringing his temptations. But why? What was Satan hoping to achieve in tempting Jesus? As Dr Arnold Fruchtenbaum puts it:

“Satan’s aim in these temptations was to cause Messiah to sin. He simply tried to accomplish the impossible. Messiah is impeccable. He simply is not able to sin. However, that did not discourage the fallen one from attempting the impossible”. (Dr Arnold Fruchtenbaum, Yeshua: The Life of Messiah)

The real issue, I believe, goes back to the time of Creation and the fall of Lucifer, and his subsequent distain for mankind.

Firstly, let’s establish some scriptural facts:

We are not told when angels (including Lucifer) were created, but they must have been created by the time God laid the foundations of the Earth.
- “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?
  declare, if thou hast understanding.
  Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest?
  or who hath stretched the line upon it?
  Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened?
  or who laid the corner stone thereof;
  When the morning stars sang together,
  and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4-7)
- For all the sons of God (angels) to shout for joy as God laid the foundations, it is obvious they had been created and were witnesses to God’s work of Creation.
Genesis chapter 1 repeatedly tells us that God’s work of Creation was good, and Ezekiel chapter 28:13-15 tells us that Lucifer was in Eden, the Garden of God in his unfallen state and therefore must also have been amongst the ‘all’ of Job 38:4 that shouted for joy as God created the Earth.
- This places the fall of Lucifer at some time after the 7 days of Creation.
1 Timothy 3:6 tells us that it was pride that led to Lucifer’s fall. Isaiah 14 tells us that he wanted to be ‘like the most High’ (Isaiah 14:14)
- Lucifer was not foolish enough to think he could ‘become God’, rather he craved what Adam had been given, namely to be made in the ‘image and likeness of God’ (Gen 1:27), and to be given dominion over this incredible Earth that God had created.
It must have been a rude awakening to Lucifer’s ambition to discover that the Earth God had created was going to be given over to this ‘man’, and not to him!
- The book of Esther serves as a role play of this very scene.
  - In Esther ch 6 we find that king Ahasuerus could not sleep one evening, so decided to read. He read of a failed plot to assassinate him a short while before that had been uncovered by Mordecai. He called in Haman – the archenemy of the Jews – and asked: “What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour?” (Est 6:6). We are told that “Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?” (Est 6:6).
  - In the same way, as God created the Earth, Lucifer thought to himself, “To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?” Satan evidently thought that this World would be given to him! Instead, just as ‘Haman’s reward’ was given to Mordecai, so this world was given to the man God had created – Adam.
In rebelling against God, Lucifer (light bearer) became Satan (adversary) and took one third of the angels with him (Rev 12:3)
Satan then set about to deceive this man God had created and claim the title of the Earth for himself.
- We know from 2 Corinthians 4:4 that, for now, Satan is ‘the god of this world’ and, for now, “the whole world is under the control of the evil one” (John 5:19 NIV).
- Satan was ‘successful’ in taking control of this world.
However, according to God’s laws, the right of ownership can be reclaimed by a kinsman (family member) – a study of the book of Ruth puts this into context!
Rather than defeat Jesus at the cross, Satan actually forfeited his right to rule and, in effect, signed his own death warrant on account of the fact he had committed first degree murder and shed ‘innocent blood’ (Matt 27:4 / Gen 9:6).
Now it is just a matter of time until the full title of the Earth passes back to the Kinsman of Adam, Jesus Christ, as we read in Revelation 11:15 “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever”.

So, what does all this have to do with the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness?

Quite simply, it was another attempt by Satan to show that Adam, and any descendant thereof, was not worthy to be given the honour of ruling this Earth. Furthermore, if Satan had managed to get Jesus to succumb, it would demonstrate that God’s plan in creating man and giving him this honour was flawed! God would be shown to be wrong, and Satan vindicated in his original ‘objection’ to God’s plan and his assertion the he should have been given this honour!

Incredibly, this is the second time Satan had the audacity to challenge God’s plan, attempting to show that man was unworthy of this honour and that Satan himself was right!

The first time is recorded in the book of Job. There, Satan challenges God that ‘no man can worship God simply because He is God’. The allegation is that man only worships God because of the blessings God gives. Take away the blessings and man will cease to worship God.

As we know from the account in Job, Satan’s argument is destroyed! Job demonstrates that, even with all the blessings stripped away, man can worship God simply because God is God! “Though He slay me, yet will I tust Him” (Job 13:15).

So Satan’s attempt to vindicate himself (and justify his rebellion) is defeated on both counts!

Man can worship God for who He is apart from any blessings that may come from Him.
Man can life a life of selfless obedience to God. Although Adam failed in this regard, Jesus Christ, the Second Adam did not succumb to these temptations, and now, through Him, all who receive His nature in them (through being born again) can live a sinless, selfless life in obedience to God the Father (1 John 5:18).

God is justified in His creation and honouring of man and Satan shown to be wrong in his assertions and the basis of his pride completely undermined!

In closing…

…it is worth mentioning that the actual temptations Jesus faced are of the same nature we face, albeit the source is different.

1 John 2:16 tells us: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world”.

This summary of sin (and hence temptation) is shown in both Genesis 3 (Adam/Eve) and Luke 4 (Jesus):

In Genesis we see that:

Eve saw the fruit was good for food
- the lust of the flesh
Eve saw it was pleasant to the eyes
- the lust of the eyes
Eve desired to be wise like God
- the pride of life

In Jesus’ temptations we also see the same pattern:

“And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.” (Luke 4:4)
- The lust of the flesh
  - The appeal to the appetite
  - The temptation to satisfy a legitimate need in an illegitimate way

“And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine”. (Luke 4:5-7)
- The lust of the eyes
  - The appeal to the desire
  - The eyes are the window of the soul

“And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.” (Luke 4:9-11)
- The pride of life
  - The appeal to the ego
  - The need for self-worth and acceptance

The writer to the Hebrews makes the point that ^“we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin”. (Hebrews 4:15)

Our temptations come in the form of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life. Jesus was tempted in all these points, yet without sin!

For each of the temptations with which Satan tempted Jesus, Jesus’ response was always to quote scripture – to ‘fight back’ with The Sword of the Spirit (Heb 4:12). This is our most sure ally also. David prayed “Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.” (Psalm 119:133) and “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11).

Paul tells us that “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

God will always give us a way of escape. If we resist the Devil, he will flee from us (James 4:7).

Jesus endured these temptations to 1) defeat Satan’s claim over man, and 2) give us a pattern to follow when we ourselves are tempted. “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” (Hebrews 2:17-18).

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him!” (James 1:12)

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The audio recording and PowerPoint slides are available for free download.

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Luke Ch3

Barry Forder — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 10:30:16 +0000

This study in Luke chapter 3 was given by pastor Barry Forder on the 30th October 2022 at Calvary Portsmnouth.

In this chapter Dr Luke records the beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry at Bethabara, just north of the Dead Sea in southern Israel, around 18 miles east of Jerusalem.

As John started to preach the news spread and very soon a multitude came out from that towns of Judea to listen to this man. Whatever they expected they were no doubt surprised! John was not your ordinary son of a priest! He had chosen a simple lifestyle but thundered with a powerful message that shook his listeners to the core. Luke records that, not only the common people, but also the notorious tax collectors and unscrupulous soldiers, both renowned for corruption and their harsh treatment of the people, had been broken and convicted by John’s teaching.

John’s message was clear and simple. God is coming to judge the earth! It was time to choose whose side you were on! Israel had a history of ignoring the voices of the prophets God sent to warn of impending judgment, but here, albeit for a brief moment, there was genuine contrition as this Spirit filled man spoke of the coming kingdom.

Luke records that Isaiah had actually prophesied of John’s ministry some 700 years earlier, and that he would be a forerunner to the coming Messiah. Some of the people actually wondered if John himself were the Messiah, but John was quick to explain that he merely baptised the repentant with water; the Messiah would baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire!

John himself evidently expected the Messiah to establish His kingdom there and then. So much so that when Jesus seemed to be delaying His right to claim the title of the Earth and sit on the Throne of David, John sent disciples to ask if Jesus really was the Messiah. John, as did the Jewish leaders, and Jesus’ disciples, all failed to understand that the Messiah had to come first to suffer and pay for the sins of the world, and only then would He later return to establish His throne and rule all nations ‘with a rod of iron’ (Psalm 2) from Jerusalem.

Luke records that Jesus also went down to Bethabara – the place Joshua had led the Children of Israel across the Jordan into the Promised Land (see Joshua ch4) – and there was baptised by John. It wasn’t that Jesus needed to repent, but rather Jesus intentionally identified Himself with sinful humanity in an open declaration and acceptance of submission to His Father’s will. This led to one of two occasions where God the Father audibly declared His love for His Son and that Jesus’ sacrificial act was indeed pleasing to the Father.

Luke then gives us one of two detailed genealogies in the New Testament – the other being in Matthew chapter 1. To most gentiles, these are just boring lists of names, some of which we may recognise if we’ve read the Old Testament, but overall, something we don’t generally give much attention to. However, if you are a Jew, these lists of names, these historical genealogies, are of profound significance!

In A.D. 70 the genealogical records, that would allow any Jew to trace their family ancestry, were lost when the Temple was destroyed in Jerusalem by the Roman 5^th legion under the command of Titus. The real problem this posed for the Jews – then as well as now – is that they have no way to verify their coming Messiah, no way to check the authenticity of anyone claiming so be their long-awaited Hope. So much of a problem this will be that the Jews – according to Jesus Himself – will one day accept ‘Antichrist’ as their Messiah, albeit only briefly, but the tragedy that will result will be catastrophic.

Of course, no Torah-loving, God-fearing Jew would ever consider looking in the pages of the Christian New Testament for corroboration or confirmation! But one day the Christians will be gone; supernaturally removed from this earth and taken back to Heaven! The remaining gentiles to be saved will be martyred during the time of Great Tribulation coming upon the earth, and then, according to the Apostle Paul, the blindness that has been over Israel’s eyes for almost two thousand years will be removed (Romans 11:25).

Then, these genealogies that have been preserved by Luke and Matthew will become the most valuable documents on earth, for they will prove that Yeshua Ben David (Jesus the son of David) was and is the rightful heir to David’s throne, and more importantly, their Messiah! They will show He was of the line of Judah, of the family of David, born in Bethlehem, raised in Nazareth, a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, the Son of God!

These genealogies are for tomorrow, they are reserved for a time yet to come, Gentiles might read them now, but the Jews will come to treasure them!

God’s Word speaks to tomorrow as much as it does today. It anticipates and provides comfort for troubles that you have not yet encountered, but it will be there when you do. You might go through one of life’s storms some time from now, and when you do you will pick up God’s Word and words that were written thousands of years ago will speak to you in that very moment. They had been waiting for you all that time!

Can there be a better reason to pick up God’s Word daily than the knowledge that God already has something to say to you tomorrow? It’s been recorded ahead of time by the One who knows the end form the beginning.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching!

Join us online via Teams, or in person, every Sunday as we study God’s Word together.

The post Luke Ch3 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch2:21-52

Barry Forder — Sun, 23 Oct 2022 10:30:03 +0000

This teaching, in our verse-by-verse study of the Gospel of Luke, was given by pastor Barry Forder on 23rd October 2022 at Calvary Portsmouth.

In this study we see Joseph and Mary circumcise their new-born baby on the 8th day, in accordance with the covenant God had established with Abraham (Gen 17).

They then travel the 8 miles from Bethlehem to Temple in Jerusalem to present the offering required by the Law of Moses after the 40 days required for Mary’s purification (as detailed in Leviticus 12).

Whilst they are in Jerusalem, they meet Simeon and then Anna, who both overwhelm Joseph and Mary with the blessings – and warnings – they pronounce over this Child!

Following this the family return home – to Nazareth! Please note, they did not go back to, or reside in, Bethlehem, for they lived in Nazareth! The only reason they went to Bethlehem was for the census, and because God had engineered the circumstances so that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem – the town where the sacrificial lambs came from! After this they return home, albeit via Jerusalem in accordance with the Law.

Luke then jumps forward to the time Jesus is 12 years old, and the account of how He had been left behind in Jerusalem following the family’s pilgrimage to celebrate the Passover.

Although we ae not specifically told anything else of Jesus boyhood, we seem to get a prophetic insight of what it was like for Jesus growing up in Psalm 69. It paints an interesting picture that otherwise we would be oblivious to.

The PowerPoint Slides used in this study ae available for free download.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Luke Ch2:21-52 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch1:34 -Ch2:20

Barry Forder — Sun, 16 Oct 2022 10:30:38 +0000

This second study in our verse-by-verse journey through the Gospel of Luke was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on 16th October 2022.

CHAPTER 1:34-80

In this session we see both the birth of John and the birth of Jesus recorded. Luke tells how Gabriel had visited Mary to announce that she was to carry and give birth to the long awaited Messiah of Israel, the promised ‘Seed of the woman’ prophesied in genesis 3:15. In humility and faith – and no doubt a little overwhelmed – Mary accepts this awesome responsibility, and then proceeds to go ‘with haste’ to visit her cousin Elizabeth, whom Gabriel had said was now six months pregnant. Upon her arrival, the unborn 26 week old child in Elizabeth’s womb jumps with joy – showing that an unborn child in the womb can experience emotion! In England, Scotland and Wales, you can legally have an abortion up to 23 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy, in line with the Abortion Act 1967.

After staying to celebrate the birth, Mary returns home from the hills around Jerusalem (where Zacharias and Elizabeth lived) to her home in Nazareth. However, before she left she would have heard Zacharias, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, declare that the baby Mary was carrying would be the One to redeem His people Israel, in accordance with the prophecies and promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; to Samuel, David and Solomon; to Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel. God’s covenant with Israel was clearly not forgotten, and though they had been disobedient as a nation and followed after other gods, their God was gracious and merciful and through their Messiah would make a way for, not only Gentiles, but also for the ‘lost sheep of the house of Israel’ to return to Him and serve Him as their God.

As we noted in our study, John was most likely born on 19th-20th April 2 B.C., (there are a number of markers that help us pinpoint this date) which would have been the Feast of Passover that year! How fitting that the one who would later announce Jesus as ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world’ would be born – and celebrate his birthday each year – when the Passover lambs were being offered as an atonement for sin. It makes John’s announcement of Jesus even more poignant.

If this is so, Jesus’ birth would have occurred, not on the 25th December as tradition would have us believe, but on the 29th September 2 B.C. – which ‘just so happened’ to be the Feast of Trumpets! In the Bible we note that:

–Trumpets were blown to announce war or proclaim joy! – the birth of Christ was both of these, war on the Devil and works of darkness, but joy to the world and those who would put their faith and trust in Him for Salvation!

–The feast of Trumpets required an offering made by fire to the LORD – Jesus was this!

–Zacharias specifically links the trumpet (ram’s horn) – to the birth of Christ Lk 1:69

–The trumpet was linked to the giving of the Word of God at Mt Sinai Ex 19:19 – now the Word made flesh was given to the world

–The trumpet was used to proclaim liberty Lev 25:9 – the greatest liberty, the greatest freedom of all, is found in Jesus Christ!

This demonstrates once again that God is in complete control of history and nothing happens that is not part of His plan or design.

CHAPTER 2:1-20

As we move into chapter 2, the critics of the Bible, and Luke’s Gospel in particular, get ever so excited! You see, they tell us Luke is in error in his opening statement of chapter 2. That apparently means his entire Gospel is untrustworthy, or so they would have us believe. The truth of the matter is that it’s the critics themselves who are in error – once again! It is the Gospel of Luke and his account of these things that is correct.

The contention is this. Luke states that Cyrenius was the govenor of Syria when Caesar Augustus ordered the census that resulted in Mary and Joseph traveling to their ancestral home of Bethlehem. The Jewish historian Josephus, who wrote in around 97 A.D. (some 100 years later), stated that it was an individual by the name of Sabinus who was the then governor of Syria, and that Quirinius (Cyrenius) was in fact the governor during the next census that occurred, but that wasn’t until 6 A.D. Luke we are assured got it all wrong!

As Dr Bill Cooper comments:

This is indeed a serious problem until we realise the plain and simple fact that Sabinus and Quirinius were one and the same person! Josephus himself tells us as much, albeit obliquely, though it is Suetonius and Tacitus who give us the real clue by telling us Quirinius’ birthplace…
“Quirinius’ birthplace, which the critics have always remained silent about, was the Italian town of Lanuvium. It lies about 20 miles or so along the Appian Way to the southeast of Rome, and was inhabited by a Sabine population, the Sabines being an Italian tribe. Hence, Quirinius was himself of Sabine descent.”
“..it is the inability of Josephus and the critics to distinguish between his sources and not any chicanery on Luke’s part which has caused all the confusion over the two recorded censuses of Judea. The problems vanish, however, once the identity of Sabinius and Quirinius is realised. Luke was right after all. The only strange thing about it all is that the critics so often forget to mention these things.” –Dr Bill Cooper: Authenticity of the New Testament: Part 1 (available from www.calvarystore.uk)

To conclude this study we saw how tradition has robbed us of some incredible truths surrounding the ‘Christmas’ narrative. Why Bethlehem? Why shepherds? What has a prophecy in Micah got to do with the birthplace of Jesus? Why did the shepherds go away rejoicing? What was the significance of the swaddling bands and ‘manger’?

May you be blessed and encouraged by this verse-by-verse study of Luke’s Gospel!

All the PowerPoint slides used for this study are available for free download.

The post Luke Ch1:34 -Ch2:20 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Luke Ch1:1-33

Barry Forder — Sun, 09 Oct 2022 10:30:54 +0000

This introductory session of our verse-by-verse study of the Gospel of Luke was given by pastor Barry Forder on 9th October 2022.

In this study we look at the rock-solid foundation of this Gospel. Historian Sir William Ramsey, who started out as a sceptic and critic of the Bible, eventually came to faith in Jesus Christ because of the overwhelming historical evidence he discovered to corroborate the details in the Biblical record and Luke’s gospel in particular. He went on to say:

“Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy, this author should be placed along with the very greatest of historians”
“Luke’s history is unsurpassed in respect of its trustworthiness”

Josh McDowell, another sceptic who set out to disprove the Bible, also became a follower of Jesus Christ because of the evidence he found to demonstrate that Christians have not followed ‘cunningly devised fables’ but that the Christian faith is firmly rooted in historical events that we can accept “unreservedly as the testimony of truthful men to facts they were able to substantiate”.

Mcdowell stated:

“Luke’s reliability as an historian is unquestionable”

Almost all commentaries will tell us that Luke was a Gentile Doctor. He certainly was a physician, using more medical terms in his gospel than even Hippocrates (c. 460 – c. 370 BC – considered the ‘father of medicine’), and whose name lends itself to the Hippocratic Oath that even today is taken by medical graduates about to enter medical practice. However, as to Luke being a Gentile, Dr Floyd Nolan Jones makes the following comment:

“Country to nearly all modern scholarship, Luke was not a Gentile. The Romans 3: 1-2 citation is in itself absolutely conclusive and serves to correct any and all who instruct otherwise. Luke penned more text than any other New Testament writer, more than either Paul or John. Were Luke indeed non-Jewish, the Lord not only failed to honour his testimony in Romans 3, he also entrusted more of the New Testament revelation into the hands of a Gentile than those of his “chosen people”.”

Luke begins his account by underscoring that the events he is to record had already been written down by many others and believed ‘most surely’. Those who had recorded them were eyewitnesses and students of Jesus. Furthermore, Luke states that he himself had ‘perfect understanding’ of all these things, right from the beginning! – this was no ‘word of mouth’ hearsay!

Luke’s Gospel is addressed to ‘most excedllent Theophilus‘ – someone we are led to believe has been forgotton in the sands of time and any hope of discovering his real identity have long since faded. This higlights the danger of simply following the sway of general opinion! Dr Bill Cooper sheds some much needed light on our ‘mystery man’ – and facinating it is!

“As for the early writing of Luke’s gospel, there is a great deal of evidence which indicates that it belongs firmly to the Eyewitness Period. Better still, it could be narrowed down to having been written within a window of time that does not exceed four years in breath. The man to whom Luke addresses his gospel tells us as much, and is someone whom Luke calls ”… most excellent Theophilus” (1:3). Clearly this man was alive when Luke wrote his gospel, otherwise there’d be no point in addressing it to him. The questions we need to answer therefore are these: who was he? And when did he live? The man was Theophilus Ben Ananus, an erstwhile Sadducee and priest of the temple. He was the son of Annas and brother-in-law of the High Priest Caiaphas at whose instigation our Lord was tried and crucified. Theophilus was himself to serve as High Priest from the years 37-41 and it is during this time as High Priest that Luke wrote his gospel and addressed it to him. We know this by the honorific title by which he addresses Theophilus: Most Excellent (Gr kratistos). the Greek word means ‘noble’, and it is used on just one other occasion in the New Testament, namely in Acts 23: 26, when it is applied to the Governor Felix. Tellingly, Luke also addresses his Book of Acts to Theophilus, but when he does so it is simply ‘to Theophilus…’. The honorific title is no longer used, because when Luke wrote his Book of Acts in AD 64, Theophilus’ service as High Priest was long since passed”. – Dr Bill Cooper, Authenticity of the New Testament

So, Theophilus is none other than the Jewish High Priset that followed on from Caiaphas! He would have been around at the time of, and probably witnessed, the Crucifixion, and even been there when the Roman guards returned from the empty tomb that Resurrection morning. Theophilus would have known first hand that these guards had been bought-off to keep them quiet! Along with Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, he was clearly one of the Jews that beleived (John 11:45 / John 12:11), and of whom Luke himself records: “And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith“ (Acts 6:7).

May you be blessed and encouraged as we study verse-by-verse through the Gospel of Luke.

The audio teaching and PowerPoint slides used in this teaching are available for free download.

The post Luke Ch1:1-33 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Calvary Chapel Distinctives Pt2

Barry Forder — Sun, 02 Oct 2022 10:30:00 +0000

This teaching was given by pastor Barry Forder on 2nd October 2022 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

What is it that makes Calvary Chapel different from other Bible-believing, evangelical churches? It’s always good to have a grasp of the unique work that God has done in our fellowship. If Calvary Chapel is exactly like the church across the street it would be better to simply merge the two. But, if there are distinctives that make us different, then we have a unique and special place in the plan of God. Certainly there are churches that share many of our beliefs and practices. We’re not renegades. But God has done a wonderful work of balance in the Calvary Chapel movement that does make us different in many areas.

In this teaching Pastor Barry concludes our study of the distinctives that set Calvary Chapel apart as we seek to understand God’s plan and purpose for us as individuals and as a fellowship.

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Calvary Chapel Distinctives – Pt1

Barry Forder — Sun, 25 Sep 2022 10:30:28 +0000

This teaching was given by pastor Barry Forder on 25th September 2022 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Over the next few weeks, Pastor Barry will explore the distinctives that set Calvary Chapel apart as we seek to understand God’s plan and purpose for us as individuals and as a fellowship.

The post Calvary Chapel Distinctives – Pt1 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Monarchy – Past Present Future

Barry Forder — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 10:30:51 +0000

This topical teaching by pastor Barry Forder was given on 18th September 2022.

Since Egbert in 827 A.D. the British Isles have had a Monarchy. Over the past week we have seen King Charles III travel to Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and various places in England – all places where the proclamation of his reign has been announced – and he has been greeted with almost unanimous joy, with huge crowds lining streets and shouting ‘God save the king!’

But should we pray ‘God save the king’? What about the small minority that do not want to be under a monarchy?

In this teaching pastor Barry looks at:

The Biblical foundation of the Monarchy
The Biblical mandate for Monarchy
The Biblical future for the Monarchy

In these times of change and uncertainty, may this teaching give you confidence in our coming King.

The post The Monarchy – Past Present Future first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Seeing these things will be disolved…

Barry Forder — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 10:30:16 +0000

This teaching was given by pastor Barry Forder on 11th September 2022 – three days after the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

We are living in unprecedented times. We have the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, we are still feeling the effects of the Covid pandemic, and now one of the most consistent and stabilising influences in all of our lives – the reign of Queen Elizabeth II – has come to an end.

If nothing else, this brings home the fragile nature of our world and even of life itself.

In these reflections on the death of the Queen, pastor Barry looks at Peter’s words where he asks us, “Seeing that all these things will be dissolved, what manor of persons ought you to be?” (2 Peter 3:11).

How should you be, given your limited time on this earth? Will you leave a legacy like our great Queen? What will people say of you? Will they point to your faith in Jesus as the bedrock and purpose for your life?

May these thoughts bless and challenge you as you walk with Jesus.

The post Seeing these things will be disolved… first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

1 Kings 18:1-40 Prayer

Leon Davey — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 17:11:02 +0000

Our guest speaker Simeon Forder from Calvary Chapel gives us a exhortation on Prayer and Obedience from the following verses in 1 Kings 18.

1 Kings 18:1-40

May this message bless you today.

The post 1 Kings 18:1-40 Prayer first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Macedonian Call

Calvary Chapel Portsmouth — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 18:24:27 +0000

Our guest speaker Steve Vickery from Calvary Chapel Oxford gives us a exhortation on being obedient from the following verses in Acts 16.

Acts 16:6-10

6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,
7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

May this message bless you today.

The post The Macedonian Call first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Malachi Ch3-4

Barry Forder — Sun, 24 Jul 2022 10:30:59 +0000

This concluding study in Malachi 3-4 was given by Pastor Barry Forder on 24th July 2022.

This also brings us to the end of our study in the Minor Prophets.

Throughout the Minor Prophets we have seen God’s faithfulness to the Nation of Israel, keeping His covenant with the nation that had been given to Abraham; yet God is a just God and Israel, before being restored, must be judged for her sins as a nation.

Malachi draws all of this to a close and calls for a people who will offer sincere offerings from the heart out of a love for the God that has called and chosen them.

Malachi also introduces us to two great voices who will ‘prepare the way of the LORD’. Firstly, John the Baptist, who prepared the way at Christ’s first advent, and then Elijah who will return and prepare the way for Christ’s 2nd Advent!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

(The PowerPoint slides used in this study are available for free download)

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Malachi Ch1-2

Barry Forder — Sun, 17 Jul 2022 10:30:13 +0000

This first part of our 2-part study in the book of Malachi was given by Pastor Barry Forder on the 17th July 2022 at Calvary Portsmouth.

Malachi (whose name means ‘my messenger’) comes onto the scene around 60 years after the Jews had returned from the captivity in Babylon. Dr Chuck Missler comments:

“The Temple was rebuilt; priestly worship carried on; but the people had fallen into spiritual decline, and their attitudes developed later into the sects of the Pharisees and Sadducees”

Malachi, as God’s messenger to the people challenges the people’s apathy and idolatry. God is a God of love, so much so that Malachi refers to God’s love for Israel as a burden, but God is also a God of justice and cannot condone of overlook sin.

Malachi warns the people that God’s judgment is coming. Only after that will they once again return to the LORD and walk in His blessing.

Malachi is the third & last of the post-exile prophets (Haggai and Zechariah being the other two).

–Written around 486-464 B.C.

His name means ‘My messenger’
Jewish tradition states that Malachi was a member of the “Great Synagogue,“ and a Levite from Supha, in Zebulun
Through Malachi God speaks one more time to the nation before the ‘big day’
Israel had become apathetic, entering into mixed marriages & withheld that which should have been given to the LORD

The message of Malachi could just as easily have been written directly to us:

God has delivered us from out captivity
Do we now think we can just live and worship in the way we please?
Have we become apathetic?
Have we entered into mixed marriages with the things of this world?
Have we withheld from God that which we should have given Him?
Maybe God is speaking to us one last time before our ‘big day’?

The outline of the book is as follows:

Introduction 1:1
God’s unchanging love for His own 1:2-5
The total failure of the priests 1:6-2:9

–The priests should preserve knowledge!

Their failure to value covenants 2:10-16

–Their covenant with God, symbolised by the covenant of marriage

The Messiah’s coming in judgment 2:17-3:6
Israel’s sin yet future restoration 3:7-18
The coming & mission of Elijah 4:1-5

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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Zechariah Ch13-14

Barry Forder — Sun, 10 Jul 2022 10:30:43 +0000

This final study in our journey through Zechariah was recorded on 10th July 22 at Calvary Portsmouth, by pastor Barry Forder.

In this concluding study in our verse-by-verse journey though Zechariah we see Zechariah reiterate the LORD’s promises to His people, Israel.

They will be blessed and one day dwell in peace and safety in their land, but first there must come a time of testing – the time of Jacob’s troubles (Jer 30:7), but though two-thirds of the Jews remaining in Jerusalem will be killed by the armies of Antichrist, Israel will emerge from this fire victorious because the LORD will fight for them.

These chapters allude to some huge geographical and meteorological changes to come and we get a glimpse of just how unlike anything the world has yet seen the ‘Day of the LORD’ will be.

This incredible prophetic book leaves us in no doubt that the kingdom Jesus told us to pray for really is coming! He will soon rule and reign over the whole earth from Jerusalem; the nations of this world will become subject to Him, and the unconditional promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will be fulfilled.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this book and this study.

The post Zechariah Ch13-14 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Zechariah Ch11-12

Barry Forder — Sun, 03 Jul 2022 10:30:58 +0000

This teaching on Zechariah chapter 11-12 was given on 3rd July 2022 at Calvary Portsmouth by pastor Barry Forder.

In these incredible chapters the answer is given as to why God has not yet poured out on Israel the blessings that were foretold and promised back in chapter 10.

“This Chapter explains why the blessings and promises of the previous chapter are in abeyance for Israel. By rejecting their true Shepherd-Messiah at his first advent, they will experience rejection themselves, climaxing in their accepting of the false shepherd in the time of their greatest woe”. – Dr Chuck Missler

Zechariah reveals that, following the Babylonian captivity, rather than repenting and turning to God, Israel’s ‘shepherd’s (their national leaders) had continued the same unjust and corrupt behavior that brought judgment on the nation before. So, in the same manner, there will be a time of woe and desolation for the Nation before the time of blessing (already foretold in this book) will begin.

God had made a covenant with Israel to keep the gentile nations restrained so long as Israel walked with God. But if they forsook that covenant God would forsake them and scatrter them among the nations of this world – but even then His grace and mercy would hear their cry, when in their anguish they repented and called out to Him. See Lev 18:24-30 / Deut 4:26-31 / Deut 28

Chapter 11 opens with the declaration that judgment was coming from the north (vs 1-3), not this time from the Babylonians, but rather from Rome.

In verse 4 however, prior to the judgment coming, God calls for the Messiah, Israel’s Shepherd, to feed the flock, even though they would reject His words.

The Shepherd depicted by Zechariah can only be the Messiah. The reason they were called “the flock of slaughter” sprang from the fact that slaughter was their irrevocable destiny, just so long as the Jews preferred their own evil shepherds to the True One. Zechariah’s instruction here to “Feed the flock” refers to Christ himself coming into the ranks of the Chosen People to instruct and lead them in the paths of righteousness. “Last of All“* God sent his Son in the hope of averting their self-motivated dash to destruction” – James Coffman#

Verses 6-11 then proceed to lay out the coming judgment where Israel will be handed over to the gentiles.

In verse 12-13 we see the prophecy of Israel’s rejection of their Messiah at the hands of Judas, for 30 pieces of silver – the price of a slave. The tragic irony of this is that, not only did Israel reject their true Shepherd, they will embrace a false shepherd – Antichrist.

Jesus Himself said: “I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive”. (John 5:43)

Verse 15-17 introduce us (again) to this false-shepherd who will come in his own name, and seek to devour the sheep! – so much so that Israel will face the greatest affliction in their history at the hands of Antichrist during the coming time of Tribulation (referred to by Jeremiah as the ‘time of Jacob’s trouble’ – Jeremiah 30:7).

Antichrist will bring together the nations of the world in an unprecedented wave of antisemitism, and Jerusalem – a city mentioned over 800 times in the Bible – will become the touch-paper that will lead to the climactic battle of Armageddon.

However, in the midst of this affliction, God will pour upon Israel the ‘the spirit of grace and of supplications’ (Ch 11 v10), and they will suddenly realise that Yeshua (Jesus) is, and always has been, their Messiah! Then it will dawn on them that they have been wrong about Jesus, horribly wrong! It will produce such an intense sorrow and national mourning from the leaders of the nation to the ordinary Jew.

We see in this a Biblical principle that should fill us with great comfort; for it doesn’t matter how far away our children, family members or friends go away from the LORD, it doesn’t matter if they reject Him altogether (as Israel did Jesus), IF they repent and turn to Him, even in the lowest and hardest of times, God is merciful and, like with the prodigal son, there is a tender welcome awaiting from the Father for all who (re)turn to Him!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Zechariah Ch11-12 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Zechariah Ch9-10

Barry Forder — Sun, 26 Jun 2022 10:30:37 +0000

This teaching was given by pastor Barry Forder on 26th June 2022 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

In this study we see the LORD, declaring through Zechariah, that the pride of this world will be broken, and that he will restore his people.

A king is coming to rule and reign on this earth who will right every wrong, rule with justice and righteousness. This is our hope in the midst of the storms of this life.

Some find themselves prisoners to fear; some are prisoners to anxiety; some are prisoners to loneliness or emptiness; some are prisoners to the expectations of others… and the list goes on.

Those who trust in God are prisoners to hope! It is hope that constrains us, it is hope that stops us sinking beneath the waves, it is hope that will not let us give up the belief that there is a brighter tomorrow; it is hope that will not let us forget that, though weeping may endure for a night, HIS joy comes in the morning!

Hope deferred makes the heart sick (Prov 13:12), but our hope is sure, it is steadfast, it is an impenetrable stronghold, for it is in God Himself. “The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8).

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

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The Mystery of Israel

Barry Forder — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 10:30:32 +0000

This study on the Mystery of Israel was given by pastor Barry Forder on the 19th June 2022 at Calvary Portsmouth.

In the book of Romans the Apostle Paul speaks of the ‘Mystery of Israel’.

David Torrance said:

“Despite wars, persecutions and repeated attempts to obliterate them, they have kept their peculiar identity. They have remained a people apart from the other nations of the world, a testimony to the preserving hand of God. “For I the Lord do not change therefore , you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed” (Mal 3:6). “The very existence of the Jews in history, together with all that has happened to them in their long turbulent history, is proof that there is a God present and active, through His Holy Spirit, in history. By all normal laws of geography, history and ethnography, they ought as a distinct race to have disappeared long ago!”.

Most books on ‘systematic theology’ cover every major area of doctrine except one: the calling, purpose and future of the Nation of Israel. Yet 5/6ths of the Bible are devoted to the family of Abraham, and God’s unconditional promises to them.

Sadly, the erroneous doctrine that God has somehow finished with Israel has swept through the Christian church, leaving many unaware of just how important Israel are in God’s plan of redemption, salvation and restoration.

In this study we look at the Biblical origins of the nation of Israel, God’s unconditional covenants with them regarding the Nation, the Land, the Monarchy and the city of Jerusalem.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post The Mystery of Israel first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Zechariah Ch7-8

Barry Forder — Sun, 12 Jun 2022 10:30:08 +0000

This study on Zechariah chapters 7-8 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 12th June 2022.

Chapters 7 & 8 are an historical interlude in the book of Zechariah, between the prophetic visions of the first six chapters and the prophetic climax to the book, from chapter 9-14.

In chapter 7 we see two individuals sent down from Jerusalem to Bethel (The House of God), to ask whether they should continue to keep the fasts they had been observing in the fifth month.

It was on the 5th month (from the 5th to the 10th day) that the Babylonian army of Nebuchadnezzar has destroyed and burned the temple and city of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. During their time in Babylon, the Jews had commemorated this time by fasting and mourning for the city and temple. But now they were back in the land the question is asked, do they need to continue this practice, after all, it wasn’t like the Feast of Moses that they were instructed to keep.

God’s response through Zechariah was to question why they had kept the fasts in the fist place. Was it for God they had done it? Or was is it for themselves? What was their motive?

God them reminds them of the Nation’s history that had led up to the captivity in the first place. It had been characterised by injustice, cruelty, and the leaders of the nation, in particular, had hardened their hearts toward God, not wanting to hear His Law or Prophets.

God now asks in effect, are your hearts still hard? Are you concerned about your ways or my ways? When you ‘celebrate’ your fasts, in the 5th month (when the city and temple were destroyed), or in the 7th month (when Gedaliah, the governor of Judah was assassinated), or in the 10th month (the anniversary of when the siege of Jerusalem had begun), are you celebrating with your thoughts on God? Or are you merely following a ritualistic practice, thinking that in some way, this makes God pleased?

God is not looking for sacrifice (or fasting), but for hearts that are His. If sacrifice and fasting follow, that is fine, but it has to be out of the overflow of a heart seeking God, and not just a religious practice.

In Chapter 8 God goes on to say how much He loves Israel, and thought He had to chasten them, He will restore them. The land will once again be filled with the young anf old living in security and prosperity, and the whole world will know that the Lord is with Israel.

This will not be fully realised until the Messiah returns and sits on the Throne of David, ruling over the whole earth from Jerusalem.. but God Has promised and is able to perform it! (Rom 4:21)

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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Zechariah Ch6

Barry Forder — Sun, 05 Jun 2022 10:30:53 +0000

This study of Zechariah ch6 was given on 5th June 2022 by pastor Barry Forder.

In this study we look at the last of a series of eight visions that the prophet Zechariah had in one night. Each vision unveiled a little more of God’s plan to restore and rebuild the nation of Israel following the Babylonian captivity. The scope of these visions takes us from 518 B.C. when Zechariah had these visions, to the time ahead of us when Jesus will return to establish His kingdom on Earth.

In this eighth vision Zechariah sees two ‘mountains’ in juxtaposition, as if squaring up for battle. These may well represent the kingdom of Jesus Christ and the kingdom of this world, for we see that in the midst of them come riding four horsemen and chariots that bear a striking resemblance to the four horsemen we see in Revelation chapter 6. These are angelic beings that are ushering in a time of judgment, after which Israel’s enemies will be silenced and our King & high priest will be crowned.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

The post Zechariah Ch6 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Zechariah Ch 4-5

Barry Forder — Sun, 29 May 2022 10:30:55 +0000

This study of Zechariah Ch4-5 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 29th May 2022.

Zechariah had a series of visions, all apparently in one night. These visions not only gave comfort to Zechariah and the remnant that had returned from captivity in Babylon at that time, but also prophetically outline significant events that will take place as God restores His people Israel and readies the earth for the Millennial reign of Christ.

In the 4th vision Zechariah sees a menorah – the 7-branched lampstand that God gave Moses the instructions to build for the Tabernacle in Exodus 37.

In Revelation chapter 1, Jesus tells us that this lampstand, that was made from one solid piece of pure gold and hammered into shape, is an idiom of the Church. The Church also is one body in Christ, hammered into shape by our Master craftsman’s tender love and moulding. We are purified through the testing of our faith (see James 1: 2-3). As with the menorah we are to be filled with the oil of His Holy Spirit and bear His light to all around us.

Either side of this (that is, either side of the Church), Zechariah sees two olive trees, representative of the Nation of Israel. It is no coincidence that following the return from Babylon, God dealt with Israel up until the time they rejected their Messiah (see Luke 19:41-44). Whilst the early Church was indeed entirely Jewish, it soon became clear that the Gospel was to now go to the gentiles (see Acts ch10). Though many Jews believed, as a Nation, Israel’s eyes will remain blinded ‘until the fulness of the gentiles has come in’ (See Romans 11: 25-26).

God gives Zechariah comfort, declaring that the Temple will be rebuilt, that all the problems then facing the Nation of Israel, that seemed like a mountain to overcome, would be levelled. God’s promises to Israel would be fulfilled, not by might, nor by power, but by His Spirit. It would be God’s Spirit that would be breathed upon and indwell the Church. The Church would be a work of Divine grace for Jew and gentile alike.

From what we read in scripture, following the Church-age, God’s attention will be once again wholly turned to Israel. Zechariah’s attention in then focused upon the two olive branches (seemingly as distinct yet part of one of the olive trees). Zechariah is told that these are two anointed individuals that will (one day) stand before God, to serve Him.

We see these two individuals appear again in Revelation ch 11, as two witnesses whom God will raise up to preach to the world after the Church has been removed at the time of the Rapture.

They will perform miraculous signs and wonders as a witness and demonstration of God’s omnipotence and sovereignty during the first three-and-a-half-years of the coming time of Tribulation.

Zechariah Chapter 5 also seems to foretell an event that will occur during this time.

All false religion began in Babylon at the time of Nimrod and the Tower of Babel, shortly after the time of the Flood (see Genesis 10). Throughout the ages, false religion has taken many forms and faces, but Revelation 17 & 18 reveal that a One World religion is on our horizon, that will come under the umbrella of the Roman Catholic Church. This religious system has and will exert incredible pressure and influence over the kings of the earth, and Zechariah sees that it will eventually return to the plain of Shinar (modern Day Iraq) where Babel was located. There God will use the kings of the earth to pour out His wrath and judgment on this ‘abomination’ that has kept so many from the truth. Isaiah 13/14, Jeremiah 50/51 and Revelation 17/18 all foretell this coming judgment that was birthed and will be consumed in Babylon.

May you be blessed and encouraged to study God’s Word more as we see these day’s approaching!

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Zechariah Ch3

Barry Forder — Sun, 22 May 2022 10:30:32 +0000

This teaching on Zechariah Ch3 was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on 22nd May 2022.

Zechariah was part of the new generation of Jews born back in the land following the Babylonian captivity.

On night, God gave Zechariah a series of visions to encourage and strengthen the hearts of the people, and to reveal to them what their future would be; and even though the Devil himself would stand against them, God was on their side. God had chosen Jerusalem and see that His chosen people would eventually prosper and be at peace when their Messiah would one day establish His kingdom, not only over Israel, but over the whole earth.

In this 4th vision, Zechariah sees his friend and co-worker, Joshua, the High Priest, standing before the throne of God. Satan is there accusing him, tying to discourage him and pointing out his unworthiness – and in type, Israel’s unworthiness to stand before God. But God intervenes and silences Satan. God has chosen Jerusalem; Joshua’s sin is taken away and Joshua’s filthy robes are replaced by clean and perfect garments. As Joshua stands before God on behalf of his people, he is crowned with a mitre. The word mitre derives from the Greek mitra, which signifies a headband or diadem (royal crown).

For Joshua’s faithfulness and obedience God promises him that he will “judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by” (Zech 3:7), in other words, be given the rule over the people and over the whole land.

This is the vision, and no doubt, it was a great encouragement to Zechariah, Joshua and the returned exiles; but this was more than just a vision of the present. It was a vision of what will be for the Nation of Israel, and for the whole world.

The Hebrew name ‘Joshua’ (Yeshua) means ‘The Lord Saves’; and when translated into Greek, is the name Jesus! Thus, this whole vision depicts Jesus standing before the throne of the Father on behalf of His people – both Jews and Gentiles. Satan, ‘the accuser of the brethren’ (Rev 12:10), constantly brings accusations and tries to make us think we are unworthy, that we are clothed in ‘filthy rages’ (our best efforts and our sin) none of which is befitting a child of God! But God declares that we have been ‘plucked from the fire’, pulled out before we were consumed by His wrath, because He has pronounced us clean!

We have been clothed in His righteousness because our Joshua (Jesus) took our sin and filthiness’ upon Himself… “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor 5:21).

The problem of sin, which is the root of all suffering, sickness and death, which began in a garden some 6000 years ago, was dealt with once and for all, on a cross in Judea. It was all paid for in one day.

In the same way that all who have put their faith and trust in Jesus now are cleansed in a day, so one day, Israel will realise that Yeshua is their Messiah and will repent and put their trust in Him.

Our Messiah will return, receive the throne His Father will give Him, and then rule over the whole earth. The Gentiles will be at peace and Israel will dwell safely in their land.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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Zechariah Ch2

Barry Forder — Sun, 15 May 2022 10:30:44 +0000

This study of Zechariah ch 2 was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on 15th May 2022.

Zechariah was born in Israel shortly after the nation had returned from their 70 year captivity in Babylon. In the first 6 chapters we have recorded a series of 8 visions that all occured in the same night. The visions depict the future of the nation of Israel from that time to the time when the Messiah returns and establishes His kingdom on earth.

In the first 2 visions we are shown that:

1) The Messiah will come to Jerusalem.

2) His house shall be built in Jerusalem.

3) Jerusalem’s boundaries would expand

4) God will, once again, choose Jerusalem

In this study we look at the 3rd vision which expands the 3rd and 4th points.

This 3rd vision focuses on ‘The man with the measuring line’. There is clearly a picture of Nehemiah, who led the work of rebuilding following the captivity. But that is just a type of what was to come. Just as a builder uses a measuring line as he is planning to build, to prepare the foundation, so God did this with Israel, not just in Nehemiah’s day, but in recent times also.

What happens when you are about to take possession of a piece of land or a property? A survey has to be completed. Jonathan Cahn comments:

‘The land must be defined or redefined, its length, its breadth, its borders, its parameters. And if there’s no existing survey, then a survey must be made. The land must be defined, mapped out . . . measured and so the measuring line. So in the days of Zechariah, when the Jewish people were returning to the land, the man with the measuring line comes to the city in a vision. And his appearance is a sign of what is yet to take place. It happened in the ancient world. So too it would happen again in the modern. The ancient sign would again manifest in the world . . . in modern times. The man with the measuring line would again come to Jerusalem. And his appearance would be a sign of what was yet to come’.

Prophetically, the man with the measuring line was the British army officer Charles Warren. In 1867 he came to Israel at the request of Palestine Exploration Fund on a mission to survey and map out Jerusalem, to measure the Holy City.

Warren’s work would constitute the first extensive excavation of biblical Jerusalem, the first extensive measuring of the biblical foundations of the Temple Mount and of the city itself. It would usher in a new age of biblical archaeology.

Jonathan Cahn again comments:

“After nearly two thousand years of exile, the man with the measuring line reappeared in Jerusalem as a sign that God was about to bring about a restoration. A measuring line is used when one is about to build something. So then the reappearance of the man with the measuring line in the person of Charles Warren was a sign that God was about to act, to move again, to build something . . . to rebuild that which once was and had fallen . . . the nation of Israel!”

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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Zechariah Ch1

Barry Forder — Sun, 08 May 2022 10:30:49 +0000

This study in the book of Zechariah was given by pastor Barry Forder on 8th May 2022 at Calvary Portsmouth.

The book of Zephaniah was written to the Jews who had returned from captivity in Babylon. The principle message was one of hope for the future of the nation of Israel, but Zechariah also writes to stir up their love for God who had delivered and preserved them, and who would deliver and preserve them.

Zechariah himself was part of the new generation of those born back in the land, but he opens this book by giving the warning that Israel’s forefathers had not heeded the warnings of the prophets, and as a result had brought judgment upon themselves – specifically the 70 years of captivity in Babylon. To whom much had been given much was required! Israel should have been a witness and a blessing to the world, instead they had become an object of ridicule among the nations – nations whom God had then used to judge His people. But those nations had gone too far; they had overstepped their remit and dealt cruelly with Israel. God was not ignorant of this and through Zechariah a solemn warning is given that God will not sit idly by while the gentiles afflict His people Israel.

God gives the young (17 yrs old?) Zechariah a series of 8 visions in one night that prophetically span the time from the return from Babylon to the 1st coming of the Messiah, to the 2nd coming of the Messiah. In these visions God unveils his love for His people Israel, His view of the gentile nations who had scattered and afflicted His people, and His plan to restore and bless national Israel, in fulfilment of His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The eight visions are:

1. Man Riding on a Red Horse 1:7–17
2. Four Horns and Four Craftsmen 1:18–21
3. Man with a Measuring Line Chap. 2
4. Joshua the High Priest Chap. 3
5. The Golden Lampstand & 2 Olive Trees Chap. 4
6. The Flying Scroll 5:1–4
7. The Woman in a Basket 5:5–11
8. The Four Chariots 6:1–8

As we go through each of these visions, we will see that they are all connected and each successive vision builds on the one before, painting a picture of the past, present and future of Israel.

May you be blessed and encouraged as we study this book.

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Zechariah – Intro & Ch1 1-2

Barry Forder — Sun, 01 May 2022 10:30:22 +0000

This introduction to the book of Zechariah, given by pastor Barry Forder, was recorded on 1st May 2022 at Calvary Portsmouth.

Israel had returned from Babylon in 537 B.C. following the decree of Cyrus to allow them to return home. 19 years later the prophet Haggai stepped onto the scene and declared “Consider your ways”! In just a few months the heart of the people had changed from one of fear to one of boldness and the foundation of the Temple, that by then had lain in ruins for 89 years, was started.

Two months after Haggai started to preach, another young jewish man, in his mid to late teens, part of the new generation of Jews born in the land, stood up to reveal a series of 8 visions God had given him in one night. These visions were so profound they challenge world governments and the religious establishment even to this day.

As we begin a journey though this incredible book, we will have unveiled, the history and future of the nation of Israel from their return from Babylon, to the first coming of Messiah, and then to the second coming of Messiah. We will see God’s verdict pronounced on the gentile nations of this world for their mistreatment of Israel, and God’s ultimate plan to bless the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when the LORD God Himself will rule over the whole earth from Jerusalem.

In the opening verse of chapter 1 we are given a brief genealogy of Zechariah: “the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet”.

There are no meaningless details in the Bible, and this opening statement is an example of that fact, for in this list of names are a statement that sets the tone for the whole of this book.

Zechariah = “Whom Yahweh Remembers.”
Son of Berechiah = “Yahweh Blesses.”
Son of Iddo = “The Appointed Time.”

This book of Zechariah is the account of a God who remembers, and who blesses His people at the appointed time!

May you be blessed and encouraged as we journey through this book.

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The Miracle of the Resurrection

Barry Forder — Sun, 17 Apr 2022 10:30:45 +0000

This teaching on the Miracle of the Resurrection was given by pastor Barry Forder on Resurrection Sunday, 17th April 2022.

The PowerPoint slides used in this teaching are available for free download.

Edmund Spencer once said: “There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all argument, and which cannot fail to keep man in everlasting ignorance. That principle is condemnation before investigation”.

To reject something because you’ve investigated it and found it to be nonsense is just common sense! Who in their right mind wants to knowingly believe fables? But to reject something – in this case a presentation of evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ – simply because of prejudice, i.e., you don’t think it’s true, or worse still, you don’t want to believe it’s true, is foolish.

But why does it matter? Well, quite simply, if the Resurrection can be shown to be an historical event, it provides a formal proof for Jesus’ Deity and God’s existence, one that is tangible, one that anyone can verify for themselves; and if God can be shown to be real, then it follows that the Bible and all therein, about life, death, sin, judgment, salvation, eternity – is true. It means every life is of value, there is a purpose and reason for our existence. It means we are not just meaningless blobs of matter in a pointless and random universe; and it means this life is not the end. Eternity no longer remains a concept for those who “have faith”, but a reality we all have to face. Ultimately, if the Resurrection can be shown to be a true fact of history, it means we all have to make a choice; and that choice becomes the single most important one of our lives.

The famous British mathematician and author, C.S. Lewis once said: “Christianity is a statement which, if false, is of no importance, and if true, is of infinite importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important”.

Paul contends that the very basis for the Christian faith is firmly rooted in an historical event that occurred in a garden in Judea some 2000 years ago, namely, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. If that event did not take place, Paul says we might as well just pack up and go home! There is no point just believing this thing ‘cos it gives us a warm fuzzy feeling. It is either true, and we can substantiate it, or it’s false and we should just get on with our lives and stop being so silly.

What Paul actually said was: “But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain… And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins… If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” (1 Cor 15:13-19)

Did you get that? Paul says that if you (or your sceptic friend) want to disprove Christianity, simply show that the Resurrection did not take place; show that it was all a hoax or some elaborate plot. Paul was that confident in the historical and factual basis of the Resurrection and knew that without it, there could be no Christianity, because everything Christians believe hangs on that one event.

Christian apologist and international speaker Josh McDowell said: “Everything that Jesus Christ taught, lived and died for depended upon His resurrection” [i]

B. L. Shelley, in his thorough treatment of the history of the Christian church stated: “First Corinthians fixes belief in the historical resurrection of Jesus as the indispensable basis of salvation” [ii]

Quoting Theodosus Harnack, Josh McDowell again states: “Where you stand with regard to the fact of the Resurrection is, in my eyes, no longer Christian theology. To me Christianity stands of falls with the Resurrection”[iii]

Contrary to most people’s perception, Christianity is not based on Christ’s teaching, character, or the numerous miracles in His life, but on the simple undisputed fact (in the minds of His followers) of his Resurrection.

In this study we consider just some of the circumstantial evidence for the Resurrection.

J Warner Wallace, a former cold case detective and author of Cold Case Christianity poses the question: “Can the truth be proved beyond a reasonable doubt when all the evidence we have is circumstantial?”

His answer, based on decades of experience, “Absolutely!”

There is overwhelming evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, but just the circumstantial evidence alone is sufficient to convince any honest and open minded jury that Jesus Christ did rise from the dead as He said He would do.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

[i] Josh McDowell – Evidence That Demands a Verdict

[ii] B. L. Shelley, Church history in plain language.

[iii] Theodosus Harnack: quoted by Josh McDowell, Evidence That Demands a Verdict

The post The Miracle of the Resurrection first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Palm Sunday – 2022

Barry Forder — Sun, 10 Apr 2022 10:30:32 +0000

This teaching was given on Palm Sunday, 10th April 2022 – by pastor Barry Forder.

**There is no audio recording of this study, but the Powerpoint slides used for this teaching are available here**

But why was this day really so important? Why does Psalm 118 speak of this specific day saying “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalms 118:24).

Did you also know that not only Zechariah but Daniel also recorded details of this specific day 500 years before it happened?

David spoke of this day one thousand years before it came to pass! That is mind-boggling! Try to think of an event on a specific day that will take place 1000 years in the future!

But we discover that even Moses recorded details about this day almost one thousand five hundred years before!

In fact, we can go back two thousand years before this day, to the time of Abraham, and find it alluded to in Genesis 22!

So what is really so special about this day? Why does this day stand out from the crowd and demand our attention?

The answer lies in one of the greatest conundrums in the Bible!

So why this day? Why reveal Himself now?

Because this was the one and only day, prophesied by the angel Gabriel (and recorded by Daniel) when the Messiah would reveal Himself to Israel!

The significance of this day to Jews and Gentiles alike cannot be overstated!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Palm Sunday – 2022 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Haggai Ch2

Barry Forder — Sun, 03 Apr 2022 10:30:41 +0000

This concluding part of our study in the book of Haggai was given on 3rd April 2022 by pastor Barry Forder.

The scene, as we move into chapter 2 of Haggai, is that the people had been moved by Haggai’s preaching; they had ‘considered their ways’ (Haggai 1:5) and the preparation for the rebuilding of the house of the Lord (the Temple) was well underway. But there was still fear. The Samaritan threat was still there; at any moment they could resort to violence and try to stop the work of rebuilding. Or, maybe as had already happened in the past, the king of Persia might, by royal decree, put and end to the plans to rebuild.

But it is to this fear that Haggai speaks, with a twofold message: Firstly he tells his people they do not need to fear! There is about to be a big shaking of the world’s nations which would cause Israel’s enemies to crumble. Secondly, the Temple they were now ready to start building would one-day exceed Solomon’s temple for the glory it will contain. From a purely architectural point of view, the 2nd temple may not have matched the ‘glory’ of the first – even with the additions made by Herod. But the glory spoken of has nothing to do with what man could do, it was not to be the work of man’s hands, but rather a work of God, infinitely greater.

It was to the 2nd Temple that Jesus was taken at 41 days old to be dedicated to the Lord (Simeon and Anna finally getting to witness this ‘glory’ they had so long awaited). It was to this 2nd Temple Jesus came as a 12 year old boy, with his family to celebrate the Passover, and for a number of days He was found teaching from the very building Haggai’s fearful Jews would now build. This was the Temple Jesus’ declared should have been a house of prayer, as He turned over the tables of the money-changers. It was to be in this Temple that the curtain would be split from top to bottom signifying the way to God through the shed blood of Jesus was now open to all who came by faith.

The shaking Haggai spoke of, did indeed apply to the Persian empire in Haggai’s day, but the writer to the Hebrews makes it clear that there is also a future prophetic fulfilment, where all the nations of this world will be shaken in God’s wrath at the time of the Second Coming.

In the same way, there is a (4th) Temple that will be built when the Messiah returns and establishes His kingdom and rule over the whole earth. The glory will eclipse all that had gone before as the Lord Himself will dwell there during the millennium.

In conclusion, Haggai tells the people that now they are walking in God’s way, seeking His kingdom, the blessings will flow in abundance. No longer will they put their money in a ‘bag with holes’ or see their harvest fail (Haggai Ch1: 6).

The day the foundation was finally laid was the exact same day the 70 years of desolation prophesied by Jeremiah came to an end! (Jer 25:11)

The twofold lesson is:

1) to not fear man as we serve and work for the Lord, knowing that the ‘nations’ are all too soon be shaken in the fire of God’s wrath;

2) recognise that 7 times in the New Testament the Holy Spirit calls you His Temple! The glory, literally in you, is greater than the glory in either the 1st or 2nd Temple. Don’t look back thinking of what was, look forward in expectation of all God will do and the glory that shall be revealed in you (Romans 8:18)!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Haggai Ch2 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Haggai Ch1

Barry Forder — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 10:30:42 +0000

This first of our 2-part study of the book of Haggai was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth on 27th March 2022.

Haggai was one of three prophets that God sent to speak to the nation of Israel following their return from captivity in Babylon (Zechariah and Malachi being the other two). For 19 years they had been back in the land, but had failed to rebuild the city of Jerusalem or their beloved Temple. Much of this was due to the intimidation and hostility of those now inhabiting the land. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah detail the oppression and threats the Children of Israel faced, and even the letters sent to the kings of the ruling Persian Empire seeking an injunction – which was granted – preventing the Jews rebuilding.

It was a time of national discouragement. Yet into this gloomy scene comes Haggai. His ministry is remarkable, for in just 24 days he changed the heart of a nation!

His message was clear. ” Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. (Haggai 1:4-5)

‘Cieled houses’ refers to panelled houses, i.e. houses that had wood panelling. Nothing wrong with that you may think; but this cedar panelling had originally been destined for the rebuilding of the Temple. Because of the oppression they faced, it had ended up being used to line their own homes instead.

The devil will ‘let us be’ if we forsake the work of God’s house and invest our time building our own. It is no threat to the kingdom of darkness if we are occupied trying to build our own houses, trying to provide for ourselves. We toil and labour to put bread on the table, we work hard to clothe ourselves, yet Jesus made it clear: “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”. (Matt 6:25-33)

Oswald Chambers comments: “Take no thought for your life.” “Be careful about one thing only,” says our Lord—“your relationship to Me.” Common sense shouts loud and says—“That is absurd, I must consider how I am going to live, I must consider what I am going to eat and drink.” Jesus says you must not. Beware of allowing the thought that this statement is made by One Who does not understand our particular circumstances. Jesus Christ knows our circumstances better than we do, and He says we must not think about these things so as to make them the one concern of our life. Whenever there is competition, be sure that you put your relationship to God first”

The Jews who returned from exile had lost sight of how big their God was. This was the God who rolled back the waters of the Red Sea, who caused Jericho to fall down flat, who subdued nations and giant kings before them, who made their enemies tremble at the thought of Israel’s God! This was the God that Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael boldly declared could deliver them from the fiery furnace… but even if He didn’t, He was still Almighty God, who’s ways are perfect and just, who is good and does good!

These Jews, like so many of us, had fallen for the world’s propaganda, “It’s foolish to trust God“; “You must do something yourself, you can’t just expect God to do miracles“; “God helps those who help themselves”… That is NEVER found in the Bible! God’s unfailing Word declares that He “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Eph 3:20), He says “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22). He says “Be anxious for nothing” (Phil 4:6). He says “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity… Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him” (Psalm 37:1-7)

Haggai steps onto the scene to tell the people that the reason “Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house”. (Haggai 1:9)

True blessings come not from our labour or endeavour, but from walking in the Way, walking with the LORD. From seeking Him first, building His house not our own.

This message is as timely today as when Haggai first uttered these words from the Lord.

May you be encouraged to consider your ways today!

The post Haggai Ch1 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Zephaniah Ch2 – 3

Barry Forder — Sun, 20 Mar 2022 10:30:30 +0000

This concluding part of our study of Zephaniah was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth on 19th March 2022.

In Chapter 2, Zephaniah lays out the coming judgment upon the gentile nations surrounding Israel, for two key reasons: 1) they had not been content with the land allotted to them by the Lord and had wanted more – at Israel’s expense, 2) they had treated Israel cruelly and provoked God’s wrath.

In chapter 3, the attention turns once more to Israel’s leaders, who were given ample opportunity to change their ways, yet continued in immorality and injustice. God reminds them He had been in their midst all along and seen everything they had done, now it was time to give account!

Then Zephaniah zooms out to show that what took place in 606 B.C. and the following years, was a dress rehearsal for the ‘main event’ that is due to be played out on the world’s stage any moment now!

Just as God had judged the gentile nations in Zephaniah’s day, so He will gather all the nations of the world together as sheep and goats. Those who have treated Israel well, will be granted the joy of entering the millennial kingdom of Jesus. Those who have treated Israel with contempt will be destroyed, just as Philistia, Edom, Assyria and Babylon were long ago.

Zephaniah ends with a wonderful song of praise to the God who faithfully kept His word to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give their descendants the land of Israel as a possession forever. The dispersed of Judah will return to their land from all the nations they had been driven to. There will be peace, healing, justice and joy. God will rule over the house of Israel and they, through their affliction, will come to the place of loving and serving their God and Messiah.

May you be blessed and encouraged by the faithfulness of our covenant-keeping God!

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Zephaniah Ch1 – Ch2v3

Barry Forder — Sun, 13 Mar 2022 10:30:07 +0000

** The audio quality of this recording is impaired due to a technical fault. Please accept our apologies. **

This first part of our two-part study in the book of Zephaniah was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth on 13th March 2022.

Zephaniah was the great grandson of king Hezekiah. In the opening verse He traces his genealogy back through four generations, possibly to demonstrate his right to speak and his understanding of the corruptness of Judah’s kings. Following Hezekiah there had been over half a century of evil rule by Manasseh and Amon, but then, 8 year old Josiah came to the throne, surrounded by Godly influences – including his cousin, Zephaniah.

Zephaniah’s thunderous message of the coming wrath of God on account of Israel’s idolatry clearly had an impact on this young king, for in 2 Chronicles 34 we read: “in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images. And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them. And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about. And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.” (2 Chron 34:3-7).

The threefold theme of this book is

–1) The sin of Israel

–2) Judgment on Israel’s neighbours (Gentile nations)

6 specific nations are mentioned by name

–Philistines / Cherethites / Moabites / Ammonites / Ethiopians / Assyrians

–3) The restoration under Messiah

The key phrase is ‘the day of the Lord’, occurring twice (vs 1 & 14 of Ch1), but alluded to 12 times.

Chapter 1:7 – the day of Jehovah
Chapter 1:8 – the day of Jehovah’s sacrifice
Chapter 1:9- the same day
Chapter 1:10 – that day
Chapter 1:14- the great day of Jehovah
Chapter 1:15-16- a day of wrath, of trouble and distress
Chapter 1:18- the day of Jehovah’s wrath
Chapter 2:2 – the day of Jehovah’s anger
Chapter 2:3 – the day of Jehovah’s anger
Chapter 3:8 – the day that I rise up to the prey, says Jehovah
Chapter 3:11- that day
Chapter 3:16- that day

The prophecies in this book span history, speaking to the days in which Zephaniah lived of the coming judgment on Judah at the hand of the Babylonians; but it also speaks with uncomfortable clarity into our own times of the “day of the LORD” which is on our imminent horizon.

Arend Remmers said: “The whole book makes it clear that Zephaniah looks far ahead of the imminent destruction of Jerusalem on to that dreadful day of Jehovah, the day of His anger and judgment, upon which however will follow the blessing of the millennial reign of peace”.

Zephaniah’s name means “The Lord hides [His precious ones]”, and one of the greatest truths revealed in this book is that God not only gives people and nations time to repent before bringing judgment, but that when the judgment finally comes, He will provide for, protect and even remove His own prior to pouring out His wrath.

This should come as no surprise as we see ‘the Judge of all the earth’ doing right (Gen 18:25) and removing Lot from Sodom and Gomorrah before His judgment fell. David echoed this principle in Psalm 27 when he declared: “For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock”. (Psalm 27:5).

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul reminded the Thessalonian believers of the coming ‘day of the LORD’, but stated that 1) we are not in darkness that this day would overtake us, and 2) that God has promised us a way of escaping the coming time of judgment, for we are not appointed to wrath, but rather are to ‘hidden in the day of the LORD’s great judgment’. (See 1 Thess 5:19). Jesus Himself confirmed that there would be a “way of escaping these things” in Luke 21:36.

200 years before Zephaniah, Isaiah records “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.”

It is clear from this verse that the ‘indignation’ Isaiah refers to is the coming ‘day of the LORD’. In agreement with Zephaniah 2:3, the promise is made that the meek of the earth will be hid during this time.

Many Christians are ignorant of the Rapture of the church, the very thing Paul said we should NOT be ignorant about!

The Rapture is the fulfilment of a number of specific prophecies. Firstly, it fulfils the promise of Jesus to come back and take us to a place He has prepared for us (See John 14:1-3). Second, it fulfils the need for the Holy Spirit indwelt Church to be removed in order that the “mystery of iniquity can be revealed” (2 Thess 2:6-8). Thirdly, it is the time when the Heavenly Bridegroom will come and claim His bride, with the blowing of the Shofar (Ram’s horn), taking her back to Heaven for the marriage supper where Jesus will drink from the fruit of the vine once more as He promised His disciples at the Last Supper. (See 1 Thess 4:15-18 / Matt 22:2 / Matt 26:29). Finally, it is the fulfilment of this promise (Zephaniah 2:3) that the humble (meek) among the repentant Gentile nations, who seek righteousness, will be hid BEFORE His wrath is poured out on this idolatrous and unbelieving world.

When God used the Babylonians in Zephaniah’s day to bring judgment on Judah, there was no one who could say they had not been warned. Both Israel and her gentile neighbours had been given ample warning by God’s prophets.

Just so today. God has given ample warning. We have seen pestilences, earthquakes, famines, wars and rumours of wars. These are just the beginning. It is going to get much worse. Today is the day of salvation.

24 times in this short book we find ‘I will…’ statements of God. God is not going to sit passively by while morality is abandoned in the pursuit of so-called pleasure, injustice is promoted as ‘freedom of choice’, and from the classroom’s to the media, God’s Word is ridiculed and silenced in the name of inclusivity and tolerance.

Just as Zephaniah saw coming on near horizon in his day, we are entering a time of darkness, famine, war and turmoil.

There is only one place of safety, it is in the LORD God Almighty, Jehovah, Yeshua.

May you be stirred by this prophet who wrote what he did to stir all who have ears to hear!

The post Zephaniah Ch1 – Ch2v3 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Habakkuk Ch2v5 – Ch3

Barry Forder — Sun, 06 Mar 2022 10:30:59 +0000

This concluding part in our tw0-part study of Habakkuk was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on 6th March 2022.

In chapter one, Habakkuk begins by crying out to God regarding the violence, oppression and immorality that filled Judah, that God was seemingly not dealing with. “How long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear!” (Hab 1:”) The iniquity that filled the land was overwhelming to this righteous and God-fearing man.

God’s response was that He was not going to let it continue. As we see time and again in the Bible, God will only allow things to go on for so long before bringing judgment. That, in itself, was good news to Habakkuk, but then God tells him something startling: “For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs” (Hab 1:6). Yes, God’s method of judgment on Judah was to let the Babylonians loose on them!

“But how can you use the Babylonians?” Habakkuk asks, “They are worse than we are!”.

In Habakkuk chapter 2, God explains that Israel’s sin is great so is deserving of great judgment, nevertheless, Babylon’s pride would be their undoing. God was raising them up as His instrument of judgment, but they would go far beyond their remit, and under Nebuchadnezzar they would, at times, resemble the Assyrians that God allowed to be destroyed for their cruelty. As a result, God would judge the pride of Babylon, exposing their deceit and treachery by which they intoxicated their enemies with lies before overthrowing them.

Though, no doubt, still somewhat bemused, in chapter 3, Habakkuk breaks out into a song of praise. He might not fully understand what God is doing, and even why He would uses Israel’s enemies to bring them to repentance, but Habakkuk knows enough by now to know that God is God. He calls us to trust Him through what we do understand, and through what we don’t.

Job, in the midst of his sufferings, once uttered this incredible statement of faith:

“For I know that my redeemer liveth,
and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
And though after my skin worms destroy this body,
yet in my flesh shall I see God:
Whom I shall see for myself,
and mine eyes shall behold,”

Habakkuk’s closing three verses resemble Job’s remarkable faith for their resolve and bold statement of trust in a Sovereign and all-powerful God. Habakkuk declares:

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, (the fig tree being an emblem of Israel, which prophetically we are told here, from this time, will not blossom)
neither shall fruit be in the vines; (Israel were as God’s vineyard, but, because of the coming judgments, would cease to be fruitful in the land))
the labour of the olive shall fail, (much olive oil was produced in the land, but that would fail also)
and the fields shall yield no meat; (just as prophesied in Deuteronomy 28, on account of Israel’s sin the land would cease to produce)
the flock shall be cut off from the fold, (the people also would be removed from the land)
and there shall be no herd in the stalls: (the land would become desolate)
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, (even so, despite the dark times the nation was heading into, Habakkuk now knows enough to walk through this ‘valley of the shadow of death’ by faith)
I will joy in the God of my salvation. (his joy would not be found in the false hope from the mouths of the false prophets, nor in any other thing, but in the LORD alone)
The Lord God is my strength, (His strength would not be in Israel’s might, or a sense of courage, but his strength would be in God alone. God who is faithful and never abandons His own)
and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, (There was hope! He was not going to be downcast, but free like a deer)
and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. (Habakkuk knew that God would, one day, once again bring the Children of Israel back into their own land, and they will walk on the mountains of Judea, into the gates of Jerusalem!).

If you are facing a challenge you cannot see a way through, be encouraged by this book of Habakkuk that reassures us that God is good and in control, and all things work together for good for those who love God.

The just shall live by FAITH!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Habakkuk Ch2v5 – Ch3 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Habakkuk 1 – 2v4

Barry Forder — Sun, 27 Feb 2022 10:30:27 +0000

This study in the book of Habakkuk was given by pastor Barry Forder on 27th February 2022 at Calvary Portsmouth.

We know practically nothing about the man Habakkuk, other than his name, which means to ‘wrestle’ and the fact this he calls himself a prophet – one of only three Old Testament prophets to actually give themselves this title. That is not to suggest he was self-appointed to the role, for this is a significant God-inspired man and book.

Habakkuk is one of those books that adds significant weight to the case for the Divine authority and authenticity of the Bible, for if the Bible were the work of mere men, this book would not feature! Habakkuk is about as real and honest as you can get. He starts by questioning God, for allowing the troubles Judah and Jerusalem were facing, and then by daring to question God’s wisdom in using the Babylonians to bring judgment on his nation.

Why would God choose to use an evil nation to fulfill His plans?

In response to Habakkuk’s questions, God answers!

Repeatedly we are told in the Bible that God is good; nothing He does can be anything other than good. There is no injustice in Him, no unrighteousness.

Habakkuk comes to see that God’s ways are above our ways, His thoughts above our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9) . God knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:9-10). In the words of Steven Curtis Chapman:

God is God and I am not
I can only see a part of the picture He’s painting
God is God and I am man
So I’ll never understand it all
For only God is God

To know this, is what faith is all about, and through the trial and the pain Habakkuk was enduring, God declares to him: “The just shall live by his faith!” (Hab 2:4). Not by knowledge and understanding, not by resolve or determination, but by faith.

Not faith in faith, not merely hoping things will turn out ok, not wishful thinking, and certainly not a blind leap in the dark, but an unshakable faith in the person of God; that God is who He says He is. He is good (Psalm 119:68) and He is faithful (2 Tim 3:13), He does keep His promises (2 Cor 1:20), He is unchanging (Heb 13:8), He really is working all things together for good for those who love Him! (Rom 8:28). Though we may not see what God is doing or why, it is the faith that like Job says: “Though He slay me yet will I trust Him!” (Job 13:15). Though storms may come, though we may lose everything we ‘once held dear’, it is the faith that says: “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21).

It is the faith that, like David, says: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalm 20:7 ESV). It is the faith that, like Micah, says: “Therefore I will look unto the Lord;
I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7).

Habakkuk chapter 2 verse 4 was the verse that sparked the reformation in Europe. Martin Luther tried everything he knew to live a holy and pious life, but upon reading Habakkuk 2:4 suddenly realised that to be ‘just’, i.e. to be counted as ‘justified’ before a holy God, did not require endless self-mortification, penance or observance of rituals, it simply required faith… faith in the completed work of Jesus on the cross. Christ paid it all, there was nothing that could be added by even the most devout lifestyle. Salvation is a gift, it cannot be earned, it is received by faith.

The just – those who are counted as justified and right before God –

shall live – that is, their way of living will be…

by faith – by an unshakable trust in the person of Jesus Christ who will never leave them or forsake them, who is the resurrection and the life, the same yesterday, today and forever, the great I AM, the beginning and the end, the Way, the Truth and the Life!

If Jesus is all this, and He is, trusting Him to deliver us, provide for us, protect us, and bring us safe to glory should be the easiest thing in the world!

Oswald Chambers once said: “Suppose God is the God you know Him to be when you are nearest to Him — what an impertinence worry is!”

This great book of Habakkuk reminds us it’s ok to question God. God knows our weaknesses.

Habakkuk asks God ‘How long‘….we often ask the same question. But while you are waiting for the answer, that is sure to come, remember that God asks the same question of you!

See: Exodus 16:28 / Numbers 14:11 / Joshua 18:3 / 1 Kings 18:21

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

If you have been blessed by this or other studies on this web site, you may want to consider supporting this ministry both financially and in prayer. https://www.calvaryportsmouth.co.uk/product/make-a-donation/

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Nahum 1-3

Barry Forder — Sun, 20 Feb 2022 10:30:10 +0000

This study of the book of Nahum was given by pastor Barry Forder on 20th Feb 2022 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The prophet Nahum writes somewhere between 663 B.C. and 612 B.C., prophetically detailing the downfall and destruction of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire which had dominated the world for over 300 years.

Some 200 years before Nahum, God had sent Jonah on a ‘mercy mission’ to warn them to turn from their wicked ways to avert judgment (God always warns and gives ample opportunity for repentance before pouring out His wrath). Upon hearing Jonah’s message, Nineveh repented and God relented of the judgement He was going to bring.

However, their repentance was short lived and they quickly reverted to their old ways.

The line had now been crossed, God was jealous for Israel as a husband for a wife who had been unjustly treated at the and of another.

God states that He is now ‘furious’ with Assyria and that “the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked” (Nahum 1:2-3).

From what we know, Nahum was born in Capernaum in Galilee, northern Israel – Capernaum means ‘village of Nahum’.

Yet, in the introduction he is referred to as ‘Nahum the Elkoshite’, which commentators think could be a reference to Aklush, a town near modern Mosul in Iraq, and in Nahum’s time, on the outskirts of Nineveh.

That being the case, it is probable that Nahum was among those of the norther kingdom of Israel who had been taken captive by Assyria in 722 B.C. and had witnessed first-hand the cruelty of the oppressive Assyrian Empire.

Certainly, history records that Assyria were the most feared empire the world had known, with a reputation for barbaric cruelty.

Ashurnasirpal II (883-859 B.C.) boasted, “I stormed the mountain peaks and took them. In the midst of the mighty mountain I slaughtered them; with their blood I dyed the mountain red like wool. . . . The heads of their warriors I cut off, and I formed them into a pillar over against their city; their young men and their maidens I burned in the fire.”

Regarding one captured leader, he wrote, “I flayed [him], his skin I spread upon the wall of the city”

He also wrote of mutilating the bodies of live captives and stacking their corpses in piles.

— Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, 1:148, 146

Shalmaneser II (859-824 B.C.) boasted of his cruelties after one of his campaigns: “A pyramid of heads I reared in front of his city. Their youths and their maidens I burnt up in the flames”

Sennacherib (705-681 B.C.) wrote of his enemies, “I cut their throats like lambs. I cut off their precious lives [as one cuts] a string. Like the many waters of a storm I made [the contents of] their gullets and entrails run down upon the wide earth. . . . Their hands I cut off”

Ashurbanipal (669-626 B.C.) described his treatment of a captured leader in these words: “I pierced his chin with my keen hand dagger. Through his jaw . . . I passed a rope, put a dog chain upon him and made him occupy . . . a kennel”

Whole cities had been known to commit suicide rather than fall into the hands of the Assyrian kings.

God, through Nahum, specifically charges Nineveh with immorality, idolatry (including witchcraft), trading people as commodities and the devaluing of human life. It is uncanny how much this resembles the world today; and if Nineveh were overdue for judgment, how much more the arrogant God-rejecting world of today!

But this is the message of Nahum, God will avenge the wrongs done to His people.

Nahum’s prophecy is so descriptive and has been thoroughly verified through archaeology that sceptics of course claim that it had to have been written after the events! But Nahum’s message is not just one of judgment for Assyria, it is one of comfort for Israel. Nahum’s name means ‘comfort’, and in the most well-known verse from Nahum he states: “Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.” (Nahum 1:15)

It is a message of peace that resonates to this day. God sees, and will not let the wickedness and injustice in this world continue indefinitely, but He is a jealous God who deeply cares and watches over His own!

But the book of Nahum also serves as a warning that it is time to decide, a time to pick which side you are on. Are you on the Lord’s side? Or are you given over to the things of this world?

Twice God declares to Nineveh: “Behold, I am against thee” (Nahum 2:13 / 3:5). What a contrast to the one who has humbled themselves before God and put their faith and trust in Him: “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).

There is a choice, God can either be for you or against you. Learn the lesson of Nineveh, you cannot stand against God!

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Micah Ch 6-7

Barry Forder — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 10:30:43 +0000

This final session in our verse-by-verse study of Micah was given by pastor Barry Forder on 13th February 2022.

In this last section of the book of Micah (Ch 6-7) we are immediately plunged into a courtroom drama, with God acting as prosecutor and Israel as the defendant.

God takes the stand and asked Israel if there is any reason to justify their unfaithfulness to Him?

He reminds them of the way He brought them out of Egypt, led them through the wilderness under the care of Moses, Aaron and Miriam, and even turned the counsel of Balak into a seven-fold blessing at the hand of Balaam. God askes the question: ‘What more could I have done?’ ‘Having led you and provided for you up to this time, why do you think you now have to turn to your false gods?’

The same question could be asked of each of us. God has shown many times over how faithful He is, yet we so often turn to our own natural resources to help us out of the problems we face.

Then Micah gives us one of the greatest verses in the Bible: “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

We have been made in the image and likeness of God, and He wants us to be just (this speaks of our thought life, heart and intentions) as He is just; to show mercy (this speaks of our actions and attitudes towards others) like He shows mercy, but most of all, to walk humbly with Him.

God’s walk with man began in the Garden of Eden, but was broken because of sin. Since that time, God has been calling ‘all who have ears to hear’ to walk with Him. Enoch heard and walked with God. Abraham heard and spent a lifetime leaning to forsake his own natural path, making mistakes on the way, but ended up walking the walk of faith. Job, David, Moses and many others in God’s Word, endured trials as they leaned the secret of trusting God despite what everything around them might otherwise say. Ultimately, God’s walk with man will be resumed in the New Heavens and the New Earth as we read: “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God”. Until then, we have to learn to trust God and ‘walk in the way’.

Contrary to this ‘ideal’ God rebukes Judah for not acting justly, for showing no mercy, and for walking after the dictates and evil desires of their own hearts.

Micah then, as if falling under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, cries out: “Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.” Micah was in a turbulent situation, the threat of the Assyrian’s was loud in the nations ears, but the rising empire of Babylon was making Israel’s place as a sovereign nation tentative indeed. God had forewarned of judgment, so what now? Micah responds and says, because of this, I will look unto the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and I will wait for Him. Humanly speaking it is the most preposterous thing, everything around says ‘act now!’ ‘do something!’, but God says, ‘Wait, trust Me’.

This is the ‘secret’ to walking in the way! Firstly, to look not to ourselves and our own abilities, but to God. But then being prepared to wait for Him, wait for His leading, His timing, His provision.

Allow me to share the following to illustrate how offensive it is to God when we try to do things our way:

Here’s this fine Christian family, a father, mother and three wonderful children. One day, the father sees this old tramp sitting on a bench in the park, shivering, dirty, ragged, underfed, unshaved. He takes pity on him. So he brings him home, they find a room and a bed for him, they get him cleaned up, they buy him some new clothes and they say, “You can be a member of the family. You can join in with us.” And he begins to get well fed, respectable. But, after a while, he begins to take over the family. He begins to tell the wife how she ought to cook, to discipline the children, and, in general, to act as if he were the head of the house.

You see the parable? We were the tramp sitting on a bench in the park. Jesus took us into His family, cleaned us up, fed us, cared for us. And, after a little while, we get so arrogant, we say, “Jesus, I think you should do things a different way. If you want to know what I think, this is how you ought to bring up your children.” How many Christians are busy telling the Lord how to look after His children? You need to bear one thing in mind. When you criticize God’s children you make Him angry.

I want to come particularly to the area of taking the initiative. God is only committed to complete what He begins. If God hasn’t begun it, He’s under no obligation to complete it. We will read Revelation 21:5-6:

“Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.'”

And I think that must have been such an astonishing statement that John the revelator paused. And so He said:”‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.'”

It is like he said: “You can trust me, it’s really going to be that way.”

“And He said to me, ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.'”

Those are two titles that God reserves for Himself. Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End. But what I want to say is this. If He’s not the Alpha, don’t expect Him to be the Omega. If He isn’t the Beginning, don’t expect Him to be the End. God is not committed to complete anything that He hasn’t begun. If we take the initiative out of God’s hands and make our own decisions and our own plans, the end will be frustration because God will not endorse what He has not begun. – Article by Derek Prince

Psalm 44:6 says: “For I will not trust in my bow, Nor shall my sword save me”. It’s the same thing in a different way. It’s the old adage ‘let go and let God’.

Through Micah, God promises to vindicate His people for their trust in Him (“for they shall not be ashamed that wait for Me“ – Isaiah 9:23). He promises Israel that, in the end, they will be triumphant over their enemies (“But You have saved us from our enemies, And have put to shame those who hated us”. Psalm 44:7) , and they will once again be fruitful in the Land God has given to them.

In closing this book Micah says something astounding – for an Old Testament prophet; “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.” (Micah 7:18).

But how can God be just and merciful at the same time? By sending His only begotten Son to atone for the sins of the ‘whosoever’. God’s mercy falls on us because His justice fell on His Son.

May this study in Micah be an encouragement and a call to walk humbly with your God!

The post Micah Ch 6-7 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Micah Ch3-5

Barry Forder — Sun, 06 Feb 2022 10:30:13 +0000

This teaching on Micah ch3-5 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 7th February 2022.

Micah chapters 3 to 5 form the second section in this short book. In chapter 3 Micah expresses God’s displeasure at Israel’s leaders:

The judges and princes of the nation, who should have acted with justice and integrity, but instead continued to oppress their countrymen and turned their ears away from their cries. In response God says He will turn His ear away from their cries when judgment comes (see Psalm 66:18).
The prophets should have spoken only the words of the Lord, yet that was not popular. The people wanted a ‘feel-good’ message (itching ears – see 2 Tim 4:3). So, the prophets proclaimed a message of peace, in effect condoning the people’s idolatry and implying that God would not bring judgment upon them. In response, God says that these self-appointed prophets will lose even the little spiritual light they thought themselves to have; instead, darkness would come upon them and they would be exposed and ashamed.
God detests ‘dishonest scales’ (Leviticus 19:36 / Proverbs 11:1). Yet the leaders of the nation were gladly accepting bribes and could easily be bought for the right price – “The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money”. Yet they had the audacity to sit back comfortably and say “Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us”. Their boast was in the false notion that God would never bring judgment on Jerusalem. They seemed to think that could act as they wanted and have some sort of ‘diplomatic immunity’! Yet God is not mocked! Jeremiah would later say: “⁴Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, are these… ⁸Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. ⁹Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; ¹⁰And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? ¹¹Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the Lord.” (Jeremiah 7:4, 8-11)

In chapter 4-5 we have some of the most incredible prophetic verses in the Bible!

Micah, in the midst of speaking of the judgment that will come upon Judah at the hand of the Babylonians, reminds the nation that God is a God who delights in keeping His promises. The covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob concerning the Land; the covenant He made with David concerning an everlasting throne, all these will come to pass.

Micah prophesies that 1) a temple will one day be built in Jerusalem 2) from which the Messiah will rule and reign the whole world, and 3) that there will be cataclysmic changes in the world’s geography such that the world’s mountains will be brought down but Jerusalem will literally be elevated to the highest point on earth (Psalm 48:2). The earth will return to being one land mass with Jerusalem at the centre, and 4) all the people’s of the world will go up to Jerusalem to 5) learn from the Messiah as He teaches.

6) The nations of this world will be judged (see the ‘sheep and goats’ judgment in Matthew 25), 7) war will end and the Prince of Peace will rule. 8) The Jews will finally live in peace and prosperity in their own land. 8) The whole world will know of the God of Israel and 9) Israel will once again worship YHVH their LORD and God. 10) Israel, who had been made to limp as a result of God’s wrath (see the remarkable prophetic parallel in Genesis 32:24) 11) will be gathered back to their land where 12) the Messiah will rule over them from Mt Zion.

As if all that was not astonishing enough, Micah then goes on to allude to something that has been a point of confusion for the Jews to this day. 13) Micah speaks of ‘the first dominion’, that is to imply a second would follow. For the Jews passages like Isaiah 53 are a conundrum. How could the Messiah come as ‘suffering servant’, ‘a man of sorrows’ to be ‘rejected of men’, for Him to go ‘as a sheep before her shearers is dumb’, to be ‘cut off out of the land of the living’? Yet, countless passages also speak of the Messiah being victorious over His enemies. Are there to be two Messiah’s?

No! Not two Messiah’s, but two comings’. The first dominion, then the second dominion!

Micah tells us that the ‘first dominion’ would not be with pomp and ceremony, but to a shepherds tower on the outskirts of Bethlehem. Migdal Edar was a tower that existed from the time of Jacob (Gen 35:21), but had become the place where the Levitical shepherds raised sheep for one purpose only – to be offered as atonement for sin 8 miles away in Jerusalem. These sheep had to be without spot and blemish, so they were wrapped in ‘swaddling bands’ – strips of cloth made from old priestly garments – so as to prevent the baby lambs thrashing about and injuring themselves. These new-born lambs would then be laid in a hewn depression of a limestone rock known as “the manger” inside the base of the tower.

Prominent Jewish writers concluded in the Midrash (an early Jewish commentary on the O.T.) that of all the places in Israel, it would be at Migdal Eder, (meaning “The tower of the flock”) in Bethlehem, where the arrival of the Messiah would be declared first.

It was to these Levitical shepherds in the fields around Bethlehem that angels appeared to announce the birth of the Messiah – the coming of the first dominion. The shepherds did not need to give specific instructions in order that the shepherds could find this new-born baby, they simply gave a sign that the shepherds would have immediately understood. The babe would be 1) wrapped in swaddling bands and 2) laying in THE manger! This could only mean that something extraordinary had taken place at their tower – just as Micah had prophesied 600 years before!

No doubt these shepherds would have been aware of this prophecy, and the Jewish belief that it would be to their tower the Messiah would come. Their fear soon gave way to rejoicing as they find a spotless Lamb – Jesus – lying in their tower! Yet lambs born here were destined to be offered as sacrifices in Jerusalem – no wonder Mary pondered these things in her heart!

14) So that we are in no doubt of these things, Micah expressly states that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem.

Micah then reminds Israel, that before this happens, the nation would be taken captive to Babylon, but that God would preserve them and bring them back to their land for this Child to be born. Micah then skips 2000 years of history – omitting the church age throughout which time Israel’s eyes have been blinded (see Luke 19:42 / Romans 11:25) – and jumps to 15) the regathering of Israel back to their Land and 16) the ‘second dominion’ giving us details of the Second Coming of Jesus; including 17) the Messiah’s victory over ‘The Assyrian’ aka Antichrist. 18) Israel will become a blessing to the whole earth and 19) will finally be the ‘head and not the tail’, subduing their enemies. 20) Idolatry will be no more, and 21) God will put an end to man’s boast in the work of his own hands.

Come LORD Jesus!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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Micah Ch 1-2

Barry Forder — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 10:30:25 +0000

This opening study in our verse-by-verse review of the book of Micah was given by pastor Barry Forder on the 30th January 2022 at Calvary Portsmouth.

We don’t know much about this prophet, who lived in a town called Moresheth Gath, around 20 miles southwest of Jerusalem near to the border to the Philistines, yet Micah (meaning ‘Who is like Jehovah’) spoke, initially to both the Northern kingdom and Israel and then to the Southern kingdom of Judah, for around 60 years. He was nothing if not persistent!; and his persistence paid off, for in Jeremiah 26:26-19:

¹⁶ Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man is not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.

¹⁷Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people, saying,

¹⁸Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

¹⁹ Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the Lord, and besought the Lord, and the Lord repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.

So as a result of Micah’s persistent preaching, Judah, under Hezekiah, repented! This makes Micah fairly unusual among the prophets as most of the prophets were ignored or silenced.

Jesus spoke in Luke 11:5-10 of the need for persistence. Be persistent in prayer; be persistent in preaching God’s word to those around you; be persistent in walking in the Way!

Micah lived and worked under the kings Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah around 750 – 687 BC. and was a contemporary (and most likely a friend) of Isaiah. There are a number of similarities between Micah and Isaiah and at timers they seem to borrow from each other.

After prophesying about it, Micah lived to see the Assyrians attack the northern kingdom in 722 BC. Micah uses this as an object lesson to try teach Judah that they were not immune to God’s wrath if they continued in their disobedience. Judah was troubled with idolatry and oppression of the people by the leadership. Micah speaks to the nation about all these things.

The book of Micah consists of three serious prophetical speeches each beginning with “hear”.

The first part (Micah 1; Micah 2) starts with the call “Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is!” Then follows the announcement of God’s judgment over Samaria capital of the northern kingdom and over Jerusalem capital of Judah. The judgment is for their transgressions and injustices as well as their idolatry as they had rejected the serious warnings of God. This is why the whole land was desolated and no longer a place of rest for the people of God. The inhabitants would be chased out of the land but will be gathered again in a day to come.
The second message (Micah 3; Micah 4; Micah 5) starts with the words “Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel”. The leaders and prophets of the people are very much blamed. Then follows a description of the future glory of Israel in the reign of peace. In this section Bethlehem is announced as the birthplace of Messiah (chap. 5:2) who will be the strong helper of the people during the time of the end when Assyria will attack Israel.
At the beginning of the third message (Micah 6; Micah 7) we read “Hear ye now what the Lord saith.” Then follows a remembrance to the love of God for His people and a remembrance to His rightful claims. The mention of God’s righteous judgment, the lamentation and the hopeful prospect of the prophet build the end of this short book. The last three verses belong to the most beautiful ones of Scripture.

Micah thus announces alternately judgment (chap. 1 – 3; 6:1 – 7:6) and grace (chap. 4 – 5; 7:7-20) for Israel.

One simple lesson is clear from the book of Micah: God is not mocked! He means what He says and says what He means.

In the midst of the talk of judgment there is an incredible prophecy at the end of Chapter 2 that looks forward to the days in which we live, when the nation of Israel would no more be split into two, but ‘all Israel’ would be assembled in Bozrah (Petra in modern day Jordan), and then be brought triumphantly back into the gates of Jerusalem by their Messiah – the One who breaks the chains and sets the captives free!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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Jonah Ch 3-4

Barry Forder — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 10:30:58 +0000

This concluding part of our study in the book of Jonah was given at Calvary Portsmouth by pastor Barry Forder on 23rd January 2022.

Trusting God. It’s probably one of the hardest things in the believers walk. Sure, on a sunny day when all is going well, when you are in good health, with no worries, it’s easy to ‘trust’ God then; but in the dark times, when we go through the valleys, when we are grieving, suffering loss of something of someone, when we can’t see a way out of our current predicament, that’s when the walk of faith is really put to the test. That’s when our hearts are called upon to see if we really believe that ‘all things work together for good…’ (Romans 8:28).

That is the story of Jonah.

Jonah was not a coward who didn’t want to go and preach, he was a patriot, a man who loved the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and loved the nation of Israel – his nation, and desperately wanted to avoid letting Israel’s enemies ‘off the hook’. He may of well prayed daily for deliverance from those who threatened to destroy God’s people. So, courageously, he stood up to defend his people, which meant running from the call to preach a message of hope and repentance to Assyria.

The problem was, he did not understand God’s plan. What Jonah thought would only end in disaster for his nation, was part of a much bigger picture, of which he could only see a part.

That is one of the greatest lessons that can be gleaned from this short book. Do you trust God no matter what? No matter how is seems to you right now?

After preaching to Nineveh and seeing one of the greatest revivals in history, Jonah is somewhat disgruntled that God did indeed spare Israel’s enemies. But God uses an object lesson with a plant that grows to provide much needed shade for Jonah as he sat in the baking Middle-Eastern sun. When the plant died the following morning, Jonah is once again disgruntled, in fact, he is downright angry! God then lets Jonah see that the plant is a picture of himself. His message of ‘relief’ for Assyria (and their subsequent repentance) was short-lived. The prophet Nahum would go on to prophesy of Assyria’s destruction, yet not until God had given a call to repentance for ‘whoever had ears to hear.’

Through Jonah, the message of Salvation went to the Gentiles, and a harvest was gleaned. In the book of Romans the Apostle Paul tells us that God has let the message of salvation go to the gentiles, in part to provoke Israel to jealousy. If the idolatrous gentiles repented and had been spared, the same could have been true if Jonah’s own nation had repented rather than continue on in idolatry. Instead, because of their disobedience, Israel would be led into captivity at the hands of the Assyrians. If Jonah could have seen the end of the story he would have known that all of God’s enemies will one-day be destroyed and Israel will be established in their Land, with their Messiah and King ruling over them. But God was also doing something even greater; through Christ He was bringing together both repentant Jews and repentant gentiles as one people, forever to walk with Him!

Never fear if it seems God is leading you along a path that doesn’t seem to make sense to you right now. His ways are above our ways, His thoughts are above our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). All His ways are just and right (Deuteronomy 32:4), God is good and does good (Psalm 119:68), and all his judgments are good (Psalm 119:39). It might not feel like it right now in what you are going through, it may feel the exact opposite, but this is the walk of faith. Not when the way is clear, but when we can’t see how we can continue.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths”. (Proverbs :5-6)

“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15).

Jonah came to see this for himself. How do we know? Because we have his account; the very fact that we have Jonah chapter 4 in the Bible is testimony to the fact that Jonah acknowledged his own weakness and God’s strength.

May you be encouraged by Jonah’s zeal for God, for His people, for wanting to do the right thing, but may you come to the place of trusting God, regardless of the consequences.

“The idea is not that we do work for God, but that we are so loyal to Him that He can do His work through us – ‘I reckon on you for extreme service, with no complaining on your part and no explanation on mine’. God wants to use us as He used His own Son.” – Oswald Chambers

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Jonah Ch 1-2

Barry Forder — Sun, 16 Jan 2022 10:30:20 +0000

This verse-by-verse study of Jonah (chapters 1-2) was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth on 16th January 2022.

We are all familiar with account of Jonah; this man who tries to run away from God and gets swallowed by a big fish! The story itself grabs our intention, but so often the focus is on the fish and we miss some of the profound truths found in this book.

In around 850 B.C. Assyria were rising to be the next big world empire, crushing everything in their way. Israel, on the other hand were in decline. 150 years before this time, Israel had been a great nation, feared and respected by their neighbours; even the Queen of Sheba (modern day Saudi Arabia) had made the journey to see king Solomon to see if the stories she had heard about his wealth and power were true. She was not disappointed with what she found! (1 Kings 10). But now it was very different.

Jonah was born to a man named Amitti, in a town called Gath-Hepher, situated between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean, in northern Israel. The kingdom was now divided and Jeroboam II was now ruling the Northern kingdom of Israel, acutely aware of the threat Assyria posed to his fragile kingdom.

Jonah was brought up to love and fear the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and his name, which means ‘Dove’, hints at the life God had foreordained for this man as a messenger of peace.

But this prophet’s life was turned upside down one day when he heard God’s voice, just as the likes of Samuel had done in times past. But the message he received from the LORD was not to go and lead his nation to victory over their enemies, quite the reverse, it was to go to Israel’s enemies and proclaim that God wanted them to repent so they could be spared!

It is hard to imagine the turmoil in Jonah’s heart! There was the thrill of hearing directly from God, and the horror at proclaiming a message of peace to the very enemies he feared would crush his – God’s – people.

Maybe God had got it wrong? Maybe Jonah had misheard? Once thing was for certain, his love for his people Israel was strong enough to drive him in the opposite direction in the hope that God’s wrath, rather than His forgiveness, would fall on Assyria.

Down at the sea port of Joppa (modern day Jaffa), he managed to get on board a boat heading for Tarshish. That was about as far away from Israel, and Assyria, as Jonah could think of.

Jonah knew in his heart he couldn’t hide from God, but nevertheless he went down into the bottom the ship and found a quiet place to rest.

That is so often what we seek; a place, away from it all, where we can turn off the constant demands of life, where we can hide from responsibility and expectation. But scripture is clear, our peace and safety is to be found, can only be found, in God. Even amidst all the noise of life, we can find peace in God. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3). “He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still” (Psalm 107:29). The irony of the situation was that, in trying to run away from the perceived storm, Jonah ran into an actual one! It is the same with us. So often we try to second guess God, thinking that maybe He doesn’t understand our circumstances or situation. We go along the path that seems to make sense to us, only to find it leads into depths we could never have imagined. In contrast, the life of faith that goes out ‘not knowing whither’ (Hebrews 11:8), though it might seem to the natural mind foolishness, is actually the epitome of wisdom from God’s standpoint.

Ask yourself, who knows best? You or God? Jesus sent His disciples out into a storm on the Sea of Galilee, yet it was in the storm they saw Jesus (Mark 6:45-51). Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael ended up in a fiery furnace – can you imagine a situation more full of anxiety than that? Yet, in was in the worst place imaginable that they knew, like never before, the presence of God Himself, and a peace greater than they had ever experienced.

Yet, one lesson we do learn clearly from the book of Jonah, is that God is gracious and chooses to work ‘all things together for good’ (Romans 8:28) – often working as much through our failures as through our obedience. But how much easier would it be if we obeyed from the start?!

Because of God’s grace, in Jonah’s case, the ship’s crew were introduced to the One true God and, by Jonah being thrown overboard, it set up the perfect model of the death and resurrection of the Messiah who was ‘three days and three nights in the heart of the earth’ (Matthew 12:40). From the language and context, a number of commentators believe that Jonah actually died (so the questions about whether or not someone could survive being swallowed by a big fish are largely irrelevant!). Jesus Himself specifically points to this prophetic model when the Pharisees ask for a sign (see also Matthew 16:4). Jesus came to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 15:24), yet the gospel ends up going to the gentiles – the very gentiles who would one day turn upon His people.

Through they repented at the preaching of Jonah, Assyria would eventually be judged (the prophet Nahum foretells this), just as this gentile world will one day be judged. But God is longsuffering, not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9). God’s call to repentance has gone out to the world, to this country, to our families. God always warns before bringing His judgment, so that the ‘whosoever’ might be saved.

As chapter two ends, we are reminded that ‘Salvation is of the LORD‘. ‘He who has ears, let him hear!’

“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Jonah Ch 1-2 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Obadiah

Barry Forder — Sun, 09 Jan 2022 10:30:09 +0000

This verse by verse study of the book of Obadiah was given by pastor Barry Forder on 9th January 2022 at Calvary Portsmouth.

It is the shortest book of the Old Testament, with just 21 verses, by an obscure prophet, but it is a heavyweight challenger to all who would presume to live a life of pride in defiance of God.

God hates pride.

Pride was the sin that led the Devil to give up his position of ‘angelic worship leader in heaven’ in his vain attempt to usurp Adam and claim the title of this world for himself. (See Ezekiel 28:11-19 / Isaiah 14: 12-17 / 1 Tim 3:6).

Solomon stated that “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18); and James tells us that “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6).

Pride is defiance against God; it is acting with disregard or even distain for the things of God and instead enthroning self as ‘lord of all’.

This is the story of Esau, and his descendants, the Edomites.

Esau was the elder twin brother of Jacob. They were the sons of Isaac and Rebecca. Esau cared little for the God of his fathers and casually sold his birthright to his brother for some food when he was hungry one day. He also ignored God’s admonition to not marry any of the inhabitants of the land, knowing that this would lead to idolatry. Instead, Esau took two Canaanite wives which were ‘a grief of mind’ to Isaac and Rebecca.

In Esau and Jacob we see a type of us all, with the battle that exists between the flesh life and the spirit. Esau being given over to the things of this world; in contrast, Jacob being mindful of the things of God. In the book of Galatians the Apostle Paul tells us that “These two forces within us are constantly fighting each other to win control over us, and our wishes are never free from their pressures” (Galatians 5:17 TLB). Hence Paul’s admonition: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).

The book of Obadiah foretells the future cruelty, oppression and subsequent judgement and utter destruction of Esau’s descendants, for they way they shamefully treated Israel.

In contrast, Obadiah tells of the time Israel will return again to her God-given land, and that they will one day posses that land of Edom too.

The proud judged, the humble exalted.

The ramifications of this little book in today’s world are huge! Jordan currently occupies the former territory of Edom, yet Revelation 12 tells of a time, soon to come, when Israel will be forced to flee from her land (again) and take refuge in Edom – most probably in Petra (Greek, meaning ‘rock’), also known as Bozrah (meaning sheepfold or fortress).

For a more detailed study on what’s coming, see the article below by Dr Daniel Woodhead:

http://doctorwoodhead.com/bozrah-or-petra-the-refuge-in-jordan/

May the message of Obadiah remind you that the LORD is coming to judge the earth! – not good news for the proud, but it is the hope of the humble!

The post Obadiah first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Walking in the Way – a challenge for the New Year

Barry Forder — Sun, 02 Jan 2022 10:30:37 +0000

This study was recorded on 2nd January 2022, as a challenge for the New Year.

Back in 2016 we undertook a verse-by-verse study of Psalm 119, the studies of which are all available online. These studies have led to a book by pastor Barry, due to be released in early 2022 that explores this incredible psalm in greater depth and makes some interesting discoveries, demonstrating God’s sovereignty and supernatural design of both this psalm in particular, and God’s Word in general.

As we start a new year, we face many challenges in an uncertain world. But there is one constant: our never-changing God and His Word. To get to know God better and to greater understand His Word should the be goal of every believer. Paul admonishes us to ‘Walk in the Spirit’ and not to ‘gratify the desires of the sinful nature’ (Gal 5:16). But how? How are we to do this when we are continually wrestling against the world, the flesh and the devil?

Psalm 119 is an answer to that question. It is a ‘beginner’s guide’, drawn from the psalmist’s own life and experience. It’s a practical manual for walking in the way; a companion for the journey-through-life that encourages us on to perfection (see Hebrews 6:1-3).

Charles Spurgeon called it “an utterance of spiritual life”. This Psalm encapsulates the walk of faith by a believer. It begins by stating the objective & goal of a follower of Christ; namely, to be conformed to His likeness; but then goes on to travel with us through life’s journey, through the ups and downs, the moments of rejoicing and the times of failure and doubt. This Psalm comes from a heart that wants to see you be victorious, to truly walk by faith and not by sight. My earnest desire for you is that you would fall in love with God’s Word, and my prayer is that, as we study this Psalm together, you will see that you’re not on your own.

Throughout history many have memorised this whole Psalm and have been profoundly blessed in so doing.

John Ruskin (a 19th century British writer), William Wilberforce (19th century British politician who led the movement to abolish the slave trade in the British Empire), Henry Martyn (19th century pioneer missionary to India), and David Livingstone (19th century pioneer missionary to Africa) to name a few.

George Wishart, the Bishop of Edinburgh in the 17th century, was condemned to death and would have been executed. But when he was on the scaffold, he made use of a custom that allowed the condemned person to choose one psalm to be sung, and he chose Psalm 119. Before two-thirds of the psalm was sung, his pardon arrived, and his life was spared! ( – good job he didn’t choose Psalm 134!)

As a practical challenge, I encourage you to take just one verse of this Psalm each day (start today at the beginning of a new year!), and meditate on it throughout the day. Start at breakfast, then remind yourself mid-morning of the verse. Then again at lunchtime, then in the afternoon, then as you sit to eat your evening meal, then in the evening, and finally when you go to bed (“seven times a day do I praise Thee” Psalm 119:164). The next day move onto the next verse.

Most of us have got Bible apps on our phones, so we can keep the text with us wherever we go. Or you might prefer to write the verse for each day by hand on a card or post-it note. You might also find it helpful to get a notebook and jot down the things the LORD reveals to you each day. You will be amazed at what the Holy Spirit will show you, about your life, your walk, His goodness, His grace and patience, and the reality that He is able to make us stand! (Romans 14:4).

If you do this and meditate on His Word each day, even just one verse, you will soon be surprised how the things of this world will grow strangely dim and lose their appeal, in the light of His glory and grace!

May God richly bless you this year as you walk in the Way!

Pastor Barry.

The post Walking in the Way – a challenge for the New Year first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Hidden Treasures of Christmas – Part 2

Barry Forder — Sun, 12 Dec 2021 10:30:14 +0000

This concluding part of our mini-series on the Hidden Treasures of Christmas was recoded on the 12th December 2021.

We have seen the reason Bethlehem was chosen (500 yrs beforehand) was because it was the town of sacrificial lambs – born in Bethlehem, offered in Jerusalem.

The reason the shepherds were chosen was because their job was to inspect the lambs destined for sacrifice – the lambs had to be ‘without spot or blemish’.

But how could God ensure Jesus was born in Bethlehem?
By engineering the circumstances, by means of the Roman census, to have Mary and Joseph travel to their family town.

But God had not only stated the town in which the Messiah was to be born, He had also stated, also through the prophet Micah, the exact location… “And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.” (Micah 4:8). The ‘tower of the flock’ was none other than ‘Migdal Edar’, a lambing / lookout tower right on the outskirts of Bethlehem. It is where Bethlehem’s shepherds would bring their sheep to give birth to the lambs intended for sacrifice in Jerusalem. These shepherds would wrap their newborn lamb’s in ‘swaddling bands’, made from the old robes of the priests , to prevent them from being injured in any way. They would them be laid in ‘the manger’ a hewn out rock inside the base of the tower.

But how could God ensure Mary and Joseph would end up at this place, and not simply seek shelter with their family who lived in Bethlehem?

As we saw last week, the idea of an innkeeper, presiding over an inn, who was benevolent enough to offer his stable, is purely fiction birthed from tradition, with no basis in scripture! – and what possible reason would Mary and Joseph have for not wanting to stay with family – the family with whom they were being numbered as a result of the census?

How was God going to ‘get around’ this problem and get Mary and Joseph to Migdal Edar?

Quite simply, by making them ‘not welcome’, even with their own family, so that ‘no place was found for them’!

As we noted in the last session, the birth of Christ almost certainly occurred on the 1st Tishri 2 B.C. – in that year, this was the Feast of Trumpets, one of the seven main feasts in Israel’s calendar. Even in the height of Israel’s apostacy they still celebrated their feasts! (Hosea 2:11 / Amos 2:8). However, if you were defiled, you were not permitted to celebrate (see the example in Numbers 9:6-13).

Now, as detailed in Leviticus 12, any woman giving birth would be defiled, as would be any house she was in or anything she touched (Leviticus 15:19-33). Coupled with the fact that Mary was pregnant, but not yet married, would be enough for even her relatives to say ‘there is no place here for you’! Having literally just passed this warm, dry, secure lambing tower on their way into town, it should come as no surprise that Joseph knew exactly where to take his heavily pregnant fiancée.

After childbirth it would be 40 days (for a male child) before the woman would be ‘clean’ again, and only then after she had made an offering in Jerusalem as prescribed by the Law. Luke tells us that is exactly what they did. Jesus was circumcised on the 8th day, and then after the 40th day Mary, Joseph and Jesus went to the Temple in Jerusalem, where they met Simeon and Anna, and offered the sacrifice as required by the Law.

What happened next seems to be the best kept secret in all Christendom! As staggering as it may seem, THEY WENT HOME!

Not to Bethlehem, because they didn’t live there, but to Nazareth, where Jesus “grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him”. (Luke 2:40).

Now, you may be wondering what happened to the 3 kings who followed the star to the stable in Bethlehem… Well, once again tradition has led us all blindly in the wrong direction (literally!).

They were not kings; there were not three of them; they did not ride on camels, they did not follow the star to Bethlehem, so therefore could not have visited the stable – which, as we have already noted, did not exist either!

You see, because Mary and Joseph went to the Temple 40 days after Jesus was born, then returned home to Nazareth, there was no time for the Magi – to give them their proper appellation – to visit them in Bethlehem! In fact, from Matthew’s account, we find that the Magi didn’t visit Jesus until around 2 years after His birth, and they needed the star they had previously seen in the east to guide them to the HOUSE where the, by now, YOUNG CHILD was.

The Magi were originally a highly respected Median priestly order. They were known for their apparent ability to interpret dreams and foresee the future. Hence, most ancient middle-eastern kings would have their team of Magi as advisors. We find from the book of Daniel that Daniel himself was actually put in charge of this elite priestly group, and evidently Daniel revealed to them the prophecies regarding the coming Jewish Messiah. Given that their lives had been spared through Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2:24) it comes as no surprise they were willing to listen to Daniel, and even follow his God.

At the time of Jesus’ birth the Roman Empire was in the ascendancy, but the neighboring Parthian Empire was a bitter rival. The Magi came from the Parthian Empire!

To complicate matters, Herod the Great, an Edomite who had been granted the rule over Israel by Rome, was sandwiched between these two great rivals.

Now, imagine the tension as a large number of Magi, with their entre entourage (estimated at anything up to 1000), arrive at Jerusalem, ride up to the palace of Herod on their fine Persian horses and demand “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” (Matthew 2:2). We may miss the significance of their statement, but in effect they were saying to Herod, ‘where is the rightful king of Israel?’! Herod immediately knew he had a rival! The year would have been 1 A.D. – this is the first time Imperial Rome would have been alerted to the existence of this Jewish King – Jesus Christ. Is it just a coincidence that the system of dating starts from this time, the time that Rome first encounter Jesus?

In a mad panic, Herod consults his aids and finds that it had been prophesied in the Jewish writings (the book of Micah) that, one day, a deliverer would be born, of the royal line of David, and this ‘ruler in Israel’ would establish His throne and kingdom, putting down all Israel’s enemies! Upon finding out that Bethlehem was prophesied as the birth-town of the Messiah, he askes the Magi to go and find Jesus, and then let him know where he was! Herod also found out when they first saw the star – because he needed to know how old, by now, this pretender to his throne would be!

But, miraculously, when the Magi leave Herod, WOAH! (or as Matthew put’s it ‘Lo!’) – they see the star again that they HAD SEEN before leaving home, some 1000+ miles away in Babylon!

However, the star did not lead them to Bethlehem – there would have been no point! Mary and Joseph, and the King they were seeking were up north in Nazareth! That is why the star was needed again, to lead them to where the YOUNG CHILD was now residing!

Being warned by God of Herod’s intentions, the Magi return home ‘another away’ – thus keeping Herod in the dark, much to his fury!

What is the real significance of all of this?

Jesus is spoken of as both the suffering servant and the king of kings. To some this is a dichotomy; it has led some to postulate that there must be two Messiah’s foretold in scripture.

But there are not two Messiah’s, but two comings!

Firstly, as the suffering servant, the spotless Lamb of God to take away the sins of the World – announced to Bethlehem’s shepherds to confirm He was without spot and blemish, able to be offered as a sacrifice for sins in Jerusalem.

Later He comes as the rightful King of the Jews, ratified as such by the Magi, these Mede-Persian king-makers. His Second Coming will be to establish the Throne of David and rule the whole world from Jerusalem!

This is the real wonder of Christmas, and it is a reason to celebrate!

May you have a blessed Christmastime, growing in knowledge and grace!

The post The Hidden Treasures of Christmas – Part 2 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Hidden Treasures of Christmas – Part 1

Barry Forder — Sun, 05 Dec 2021 10:30:12 +0000

This study is the first of our 2-part series looking at ‘The Hidden Treasures of Christmas’!

– given on 5th December 2021 by pastor Barry Forder.

Jesus said that tradition undermines God’s Word (Matt 15:6). In fact, because of tradition people miss out on many incredible truths and blessings in God’s Word. Tradition blinds people and builds up walls against the truth, so much so, that people will vehemently defend their tradition over the truth! This is never truer than in regard to the Christmas narrative!

At the outset, we have to be prepared to let go of the tradition we have all been brought up with, particular with the ‘Christmas story’ and get back to God’s Word, not man’s!

Now, it’s true that the Bible does not specifically give us the exact date of the Birth of Christ, and there are certain details omitted from the text. However, the Bible actually gives us far more than most realise regarding the 1st Christmas. Proverbs 25:2 tells us “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter”, and when we search, we discover some incredible treasure that has been hidden by tradition for centuries!

To begin our quest for this treasure we need to realise that the story of Christmas doesn’t begin 2000 years ago in a manger in Bethlehem. The origin of Christmas can be traced back to before the foundation of the world! For 4000 years God had been preparing for the 1st Christmas. It wasn’t an afterthought! It was the centerpiece of His Divine plan.

‘But’, you may say, ‘wasn’t the Cross the centerpiece of all history’?… and the answer is an emphatic YES! and this is tradition’s first disservice: It has managed to dissociate Christmas from Calvary! Yet, the two are inseparable. The reason Jesus came at Christmas was to go to Calvary, without Calvary there would be no Christmas!

Traditional has managed to sell us the wrong timing for Christmas – it wasn’t on the 25th December. Tradition has managed to sell us the wrong setting. As we will discover, there was no Inn and no Inn Keeper! Nor was there a cattle shed with oxen lowing! Furthermore, there were not three kings and they didn’t go to Bethlehem! Tradition has obscured the reason Bethlehem was chosen, the reason the angels visited Shepherds and they were the first to visit the Messiah; the reason that subsequently 2 years later, Persian ‘king-makers’ arrived in Jerusalem looking for the rightful King of the Jews! Tradition has led to many wrong assumptions, and staggeringly, these errors have even managed to creep into modern Bibles!

All this might make you gasp! How have we all been duped into believing things that are found nowhere in the Bible!?

Now that has probably just ruined all your favorite Christmas carols, (sorry about that!), but when the air clears from the smoke screen tradition has laid, you will be amazed at the brilliance and wonder of God’s Word and His divine plan!

May you be amazed and blessed by this study!

The post The Hidden Treasures of Christmas – Part 1 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Amos Ch 8-9

Barry Forder — Sun, 28 Nov 2021 10:30:04 +0000

This final study in our verse-by-verse journey through the Book of Amos was given by pastor Barry Forder on 8th November 2021.

“The spiritual saint never believes circumstances to be haphazard, or thinks of his life as secular and sacred; he sees everything he is dumped down in as the means of securing the knowledge of Jesus Christ. There is a reckless abandonment about him. The Holy Spirit is determined that we shall realize Jesus Christ in every domain of life, and He will bring us back to the same point again and again until we do… We can all see God in exceptional things, but it requires the culture of spiritual discipline to see God in every detail. Never allow that the haphazard is anything less than God’s appointed order, and be ready to discover the Divine designs any where.” – Oswald Chambers

Amos saw that the events of his life, as crazy as they might have seemed to those on the outside, even to his own family, were ordained of God. Thus he responds to a call that many would choose to ignore and take God’s message to a people who did not want to hear, but very much needed to! Judgment was coming and Amos was God’s man of the hour to bring a message of warning, but also of hope.

Back in chapter 7 we saw Amos’ visions interrupted as he was confronted by Amaziah (the idolatrous priest of Bethel and servant to king Jeroboam).

Having brushed Amaziah aside ‘Jeremiah style’ (they have rejected the world of the LORD so what wisdom do they have! – Jer 8:9), Amos now returns to his visions, specifically the 4th (which build on the certainty of the coming judgment to the Northern kingdom of Israel) and the 5th which unveils the horror waiting those who reject God.

The key lesson here is that you will not be satisfied with anything other than God, and if you reject God, you cannot hide from Him, no matter how hard you try!

You will either face Him as LORD and Saviour, or as Judge.

Ultimately, Amos ends his book with the wonderful hope that, one day, Israel will return to Jehovah. He will build them up again (once the Gentiles have all be gathered in – see Acts 15) and they will live in His sight, with David their king ruling over them, and the Messiah ruling over the whole earth!

May you be blessed and encouraged to have a deeper walk with God!

The post Amos Ch 8-9 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Amos Ch 6-7

Barry Forder — Sun, 21 Nov 2021 10:30:13 +0000

This teaching on Amos chapter 6-7 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 21st November 2021.

Amos, a shepherd and tender of sycamore trees, was happily going about his business one day when the call of God came upon him. Now, at a moment like that you can either choose to run (Jonah style – that didn’t end well!), or you can try and ignore the call (that’s what many do – but then they lose out on an opportunity to serve God, and that moment will be lost forever), or they can choose, like Amos, to obey.

In chapter 6, Amos starts by warning Israel about their complacency. God had given Israel their land, and the two principle cities, Jerusalem and Samaria we’re both situated at high elevations which made them ideal to fortify and defend against attack. In their arrogancy, Israel thought they would never be defeated. However, Amos reminds Israel that great cities like Calneh (near Babylon), Hamath (in Syria) and Gaza (formerly a principle city of the Philistines), had all being defeated. Rhetorically, Amos asks if Israel were really any better than these gentile cities?

Before listing the consequence for their sin and the coming destruction God had decreed, Amos continues to lay out the charge against Israel, listing four ways they had replaced the true worship of Jehovah with idolatry immorality and open rebellion.

Chapter 7 opens with Amos receiving three visions, but it is his response that carries a great lesson for us today. Firstly God warns that He will send a locust plague that would devastate the Land. Rather than just shrug his shoulders and accept it, Amos pleads with God to show mercy, on the basis that Israel would not survive if God did as He had warned. In the New Testament, James tells us that the prayers of one righteous man avails much. On account of Amos’ prayer, God relents of the coming judgment. In his second vision, Amos sees the land being scorched through intense heat so as to dry up all the water and bring about an intense famine. Once again, Amos pleads with God to show mercy, and again He relents concerning this judgment.

The situation is similar to that of Moses in Exodus 32:

“And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people”. Exodus 32:9-14

Peter reminds us that “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

How much do we love our country? How much do we care about our unbelieving friends, neighbours, countrymen? Are we happy to let them carry on down the path to God’s divine wrath? Or are we, like Amos, willing to get on our knees and ‘stand in the gap’ (Ezekiel 22:30)? What would happen if every Christian in this land got on their knees and prayed for God’s mercy on this broken nation? What would happen if every Christian in this land prayed for revival? How many lives might be rescued from eternal wrath if we did?

The end of chapter 7 sees a ‘heated exchange’ between Amaziah (one of the ‘priests’ of Jeroboam at Bethel), and Amos. Amaziah basically tells Amos to ‘shut up and go home!… no one want’s to hear your message of doom’. Amos calmly reminds Amaziah that the message is from God, and it was God, not Amos, that wanted it delivered. Amos simply stepped out in faith – incredible faith it has to be said – and ‘gave up his day job’ to deliver God’s message. Amos had no idea how this was going to work out! He might have been imprisoned, or even killed for delivering his ‘treasonous’ message. But that is where faith comes in; trusting God when we don’t know where it will lead, trusting God when we can see no solution to our current predicament, but simply knowing that God is able to keep us under the waves as easily as He can keep us on top of them!

Whenever God brings His deliverances they are so supernatural that we are staggered with amazement. It is one of the most helpful spiritual exercises to reckon what God has done for us already. When God wanted to make His ancient people realize what manner of God He was, He said, “Remember the crossing of the Red Sea,” and in the New Testament Paul says, “Remember, it is the God who raise Jesus from the dead.” These two things are the unit of measurement of God’s power. If I want to know what God can do, He is the God who made a way through the sea; if it is a question of power for my life, the measurement of that is the resurrection of Jesus. – From ‘The Highest Good’ by Oswald Chambers

May you be blessed, challenged and encouraged by this study.

The post Amos Ch 6-7 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Amos Ch5

Barry Forder — Sun, 14 Nov 2021 10:30:04 +0000

This study of Amos chapter 5 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 14th November 2021 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Amos, was a shepherd. He lived at a time when the Northern Kingdom of Israel were given over to idolatry, immorality and injustice. Amos was called to go to the center of idol worship, Bethel, and before the people declare the God – the God of Israel – was now going to bring judgment upon them on account of their sin. Amos begins his message by prophesying against six neighboring gentile nations. You can image the nods of approval by those who sat at the gate of the city – the public meeting place and where the town council would gather. After all, Israel’s neighbors deserved God’s wrath! But then, Amos turns to his gathered audience and, like a hammer breaking glass, tells them they are next! God will no longer ignore their sin and the injustice they were showing to the poor of the land. Enough was enough! IT was time for them to give account before God (Ch4 vs 12).

Yet, in the midst of Amos’ thunderous message, we see the tender, Father-heart of God, pleading with His people to turn from their worldly ways and seek Him.

Chapter 5 begins with God’s lamentation; His sorrow that Israel, the nation that had known the leading, guiding and blessing of Jehovah, had strayed so far.

In Ezekiel 18:23 we read: “Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?”

God had warned them, since the time of wandering in the wilderness (see Leviticus 26), that if they obeyed God, God would ,multiply blessing to them. But if they chose to not listen to God, if they walked after the dictates of their own evil hearts, judgment would follow.

Five times in this chapter God pleads with Israel to “seek me and live!” (v4, v6,), “seek me” (v8), “seek good and not evil” (v14),”Hate evil and love the good” (v15).

Numerically, in the Bible, the number 5 always seem to speak of Grace. That is exactly what we see here. God’s grace, calling a rebellious people to turn back to Him that He might relent from the coming judgment .

God even gives a number of reasons why they should hearken to His voice. He is creator; He made the stars, He holds them together. He makes the day and the night. None of their idols could claim this! He has brought judgment on the ungodly in the past, particularly at the time of the flood, when he called the waters in the sea to be rained down on the earth.

Sadly, despite the message Amos brings, they did not turn back. They even tried to silence the voices that rebuked them for their injustice. This is so reminiscent of the world today! Good men are not allowed to speak. Evil men continue to propagate lies and falsehood’s, through the media and the pulpit!

God then tells them that He is not interested in their religious celebrations. ‘Doing church’ on Sunday does not cut it with God. He is looking for those who worship Him in Spirit AND truth. Sadly, the truth – the Word of God – has been dumbed down, silenced and replaced with motivational pep talks in so many churches. Is it any wonder the world has lost it’s moral compass when the people God had called to be His own have embraced the things God abhors? What was true for Israel is true for the church at large today. The time to repent is now; the time to earnestly pray for revival is now.

May you be blessed and challenged by this study.

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Amos Ch2 vs4 – Ch4

Barry Forder — Sun, 07 Nov 2021 10:30:35 +0000

This study of Amos Ch2 vs4, through to Ch4, was given on 7th November 2021 by Pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth.

How is the church in this country doing? Certainly, better than the world right?

The world is deserving of judgment, God’s divine wrath. But the church, well, we’re doing just fine… aren’t we? So why does Peter say that the coming season of Judgment will begin with the house of God!? (1 Peter 4:17).

That is exactly how Israel saw themselves in c.760 B.C. when Amos was called to bring to them a thunderous wake-up call.

In chapter 1 we saw how God, through Amos, uttered His judgment on six of the surrounding Gentile nations; but then, in chapter 2, the bombshell! “Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof” v4 and “Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof” v6. In God’s eyes, Judah and Israel were no better than their heathen gentile neighbours. Their transgressions were ‘full to overflowing’. The church today can scarcely be said to be any better than the world, embracing immorality and idolatry, all in the name of expediency. Tolerating what God calls abominations so as not to offend. We have become more concerned about our reputation in this world than God’s! In so doing, the light we are supposed to be, to a world that has lost its way, has often become little more than a flickering ember. Israel too, were to have been a light to the nations, to be a conduit through which God’s blessing would come to the world. Instead, they were ripe for judgment.

It has been said that our sin always looks worse on other people! We always try to play down and justify our own failings, but when we see the same in other people, we are quick to tut and roll our eyes in distain. Judah and Israel had done just this, but now it was time to be faced with their sin and prepare for God’s rebuke.

In Amos’ day, the surrounding nations had incurred God’s wrath because of their cruelty (Damascus), merciless profiteering (Gaza), betrayal (Tyre), hatred, (Edom), murder (Ammon), and contempt for others (Moab). However, Judah and Israel’s crime was much worse! Their crime had not been so much committed against their fellow men, but against God Himself! “because they have despised the law of the Lord, and have not kept his commandments” v4.

Jerome comments: ““Those other nations, Damascus and the rest, he upbraids not for having cast away the law of God, and despised His commandments, for they had not the written law, but that of nature only. So then of them he says, that “they corrupted all their compassions” – and the like. But Judah, who, at that time, had the worship of God and the temple and its rites, and had received the law and commandments and judgments and precepts and testimonies, is rebuked and convicted by the Lord, for that it had “cast aside His law and not kept His commandments;” wherefore it should be punished as it deserved.”

God expects a standard from His people that He does not demand from the world; “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more”. (Luke 12:48).

How had it come to this? God answers: “their lies caused them to err”.

“They would not have been deceived by their idols, unless they had first rejected the law of the Lord and not done His commandments.” They had sinned with a high hand: “despising” and so rejecting the law of God; and so He despised and rejected them, leaving them to be deceived by the lies which they themselves had chosen. So it ever is with man. Man must either “love God’s law and hate and abhor lies” Psalms 119:163, or he will despise God’s law and cleave to lies.” – Jerome

In the remainder of chapter 2, God reminds Israel of how He has cared for, provided for, and led them since the time of Egypt to the present day. Yet they still rejected Him and chose to walk their own path toward destruction.

In chapter 3, God gives them a number of idioms to drive home their predicament, such as the idea of a trap being sprung but not catching its pray.

Will then the jaws of such a trap suddenly spring up from the ground, on which before they were lying flat, and catch nothing? Shall they let the prey that was within them escape? Certainly not. So my trap is laid for these offenders; and when it springs up, (and they themselves will soon by their transgressions free the key,) shall not the whole family of Israel be inclosed in it? Most certainly they shall. – Adam Clarke

Chapter 4 ends with some of the most ominous words in scripture:

“Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel“. Amos 4:12

May you be blessed and challenged by this study!

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Amos Ch1 – Ch2 vs3

Barry Forder — Sun, 31 Oct 2021 10:30:46 +0000

This first teaching in this verse-by-verse study of the Book of Amos was given be Pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on 31st October.

On Sunday we began a new verse-by-verse study in the book of Amos.

The book of Amos is like an alarm clock going off, sharply bringing our attention to the time. It was that way when he spoke is message to Israel in around 765 B.C., and it will ring true for the days we are living in. God will not sit passively by and ignore sin. There comes a tipping point where enough is enough. God is not mocked, and His goodness demands Him to be just and bring judgment.

In chapter 1, Amos will begin pronouncing judgment on 6 of the nations that bordered Israel. These judgments would be fulfilled, probably, in Amos’ own lifetime – yet we see overtones of these judgments being ‘replayed’ today on the very same nations (or the people who now occupy the same territory).

In our introduction we noted the follow regarding this book:

• Key Verses:

5:24 – “But let justice roll down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.”
8:2 – “Then said Jehovah unto me, the end is come upon my people Israel; I will not again pass by them any more,”

• Key Word:

Punishment.

• Key Phrase

“Thus saith Jehovah.”

• Key Thought:

God’s justice demands punishment upon Israel for their injustice.

• Key Characters:

Amos, the shepherd, commissioned by God to be a prophet to Northern Israel.
Amaziah, the corrupt priest of the shrine of Bethel.

• The Author:

It is “the words of Amos” the herdsman of Tekoa (1:1).

• Amos’ Home

He was a native of Tekoa, a small mountain village 12 miles south of Jerusalem, 22 miles from Bethel
It was a lonely, sparsely populated district overlooking the wilderness of the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea, some 18 miles away.

• Amos’ Name

Amos means “burden-bearer.”
We must not confuse him with Amoz, the father of Isaiah.
The fact that his father’s name is not mentioned suggests that he was probably from a poor, obscure family.

• His occupation:

He was a humble shepherd of an ugly type of sheep with fine wool, called “noked” (7:14).
He was also a dresser of sycamore trees, a poor quality of figs called mulberry figs.
`”Dresser” means pincher. The unripe fruit had to be punctured to promote ripening. The fruit was infested with insects and inedible until the top was punctured so the insects could escape.

• His Character:

“Amos, a son of the wilderness, a man of granite make, stern, fearless, self-contained, of powerful, well-knit mind, vivid imagination, and lofty bearing.” G. G. Findlay.

He was deeply devoted to God and his law and had a special fondness for Deuteronomy. He alludes to it repeatedly

See 2:10 (Deut. 29:5); 4:10 (Deut, 4:30; 30:2); 4:11 (Deut. 29:23); 5:11 (Deut, 28:30-39).

His preaching was blunt, courageous, and powerful, preaching repentance. He has been called “the plumb line preacher” (7:7). He is the John the Baptist of the Old Testament.

“He was educated and a first-rate orator, using the Hebrew without blemish” – John Waddey

Reason for Writing:

1. To announce coming judgment upon Israel because of their idolatry and sin.
2. To make plain to the people of Israel what the demands of God’s service truly are.
3. To remind Israel that God cares for all nations and exercises sovereignty over them.
4. To show that all nations are expected to respect such basic rules of human conduct as integrity, honesty, purity, and fairness.
5. To show that cruel, inhumane treatment of one’s neighbor will negate all worship, no matter how elaborate.
6. To remind Israel of Jehovah’s faithfulness to his covenant and law and their accountability to a practical observance thereof.

In his first two chapters, Amos pronounces judgment against eight nations.

• Amos prophesies God’s judgment on:

Damascus 1:3
Gaza 1:6
Tyre (Phoenicia) 1:9
Edom 1:11
Ammon 1:13
Moab 2:1

• And then Amos speaks of judgment on..

Judah! 2:4
Israel 2:6

“Each pronouncement of judgment is introduced by the words, “For three transgressions … and for four.” Baxter explains this Hebrew idiom for us: The phrase is not to be taken arithmetically, to mean a literal three and then four, but idiomatically, as meaning that the measure was full, and more than full; the sin of these people had overreached itself; or, to put it in an allowable bit of modern slang, they had “gone one too many,” they had “tipped the scale.” (W McDonald: Believer’s Bible Commentary)

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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Are you also still without understanding? – Mt 15:16

Barry Forder — Sun, 17 Oct 2021 10:30:00 +0000

This teaching was given by Leon Davey on 17th October 2021.

In Matthew 15 vs 15 Jesus asked His disciples “Are you also still without understanding?” This question came after Jesus had spoken many things in Parables.

Contrary to the way many view parables, they are not just quaint Sunday school stories! They are full of important instruction about and for the Church! They were not meant for the multitude, in fact, Jesus intentionally concealed these truths in Parables so that His own would understand, but the multitude, would not.

In Matthew 13:11 we read: “And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given”.

Yet after giving all these parables, so that His own would understand, we have the question above: “Are you also still without understanding?”

Imagine! they had Jesus as their teacher in the flesh, but they did not understand. So how much more should we meditate and pray to gain understanding of these things? Jesus considered these parables important enough to elaborate on that he even had them put within His Bible for us! I think we should all imagine that Jesus was stood here now, speaking these parables to us. How much more should we listen? But Jesus is speaking directly from the pages of the Bible to us whenever we read it. We have His Spirit with us, where two or three are gathered in His name. He is present with us.

We need to ask Him for understanding just as Peter did in Chapter 15. “Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”

May you be blessed and challenged by this study as Leon expounds truths that are missed by many.

The post Are you also still without understanding? – Mt 15:16 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Joel 3 vs3-21

Barry Forder — Sun, 10 Oct 2021 10:30:57 +0000

This study of Joel ch3 vs 3-21 was given by Pastor Barry Forder on 10th October 21.

This incredible 3-chapter book of Joel lays out the history of Israel and it’s climatic future at the end of this age, during a period of time to come which the Bible calls ‘the Day of the Lord’.

Joel tells us that God will gather all the nations of this world together in the Jezreel Valley in Israel, also known as the valley of Megiddo. The coming world leader (whom we typically refer to as Antichrist), will launch an attack on Israel, who by that time will be in hiding in the Jordanian desert (the area previously known as Edom).

Just it looks as if there is no hope for Israel against this massive combined military threat, they will petition their Messiah – Jesus Christ – who will return to destroy their enemies, and then proceed to claim Jerusalem as His own, fulfilling countless prophecies and sitting on the Throne of David, from where He will rule the whole Earth!

In this study we look at John’s vision of these events recorded in the book of Revelation, as well as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Zechariah and others whom the Lord used to expound on the framework given to us in Joel.

Joel’s almost 3000 year-old prophecies are now approaching their climactic fulfilment in our lifetime. The schemes and plans of this world will soon give way to the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!

The countdown is almost over; it is time to decide ‘who is on the LORD’s side! There will only be one Victor!

May you be stirred and encouraged to walk with Jesus in these days!

The post Joel 3 vs3-21 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Joel Ch3 vs1-2

Barry Forder — Sun, 03 Oct 2021 10:30:27 +0000

This teaching on Joel chapter 3, verses 1-2, was given on 3rd October 2021 by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth’s family service.

In our previous studies we have seen how the book of Joel seems to prophetically outline the history of the Nation of Israel, up to and including the climactic conclusion as depicted in the last three feasts of Israel.

From the forthcoming ‘time of Jacob’s trouble’ that will commence with the Feast of Trumpets / Trumpet judgments of Revelation 8-9, the subsequent flight of Israel into the wilderness, her repentance and acknowledgement of Jesus as her Messiah, fulfilling the Feast of Atonement; concluding with the return of Jesus to deliver Israel, subdue the nations and establish His throne on Earth, marking the Feast of Atonement.

It is incredible to consider that Joel, arguably the 1st of all the writing prophets, gives us, in this 3 chapter book, such an incredible framework of the key prophetic events surrounding Israel, from the Birth of the nation to the ‘completion’ when she will walk in harmony with her Messiah.

The Framework of Israel’s past, present and future, Genesis 12 to Revelation 20, is prophetically outlined in the incredible 3-chapter book of Joel!

In this session we focused on the first two incredible verses of Chapter 3:

V1. “For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem”,

Joel gives the outline, Ezekiel gives the detail:

“Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.” (Ezekiel 37:21-28)

As an aside, these 7 verses should put an end forever to the nonsense of ‘Replacement Theology’ – the idea that God has finished with Israel, and that (somehow) all the blessings promised to Israel are now to fall upon the church. This heretical teaching was promoted by the likes of Augustine, embraced by the Roman Catholic church (for political reasons) and subsequently never addressed by the churches that came out of Rome at the time of the Reformation in Europe, such as the Church of England, Baptists, Lutherans and subsequently the Methodists, United Reformed, etc. Sadly tradition has made the Word of no effect for many!

However, Joel was not the first to declare that God would one-day bring Israel back into their own land. Way back in the Torah, Moses listed the blessings God would pour upon Israel for their obedience (Deut 28:1-14), but this was followed by the consequences of disobedience (Deut 28:15-68), including these chilling words: “And it shall come to pass, that as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone” (Deut 28:63-64).

However, as we read on in Deuteronomy, we come to a pivotal declaration:

“And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee, And shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; That then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee. If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: And the Lord thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers” (Deut 30:1-5).

Not only does this tell us that God, who is outside of time, knew Israel would be unfaithful and therefore scattered among the nations, but that whilst there, at some far distant point in time, they would turn to Him, and that would be enough for their compassionate God start the reversal, to undo all that had been done, to bring into effect the principle of the Jubilee, where everyone would return to their own Land, their own possession. “In the year of this Jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession.” (Lev 25:13). The law of the Jubilee also states that the land must be transferred back to its original owner, those inhabiting the Land must relinquish it and the original connection between the owner and the land must be renewed!

In the first century, in the days of the Book of Acts, a gathering took place of Messianic Jewish believers, disciples, apostles, and leaders in Jerusalem. Peter specifically links this gathering to the words of Joel 2:31-32. It was from that gathering that the door of faith would be opened to the nations, the gospel would go forth beyond the land of Israel to the nations, and the Gentiles would now come in.

But as the first century neared its end and the days of the Book of Acts drew to a close, such gatherings of Jewish believers disappeared from the world. But in-line with the ‘Jubilee principle’, in the ‘days of return’ that which had disappeared must reappear! In essence there would be a reversal. Just as that first gathering had changed the course of the world, so would another gathering, the first such gathering in two thousand years, the first such council of Messianic Jewish believers since the days of the disciples!

They came from the nations, teachers, leaders, and emissaries, to the city of London. There they worshipped, prayed, shared, declared their identity, agreed on their purpose and mission, and arrived at a resolution that the Jews needed a homeland.

1867: The Year It All Began to Change

The timing of the gathering was significant. It took place in the year 1867, in fact, to be precise, on the 14th May!

Within 2 days, the Ottoman Land Code became law, allowing ‘foreigners’ to buy Ottoman land to try to recover the debts amassed as a result of the Crimean War. Without realising what they had done, the Ottoman Empire had opened the door for Jews to buy land in Israel!

30 days after the gathering a ship set sail from New York heading for the Promised Land. On board was sceptic and author, Mark Twain (real name Samuel Clemens – Samuel meaning ‘God hears’ and Clemens meaning ‘Merciful’. Mark Twain proved that God does hear and is indeed merciful! – for Twain unwittingly fulfilled the prophecy of ‘the stranger’ in Deuteronomy 29:22-23:

“So that the generation to come of your children that shall rise up after you, and the stranger that shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses which the Lord hath laid upon it; And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the Lord overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath”:

In what he would write, Twain almost quoted these words verbatim, then published them for the world to see.

Whilst Twain was in disbelief at what had become of the Land of Israel, another visitor arrived in Jerusalem, and ‘coincidentally’ ended up saying at the same place. It was Charles Warren who, in the coming months, would literally rediscover the old city of Jerusalem!

Jonathan Cahn, in his book ‘The Oracle’ states: “In the Jubilee the connection between the land and its original owner is restored. And so the consequences of Warren’s work were to restore and strengthen the long-lost connection of the Jewish people to the land. And with every restored connection, the idea that the Jewish people, after almost two thousand years, might somehow return to their homeland began to move one more step out of the realm of fantasy.”

After nearly two thousand years of exile, the man with the measuring line reappeared in Jerusalem as a sign that God was about to bring about a restoration. A measuring line is used when one is about to build something. So then the reappearance of the man with the measuring line in the person of Charles Warren was a sign that God was about to act, to move again, to build something . . . to rebuild that which once was and had fallen . . . the nation of Israel!”

“And when else do you use a measuring line?” When there’s about to be a transference of land. So when the man with the measuring line appeared in Jerusalem, it was a sign that the land was going to be transferred … back to the original owner. The land was being prepared for the return. So it was in ancient times when the prophet Zechariah revealed the meaning of the measuring line: “A measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem . . . And the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem”

This incredible sequence of events actually began in the year 1517, when the last ‘transference’ of ownership of the Land of Israel took place. Selim I the Ottoman prince took control of the Land, defeating the Mamluks at the Battle of Raydaniyah. The Land stayed under Ottoman rule for the next 350 years, that is 7 x 50 – 7 signifying complete, 50 being the number of Jubilee! God’s time to return the Land to His people was at hand!

1867 was the year of the gathering in London. It was immediately followed (2 days later ) by the Ottoman Land Code. That was subsequently followed by Mark Twain’s visit to Jerusalem (fulfilling Deuteronomy 29), which ‘coincided’ with Charles Warren’s visit where he rediscovered the historic Jerusalem – all this took place in 1867!

In December 1916 the government of the then British prime minister H. H. Asquith unexpectedly collapsed. The man who succeeded him was David Lloyd George. As foreign secretary, Lloyd George appointed Arthur Balfour. Both George and Balfour were Bible believing Christians and in favor of a Jewish homeland and were suddenly lifted to the heights of world power at that critical moment. Cahn comments: “If Asquith’s government had not collapsed just when it did, what was about to happen would never have taken place. You see, Asquith was against the idea of a Jewish homeland. And it was only in that small window of time that these things could have come about. So his government had to crumble, and had to crumble just at that moment. Because it was the very end of 1916. 1917 was coming. And 1917 was the year of Jubilee. And it just happened to be the same year that the British Empire would be placed in the position of determining the future of the land of Israel. And as the Jubilee concerns the return of one’s ancestral land, so world history would now turn to the Middle East and to the land of the ancient inheritance”

As the year of Jubilee began, members of the British government held a conference concerning the future of the Land of Israel. By the middle of the year Balfour called for a draft to be made for a public declaration concerning the land. By autumn the British Cabinet was in discussion over the form the declaration would take, but it was determined that the plan wouldn’t proceed unless it had the support of the American president. On October 16, 1917, the British government was informed that the president, Woodrow Wilson, was in favor of the declaration. On October 31 the declaration was approved by the British War Cabinet. Two days later, on November 2, it went forth in the form of a letter penned by the foreign secretary.

Thus, after almost 2000 years in exile, the way was finally open for Israel to return to the Promised Land. As we know from history, that finally occurred on 14th May 1948! The city of Jerusalem was restored to Israel in the next Jubilee year in 1967!

What Joel prophesied is now unfolding before our eyes!

V2. “I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land”.

God’s controversy with the nations is that they have acted with complete disregard to the fact ‘the Land of Israel’ belongs to God! In fact, it is the only piece of real estate on planet Earth that God actually lays claim to, and the Bible unequivocally states that God has entrusted this piece of land to the physical descendants of Abraham ‘for an everlasting possession’! (Genesis 13:15 / Genesis 17:8 / Genesis 48:4).

Throughout the centuries nations and empires have tried to lay claim to this land, the Canaanites, the Assyrians, Babylonians, Medo-Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantine Empire, Ottoman Empire, the British & French, and more recently, the United Nations. The Vatican has tried to claim Jerusalem as its own; Islam too, claim’s Jerusalem as it’s third most holy site! (despite Jerusalem never being mentioned by name in the Quran!). All have had denied the Biblical mandate, all have taken, divided, partitioned and otherwise done to this land whatever they will. Yet is it a land with no significant natural resource. It is not rich in oil, it’s capital is not an international sea port, in fact, for the best part of 2000 years it has been a barren wasteland. There is no intrinsic value, no gold mines like Africa or Cedar’s like Lebanon. Yet this land and the city of Jerusalem have been the most fought over land and city in the word!

Significantly, of all places on the Earth, it will be the place the coming world leader will choose to place a statue of himself!

The Valley of Megiddo (a.k.a. the Jezreel Valley / Valley of Jehoshaphat) will also serve as the staging ground for the coming world-leaders’ ill fated attempt to annihilate Israel and claim this land as his own.

The Jezreel Valley – a.k.a. Armageddon

But God calls Israel ‘my heritage‘ and the land ‘my land‘.

At the time of the Second Coming Jesus will return to fight for Israel against the combined armies of the World under the control of Antichrist. Jesus will win!

We will conclude our study of Joel next week!

May you be blessed and encouraged to study God’s word more!

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Joel Ch2

Barry Forder — Sun, 26 Sep 2021 10:30:06 +0000

This teaching on Joel chapter 2 was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth on 26th September 2021.

Last week we saw how God used the real plague of locusts in Joel’s time to warn the nation of Israel, and ‘all who have ears to hear’, that another devastating judgment is coming on Israel, and indeed upon the whole earth.

Hosea tells us that God uses similitudes (models or types) to speak to us. We know that the Feasts of Israel, as well as being literal, historical events, were also given as anticipatory models of things that would come later. Last week we noted that the first four feasts of Israel find their prophetic fulfilment in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and the birth (and possibly the subsequent rapture) of the Church.

This leaves us with the last three feasts, the Feast of Trumpets, the Feast of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles for which no prophetic fulfilment has yet taken place. It would seem from scripture that these last three feasts are specifically linked to events that will befall the nation of Israel; moreover it appears that the book of Joel becomes a model of the prophetic fulfilment of these feasts.

Remember that Joel seems to have been the first of the ‘writing’ prophets; before Isaiah, Hosea or any of the prophets who would come later and add more ‘colour’ to the outline Joel gives us.

Montague S. Mills said: “Joel, … was probably the first of the so called writing prophets; so this book provides a valuable insight into the history of prophecy, particularly as it furnishes a framework for the end times which is faithfully followed by all subsequent Scripture. God started a new work with the writing of Joel, that of preparing the human race for the end of this temporal era, and thus gave an outline of His total plan. Later prophets, including even our Lord, would only flesh out this outline, but in keeping with the divine nature of true Scripture, never found it necessary to deviate from this, the initial revelation.”

The first chapter of Joel, as we studied last week, seems to give the prophetic summery of the nations history from the time of the Exodus (the Birth of the Nation of Israel), to the time of the Tribulation (still yet future).

Prophetically, chapter 1 seems to unveil:

Verse 1: Introduction: God speaks! – who will listen?
Verse 2-3: Riches to rags! – How Israel went from being betrothed & blessed by God to being cast out of their land and made to wander throughout the world.
Verse 4: Utter destruction – the literal Locust plague the Joel witnessed as a forerunner of a far more deadly and destructive plague that is yet to come.
Verse 5: Israel’s wake-up call! – Israel we given countless chances to return and walk with God and avoid judgment….
Verse 6-7: Rome! – but alas, because of the Israel’s disobedience, God allowed nations to conquer and subdue them, most notably Rome!
Verse 8: Israel’s rejection of Messiah – rather than Israel’s betrothal leading to bliss, Israel rejected and killed their Messiah.
Verse 9: AD 70 – Sacrifice stopped – consequently, what Jesus warned in Like 19 came upon them.
Verse 10: AD 132 – Jerusalem ploughed – by Emperor Hadrian who wanted the Jews expelled from the Land of Israel.
Verse 11-12: Worldwide diaspora & shame – history is our record.
Verse 13: Abomination of Desolation! Sacrifice ‘withholden’ Time to flee! Jesus spoke of this in Matthew 24 etc. and warned this time would come
Verse 14: The ‘Elders’ gathered into the house of the LORD & called to pray! ‒A picture of the Rapture of the Church and our subsequent obligation?
Verse 15: The Day of The LORD The Great Tribulation begins!
Verse 16-18: Israel forced to flee
Verse 19-20: Desperate Israel seeks refuge in the wilderness of Edom – these last 3 points will now be expounded in chapter 2

In chapter 2 we start to see the prophetic fulfilment of the Feast of Trumpets and the Feast of Atonement:

The Feast of Trumpets (Joel 1:1 – 2:11)

Having already laboured the point that every detail is in the Bible for a reason, it is very likely that the Feast of Trumpets will have its fulfilment during the trumpet judgments of Revelation 8-9. According to Joel 1:1-2:11 these judgments will have a specific impact on the nation of Israel and must occur during the first half of the 7 year Tribulation period while Israel are still in their land and before they flee into the wilderness to escape Antichrist at the 3 ¹/₂ year point. The two key elements of the Feast of Trumpets as detailed in Leviticus 23 are a blowing of trumpets and an ‘offering made by fire’. In Revelation 8-9 and Joel 1:1 – 2:11 we have trumpets blown, and we know that fire is emblematic of judgment, exactly what is happening to Israel during the Tribulation.

The Feast of Atonement (Joel 2:12 – 32)

In verse 12 of Joel chapter 2 the mood changes and Israel are called to repentance. In verses 15-17 a trumpet is blown in Zion. Could this be heaven with the elders (the Bride) and the great multitude serving before the alter (see Rev 6: 9 / Rev 7:15) being called to intercede for Israel so that she be not overwhelmed by her enemies? In verses 18-19 God answers and promises to provide ‘oil and wine’ for them. Clearly this is dealing with the time that Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24:15-22 when Antichrist will erect his statue (the Abomination of Desolation) in the temple in Jerusalem and Israel will flee for her life into the wilderness to ‘a place prepared for her by God’ (Rev 12:6) for the last 3 ¹/₂ years of Daniel’s 70^th week. During this time, she will be supernaturally provided for by God (Rev 12:14).

The Feast of Atonement as recorded in Leviticus 23 is a time of reconciliation to God and Joel 2:20-32 again details this time when Israel will return to the Lord their God. This is also prophesied in Hosea 5:15-6:2.

It is interesting that, as we saw in Luke 19, blindness was pronounced upon Israel because they did not know the ‘time of their visitation’. Paul explains in Romans 11:25 that this blindness will last ‘until the fullness of the Gentiles are gathered in’. Many scholars have wondered when this will occur, but surely it will be at this point during the Tribulation when significantly, the last of the martyrs (Gentiles) from the tribulation are killed for not receiving the mark of the beast. Thus ‘the fullness of the Gentiles will be gathered in’ and Israel’s blindness will be removed.

One final observation that suggests a link with this period of time and the Feast of Atonement is found in Leviticus 16, which gives the specific instructions for the Day of Atonement. What is significant is that there are two goats that are to be presented, one is sacrificed: “Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat” (Lev 16:15) – this is symbolic of Christ’s death when the veil separating man from God was torn in two (Matt 27:51 / Heb10:20). The other goat is the scapegoat which three times (v10, v21 & v22) we are told is to escape into the wilderness and specifically “unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness”. (Lev 16:22).

Finally, commenting on the verse in Leviticus 23:27, bible scholar C.I. Scofield says: “…here the stress is laid upon the sorrow and repentance of Israel. That is, the prophetic feature is made prominent, looking forward to the repentance of Israel after their regathering under the Palestinian covenant (Deut 30:1-10) preparatory to the second advent of Messiah and the establishment of the kingdom. See the connection between the trumpet in Joel 2:1 and the mourning which follows in verse 11-15.”

Next week we will conclude this study and consider Joel ch3: Armageddon, the Return of Jesus Christ and The Feast of Tabernacles

May you be encouraged to study and walk in the Word of God!

The post Joel Ch2 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Joel Ch1

Barry Forder — Sun, 19 Sep 2021 10:30:45 +0000

This opening session in our verse-by-verse study of the book of Joel was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on 19th September 2021.

Introduction

The book of Joel. Little is known about this man, whose name means ‘Jehovah is God’, but conservative scholars place the book around 835 B.C., making it the oldest of the prophetic books and as such the subject matter is even more provocative!

The theme is ‘The Day of the LORD’; Joel uses this phrase 5 times in these 3 chapters.

The immediate context seems to have been a devastating locust plague that had come upon the land, as a judgment from God. However, Joel speak beyond his own day to the final climactic 7 years of this age; the time Jesus Himself called the Great Tribulation. Just as the locust plague of Joel’s time had destroyed the land, so will the coming time of judgment be upon this world. Isaiah would later prophesy of this coming judgment saying:

Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand;
it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
Therefore shall all hands be faint,
and every man’s heart shall melt:
And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them;
they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth:
they shall be amazed one at another;
their faces shall be as flames.
Behold, the day of the Lord cometh,
cruel both with wrath and fierce anger,
to lay the land desolate:
and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light:
the sun shall be darkened in his going forth,
and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
And I will punish the world for their evil,
and the wicked for their iniquity;
and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease,
and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
I will make a man more precious than fine gold;
even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
Therefore I will shake the heavens,
and the earth shall remove out of her place,
in the wrath of the Lord of hosts,
and in the day of his fierce anger.

(Isaiah 13:6-13)

Against the backdrop of the National calamity Joel had just witnessed, he speaks of the end of this age, the Church and the World and the ultimate deliverance for his people, Israel.

Montague Mills commented:

“Joel, … was probably the first of the so called writing prophets; so this book provides a valuable insight into the history of prophecy, particularly as it furnishes a framework for the end times which is faithfully followed by all subsequent Scripture. God started a new work with the writing of Joel, that of preparing the human race for the end of this temporal era, and thus gave an outline of His total plan. Later prophets, including even our Lord, would only flesh out this outline, but in keeping with the divine nature of true Scripture, never found it necessary to deviate from this, the initial revelation.”

As we saw in our study of Hosea, God uses types and ‘similitudes’ to communicate to his people through His Word. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul and Dr Luke specifically tell us that the Feasts of Israel, as well as being real events to commemorate the deliverance from Egypt and the wilderness wanderings, were models in advance of Christ’s death (Feast of Passover), burial (Feast of Unleavened Bread), resurrection (Feast of Firstfruits), and the birth of the Church (Pentecost).

(See Colossians 2:16-17 / 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 / 1 Corinthians 5:7 / 1 Corinthians 15:20 / Acts 2:1)

Joel seems to prophetically model the last three feasts in Israel’s calendar, the Feast of Trumpets (Joel 1:1-2:11), the Feast of Atonement (Joel 2:12-2:32), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Joel 3:1-21).

Outline

The outline of the book is as follows:

Description of the locust plague

–Chapter 1 (Historical & Prophetic)

Description of the enemy invasion

–Chapter 2: 1-11

Divine appeal to Judah to repent

–Chapter 2:12–14

Declaration of a fast

–Chapter 2:15–17

Divine deliverance promised

–Chapter 2:18 – 3:21

Chapter 1

The book opens by telling us that God’s Word came to Joel. What we do know is that Joel had ‘ears to hear’, not all do. God’s Word has gone out to the whole world, but as our next prophet to study – Amos – will say, there is a famine of hearing the words of the LORD. People cannot blame God when judgment comes if they refuse to listen to what He has said through His servants like Joel.

God had warned though Moses and Solomon that He would being plagues, including locusts, on the land of Israel if they refused to walk in His ways – see Deuteronomy 28:38-39 and 1 Kings 8:37

In vs. 2&3 Joel pleads with the old men, heads of the families, the nations leaders, to look around at the devastation. Could any of them remember anything quite like this? They have the evidence before their eyes in the form of hungry people, ruined crops and starving animals. Surely, they must see that this is God’s judgment upon them?

What about our world today? Covid has ravaged the country. Countless numbers have lost their jobs, the NHS is overrun, there are shortages and supply problems from everything like electrical components to food & milk. Are we just going to say ‘oh well, it’s just one of those things…’ Is this not a judgment from God; birthpangs of what is coming?

“One of the reasons, therefore, why God gave his word to Joel upon the occasion of a great natural disaster is that men of all subsequent centuries should know how to interpret such things.” – Coffman

The world today says judgment will not come – so we can live as we please, make our own rules, without fear of Divine wrath!

The Bible says: you are running out of time! Judgment is coming, you might not have seen it before, even your fathers might not have seen it in their lifetimes, but don’t mistake God’s longsuffering with indifference!

As we journey through this book we will see a prophetic outline of Israel’s history, and the time of coming Tribulation.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study

The post Joel Ch1 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Hosea Ch13-14

Barry Forder — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 10:30:46 +0000

This final session in our verse-by-verse study of Hosea was recorded on 5th September 2021.

What are the lessons we can learn from this incredible book of love and grace?

Nothing is able to quench God’s love for us
God suffers intense sorrow when men desert him:
The sacredness and sanctity of marriage typify our relationship with Jehovah.
The consequences of following unworthy teachers are tragic.
There can be no “double standard” of morals in God’s kingdom.
A nation declines rapidly when its leaders become corrupt:
Internal corruption in a nation is more dangerous to its existence than foreign enemies.
The greatest sin is that against true love.
There is a real danger of becoming like those we associate with (I Cor. 15:33).
The root from which all sins spring is unfaithfulness to God.
Genuine repentance will bring forgiveness and full restoration to God’s favor.
There is beauty in forgiving those who sin against us (Matt. 6:12-14).
The crushing blows of life can drive us to the arms of God.
“Who is he that he may understand these things? prudent that he may know them? for the ways of Jehovah are right, and the just shall walk in them; but the transgressors shall fall therein:” (Hosea 14:9).
Our goodness must be more permanent than the morning cloud — fog and early dew (6:4).
May we not be half-baked Christians — burned on one side, mushy on top — and therefore useless (7:8).
All “these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (I Cor. 10:11).
God still prefers goodness to heartless sacrifice (6:6):
May we, like Hosea, be a living demonstration of our message:
Corruption in politics is bad, but in religion it is inexcusable.
God is not willing that any should perish, especially his children (II Pet. 3:9).
“It appears to be a universal law of this sin-stricken world that God makes perfect through suffering, that redemption is wrought through sacrifice.”

In chapter 13, the reality dawns that God’s judgment on Israel, at the hands of the Assyrians, is coming.

No longer is it distant prophecies of some future Divine rebuke; the moment has come and will be accomplished as quickly as the morning dew disappears (13:3). Even in this God reminds His covenant people that He was the One who had delivered them from Egypt, sustained them in the wilderness and brought them into the Promised Land. It had been the Nation that had rejected God, demanded a king so as to be like the nations around them, and then taken all the blessings God had given and used them to indulge in immorality and idolatry (13:5-11)

God then reminds Israel that His patience, up to this point, should not be mistaken for indifference to their sin. God had collated all of their sin (‘bound up’) (13:12) and was ready to mete out the appropriate judgment. Sadly, many today think they can ‘get away’ with sin because God doesn’t judge them instantly. Yet God so loved the World that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life! (John 3:16). God also is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

Ecclesiastes 3:15 also reminds us that God requires and account of things past. On that day how will you plead? Sin must be paid for, the wages of sin is death. Either you face God as judge and suffer the eternal consequences, or you face Him as LORD, in which case, your sin still has to be paid for. Only Jesus Christ offers a remedy; only Jesus Christ died in your place, taking the full force of God’s wrath for sin upon Himself whosoever would accept His offer of Salvation.

Chapter 13 ends with the lamentable warning of what Israel would imminently experience:

Yahweh would hold Samaria, a metonymy for Israel, guilty for rebelling against Him, her covenant lord and God (cf. Hosea 7:13; Hosea 8:1).
Israel’s soldiers would die in battle (cf. Leviticus 26:25), her children would suffer unmerciful executions (cf. Deuteronomy 28:52-57; Deuteronomy 32:25), and the Assyrians would even cut open her pregnant women with their swords (cf. 2 Kings 15:16; Amos 1:13).
This gruesome form of execution killed both the mother and the unborn child making it impossible for the coming generation eventually to rise up and rebel against the conqueror.
These were curses that the Lord warned would follow rebellion against the terms of His covenant (cf. Leviticus 26:25; Deuteronomy 28:21; Deuteronomy 32:24-25; Amos 4:10). – Dr. Thomas Constable

However, this is not the end of the story. Chapter 14 closes the book of Hosea with the certain hope that Israel will finally return* – albeit after 2700 years, the Assyrian captivity, the Babylonian captivity, the Roman occupation and subsequent destruction of the land in A.D. 70, the diaspora from 132 A.D. when all Jews were forced to leave the Land, the subsequent wanderings of the last two millennia, the Holocaust and the coming Tribulation (time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7)) – But after all this, like a prodigal son, Israel will come to their senses and say: “Asshur (Assyria) shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy. (v3)… What have I to do any more with idols? (v8)“

*Return (Shoob in the Hebrew) is used 21x in Hosea.

“In beauty of expression these final words of Hosea rank with the memorable chapters of the OT. Like the rainbow after a storm, they promise Israel’s final restoration. Here is the full flowering of God’s unfailing love for his faithless people, the triumph of his grace, the assurance of his healing-all described in imagery that reveals the loving heart of God”. – Leon Wood

The book closes with an admonition from Hosea to pay heed to these things.

He who is well instructed will make a proper application of what he has here read; will tremble at the threatenings, and embrace the promises, of his God.

How instructive, how convincing, how awakening, and yet how consolatory, are the words of this prophecy!

Reader, lay them to heart. A godly mind cannot consider them in vain; such shall know them, and know that the ways of the Lord are right”. – Adam Clarke

May you blessed and encouraged to walk closer and deeper with the LORD our God through this study!

The post Hosea Ch13-14 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Hosea Ch11-12

Barry Forder — Sun, 29 Aug 2021 10:30:35 +0000

This study of Hosea 11-12 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 29th August 2021.

In our verse-by-verse journey through Hosea we have seen God’s call to Hosea to take a wife of whoredoms and love her despite her unfaithfulness. This was to be a sign to the Nation of Israel of God’s love for His people even though they had gone whoring after foreign gods – that were not gods at all!

When Gomer, Hosea’s wife, had reached the lowest point, sold into slavery, stripped naked and put up for auction, Hosea came and purchased her, clothed her, took her home, treated her with love and affection, and promised to provide for her. This is what God has done for each of us. We had been unfaithful (loving the things of this world – the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh & the pride of life) and, as a result, lost everything. We were sold into the slavery of sin. Yet it was while we were still sinners that Christ came and died for us (Romans 5:8), paying the full price to secure our freedom, clothe us with His righteousness and promise to provide for us!

However, Hosea also records that God is a God of justice, and Israel’s sin (murder, immorality, injustice, idolatry) if not repented of, would be met with His swift judgment. But even in His judgment God’s mercy is seen; for by letting Israel be overcome by the Assyrians, being taken away from their land, and taken away from her idols, Israel would inevitably come to her senses, and, just as with the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), realise all she had given up and lost in pursuit of her sin.

In chapters 11-13 Israel are reminded that God had rescued them from Egypt – synonymous with the bondage and slavery of sin – and had placed them in a fruitful land. Yet they had crossed a line, judgment was now inevitable.

God’s assessment of the Nation is summed up in Hosea 13:9-10 “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help. I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee[?]“.

There is a warning here to believers today. God is not mocked. You cannot carry on in sin, for God will not allow His children to utterly corrupt themselves, but because of His amazing love, may allow some crises, or personal tragedy, or attack on your life you were not expecting, then He will reach to the greatest depths to find you as you cry out to Him, rescue you and bring you home.

Never assume God will ‘overlook’ those living in rebellion against Him – particularly His own. Beware also of saying that God’s ways are too hard to live by (which is really just another excuse for continuing in sin).

Oswald Chambers states: “Sin is not man’s problem, but God’s. God has taken the problem of sin into His own hands and solved it, and the proof that He has is the Cross of Calvary. The Cross is the Cross of God. On the ground of Redemption I can wash my robes, and make them “white in the blood of the Lamb”. Pseudo evangelism has twisted the revelation and made it mean “now that God has saved me, I do not need to do anything”. The New Testament revelation is that now I am saved by God’s grace, I must work on that basis and keep myself clean. It does not matter what a man’s heredity is, or what tendencies there are in him, on the basis of the Redemption he can become all that God’s book indicates he should be.”

However there is an incredible New Testament principle underlying all God said through Hosea. It is found in Romans 2:3-4:

“And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”

As a last resort, God will bring judgment – as was the case for Israel on account of the magnitude of their sin, but God’s goodness is His preferred ‘discipline’. To love, then love more, then love yet more, then love even further until His love breaks through the hardness of our hearts, causing us to weep in repentance before Him.

So far has God’s Redemption gone that He states: “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death” (Hosea 13:14). There is nothing-else and no-one-else who can do this.

Note that God will ‘ransom them’ – literally pull them back from the precipice, setting them free from the power that had once exerted control over them. In redeeming God pays the price so that ‘sin and death’ no long have a claim over them. We have been bought with a price!

This is the story of Grace. It is the story of Hosea.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study

The post Hosea Ch11-12 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Hosea Ch9-10

Barry Forder — Sun, 22 Aug 2021 10:30:55 +0000

This study of Hosea chapter 9-10 was given by pastor Barry Forder on the 22nd August 2021 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

In this study we continue the list of complaints God is listing against Israel, and the reasons He would allow the Assyrians to come and invade and carry away captive, the Northern Kingdom in 722 B.C.

Chapter 9

Captivity will come because of corruption (9:1-9)
Fruitful Israel will be unfruitful (9:10-17)

Chapter 10

Eighth Discourse: Repent or Perish (10:1-15)

–Another oracle pronouncing Israel’s judgment: (10:1-8)

1. Her sins enumerated (10:1-4)
2. Assyria will destroy her kings and idols (10:5-8)

–God protests that Israel had sinned from the start (10:9-11)

–He pleads for them to “break up their fallow ground” and sow righteousness (10:12-15)

Whilst the Historical narrative is important, there are many lessons for us today in these chapters – indeed, in the whole of Hosea!

Chapter 9 opens with a warning to not bury your head in the sand of ‘entertainment’ and hope everything will be ok! Know God, have a real relationship with Him, and then recognise the privilege and responsibility of being called by His name!

Another thing we see here is that God hates pretense! Religion and a merely outward show does not impress God. With Israel, God told them He would even remove the opportunity for them to continue their sacrifices and offerings, because their hearts were far from Him. Albert Barns comments:

When man parts with the substance, his true honor, God takes away the shadow, lest he should content himself therewith, and not see his shame, and, boasting himself to be something, abide in his nothingness and poverty and shame to which he had reduced himself.

The New Testament, as in the Old, states that God is not mocked! God will bring judgment on this unbelieving and unrepentant world as he did on Israel in the past. But neither will God sit idly by while His children, those who should know Him and walk with Him, embrace the ‘foreign gods’ of this world instead of seeking Him. It is because of His love He chastens:

God “doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men” Lamentations 3:33. Grievous then must be the cause of punishment, when God not only chastens people, but, so to speak, longs to chasten them, when He chastens them without any let or hindrance from His mercy. Yet so God had said; “It shall come to pass, that as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good and to multiply you, so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you and to bring you to nought” Deuteronomy 28:63. – AB

Yet we see in these chapters that, despite Israel returning to Egypt – the epitome of sin and slavery – God Himself went to the farthest reaches (through the death of His Son whom He called out of Egypt) to bring home all who would return to His loving arms.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Hosea Ch9-10 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Hosea Ch5-8

Barry Forder — Sun, 15 Aug 2021 10:30:33 +0000

This study on Hosea chapters 5-8 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 15th August 2021 as part of Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s family service.

We are going through a series of studies looking at the minor prophets – not minor in importance, but given the title of ‘minor’ due to the books being generally smaller than the likes of Isaiah, Jeremiah etc. (the ‘major’ prophets). The minor prophets brought messages of hope, reconciliation, but also of judgment to Israel and her neighbours.

Hosea is writing toward the end of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, around 730 B.C. and at a time when the nation had been given over to idolatry and immorality. It is bad enough to have a corrupt government, even worse when the people have lost their moral compass; yet when the priests, those who should take care and take charge of the nations spiritual well-being, give themselves over to deceit, hypocrisy, immorality, injustice and forsake God, judgment cannot be averted! Such is the state of the UK! Just as it was in Israel in Hosea’s day, this nation has embraced things that are an abomination to God – from the politician to the person in the street to the priest. What was once considered sin, is not only permitted, it is embraced as part of a culture that scoffs at the God of the Bible.

God warned Israel that time was up. Hosea was sent as a mouthpiece of God to sound the trumpet of alarm to the nation. The UK should get ready, for the trumpet that warns of impending judgment is but moments away from being sounded!

In chapter 5 we see Hosea highlight the evil behaviour of the Priests, the People, and the Royal Family (5:1-7), but the chapter ends in hope. God will wait, however long it takes, for Israel to come repentantly back to Him (5:8-15). Sadly, it will take the affliction of the coming Tribulation to shake Israel from her complacency and apostacy, but in her affliction, Israel will call out to her Messiah, whom she will finally realise is Jesus Christ, the One whom was pierced for her sorrows and bruised for her iniquities.

Chapter 6 opens with verse of profound prophetic significance, for it tells us that the Lord’s return is close, very close! The prophetic prayer of Israel in 6:1-3 (that is yet to actually be prayed) sees Israel acknowledge that, as a nation, they will live in the Lord’s sight for the Millennium, the literal period of 1000 years to come where Christ will rule on the Throne of David (fulfilling the promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David). The ‘two days’ prior to this seem to be representative of the last two thousand years, where Israel as a nation have been blinded on account of their rejection of Jesus the Messiah. In the remainder of chapter 6 Hosea further removed the veil on the sinfulness of both Israel and Judah (6:4-11).

Chapter 7 then exposes that the depravity in the Nation had run deeper than even the surface iniquity had shown. Israel had kept up the religious pretence, but there was no love for God in her actions. Furthermore, even the false gods Israel had turned to, had now been show to be worthless. Ironside comments:

“It is their unconsciousness of their true condition which this section emphasizes. Like a cake placed upon the coals and forgotten by the house-wife, till, left unturned, it is all burned on one side; so they were quite indifferent to their actual state before God. The mass taking no heed to the prophet’s warnings, went carelessly on in their own way, taking it for granted that all was as it should be, when, in reality, everything was all wrong”.

Regarding chapter 8, G Campbell Morgan states:

From this statement of the case the prophet turned to the pronouncement of judgment. This he did by adopting the figure of the trumpet lifted to the mouth, on which five blasts were sounded, in each of which some aspect of the sin of the people was set forth as revealing the reason for judgment.

The first blast declared the coming judgment under the figure of a [swift] eagle, the reason being the transgressions and trespass of the people.
The second blast emphasized Israel’s sin of rebellion in that they had set up kings and princes without the authority of Jehovah, and had made idols.
The third blast dealt with Israel’s idolatry. She had set up the calf of Samaria, which Jehovah had cast off and broken in pieces. She had been guilty of sowing the wind, that is, emptiness; and therefore she must reap the whirlwind, that is, the force of emptiness.
The fourth blast anounced Israel’s alliances. She had gone to Assyria like a wild ass, alone, and her judgment was that her hire among the nations had resulted in diminishing her.
The fifth blast drew attention to the altars of sin which had been raised contrary to light, and by which sacrifice had been violated, and therefore judgment was announced.”

Albert Barns, in his commentary, brings this closer to home and highlights that, as a nation, we are are little different – and as such, also deserving of divine judgment:

The prophets, as watchmen, were set by God to give notice of His coming judgments Ezekiel 33:3; Amos 3:6. As the sound of a war-trumpet would startle a sleeping people, so would God have the prophet’s warning burst upon their sleep of sin. The ministers of the Church are called to be “watchmen” . “They too are forbidden to keep a cowardly silence, when “the house of the Lord” is imperilled by the breach of the covenant or violation of the law. If fear of the wicked or false respect for the great silences the voice of those whose office it is to “cry aloud,” how shall such cowardice be excused?”.

Hosea 8:8 is a verse to note, for it prophetically sums up the last two-thousand years for the Nations of Israel. They have been scattered around the world, and hated by all nations.

Finally Hosea points out that, rather than trusting in God, they had forges alliances with foreign nations – the very nations that would soon turn on them. This is how it is with sin!

Sin takes you further than you wanted to go, keeps you longer than you wanted to stay, and costs you mote then you wanted to pay!

We will continue our study in this timely book next week….

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Hosea Ch5-8 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Hosea Ch4

Barry Forder — Sun, 08 Aug 2021 10:30:16 +0000

This study in the book of Hosea was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth on 8th August 21.

In this study we begin to see the list of ‘issues’ God raised with Israel for the way they had behaved toward Him. Hosea’s personal life will now fade into the background and the rest of the book is prophetic.

Out of the heartbreak in his own home, Hosea, as God’s mouthpiece, now speaks to the nation to spell out the specific charges against them. Principally these were:

Lawlessness;
Immorality;
Ignorance of God’s Word;
Idolatry. (Covetousness is idolatry, Col 3:5)

God will address the people, the priests (who should have been teaching the people) and the royal family – who should have been leading the nation in a godly way.

Instead, the nation had been given over to idolatry, so God eventually says ‘let them have it their way!’

H.A. Ironside comments:

Nothing can be more solemn than this. It is as though God had exhausted every possible means for their recovery, save one, and that one the giving them up to learn, by bitter experience, what they would not take to heart in any other way. In the New Testament it answers to being “delivered unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” (See 1 Corinthians 5). “Observe: it is only after the failure of all other means to recover the wanderer that God so deals with souls”.

There are many lessons in here for the church and for those who have grown cold toward God. God knows and sees.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Hosea Ch4 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Hosea Ch3

Barry Forder — Sun, 01 Aug 2021 10:30:54 +0000

**Due to a technical difficulty the audio quality of this recording is not great – please accept our apologies! **

This study is our 2nd in our verse-by-verse review of the prophet Hosea – given by pastor Barry Forder on 1st August 2021 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Chapter 3 of Hosea is one of the shortest chapters in the Bible, at just 5 verses; yet it’s content is profound. C. I. Scofield comments:

Chapter 3 is one of the classic Old Testament passages describing Israel’s past present and future. Her idolatrous past is illustrated by Gomer’s unfaithfulness to Hosea (v1-2) despite which Hosea is commanded to love her and buy her back ‘according to the love of the Lord toward Israel’ – a love which led Him to pay the purchase price of the blood of the cross to redeem Israel, the basis of her restoration. The present condition of Israel is illustrated and plainly prophesied in v 3-4. Her future is declared in v5, showing her repentance toward God who in his faithfulness will restore her.

Dr. Charles Feinberg, and outstanding Jewish believer and scholar, says of this chapter, “It rightfully takes its place among the greatest prophetic pronouncements in the whole revelation of God.”

Certainly, this chapter is worthy of our attention!

It contains a summary of God’s plan of salvation, as seen specifically though the relationship of Hosea and his adulterous wife Gomer, and as seen in a broader sense between the relationship of God with the Nation of Israel.

In verse 1 Hosea is told by the LORD to go and purchase Gomer back, even though she had been unfaithful to him. Evidently, Gomer had ended up in debt and had become a slave. Her new master was selling her and Hosea goes to buy her back – even though he was her husband! God tells Hosea to love her with the love He had loved Israel. God’s love is unconditional, and all love should be based on the love shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. We cannot love other until we know the love of God ourselves. The world’s view of love is ‘what can I get?’. God’s love says ‘what can I give!’.

Exodus 21:32 tells us that the price of a salve is 30 shekels of silver. In verse 2 we find that Hosea pays 15 shekels of silver and one and a half homers of barley. Ezekiel 45:11 tells us that a homer contained ten baths (also known as an ephah). Keil & Delitzch comment “2 Kings 7:1; 2 Kings 16:18, that at that time an ephah of barley was worth a shekel, in which case the whole price would just amount to the sum for which, according to Exodus 21:32, it was possible to purchase a slave, and was paid half in money and half in barley”. In other words, the total value paid by Hosea was 30 shekels as required by the Law – the price of the Law was met, in full!

John tells us that Jesus is the ‘payment in full’ for our sin, to redeem us from the requirements of the Law! (1 John 4:10).

The other significant thing to note here is that Hosea was only able to give 15 silver shekels, the rest had to be made up with barley. This tells us that Hosea didn’t have 30 silver shekels to begin with, meaning that he gave all he had (15 shekels) and then made up the difference with barley. That is exactly what Jesus did for each one of us! He gave all He had. He emptied Himself of everything, became of no reputation, took on the nature of a servant (even eventually being betrayed for 30 pieces of silver – the price of a slave). Philippians 2:5-8 / 2 Corinthians 5:21

In verse 3 we get a glimpse of the heart of Hosea – reflecting the heart of God. Hosea purchased Gomer, clothed her, took her home, provided for her, assured her she would no longer be under a cruel master and that he would be for her. In the book of Romans Paul asks the rhetorical question, “if God be for us, who shall be against us?!” Romans 8:31

God has taken each one of us, paid the price to set us free, covered our shame, taken us home and promised to provide for us – exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think! – and that He will be for us!

Verse 4 is one of the most incredible prophecies in the Bible! It speaks of:

The coming kingdom and throne of Israel
The coming Messiah,
The Jews sacrificial system and therefore Temple worship
An end to idolatry and false gods
The reestablishment of the priesthood

The Throne of Israel:

From 587 B.C. Israel have been without a king
Zedekiah was the last king of Judah
He (and therefore the crown) were taken to Babylon
While the Jews were in Babylon, Daniel was appointed chief of the Magi (the Magi were a Persian sect renown for appointing kings!)
Daniel entrusted them with a secret mission
At a specific time, they were to carry the crown back to Israel and appoint the rightful king
Over 500 years passed, then the saw a sign!
It was a star that led them to Israel to declare the coming of Israel’s king!
However, Jesus did not take the throne during His first coming; that was not His intention. First He came to offer His life as the Lamb of God, slain for the sins of man.
But the second time He comes, He will come as the King of Kings and sit on the throne of David, fulfilling countless prophecies (see 2 Samuel 7 / Dan 2:44 / Luke 1:31-33)

The Coming Messiah

Hosea prophesied that Israel would not only abide many days without a king, but also whilst awaiting their Messiah. Jesus declared:

37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Because of their disobedience, Israel are still waiting to see their Messiah – but they will not have to wait much longer!

The Jews sacrificial system and therefore Temple worship

Although the Jews were able to sacrifice again after they returned from Babylon,

From A.D.70 they have not had a Temple and have not been able to sacrifice

A Temple will be rebuilt soon on the Temple Mt in Jerusalem and the Jews will – for a short time – be allowed to begin sacrificing again after 2000 years!

An end to idolatry and false gods

Because they have been scattered around the world, Israel have been ‘robbed’ of their idols – i.e. lost the opportunity to worship them.

Sadly, many Jews have today turned to Atheism. It has been said: An atheistic Jew is one who knows what the God he doesn’t believe in requires of him! – Anon

The reestablishment of the priesthood

Although Israel have been without and officiating priesthood for the best part of 2000 yeas, the priesthood will be re-established – initially to allow sacrifices to reconvene during the first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation, then to serve the LORD throughout the Millennium.

The final verse (5) of this incredible chapter tells us that when Jesus returns, Israel will finally be regathered to their Land, God will be their God and they His people, and all these things will be complete. Jesus will rule over the house of Israel – and over the whole earth!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Hosea Ch3 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Hosea Ch1-2

Barry Forder — Sun, 25 Jul 2021 10:30:26 +0000

This teaching, given by Pastor Barry Forder on 25th July 21, is the first in our verse by verse journey through the Book of Hosea.

On Sunday we began a study of the minor prophets (the last 12 books of the Old Testament). They are referred to as ‘minor’ simply because most of them are short books – not because they are less important!

As a brief overview we find the themes of these books are Israel’s sin and disobedience, contrasted with God’s faithfulness and mercy, and ultimately His commitment to regather and bring them back into their Land in prosperity to fulfil the promises He had made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, subsequently reiterated to King David.

Yet God is a God of judgment as well as a God of love, and these prophets foretell the judgment that God was to first bring on Israel for her disobedience, as well as the judgment that would befall her neighbours – specifically Assyria (Nineveh) and Edom.

As a summary:

Hosea – The Lord loves Israel despite her sin
Joel – Judgment precedes Israel’s future revival
Amos – God is just and must judge sin
Obadiah – Sure retribution must overtake merciless pride
Jonah – Divine grace is universal
Micah – Bethlehem born Messiah will deliver
Nahum – Doom is to come on wicked Nineveh
Habakkuk – Justification by faith is God’s way
Zephaniah – The Day of the Lord will precede the kingdom
Haggai – Consider you ways! God must be no#1
Zechariah – Repentant Israel will see their Messiah
Malachi – Judgment is certain for the wicked

So, the first book in our series is the book of Hosea. Not a priest, nor a high-ranking official. Hosea was just an ordinary person who served an extraordinary God!

Hosea is a story of love and grace. It is also a warning of judgment for disobedience, the pain that comes from unfaithfulness, but also the healing and restoration that can be found in the God of the Bible.

G. Campbell Morgan said of this book: “We have in the Book of Hosea one of the most arresting revelations of the real nature of sin, and one of the clearest interpretations of the strength of the Divine love. No one can read the story of Hosea without realizing the agony of his heart. Then, lift the human to the level of the Infinite, and know this, that sin wounds the heart of God.”

George Robinson adds: “In all the world’s literature, there is no record of human love like that of Hosea.”

Henrietta C Mears, in her classic book ‘What The Bible is All About” stated: “Hosea is one of the greatest lovers in all literature. We find his love so strong that even the worst actions of an unfaithful wife could not kill it”

As we come to the book of Hosea, we find that the golden age of Jeroboam II in the Northern Kingdom of Israel was passing and a dark cloud hung over Israel. Following his death six kings followed in quick succession. Within 24 years 4 were assassinated.

Mid way through Hosea’s ministry a large part of the nation were carried away by the Assyrians and at the end of Hosea’s life the Northern kingdom of Israel finally came to an end with the fall of Samaria. Unlike many of the prophets in the Bible, Hosea (lamentably) lived to see some of his own prophecies fulfilled.

The outline of the book is as follows:

Hosea’s call & The rejection of Israel 1:1–9
The restoration of Israel promised 1:10–2:1
God’s warning against Israel’s unfaithfulness and judgment prophesied 2:2–13
A future of blessing foretold for Israel 2:14–23
The redemption of Hosea’s wife a type of Israel’s ultimate return to God Ch 3
God’s controversy with his people Ch 4–10
In wrath, God remembers mercy Ch 11–13
Israel urged to repent & enjoy blessing Ch 14

The key verses in the book are:

–14:1 “O Israel, return unto Jehovah thy God: for thou hast fallen by thy iniquity.”

–14:4 “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely…”

Key Words:

–”Return” used 15 times.

–”Whoredom” used 16 times, referring not only to Israel’s immorality, but also to her unfaithfulness to God.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

– the PowerPoint (PDF) slides used in this study are available for free download

The post Hosea Ch1-2 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Daniel Ch12

Barry Forder — Sun, 18 Jul 2021 10:30:28 +0000

This final study in our verse by verse review of the book of Daniel was given by Pastor Barry Forder on 18th July 2021 at Calvary Portsmouth’s family service.

Daniel 12:1

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

In the closing verses of chapter 11 we witnessed a coming world ruler, a coming world religion, and a coming world war. Now we told of the forthcoming Great Tribulation as spoken of by Jesus in Matthew 24: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)[this will be half way through Daniel’s 70^th week] Then let them which be in Judaea [this must therefore apply specifically to the Jews] flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop [again, this applies to the Jews who have their patios on their rooftops] not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter [because the travelling conditions in Israel are very difficult in the winter], neither on the sabbath day [this is only applicable to the Jews, who still keep the Sabbath to this day]: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be [Jeremiah called this ‘the time of Jacob’s trouble’ (Jer 30:7)] And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake [this has to refer to the Jews because the Church will be with the Lord in heaven by now] those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” [Jesus concludes by warning of coming false Christs and coming false prophets, cf. Rev 13] (Matt 24:15-24)

As Gabriel is always seen bringing a Messianic announcement, so Michael is always seen in conflict regarding Israel.

Daniel 12:2

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Daniel is now told of the coming resurrections; Jesus spoke of the resurrection of the just (Luke 14:14), and the resurrection of damnation: Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:28-29)

According to the Apostle Paul, the resurrection of the just is not a single event, but rather a category comprised of various separate events: “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end…(1 Cor 15:20-24)

In Revelation 19, we find that the resurrection of the just is complete: “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them [this is the Church – see Rev ch 4], and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; [notice that these martyrs don’t yet have resurrection bodies – thus they cannot be the Church because the Church receive their new resurrection bodies at the time of the Rapture cf. 1 Cor 15] and they [i.e. both the church and the martyrs] lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.”

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” (Rev 20:4-6). Thus the completion of the first resurrection and the ‘resurrection unto damnation’ are separated by a period of 1000 years during which time Christ will reign on the earth on the throne of David (Luke 1:32).

Daniel 12:3

And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

“Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Phil 2:14-15)

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matt 5:16)

“…Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matt 13:43)

Daniel 12:4

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Many have understood this to mean, that in the last time, general knowledge and understanding will be increased – and certainly we have seen a technological explosion in the last 100 years unlike anything the world has previously seen. However, in the context of this verse, it is the book that Daniel is to seal, until the time of the end, at which time, knowledge of the book will be increased.

Never before in the history of the Church has the Church had access to such a wide range of Bible study aids as we do today; from computer programmes to commentaries; from teaching videos to Bible conferences. And what is the result? God has raised up people who have dedicated their lives to the ministry of the word, and in so doing have ‘stumbled’ upon prophecies being fulfilled in our time, scriptures that have confused generations past, now being understood. Knowledge of the Word is indeed increasing in these days. And the most incredible part of it is that the Holy Spirit may choose to show you something that no one else has yet seen. It is however important to remember that anything we may ‘discover’, as we read through God’s Word, will never contradict the rest of scripture.

Daniel 12:5-6

5 Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.

6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?

The angel has now finished talking to Daniel, and as Daniel looks up he now sees two angels, one on each side of the river. Yet in the midst of the river, ‘walking on the water’ Daniel sees the ‘man clothed in linen’ whom he had previously seen in a vision at the beginning of chapter 10. We have already put forward the case that this is a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus (see notes on Dan 10:5-9); and here we not only see Him walking on the water, but also being asked a question – by an angel – that only God could possibly know- the future.

It is interesting, that the angel started, back in chapter 11, by telling Daniel that what he was about to reveal was all recorded in the scripture of truth. Now the angel himself wants to find out more, thus showing that the angel knew only what had been revealed to him up to this point.

What I find provocative is that, even though this angel had access to the scripture of truth, he had to go to, what I believe is Jesus, to really understand. It is the same for us; we have the scripture of truth, yet only by going to Jesus and through His Spirit can we understand – for the things of God are spiritually discerned (1 Cor 2:14).

Daniel 12:7

And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

This man clothed in linen tells the angel, and Daniel overhears, that this period of time will last for three and a half years, i.e. the Great Tribulation as we have already noted. The angel is also told that Antichrist will be allowed to continue in order to break the power of the Jews. This is one of the main purposes of the ‘time of Jacob’s trouble’, to bring God’s judgment on the Jews until the seek Him and repent. “I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.” (Hosea 5:15)

Daniel 12:8

And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?

It is not clear whether Daniel is addressing the man clothed in linen, or the angel who had been speaking to him; I suspect that it is the man clothed in linen, for the answer in the following verses would seem to have been more that the angel would have known (based on verse 6).

Daniel 12:9-10

9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.

Once again Daniel is told that these words are ‘closed up’ until the time of the end. That clearly implies that at the time of the end they will be understood. We however are now living in the time spoken of, and as we read God’s Word, those of us who have been purified by the blood of the Lamb and our sins made as white as snow, are seeing the pieces of the jigsaw falling into place at an incredible pace.

There really is no excuse for any who call themselves Christians to not have at least a basic grasp of these things as we head toward the finishing line.

Daniel 12:11-12

11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.

12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.

We are now introduced to a seventy-five-day period that separates the end of the Great Tribulation and the beginning of the Millennium. During this interval various events are to occur:

The removal of the Abomination of Desolation
Antichrist is resurrected (firstfruits of the second resurrection)
Antichrist & False Prophet cast alive into the Lake of Fire
Satan bound for the Millennium
The resurrection of the tribulation saints
The setting in place of the thrones for the saints (to rule with Christ)
The judgement of the living Gentiles (pro-Semitic sheep & anti-Semitic goats)

The Seventy-Five-Day Interval

The removal of the Abomination of Desolation:

As we have already seen, the event that marks the start of the second half of Daniel’s 70^th week (i.e. the Great Tribulation) is Antichrist’s breaking of the covenant with Israel and his placing of the Abomination of Desolation in the holy of holies. From this point, we are told that the Great Tribulation will last exactly 1260 days (Rev 13:5 / Rev 12:6 / Dan 7:25 / Dan 12:7). However in verse 11 we are told that, after Antichrist has been destroyed at the end of the 1260 days, there will be an additional 30 days (taking us to the 1290^th day) where the Abomination of Desolation will be allowed to remain in the Temple. Quite why this is we are not told, however, it will serve to underline the incredible contrast between the now lifeless image that people have worshipped for three and a half years, and the King of kings, the Creator of all things, who is without beginning or end, whom the people dwelling on the earth had willing rejected in favour of their useless idol.

This again shows the utter foolishness of mankind and the futility of worshipping and serving the creature rather than the Creator – who is blessed forever –Amen! (See Rom 1:25).

Antichrist is resurrected (firstfruits of the second resurrection):

During the Great Tribulation, Satan will have succeeded in establishing a counterfeit trinity, with Satan as the father, Antichrist as a psudo-son, and the False Prophet as a type of the Holy Spirit. God will allow this charade to play out to its conclusion where Antichrist will be resurrected, as the firstfruits of the second resurrection (the resurrection of damnation), only then to be thrown alive into the Lake of Fire along with the False Prophet. We have already see in Daniel 7:11 (cf 2 Thes 2:8), Antichrist will be killed by Christ at the battle of Armageddon; however, just as Christ descended into Hell (Sheol) for a short time (Eph 4:8-10 / Psalm 16:10), so will Antichrist be killed and his soul go down into Hell for a brief time. This is prophesied in Isaiah 14:1-11: “For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors. And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve, That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers. He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth. The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing. Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us. Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.”

Thus those in Hell will marvel that this mighty world ruler, who deceived the world with his miracles, has become like they are, helpless and weak.

Antichrist & False Prophet cast alive into the Lake of Fire:

As the above passage in Isaiah continues we read in verse 19-20 “But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet. Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.” (Isaiah 14:19-20). Whilst Antichrist’s soul will go down into Hell, his body will not be buried but, presumably, will lay dead for the world to wonder, only then to be raised again and cast alive into the Lake of Fire (Rev 19:20).

Satan bound for the Millennium:

“And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.” (Rev 20:1-4)

The resurrection of the tribulation saints / The setting in place of the thrones for the saints:

“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years…this [completes] the first resurrection.” (Rev 20:5)

“I beheld till the thrones were [set in place]” – see notes on Dan 7:9

The judgement of the living Gentiles (pro-Semitic sheep & anti-Semitic goats):

There are two clear passages that detail the judgment of the living nations who survive the Great Tribulation; the first is in the book of Joel: “For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.” (Joel 3:1-3)

The second passage is well know, although it is often overlooked that the basis of the following is how the nations have treated Israel – Jesus brethren, according to the flesh.

“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” (Matt 25:31-46)

All of the above events will therefore occur after the 1260 days of the Great Tribulation, but before the commencement of the Millennium, which itself will begin after the 1335^th day; hence blessed indeed will be those who come to the 1335^th day as they will then enter into Jesus’ Millennial kingdom. We should be mindful of these things the next time we pray ‘Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven’!

Daniel 12:13

But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

In other words: ‘keep on going in the way you have known; don’t give up and you will receive your reward in the end’.

What was Daniel’s way?

From the time as a young teenager, when he was carried away from all he had known to the awe and splendour and sensual pleasures of Babylon, Daniel had just one way of living: “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” (Dan 1:8). This incredible man serves as a challenge and an inspiration to all of us; a man who “went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” (Dan 6:10)

Daniel did not just ‘talk the talk’, he really ‘walked the walk’, even though it could have cost him his job, and more importantly, his life. Yet where now are those who tried to take his life in chapter six? We don’t even have a record of their names; yet of Daniel we are told he was a man ‘greatly beloved of God’ – and that is recorded in the Word of God for eternity!

Jesus said:“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you”. (John 15:18-19) “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:26)

“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.” (Matt 10:32)

Therefore, may we ‘walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God’; and may we live lives walking ‘worthy of the calling wherein we are called’. For we were bought at such a high price: ‘therefore let us glorify God in our bodies, and in our spirit, which are God’s’. Let us purpose in our hearts to be like Daniel, who, as we have seen, knew the scriptures and lived his life according to them, rejecting the fleeting pleasures of sin so as to not be entangled in them, that we may please the One who has enlisted us as a soldier in His army. And ‘let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.’ (Col 1:10 / Eph 4:1 /1 Cor 6:20 / Heb 11:25 / 2 Tim 2:4 / Gal 6:9).

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…” (Heb 12:1-2)

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Daniel Ch12 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Daniel Ch11

Barry Forder — Sun, 11 Jul 2021 10:30:16 +0000

This study on the incredible chapter 11 of the book of Daniel was given by Pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on 11th July 2021.

Daniel 11:1

Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him.

The first thing we need to realise as we begin this chapter is that chapter breaks are man’s invention, they we’re not in the original. Some of the chapter breaks in the Bible are in unfortunate places because they actually serve to confuse rather than help us.

At first glance it is easy to make the assumption that as we move in to chapter 11, we are starting something fresh and it is Daniel speaking; however verse 1 of chapter 11 is just a continuation of chapter 10 verses 20-21. Thus we find, it is the angel who had been sent to Daniel that is speaking to him here.

That being the case, we are still in the 3^rd year of Cyrus (as we were at the beginning of chapter 10). The angel starts by explaining to Daniel that in the first year of Darius (two years ago), he (i.e. the angel) was involved in spiritual warfare regarding Darius. Two years back from this point would have been about the time the Jews were being allowed to leave Babylon and return to their own land, as had been decreed by Cyrus. Could it have been in regard to Darius’ releasing of the Jewish captives that this angel had come to confirm and strengthen the king?

135 Fulfilled Prophecies in just 34 verses!

Before we move into the following verses, it is incredible to realise that, between verse two and thirty-five, there are a staggering 135 fulfilled prophecies. Bible critics hate this chapter because it offers irrefutable proof that the Bible is the Word of God; for no man could accurately predict, with such detailed precision, the rise and fall of world empires, the political manipulating and deception of successive kingdoms, and the battles that would be fought. And once again, we need to remind ourselves, that all of this was recorded hundreds of years before the prophesied events actually took place.

The Apostle Peter talks about the ‘more sure word of prophecy’ that we can depend upon, far more so than any emotion or feeling. Throughout scripture, prophecy confirms the Word and shows it to be true. Sceptics will continue to doubt these things, yet with each archaeological discovery they are forced to withdraw their theories and accusations as the evidence continues to mount in support of the Word of God. “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:” (Isaiah 46:9-10)

Daniel 11:2

And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia

As Daniel is writing this, Cyrus is the king of Persia (it is presumed that Darius has by now died). Daniel is told that from this point there will stand up another three kings, followed by a forth who will be far richer than his predecessors, and that this forth king will ‘awaken’ the Greek empire. From history we know that after Cyrus, Cambyses (Cyrus’ son) became king, reigning until 521 B.C. Cambyses discovered that an impostor (by the name of Guamata), pretending to be his own younger brother Smerdis (also called Artaxerxes), was claiming the kingdom for himself.

‘Smerdis’ announced a three-year exemption from taxes and won the hearts of the people, at which point Cambyses, realising that he was defeated, committed suicide. This psudo-Smerdis then reigned for a short period before Darius the Great eventually took control of the Persian Empire. It was in the 2^nd year of Darius the Great (518 B.C.) that Darius signed a decree to allow the rebuilding of the Temple and thus ending the ‘Desolations of Jerusalem’. (See Ezra 4:24 / Ezra 6:8-12 / Haggai 1:1, 15 & 2:18). These then were the three kings that followed Cyrus. However, after Darius the Great came Xerxes, also know as Ahasuerus. In the book of Esther we are told that his kingdom spread from India to Ethiopia, covering 127 provinces (Esther 1:1). According to historians, Xerxes fielded two and a half million men, the logistics of which is staggering even by today’s standards. Not being content with the vast empire already in his hands, he led his army against Greece. The Greek historian Herodotus records that in around 482 B.C., Xerxes had two bridges built across the width of the Hellespont in order that his huge army could cross from Persia into Greece. These bridges were then destroyed by a storm that so enraged Xerxes, that he beat the sea 300 times with a belt! Eventually he did cross and subdued much of Greece starting a bitter rivalry that would later become the source of Alexander the Great’s obsession with conquering the Persian Empire.

(Map showing the Hellespont that was eventually crossed by Xerxes on his way to invade Greece.)

Thus, just as Daniel was told by the angel, Cyrus was succeed by three other kings (Cambyses, psudo-Smerdis and Darius the Great), and then came a forth, Xerxes, who was indeed far richer than his predecessors and through his military strength he started a war with Greece that would ultimately lead to the downfall of the Persian Empire.

NB: Following Xerxes, there were another eight Persian rulers, ending up with Darius III who was defeated by Alexander the Great.

Cyrus II, the Great, son of Cambyses I, ruled from c.550–530 BC (ruler of Anshan c. 559 BC – conquered Media 550 BC)
Cambyses II, son of Cyrus the Great, ruled 529–522 BC
Smerdis (Bardiya), alleged son of Cyrus the Great, ruled 522-521 BC (possibly a usurper)
Darius I, the Great, brother-in-law of Smerdis and grandson of Arsames, ruled 520–486 BC
Xerxes I, son of Darius I, ruled 485–465 BC
Artaxerxes I Longimanus, son of Xerxes I, ruled 465–424 BC
Xerxes II, son of Artaxerxes I, ruled 424 BC
Sogdianus, half-brother and rival of Xerxes II, ruled 424–423 BC
Darius II Nothus, half-brother and rival of Xerxes II, ruled 423–405 BC
Artaxerxes II Mnemon, son of Darius II, ruled 404–359 BC (see also Xenophon)
Artaxerxes III Ochus, son of Artaxerxes II, ruled 358–338 BC
Artaxerxes IV Arses, son of Artaxerxes III, ruled 338–336 BC
Darius III Codomannus, great-grandson of Darius II, ruled 336–330 BC defeated by Alexander

(Source – Wikipedia.org)

Daniel 11:3-4

3 And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.

4 And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.

Here we are again introduced to Alexander the Great, who, as we have already noted in chapter 7 & 8, was ‘broken’ (died) at a young age and his kingdom divided between his four generals. Note once again the precision of scripture, the kingdom was not given to Alexander’s posterity (children), nor did it have the stature that it had done under him. Of the four divisions of the empire, our primary focus in the following verses will be on Seleucus (who took what we know today as Syria), and Ptolemy (who took Egypt). What we find, when we look at a map of this area, is that Israel falls smack bang in the middle of these two competing factions of Alexander’s empire.

Back in Daniel 10:14 the angel said to Daniel: “Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.” Thus the vision is concerning Israel, and hence the nations that directly effect her.

Many commentators call the period between the close of the Old Testament (Malachi), and the beginning of the New Testament (Matthew), the ‘Silent Years’. Indeed, between these two books there was a period of about 400 years. However, far from the Bible being silent about this time, we find it detailed with incredible precision in this chapter.

Daniel 11:5

And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion.

From history we know that after Alexander died, Ptolemy 1^st Soter (323-285 B.C.) took the area associated with Egypt, which also included Israel. Geographically, Ptolemy’s kingdom was south of Israel, hence the title ‘king of the south’. Some historians think that Ptolemy may have been Alexander’s half brother; certainly he was one of his most trusted friends and generals in his army. It was the custom of Macedonian kings to assert their right to the throne by burying their predecessor. Ptolemy tried to do just this and took the body of Alexander, temporarily taking it to Memphis in Egypt. After a short struggle with his rivals, Ptolemy was offered the throne of the whole kingdom; however he declined, preferring to hold what he had and be strong in Egypt rather than risking all to be the sole successor of Alexander. During this time Seleucus I Nicator, who had been another of Alexander’s generals, served Ptolemy as one of his princes, yet Ptolemy was ‘strong above him’. Ptolemy invaded what we know today as Syria on numerous occasions, and eventually, in 316 B.C., Seleucus was given the ‘Babylonian satrapy’ – an area that stretched from Syria to India. This then paved the way for 150 years of conflict that would follow between the ‘kings of the south’ – known as the Ptolemaic dynasty, and the ‘kings of the north’ – known as the Seleucid dynasty.

Daniel 11:6

And in the end of years they [Antiochus II Theos (north) & Ptolemy II Philadelphus (south)] shall join themselves together; for the king’s daughter [Bernice] of the south shall come to the king of the north [Antiochus II Theos] to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she [Bernice] shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times.

‘After the lapse of several years’ (which is how the Hebrew is to be understood) in c.250 B.C., a political marriage was arranged between the king of the north, Antiochus II Theos (262-246 B.C.), and Bernice, the daughter of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (the king of the south). In order for this to take place, Antiochus II had to divorce his own wife, Laodacia. Understandably, Laodacia was non-too impressed with this and ended up poisoning her ex-husband, murdering Bernice, and placing her own son, Seleucus II Callinicus on the throne.

Daniel 11:7

But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail:

The ‘her’ referred to is Bernice. The one who came from the same roots, was Ptolemy III Euergates, her brother. Euergates invaded Syria, taking the port of Antioch and overrunning Seleucus’ empire as far as Babylon.

Daniel 11:8

And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north.

The spoils that Euergates took back to Egypt included 2500 idols (gods), 4000 talents of gold and 40,000 talents of sliver. He reigned for 24 years, surpassing that of his rival (Seleucus II Callinicus) who reigned for 20 years.

NB: If someone can steal your god, you have the wrong one in the first place!

Daniel 11:9

So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land.

With Euergates back in Egypt, Seleucus II (king of the north) led an ill-fated attempt to attack Euergates (king of the south) but got soundly defeated, returning to Antioch with only a remnant of his army.

Daniel 11:10-12

10 But his [i.e. Seleucus II Callinicus (north)] sons [i.e. Seleucus III Soter & Antiochus III] shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one [of his sons, Antiochus III] shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through [Judea]: then shall he return [to Syria], and be stirred up, even to his fortress.

11 And the king of the south [Ptolemy IV Philopator] shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north [Antiochus III the Great]: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his [i.e Ptolemy IV Philopator’s] hand.

12 And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it.

Seleucus II’s sons were Seleucus III Soter, who was murdered during a campaign in Aisa Minor (Turkey), and Antiochus III, also known as Antiochus the Great (who reigned until approx. 187 B.C.). He recovered much of the territory that had been conquered by Euergates and resumed war against Egypt. Antiochus also ‘passed through’ Judea attacking much of what had been held by Egypt. Because of this, in about 221 B.C. a multitude (large army) was assembled by Ptolemy IV, (Euergates’ son). His army marched through Judea and was met in Lebanon by Antiochus. This led, in the spring of 219 B.C., to the battle of Raffia (about 20 miles south of modern day Gaza)

Ptolemy IV Philopator led about 70,000 men against Antiochus’s 60,000. Antiochus was defeated, sustaining great losses. Antiochus was forced to sign a peace treaty with Ptolemy who then embarked on a victory tour of the area, stopping off at Jerusalem. However as he was about to enter the holy of holies in the Temple, ignoring the warning of the high priest, he was suddenly struck with paralysis and therefore unable to enter. It would seem that God was protecting the holy place until a specific time that was yet to come (has had been prophesied to Daniel in chapter 8). After Defeating Antiochus’ multitude, and the Jerusalem Temple incident, he returned home to convalesce; and being ‘lifted up in his heart’ against the God of the Jews, he comforted himself by launching a wave of persecution against the Egyptian Jews – but surprisingly, this did not make him feel better! Nor did the fact that Antiochus, rather than being discouraged by the defeat, then set about rebuilding his army for a rematch….

Daniel 11:13-16

13For the king of the north [Antiochus III the Great] shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.

14 And in those times there shall many [including early Rome] stand up against the king of the south [i.e. Ptolemy V Epiphanes]: also the [children of] robbers of thy people [i.e. Egyptians under Ptolemy V] shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall.

15 So the king of the north [i.e. Antiochus III the Great] shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand.

16 But he [Antiochus III the Great] that cometh against him [Ptolemy IV Philopator] shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land [Israel], which by his hand shall be consumed [due to the ravages of war].

12 years after the battle of Raffia, Antiochus the Great set out with an even larger army than before to go against Egypt. By now Ptolemy IV Philopator had died and his young son, Ptolemy V Epiphanes was ruling with the help of his advisors. Among Antiochus’ army were some Jewish mercenaries; at this point we also see the first sight of Rome who also wanted a piece of the Egyptian spoils. The ‘robbers of Daniel’s people’ (technically the Hebrew infers the children of the robbers…) were the Egyptian forces under Ptolemy V, who having seen what Ptolemy IV Philopator had accomplished were confident they could stop Antiochus again. As a result of this confidence, one of Ptolemy’s allies, named Scopas, re-took Judea for Ptolemy, but only for a very short time; for in c.198 B.C. Scopas was driven back and defeated by 100,000 of Antiochus’ troops at Sidon. Thus none were able to withstand the strength of Antiochus. As a result of all of this changing of hands, Judea was reduced to poverty as the ravages of war took effect.

Daniel 11:17

He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him.

Rather than just destroying Egypt, and wanting to be seen to be doing the right thing, Antiochus III the Great made an agreement with the now new king of Egypt, Ptolemy V Epiphanes, by giving him his own beautiful daughter as wife – only problem was that Ptolemy V Epiphanes was just 10 years old. The giving of daughters to rival kings was an attempt at ensuring peace between kingdoms; and it also gave the father a spy in the enemy’s camp! However this backfired for Antiochus III as his daughter fell in love with Ptolemy V Epiphanes and sided with him instead of remaining loyal to her father.

Daniel 11:18

After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him.

After his success in Egypt, Antiochus III the Great turned his attention elsewhere in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions. Initially he was successful, however in Asia Minor (today’s Turkey) he encountered ‘the new kid on the block’ – ROME! Rome under Manius Acilius Glabrio then forced Antiochus back toward Syria, thus causing the ‘reproach offered by him to cease’. However, rather just settle for this, Rome then pursued Antiochus and turned the tables on him putting him under tribute to them, forcing him to pay taxes to them.

Daniel 11:19

Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.

Desperately in need of some quick cash, Antiochus died whilst attempting to rob a temple ‘in his own land’ at Elymais, in Persia in 187 B.C.

Daniel 11:20

Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle.

Antiochus was succeeded by his son, Seleucus IV Philopator. Seleucus inherited his father’s great debt and as a result brought in heavy tax increases, which surprisingly did not go down well with the people! In fact, so unpopular was this move that Seleucus was assassinated by his minister, Heliodorus. So as the angel foretold to Daniel, Seleucus died ‘neither in anger nor battle’, but as a result of a political issue.

As an interesting aside, 2 Maccabees records that he entered the Temple in Jerusalem in order to take its treasure (no doubt under the orders of Seleucus) but was turned back by ‘three forms of God’.

Daniel 11:21

And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

We now come to Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who we first met back in chapter 8; and as we noted there, he is a type (or model) of the Antichrist who is yet to come. It is interesting to note that the Greek name for Antiochus Epiphanes is translated as ‘the shining one’; which is the same as the Hebrew word ‘nachash’, first used in Genesis 3:1 referring to the Serpent.

When Seleucus IV Philopator was assassinated, his eldest son, Demetrius, should have succeeded him; however Demetrius was being held hostage in Rome. Antiochus Epiphanes had himself been a hostage in Rome but had recently been exchanged for his elder brother. According to Dake’s Bible commentary: “Antiochus Epiphanes was on his way back from Rome when his father, Seleucus IV died. Heliodorus who poisoned the king had already declared himself king, as had several others, but Antiochus came home peaceably (not in war) and using flattery obtained the kingdom. He flattered Eumenes, king of Pergamos, and Attalus his brother, and got their assistance. He flattered the Romans, and sent ambassadors to court their favour, paying them tribute which was in arrears. He flattered the Syrians, gained their favour, and took the throne with their backing.”

Thus, Antiochus Epiphanes, although not the rightful heir, took the kingdom anyway.

Daniel 11:22

And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.

The ‘they’ referred to in this verse are the ones who were ‘overthrown’ by Antiochus with the help of his supporters. However, not only were Antiochus’ rivals overthrown, but so also was the Jewish High Priest, Onias, who, according to 2 Maccabees, had been conspiring with the Spartans. In his place, Antiochus agreed to let Onias’ brother, Jason, assume the role of High Priest, after Jason had agreed to pay Antiochus a large sum of money. (Just like today!).

Daniel 11:23

And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.

Jason did not hold the office of High Priest for very long, for a Benjaminite called Menelaus, who was on his way to pay Antiochus money from Jason, used Jason’s money to bribe Antiochus to give him the title instead.

And thus with just a small group of supporters, Antiochus IV Epiphanies returned from Rome and became king in the place of his father.

Daniel 11:24

He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.

Antiochus proceeded to move to subdue Lebanon, Phoenicia and Judea, and he appointed rulers over these areas whom he supplied with the spoils of war that he had gained, thus effectively bribing them to ensure their loyalty to him.

Knowing that a war with Ptolemy VI’s Egypt was likely, he tried to plan against an Egyptian attack or invasion by strengthening his borders, whilst at the same time preparing to attack Egypt.

Daniel 11:25-26

25 And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.

26 Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain

Eventually, Antiochus marched against Egypt with a large army capturing Ptolemy VI Philometor; whom he then let stay on the throne as a vassal king, firstly, so as not to alarm Rome who had a watchful eye on proceedings, but also because Philometor was actually Antiochus’ cousin (i.e. the son of his father’s sister’s who had been given to Ptolemy V by Antiochus III the Great).

One of the reasons the Ptolemy VI ‘did not stand’ was because Antiochus had bribed some of Ptolemy’s key men to turn against him and support Antiochus’ cause instead. Thus those who had eaten meat with Ptolemy were the ones responsible for ‘destroying him’ and defeating his army.

Daniel 11:27

And both these kings’ hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.

Although Antiochus had allowed Ptolemy VI Philometor to continue as king in Egypt, those in Alexandria chose Philometor’s younger brother to be king. Knowing that Philometor’s own people had rejected him, Antiochus seized this as an opportunity to befriend his cousin for his own ends. Philometor was quite happy to play along with this psudo-friendship whilst at the same time plotting how he could throw off the yoke of Antiochus.

Daniel 11:28

Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land.

Antiochus then returned to Syria far richer than when he had left. However, on the way he went via Israel, for a false report of Antiochus’ death had been met with celebrations in Israel; something that was worthy of punishment in Antiochus’ eyes.

Daniel 11:29-30

29 At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.

30 For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.

A short time later, Antiochus once again invaded Egypt, but it was not nearly so successful a campaign as his first attempt at Pelusium (former), or his second invasion that led to his conquering all of Egypt (except Alexandra), when he made Ptolemy VI Philometor his vassal (latter).

Whilst this was taking place, Antiochus’ fleet had captured Cyprus, but this had awakened the concerns or Rome. Shortly after, Antiochus was met near Alexandra, in Egypt, by the Roman Consul, Gaius Popillius Laenas, who told him that he must immediately withdraw from both Cyprus and Egypt. Antiochus replied that he would like time to think. Gaius consented to his wish by drawing a circle around him and telling him that he could take as long as he wanted to reach a decision, but that he must have decided by the time he left the circle! In other words, Antiochus either had to withdraw, or he would be at war with Rome.

Having been publicly humiliated, Antiochus wanted to vent his anger and frustration, and what better place to do it than upon the people he already despised – the Jews.

On top of this he had been sent word that Jason, the ex-High Priest whom he had deceived, had gathered an army and marched against Jerusalem to depose Menelaus the Benjaminite. The fact that Menelaus, the then High Priest, was a Benjaminite was a direct violation of the holy covenant that God had given to Moses, wherein the Levites were the only tribe permitted to be priests in Israel.

Daniel 11:31

And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.

In his rage, Antiochus took Jerusalem by storm killing 40,000 Jews and selling many others into slavery. In addition to this he “boiled swine’s flesh and sprinkled the broth in the Temple and on the alter; broke into the holy of holies; took away the golden vessels and other sacred treasures; restored Menelaus to office; and made Philip, a Phrygian, governor of Judea. (1 Macc. 1:24; 2 Macc 5:21). He also prohibited Jewish worship and consecrated the Jewish Temple to Jupiter Olympius [placing a statue of Jupiter in the holy of holies]. After taking away the Jewish sacrifices in the Jewish Temple, Antiochus offered a swine upon the alter and make the Temple desolate of divine worship” – Finis Jennings Dake

Daniel 11:32-34

32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

33 And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.

34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.

Many Hellenistic Jews were seduced by Antiochus and even went as far as worshipping the image he has set up. This atrocity led to the Maccabean revolt, which lasted for almost three and a half years. See notes on Daniel 8:14.

Daniel 11:35

And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.

Up until this verse we have been reviewing fulfilled prophecy – and let us not lose sight of the fact that Daniel recorded this hundreds of years before it happened – however, in this verse we get our first hint at a double fulfilment.

The Law of Double Reference:

“This law observes the fact that often a passage or a block of Scripture is speaking of two different persons or two different events that are separated by a long period of time.”

In the following verses we will now begin to see the one of whom Antiochus IV Epiphanes is a type; a.k.a. Antichrist. Whilst some of the following details are applicable to Antiochus, the scope of the following prophecies goes far beyond anything that has happened thus far in history, and therefore the following verses are awaiting fulfilment during Daniel’s 70th week.

J Vernon McGee says the following: “At this point history ends and prophecy begins. The text passes from a vile person to a vicious character, moving over a bridge of unmeasured time. Antiochus Epiphanes was certainly a contemptible person, but he could not measure up to the king described in verses 36–39”.

Daniel 11:36

And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.

cf Rev 13 / Daniel 7:8, 24-25

It is from this verse that Antichrist gets the title ‘The Wilful King’. As we noted in our study of Revelation 13, Antichrist has a mouth full of blasphemes, and he will exalt himself above all god. This includes the God of the Christians and Jews, as well as Allah, Buddha, ‘mother-earth’ etc. In order for Antichrist to get away with this all the world’s religions will need to be moulded into one prior to this time. Right before out eyes we are witnessing the beginning of this process as the Roman Catholic Church is joining hands with the Mormons, Muslims, Buddhists etc. and amazingly, protestants and evangelical churches are joining in too! The desire for unity is far outweighing the concern for Biblical truth.

Antichrist will prosper – but only for as long as God allows.

Daniel 11:37

Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.

Some have mistakenly thought that this implies that Antichrist will not be interested in women. However we are told that he will not regard the desire of women, i.e. he will not regard that which women desire. The question is then asked, what was it that, in Daniel’s day, women desired? Answer: to be the one who gave birth to the Messiah. Right from Genesis 3 it had been prophesied that the Saviour would be the Seed of the Women; thus for Jewish women, the highest honour, their greatest desire (and hence the reason that barrenness was so despised) was to bring forth the One who would save the people from their sins.

So not only will Antichrist not regard God, he will not acknowledge Jesus either. In John’s first letter he tells us:

“Who is a liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denies the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22).

Daniel 11:38

But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.

The ‘god of forces’ can also be translated ‘god of fortresses’, with the implication being ‘the one who is holding the fort’ or ‘kingdom’. Paul tells is in 2 Corinthians 4:4, that the ‘god’ who is holding the fort of this earth, for now at least, is Satan.

Daniel 11:39

Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.

Satan will establish his man as the ruler over the nations of this world; and in return Antichrist will cause all people to acknowledge and worship ‘the dragon who gave power to the beast’ (Rev 13:4). Antichrist’s kingdom will be divided into ten regions, over which ten kings will reign; however this many also refer to the dividing up of the land of Israel for financial reward: “For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.” (Joel 3:1-2)

Daniel 11:40-44

40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.

41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.

43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.

44 But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.

On this side of the prophetic divide we can only speculate at these references to the king of the south and king of the north (verse 40). What is clear from this verse is that we are not talking about the Seleucid and Ptolemaic dynasties, for earlier in this chapter the Seleucid empire was referred to as the king of the north; and yet now, Antichrist, who has picked up the mantle of Antiochus Epiphanes is being attacked from a king from presumably further north of Israel than Syria is. Scholars propose that the king of the south may be a united Africa with the king of the north being the Russians. Whoever they prove to be, they will march against Antichrist, passing through and trampling over the land of Israel (much like the earlier conflicts had done). We also find the tidings from the east will trouble Antichrist (verse 44); east of Israel is Asia, including China.

So in this scenario we have the north (Russia?), the south (Egyptian led Africa?) and the east (China etc.?), and yet we find that Antichrist will subdue all of them. What makes this particularly interesting is that, in Daniel 7:24, we were told that Antichrist will subdue three of the ten kings. Could these be the three that will be subdued, and their marching against Antichrist be the reason he needs to subdue them in the first place?

It is also interesting to note that modern day Jordan (Edom, Moab & Ammon) will escape out of Antichrist’s hands. In Revelation 12 we find that it will be during this time that Israel will flee to the wilderness – which many commentators believe will be Petra, in Jordan.

Verse 43 alludes to the fact that Antichrist will have control over the worlds monetary systems – cf. Rev 13:17

Daniel 11:45

And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.

Antichrist will set up camp in Israel, between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, yet he will be defeated at the appointed time, and no one will even be able to help him. cf. 2 Thes 2:8 / Dan 7:26 / Dan 8:25 /

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study!

The post Daniel Ch11 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Daniel Ch10

Barry Forder — Sun, 04 Jul 2021 10:30:07 +0000

This teaching on Daniel chapter 10 was given on the 4th July 2021 by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Daniel 10:1

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.

We are now two years on from events of the previous chapter (about 536 B.C.). As we have already noted, Cyrus and Darius both started their reigns simultaneously, so this would have also been the third years of Darius. The fact that Daniel doesn’t mention Darius here is probably due to the fact that Darius has now died. From what we know from secular history, Gubaru the Mead (whom we are certain changed his name upon receiving the throne to Darius the Mead) only lived for a short time after he was appointed as king of Babylon by Cyrus.

One of the most common attacks on the book of Daniel by the critics, is to state that there is no record of a person called ‘Daniel’ in the ancient Babylonian records that have been found, and therefore he must be a fictional character, and the book must have been written much later by psudo-Daniel. As Proverbs tells us, the first to state his case seems right until his neighbour comes and examines him! And so it is here. The critics arguments can sometimes seem plausible until one looks at the facts! For why would anyone expect to find Daniel’s name on any of the official documents of the day? Daniel was his Jewish name, and the Jews were mere captives in the land of the Chaldeans. As Daniel reminds us here, even as late as the third year of the reign of Cyrus – two years after Daniel had retired from public office (see Dan 1:21) – he was know as Belteshazzar. As Professor Robert D Wilson points out, there is ample evidence to confirm that a man by this name did indeed hold a high public office during this period in Babylon. As David said: “Your Word is true from the beginning!” (Ps 119:160)

Daniel here explains that something was revealed to him, and it was true. He also tells us that the fulfilment for that which was revealed to him was to be in the distant future; and as we will see, the last three chapters of the book of Daniel span human history from the time of Daniel to the time when Jesus will return to establish his kingdom and reign on the throne of David.

The good news is that Daniel says he understood what he was told – so with 2,500 years of history on our side, we should be able to understand too!

Daniel 10:2-3

2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.

3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

Daniel doesn’t tell us why he was mourning, but it was no doubt to do with his people and their future – certainly that which was revealed to him and is explained in the following chapters specifically relates to Israel and their future.

NB: Fasting is about spiritual preparation, not a ‘knee jerk’ reaction to a problem that occurs. Jesus fasted as a matter of course, and was therefore ready to face whatever confronted Him (cf Matt 17:21)

Daniel 10:4

And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel;

Hiddekel is another name for the Tigris – the river approx 20 miles east of Babylon. Remember, that by now Daniel has officially retired so had no need to be in the city.

Daniel 10:5

Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:

Now we are told of Daniel’s vision.

Linen in scripture is associated with righteousness/man (cf. Rev 19:8); and gold is associated with kings – so we have a righteous man who is a king! (That somewhat limits our options!)

Daniel 10:6

His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

We are not told why Daniel saw this vision, but it is the last vision he sees, and without doubt the greatest of them all.

Who is this ‘certain man’? Scholars are divided, some say a super angel, but I am with those who see this as a ‘Christophany’ – an Old Testament appearance of Jesus Christ. If we compare this vision to the vision that John saw on Patmos, it would appear to be the same person. Certainly, judging by Daniel’s reaction, bearing in mind he has already met angels, this would seem to be someone far greater than an angel.

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,…..And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:” (Rev 1:10-17)

Daniel 10:7

And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.

Just as Paul on the Damascus road, those accompanying him were terrified.

“And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man”. (Acts 9:7)“And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me” (Acts 22:9). Note, there is not a contradiction here. The men with Paul clearly ‘heard a voice’, but they could not hear what the voice was saying.

Daniel 10:8

Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.

As it was for Paul, John, and Isaiah, coming face to face with God exposes our own weakness and spiritual poverty like never before. All the ‘good’ that we possess is turned to filthy rags in the presence of a holy God, and like Isaiah, all we can say is ‘Woe is me! For I am undone’ (Isaiah 6:5).

It is interesting that Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15 that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” (1 Cor 15:50-53) Thus, we will be given new bodies at the time of the Rapture that will be fit for eternity, that won’t decay, and will last for eternity in the presence of God!

Daniel 10:9

Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.

Notice what Daniel says here: I heard the voice of His words – any who have read scripture have heard His words; what must it be like to hear the voice of His words?! When we do, we will be face down too! We’re not actually told what was said, maybe it was just for Daniel’s ears. Maybe it was ‘well done good and faithful servant’. Will we hear those words? Are we living lives worthy of our vocation? (see Ephesians 4:1).

In the KJV, the phrase ‘deep sleep’ occurs twice in Daniel and 8 other times in scripture: On all but 2 occasions (Prov 19:15 & Acts 20:9) God is personally involved, as it seems He is here.

(Deep Sleep from the Lord: Gen 2:21 / Gen 15:12 / 1 Sam 26:12 / Job 4:13 / Job 33:15 / Isaiah 29:10 / Daniel 8:18)

The Hebrew word is רָדַם râdam, which occurs 7x (Judges 4:21 / Psalm 76:6 / Prov 10:5 / Dan 8:18 / Dan 10:9 / Jonah 1:5 /Jonah 1:6) and again seems to always be of the Lord.

Daniel 10:10

And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.

‘an hand’ not ‘His hand’. This is not the same person as in the vision. The vision has now ended and Daniel is back in the real world, by the side of the river, and now an angel touches him and gets him up – well, half way up!

Daniel 10:11

And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.

After what Daniel has been through it must have been very comforting to hear these words ‘o man greatly beloved’. The angel now tells Daniel to stand up properly! (it’s as if the angel, seeing Daniel on all fours, says ‘Get up! You’re embarrassing me!’). Daniel duly obliges, albeit trembling.

This angel, as with Gabriel in chapter 9, had been specifically sent to Daniel.

Daniel 10:12

Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.

It is almost amusing that whenever angels appear in scripture they say ‘fear not’! Maybe they don’t understand us humans, ‘cos most of us would freak out if we saw an angel! Still, it’s a nice gesture to try and calm us before the message is delivered!

As we saw in the last chapter, Gabriel flew swiftly to answer Daniel’s prayer; here we see that God had heard Daniel’s prayer from the first day he started to fast and pray – 21 days ago. Does this then mean that Daniel only needed to ask once? Not at all. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” (2 Cor 10:4). The spiritual warfare we are engaged in is not just resolved by a single prayer, but requires persistent faithful petition, a sustained attack on the enemy’s position. In James 5:16-18 we read: “….The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.”

The reason for the necessary persistence in prayer will become clear in the next verse.

Daniel 10:13

But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

This is a glimpse into the unseen spiritual realm that is continually taking place even though we are not often aware of it. The prince of the kingdom of Persia is not Cyrus, or any other Persian ruler, but the satanic spiritual power behind the kingdom. We see this alluded to in Isaiah 14 where the passage starts by addressing the king of Babylon, but then goes far beyond the human king of Babylon to the spiritual power behind him – in that particular case, to Satan himself. The same is true in Ezekiel 28 when the king of Tyre is the initial focus, but soon the passage shifts to address the one pulling the strings in the spiritual realm.

Very often we overlook the influence in our lives of the spiritual realm, but we shouldn’t, because Paul warned us: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [i.e. heavenly] places.” (Eph 6:12) This is not an occasional wrestling, but an every day event. The battle is ultimately for the souls of men, the battle ground is the mind, that is where Satan’s most unassailable strongholds are erected. Paul says that we should be “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:5)

Spiritual warfare is about mind control; if Satan can manipulate our thoughts, causing doubt, fear, discouragement, envy, lust, hatred and the like, he gains a foothold that becomes a foundation for him to build his stronghold upon. If on the other hand we are not conformed to this world, but are transformed by the [continual] renewing of our mind, we will not be subject to Satan but will know what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (cf Rom 12:2).

This is why Paul says we should set our affections on the things above, not on things of the earth (Col 3:2). Peter said: “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;” (1 Peter 1:13). In other words, be careful what you think about and dwell on, be in control of your thought life and don’t allow it to be overrun by emotions and passions; and hang in there until the Day of Christ, when by His grace, the struggle will finally be over.

For now, we are to “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil….Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Eph 6:11, 14-18)

As Chuck Missler points out, you need the armour in place before the battle commences. It is no use trying to put the armour on when you realise you are under attack. Roman soldiers would repair their armour between the battles too, a good lesson for us to take on board. Fellowship, reading the Word, prayer, communion. All of these do wonders for our spiritual armour.

NB: Typically Roman soldiers had no armour for the back – Historians have speculated that this was to discourage retreat and to remind the soldier to never turn their back on the enemy. As believers enlisted in God’s army (2 Tim 2:4) we shouldn’t retreat (backslide/turn our backs on the enemy) either. It is worth noting that we are often at our most vulnerable when we are on our way home after ‘a battle’, when the pressure is off and no one is watching any more. We may have just had a great victory, preached a good sermon, led a great Bible study, witnessed to a friend or colleague, been at a powerful prayer meeting or worship time; but the enemy will be lurking and ready to pounce on the way home. One of his favourite tools is discouragement – ‘no one cares’, ‘what’s the use’, ‘they don’t appreciate me’, ‘after all that effort I’ve made no difference’….etc

Although Daniel may not have understood what was going on in the spiritual realm, he was faithful in prayer. As a result Michael the Archangel (there is only one Archangel), is able to come and assist the other angel in getting through to Daniel. What would have happened if Daniel had given up praying after, say, the 20th day, rather than persisting in prayer?

‘Prayer is God’s way of enlisting us in what He is doing’ – Chuck Missler

Before we move on, and while on the subject of spiritual warfare, it would be helpful to say a few words about one of greatest weapons in the spiritual war – praise. Paul E Billheimer, in his excellent book ‘Destined for the Throne’, underlines just how important praise is: ‘If the highest function of angelic hosts is praise, it follows logically that the highest function of the human spirit must also be praise…[praising God] decentralises self. The worship and praise of God demands a shift of centre from self to God. One cannot praise without relinquishing occupation with self….Praise produces forgetfulness of self – and forgetfulness of self is health…” (p117-118)“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” (Luke 9:24). “There are other reasons why praise is of such supreme importance and why so much larger a portion of the Word is given to praise than to prayer. For some reason, Satan fears praise even more than prayer” (page 119) (cf 2 Chron 20). “God gave to king David such a revelation of the importance and power of praise upon earth that, following the heavenly pattern, he set aside and dedicated an army of four thousand Levites whose sole occupation was to praise the Lord” (1 Chron 23:5) (page 121)….. “In Psalm 22:3 we are told that God “inhabits the praises” of His people. This means that wherever there is adoration, reverence, and acceptable worship and praise, there He identifies and openly manifests His presence. And His presence always expels Satan. Satan cannot operate in the divine presence”(page 120).

Daniel 10:14

Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.

The angel now gives Daniel the outline of the message he is about to deliver (which we will see in chapters 11 and 12) – and once again, it is regarding ‘thy people’ i.e. the Jews… and praise God that He sends His angels to ‘make us understand’! God want’s us to know His Word and what He has revealed about our times and what it to come!

Daniel 10:15

And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb.

Daniel hasn’t been back up very long, and now he’s down again with his face toward the ground. It is amazing how much Daniel saw, observed and recorded that we are now the beneficiaries of; and bear in mind that he is about 85 years old by now.

Daniel 10:16

And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength.

Is seems the vision Daniel refers to, given the context, is the vision of Jesus he had just had. The Hebrew word for vision is ‘Marah’ and means mirror/looking glass/vision. The word for sorrows is ‘tsiyr’ which means pressed or crushed as in a hinge. Thus I believe that Daniel is saying, ‘I have seen myself as I am, and I am crushed’. When we come face to face with Jesus we see ourselves as we really are in contrast to His perfection. The same is true when we look into His Word, it reveals to us who we really are in the light of who God is. It is no coincidence that with the Tabernacle in the Old Testament, the Laver (big bronze bath for the priests to wash in) was made out of the mirrors the Children of Israel had taken out of Egypt. The Laver is analogous to the Word of God. It cleanses by the washing of water but also reflects our true selves back to us. That is why so many are opposed to the Bible. It tells the truth about the human condition; it shows we are not evolving and getting better, we are actually fallen from grace and in need of a Saviour.

It is interesting that, as with Isaiah, this angelic being touches Daniel on the lips, Isaiah said: “Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.” (Isaiah 6:6-7)

Daniel 10:17

For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.

Daniel, of whom no sin is recorded, is under no illusion. How can one who is unholy talk freely with one who is holy? Praise God that through Jesus “we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”. “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Heb 4:15-16 / Heb 7:25 / Heb 10:19-22).

So often in scripture God empties individuals of all they have before filling them to overflowing.

Daniel 10:18

Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me,

It is interesting that Daniel is powerless in this spiritual experience until he is strengthened by one like the ‘son of man’. We too are powerless in any spiritual conflict unless we draw our strength form the Son of Man. As Paul urged Timothy, we must “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 2:1). “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Eph 6:10-11)

Jesus has all we need and can do ‘exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think’, we can have it if we simply go to Him to get it. (cf Eph 3:20).

Daniel 10:19

And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.

There is a sense of compassion in the angel’s reply: ‘Don’t look at yourself the way you see things, but know how God sees you – a man who is greatly beloved’.

The word ‘peace’ is ‘shalom’ in Hebrew, which comes from the root ‘la shalem’ meaning ‘to pay / to fill / to fulfil. Real peace can only come because Jesus died to pay for our sin, fulfil the law of Moses and fill us with His Holt Spirit. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27). Such words of comfort cannot fail to strengthen us, regardless of the circumstances.

Daniel 10:20

Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.

It is almost as if the angel wants to underline to Daniel just how difficult it has been getting to him, and how hard it is going to be to get back. Clearly from this verse we see that there are spiritual / angelic powers over nations / empires. This has led some to assume that these are the ‘strongholds’ that are spoken about in 2 Corinthians 10:4; and if we pray hard enough against these ‘strongholds’, we can bring them crashing down. This idea is then taken one step further and it is proposed that that the principalities and powers mentioned in Ephesians 6 are different orders of these fallen angelic beings that reign over nations, cities, towns etc. and exert spiritual control over those areas. Thus you will find in many Christian bookstores, books about ‘territorial spirits’ and how we can ‘do battle‘ with them. It was the acceptance of this kind of teaching that led to the numerous prayer-walks and marches that we witnessed during the late 80’s and early 90’s. It was said that if a big enough assault were launched against these territorial spirits, we could ‘bring them down’ i.e. defeat them and destroy their influence. This teaching went hand in hand with the view still being promoted today (under the guise of Purpose Driven, Emerging, Mission Shaped, Alpha, etc.) that the church will destroy all the evil in the world and bring about the kingdom of God on earth. ‘Kingdom Now’, ‘Dominion Theology’ ‘Restorationism’ are some of the more popular names give to this idea that the Church will rule world for Jesus Christ – who according to some, has already returned and is now reigning in the hearts of His people (thus they deny the Rapture, bodily Second Coming of Christ and His Millennial reign on the earth).

Sadly, because some of these ideas have been drawn from a Bible verse or passage – albeit taken out of context – many Christians have been unwittingly caught up in deception and delusion that has actually brought them into bondage by the message that purported to offer them victory. It is very easy to walk into a Christian bookshop and buy books by prominent authors who promote these ideas. What is much harder to find however, are books that deal with what the Bible really says about spiritual warfare. (For a really good, balanced and Biblical study, I recommend “Making War in the Heavenlies” by Pastor Bill Randles (2nd hand copies on Amazon are available for less than £5).

Whilst Ephesians 6 does list differing ranks of spiritual beings, and whilst they may have authority over nations, cities, towns, etc. NOWHERE in the Bible is the Church told to attack and ‘bring down’ these fallen angels. The only occasion in scripture where one of these ‘principalities’ is seen to be removed, is in this verse (Daniel 10:20). And far from improving the spiritual climate, we find that an even stronger principality comes in his place, namely the ‘Prince of Greece’. Yet many who engage in this ‘spiritual warfare’ go as far as openly taunting these angelic beings. It is interesting to note what Jude said: “Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.” (Jude v8-10). If the Archangel Michael didn’t hurl insults at Satan, then it would probably be wise for us not to do so either! (I’m guessing that Michael knows more about spiritual warfare than you or I!)

Daniel 10:21

But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.

Has the angel already read what is going to happen? Did he get a sneak preview before the ‘film’ was released? Why else would this angel say that what he is about to tell Daniel is noted in the ‘established and faithful writing’.

David said: “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.” (Ps 119:89)

In Revelation we read: “The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world” (Rev 17:8) For the names to be in the book from the foundation of the world, the book itself must have existed from that time.

Therefore, could it be that the angel is actually reading the written Word of God and relaying it to Daniel in advance?!

Michael is always seen to be fighting on behalf of Israel. Thus it would seem that Israel, i.e. God’s land that He has entrusted to the Jews, is the only place in the world that has a godly angel protecting it. This is stark contrast to the rest of the world, which is under the sway of the wicked one (1 John 5:19).

As we move into the next chapter we will find out what the angel was actually sent to tell Daniel…

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

For more information, contact: info@calvaryportsmouth.co.uk

The post Daniel Ch10 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Daniel Ch9 vs24-27

Barry Forder — Sun, 27 Jun 2021 10:30:05 +0000

This study of Daniel chapter 9 vs 24-26, also known as ‘Daniel’s 70 Weeks’ was given by Pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on 27th June 2021.

As we noted in the last session, Daniel chapter 9 is, without doubt, one of the most important chapters in the Bible. Now, that is an audacious statement, but this chapter contains one of the most remarkable prophecies in the Bible that provides irrefutable evidence that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. On its own that sets it apart, but it also lays out God’s plan for the nation of Israel from the time of the Babylonian captivity unto the Second Coming of Jesus. It give us important prophetic details of the events on our near horizon, when a world leader, who will emerge from within the nations that made up the old Roman Empire, will step onto the world scene and become famous for doing what presidents and kings have unsuccessfully tried to accomplish, bringing peace in the middle east! It is also a chapter the confirms, once again, what we have already seen in the book of Daniel a number of times, that it is God who rules in the kingdoms of man, and He will ultimately give control of the whole earth to His Son, Jesus Christ!

The 70 Weeks Prophecy

As we now look at the prophecy that Gabriel gives to Daniel, we find that it is broken down into four sections:

Firstly, verse 24 gives us the whole scope of the prophecy; it tells us to whom the prophecy referrers and what is to be accomplished during the time of the prophecy.

Verse 25 gives us the first section of the prophecy, namely the 69 weeks.

We then find an interval between the 69 weeks and the 70^th week that is dealt with in verse 26.

Finally, verse 27 explains the starting point for, and some specific details of the 70^th week.

Daniel 9:24 – The Scope of the Prophecy

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

Seventy weeks

The first thing we need to understand is the term, translated in our Bible’s as, ‘seventy weeks’. In the Hebrew, the word for ‘weeks’ used here is ‘shabuwa’ (shaw-boo’-ah), which means ‘a week of years’. So what we have is ‘seventy weeks of years’. Whilst this may seem strange to us it was not unusual to the Jews, who not only had a week of days, but also a week of weeks, a week of months and, as is the case here, a week of years. Various examples of these ‘weeks’ can be found in the Bible: We are all familiar with a week of days, as outlined in Genesis 2:2 / Exodus 20:11. We find reference to a week of weeks (i.e. seven weeks) in Leviticus 23. From the Feast of Firstfruits, the Jews were told to count forward seven weeks (7 x 7 = 49 days), after which, the next day was to be the Feast of Weeks (also known as Pentecost – ‘pent’ meaning 50 as it was 50 days from the Feast of Firstfruits). The same idea applied to the Mosaic feasts which were all to occur in a week of months (i.e. a 7 month period). Finally we have the week of years (seven years = one ‘shabuwa’). This can be seen in various places in the Old Testament such as Leviticus 25 where God told the Jews that they were to work the land for six years, but in the seventh year they were to let the land rest. This was to be a Sabbath for the land. It was precisely because Israel failed to observe this law that God then told them in effect ‘you owe me 70 years’, and thus we have the 70 years in Babylon so that, as 2 Chron 36:19-21 explains, the land could enjoy her Sabbaths. In Genesis 29:27 we read that Jacob served for a ‘week’ for Rachel, which we are told was seven years. So returning to our text, the duration of this prophecy was to last for seventy seven-year periods, which is 490 years.

Another important thing to understand is that, when dealing with prophetic years in the Bible, they are always reckoned to be 360 days in length. There is compelling evidence to suggest that the earth used to be on a 360-day orbit of the Sun (we are currently on a 365¹/₄ day orbit). All the ancient calendars seem to have been based on a 360-day year that, for some reason, changed in 701 B.C. What caused this change is a matter of scholastic debate, however one of the most credible theories revolves (if you pardon the pun) around the planet Mars.

Mars has long been associated with war (we still use the term ‘marital arts’). For some unknown reason the ancient cultures seemed to be terrified of Mars, yet today very few of us could pick it out at night if we look up in the sky. There are also records of ‘freak’ natural disasters that seemed to occur at regular 104-year intervals. It has been observed that many of the unusual Biblical events recorded in the Old Testament coincided with these dates, including the flood of Noah, the long day of Joshua, Hezekiah’s sundial etc. It has been conjectured that Earth and Mars used to be on resonant orbits, Earth being 360 days and Mars being twice that at 720 days. If this is correct, then at two points in the year, March 20/21 and October 25^th, Mars and the Earth would pass by far closer than they do today causing massive tidal waves and earthquakes etc. Such an event would strike fear into those living at that time and would easily explain the paranoia. For those wanting to explore this in more detail, see Chuck Missler’s ‘Signs in the Heavens’ or commentary on Joshua – available from K-House: www.khouse.org

In regard to the 360-day year, Sir Isaac Newton said the following:

“…all nations, before the just length of the solar year was known, reckoned months by the course of the moon, and years by the return of winter and summer, spring and autumn; and in making calendars for their festivals, they reckoned thirty days to a lunar month, and twelve lunar months to a year, taking the nearest round numbers, whence came the division of the ecliptic into 360 degrees.”

In other words, the reason that we have 360 degrees in a circle, is because of this 360-day year that the ancient cultures worked to.

Seventy weeks…. are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city

Now we are told to whom the prophecy refers: the Jews and Jerusalem. As we have seen throughout this chapter, Daniel has been praying for his people and Jerusalem, therefore it comes as no surprise that Gabriel now gives him a prophecy concerning the same.

….to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

Here we are told what will be accomplished by the end of the 490 prophetic years. Whilst it could be said that ‘reconciliation for iniquity’ was accomplished by Jesus on the cross, the other criteria have certainly not been met yet; for we have not witnessed and end of sins, or the ushering in of everlasting righteousness; nor have we seen all prophecies fulfilled or the anointing of the most Holy [place] – which in this context’s referrers to the Sanctuary in the Jewish Temple.

Therefore we have just two options: either this prophecy did not come true (unlikely!), or, the seventy weeks are not continuous and part of the prophecy is yet to be fulfilled.

As we will see clearly in a moment, it is the latter.

Daniel 9:25 – The 69 Weeks unto Messiah

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

Know therefore and understand…

Once again Gabriel tells Daniel ‘listen up ‘cos this is important!’ – see notes on v22.

…from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem…

Now we are given the starting point for the 490 years – the ‘commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem’. There were actually four commands given pertaining to the Jews (see slide), however only one of these – the decree by Artaxerxes Longimanus in 445 B.C. – was regarding the rebuilding of the city. All the other decrees were specifically in regard to the Temple only.

Thanks to the work of Sir Robert Anderson, who published his book ‘ The Coming Prince’ back in 1885, and who confirmed his findings with the Royal Greenwich Observatory, we know that the decree was signed on the 14^th March 445 B.C. This is recorded in Nehemiah chapter 2 when Nehemiah, the king’s cupbearer, went before the king and was granted his request to return and rebuild the city of Jerusalem.

…unto the Messiah the Prince

Having been given the beginning, Daniel is now told what will bring this first period to an end, namely the arrival of the Messiah! NB: The word translated ‘Prince’ is the Hebrew word ‘nagiyd’ which means ‘chief ruler’, i.e. king.

..shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks…

Therefore, from the command of Artaxerxes unto the Messiah there is to be seven weeks of years (49 years), followed by sixty-two weeks of years (434 years), making a total of 483 years. As we have mentioned, these years are each 360 days in length, thus it is possible for us to calculate the exact number of days that Gabriel says will expire between the command being given and Messiah the King. (See calculation below)

….the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

Gabriel states that during this time Jerusalem will be rebuilt, although it will be during troubled times; this is itself confirmed in the book of Nehemiah.

The question we should now ask is: Did anything of significance occur after 173,880 days had been completed?

In order to answer that question we need to turn our attention to a strange phenomenon that occurred throughout Jesus’ ministry, one that it is easy to miss by casually reading the gospels; however once it is noticed it is perplexing indeed. It stars at the wedding in Cana as recorded in John’s gospel: “And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.” (John 2:1-4) Surely this would have been a great way to announce that He was the Messiah, at such a public gathering? Yet it was only His disciples who were aware of what had happened. And what did Jesus mean by ‘mine hour is not yet come’?

As we read on in John’s gospel we come to the feeding of the five thousand (chapter 6). Surely this would be the time, in front of so many, to declare Himself the Messiah? However we read: “Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.” (John 6:14-15)

A short while after this, at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles when all Jewish males were required by the Law of Moses to go up to Jerusalem, His disciples asked Him if He was going up with them; He replied: “ My time is not yet come: but your time is aIways ready. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come.” (John 7:6-8)

After a while Jesus did go up, but amazingly we read “But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.” (John 7:10) This is the Son of God, sneaking around so as not to be noticed!

Eventually the Jews found Him but an even more bizarre thing happens: “Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.” (John 7:30)

Just stop and consider this: the Jews want to take Him, but inexplicably they can’t touch Him, and He just walks away.

In John 8:20 we read: “These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.”

We find exactly the same perplexing situation recorded by the other gospel writers. Luke records: “And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. But he passing through the midst of them went his way,” (Luke 4:28-30)

In Matthew we read: “And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.” (Matt 8:2-4)

So Jesus heals him and says in effect ‘keep it quiet’!???

And again: “And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.” (Matt 9:27-30)

Now it’s ‘keep it quiet – or else!’

“When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.….Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.” (Matt 16:13-21)

“And he charged them that they should tell no man” – Mark 7:36

“And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.” – Mark 8:26

And so it continued throughout Jesus’ ministry. Continually Jesus played down who He was and the miracles He had done. He refused to be taken as the people’s king or even allow His own disciples to tell people that He was the Christ – the Messiah.

Except that is, until one particular day.

In John 12 we read: “And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. …..Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.” (John 12:23-28)

What hour, what day was it? If we back up in John’s gospel we find that Jesus said this on what we know as Palm Sunday. Earlier that day Jesus had staged the most incredible spectacle imaginable. He had deliberately sent His disciples to go and get a colt and bring it back to Him so that He could ride it into Jerusalem, intentionally fulfilling the prophesy of Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” We pick it up in Luke’s account: “And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.” (Luke 19:37-38)

So not only did Jesus set this whole event up in the first place, He is now, for the first time in His ministry, allowing people to worship Him as their king. In addition to this the ‘song’ that the people were singing was Psalm 118 – the very Psalm that was to be sung when the Messiah came!!

The Pharisees were livid! “And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.” To them this was blasphemy; but what was Jesus’ response?…..“And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” Not what the Pharisees wanted to hear!

Luke continues:

“And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.” (Luke 19:41-42)

So what was this day? Why did Jesus suddenly allow the people to worship Him? Why on this day of all days did Jesus publicly and intentionally present Himself to Jerusalem as their Messiah?

Because this was exactly 173,880 days after the command was given by Artaxerxes Longimanus to restore and build Jerusalem; This was the day – the only day – that the Messiah of Israel would come. And He did!!

This is undoubtedly one of the most amazing prophecies in the entire Bible, and absolute proof that Jesus Christ is the Messiah of Israel, and that the Bible is the infallible Word of a God who is outside time and therefore able to declare the end from the beginning.

What however is sobering, is to realise that Jesus held the Jews accountable to know Daniel’s prophecy; and because they ‘missed it’, Jesus pronounced national blindness on them and then prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem – which occurred in 70AD – all because they ‘knewest not the time of thy visitation’

“And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.” (Luke 19:42-43)

After a siege lasting almost a year, the Roman forces under Titus Vespasian took and destroyed Jerusalem. Titus had wanted to preserve the Temple but in the fighting, a burning torch was thrown through a window of the Temple starting a fire that was so intense that it melted all the gold on the walls inside. Consequently, Titus ordered the Temple to be taken apart stone by stone to recover all the gold. It was reported that over a million Jews died in the siege.

As a result of this, Jews were scattered around the world; their lives literally ‘hung in doubt’ (See Deut 28). This led some to conclude that God had finished with Israel, and that the promises given to Israel would now be fulfilled by the church. However as Paul made clear in Romans 9,10 & 11, God is not through with Israel: “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.” (Rom 11:25)

The same message was given by the church at Jerusalem in Acts 15. It had become clear that gentiles were to be included in God’s plan of salvation, but the question was then asked: ‘what about Israel?’ We read: “And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up” (Acts 15:13-16)

Throughout the Old Testament there are countless prophecies regarding Israel’s ultimate restoration; indeed as we will see, the 70^th week of Daniel’s prophecy has yet to be fulfilled, and as the whole of the prophecy was concerning ‘thy people and thy holy city’, Israel and Jerusalem still have a major part to play in God’s overall plan.

Daniel 9:26 – The Interval

And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

With the 69 weeks now dealt with, we find two specific events in this verse that will occur after the 69 weeks, but before the 70^th. Firstly the ‘cutting off’ of the Messiah, but not for Himself; and then the destruction of Jerusalem by a people from whom another price is said to come.

As we know, less than a week after Jesus rode into Jerusalem completing the 69 weeks, He was crucified – but not for Himself: “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2) And then, just as Jesus had foretold, 38 years later, Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans.

What this should immediately make us realise is that there is an interval between the 69^th and 70^th week of this prophecy.

Some ‘scholars’ have objected to placing a gap between the 69^th and 70^th week, but as is clear from the text, the 70^th week could not begin until after the Messiah had been cut of and Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Romans. Therefore, from what we know of history, this interval had to have lasted at least 38 years; however we find that it has now lasted almost two thousand years.

It is clear from the next verse that the event that will trigger the 70^th week is the confirming of a covenant with Israel for the last ‘week’ (seven years) of this prophecy. One simple way of knowing that this ‘week’ has not yet (nor could have) occurred is that for any covenant to be signed with Israel, Israel have to exist as a nation, and yet from AD70 right up until May 14^th 1948, Israel were not a nation, nor in their land. Thus if one stops and thinks about what this implies, we will see that this prophecy demands that all the prophecies about a future restoration and regathering of the Nation of Israel, after God has scattered them among all the nations of the earth, have to be taken literally. There is no way that this can be made to apply to the church. Two clear and unambiguous prophecies that underline this are found in Deuteronomy as follows:

Scattering

“If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book….

…the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone. And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life” (Deut 28:58, 63-66)

Regathering

“And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee. If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.” (Deut 30:1-5)

Some critics would try and say that the prophecies regarding the regathering refer to the regathering of the Jews to the land of Israel after the Babylonian captivity; however Deuteronomy 28:36-58 clearly deals with the Assyrian and Babylonian captivity, whereas verses 63-66 warn of a far greater scattering ‘from the one end of the earth even unto the other’ and consistent with this, the regathering prophesied above is from ‘all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee’.

Another prophecy that confirms this is found in Isaiah 11:11-12 “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.”

From the context, this 2^nd regathering of the Jews from around the world will occur at the time of the Second Coming when “He [Jesus] shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matt 24:31) In this verse from Matthew, Jesus was actually quoting from Isaiah 27: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.” (Isa 27:13)

If this is the second regathering from around the world, when did the first regathering take place? Answer: In 1948, when, just as Isaiah prophesied (Isaiah 66:8) a nation was born in a day, and countless Jews returned home for the first time since AD70.

Thus (getting back on track!), the 70^th week could not have occurred until 1948 when Israel were back in the land that God had given them.

It is worth noting that this is not the only time this ‘gap’ appears in scripture. There are in fact 24 occasions where we jump from the time of Christ to the Tribulation, omitting what has become know as the ‘church-age’. One of the obvious reasons for this is that the church was a mystery hidden in the Old Testament (cf Matt 13 / Eph 3:1-12). One of the other examples of this ‘gap’ is found in Luke 4:17-21

“And there was delivered unto him [Jesus} the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”

Why were all eyes fastened upon Him? Because Jesus stopped mid-way through a sentence. The Jews would have been familiar with this prophecy from Isaiah, but when Jesus reads it to them, rather than complete the verse, He simply stops. When we compare this to Isaiah’s prophecy, found in Isaiah 61, we discover the following: “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn” (Isa 61:1-2)

Why did Jesus stop at the comer? Because, just as Jesus said, the first part of the prophecy was indeed being fulfilled in their ears; Jesus had come to preach good tidings, heal the brokenhearted, preach deliverance etc. but between this time and the day of vengeance of our God there has been a period of almost two thousand years. Thus, just as with our prophecy in Daniel, the last part will not be fulfilled until after the church-age.

Daniel 9:27 – The 70^th Week

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

In the last verse we were introduced to ‘the prince that shall come’ (a.k.a. Antichrist). There we were told that he will be of the people that destroyed the city (of Jerusalem). From history we know that these ‘people’ were the Romans; therefore this prince who is to come must also be ‘of the Romans’, or from the Roman Empire. It is important to realise that the Roman Empire was divided into two legs (remember the stature in Daniel 2); the western leg is what we are most familiar with from our history lessons, but the eastern leg that covered Turkey, Assyria, Iraq etc survived the western leg by about a thousand years. The reason this is of importance is that one of the other titles of the ‘prince who shall come’ is the ‘Assyrian’. (Is 10:24 / Is 14:24 / Mic 5:5-6), suggesting a strong link with the eastern part of the Roman Empire. Many Bible commentators have made the assumption that the final world empire that will be ruled by Antichrist, will come from the European Union / EEC etc. Whilst this may be the case, we should not ignore the possibility that it could be much broader than this, and there are those who see the 10 horns/ 10 toes / 10 kings, who will make up Antichrist’s government, as ten regions of the world, not just Europe.

As we noted in the last verse, the ‘prince that shall come’ will confirm a covenant for one ‘shabuwa’ – a week of years. This will be the 70^th and final week of the prophecy that Gabriel gave Daniel. We have already seen that all seventy weeks were concerning the Jews and Jerusalem, so it is no surprise that this covenant is centred on the Jews. This is confirmed by the fact that in the middle of the week (i.e. after three and a half years) the ‘prince who shall come’ will cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease. It is of course the Jews that will be doing the sacrificing as commanded in the Law of Moses. Who the ‘many’ are is a matter of scholastic debate; some feel it is the ‘many’ Jews who will by now be living in Israel; others feel that it will be the surrounding Arab nations, and thus this will be some sort of peace treaty. Whatever the situation, the result will be that Israel will be granted permission to start sacrificing once again. However in order for this to happen, the Jewish Temple will have to be rebuilt again. It is no secret that that the Temple Institute in Jerusalem are already planning for such a time. They have for some years now been making the tools required for the ceremonies as well as the priest’s clothing as required in the Law of Moses. It is apparently possible for the Temple to be rebuild on the Temple Mount alongside the Dome of The Rock . Whether this will be the case, or whether the Done of the Rock will be destroyed by an earthquake or act of war remains to be seen; but the Jewish Temple will be rebuilt one way or another.

A menorah, already made and ready for use in the rebuilt temple.

The Temple Mount in Jerusalem

In an act modelling that which was done by Antiochus Epiphanies (cf Daniel 8), this ‘prince who shall come’ (a.k.a. Antichrist) will stop the Jewish Sacrifices and, according to Revelation 13, erect an idol (image of himself) in the holy of holies. This will be an abomination to God, and will thus mark the beginning of the Great Tribulation (last three and a half years of the seven) as spoken of by Jesus: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” (Matt 24:15-22)

In these few verses, Jesus points to Daniel chapter 9 as the key to understand these things (all of this chapter in Matthew was in response to the disciples asking Jesus ‘when will these things be and what will be the sign of your coming?’). Jesus also makes it clear that this abomination will stand in the holy place. Furthermore, it is clear that Jesus’ warning is not to the church or Christians, but to Jews living in Judea, who will still be under the law and therefore will not be able to travel far if this event occurs on a Sabbath day; not will it be easy for them to escape if it occurs in the winter because many of the roads become impassable.

From Revelation 12 we find out that, at this point, Israel will flee into the wilderness (Bozrah or Petra) for the last three and a half years of the ‘week’. This will be a terrible time for the Jews as prophesied by many of the Old Testament Prophets:

“Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” (Jer 30:6-7)

“Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.” (Zech 13:7-9)

In the Nazi Holocaust, one in every three Jews were killed. In the Great Tribulation two out of every three Jews will be killed. Why does God allow this? Firstly to punish Israel for their iniquity; and secondly to cause them to repent and seek their Messiah. In Hosea we read: “I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.” (Hos 5:15) This is an incredible prophecy! God is speaking and says ‘I will go and return to my place’. In order to return to His place, He must of left it! Q. So when did God leave His place?

When He came to earth as a baby and lived and died to pay for the sins of the whole world.

Thus it will be during this time of immense persecution that Israel will repent and realise that Jesus is their Messiah: “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” (Zech 12:10)

At the end of this period Jesus will return to fight for His people against the armies of ‘the prince who shall come’ (read Zechariah 14), and will consume him with the brightness of His coming (2 Thes 2:8), thus bringing to an end the 70 weeks and bringing in everlasting righteousness.

Finally, not only will God reign in the kingdoms of man, Jesus Christ will rule over them!

Daniel 9:24-27 Overview

24 “Seventy weeks [490 years] are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Daniel Ch9 vs24-27 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Daniel Ch9 v1-23

Barry Forder — Sun, 20 Jun 2021 10:30:43 +0000

This study of Daniel Chapter 9, verses 1-23 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 20th June 2021 at Calvary Portsmouth’s online- family service.

Daniel chapter 9 is, without doubt, one of the most important chapters in the Bible. Now, that is an audacious statement, but this chapter contains one of the most remarkable prophecies in the Bible that provides irrefutable evidence that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. On its own that sets it apart, but it also lays out God’s plan for the nation of Israel from the time of the Babylonian captivity unto the Second Coming of Jesus. It give us important prophetic details of the events on our near horizon, when a world leader, who will emerge from within the nations that made up the old Roman Empire, will step onto the world scene and become famous for doing what presidents and kings have unsuccessfully tried to accomplish, bringing peace in the middle east! It is also a chapter the confirms, once again, what we have already seen in the book of Daniel a number of times, that it is God who rules in the kingdoms of man, and He will ultimately give control of the whole earth to His Son, Jesus Christ!

Daniel 9:1

In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;

As we move into chapter 9, we find that 12 years have past since Daniel’s last vision; and the mighty Babylonian Empire has fallen into the hands of the Persians, just as Daniel had seen in his vision of the ram (chapter 8: 3-4 & 20). Daniel identifies Darius as ‘the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes’, lending strong support to the view we have expressed, that Darius is indeed the same person as Gubaru, the general of Cyrus who took Babylon on the night of Belshazzar’s feast. Furthermore we are told that Darius was ‘made king over the realm of the Chaldeans’ i.e. he was appointed to this position – something that we know from secular history was true of Gubaru.

The first time we met Darius was at the end of chapter 5, but we saw in chapter 6 that Daniel was favoured by king Darius. It is interesting to note that this chapter seems to occur about a year after the ‘lion’s den’ incident of chapter 6.

Daniel 9:2

In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

As we will see in a moment, the first part of this chapter records a prayer that Daniel prayed on behalf of his people, the Jews, and their city, Jerusalem. Most commentators seem to place this event somewhere toward the close of the 70-year period known as the ‘Servitude of the Nation’; and thus it is concluded, that because Daniel knew this period was about to draw to a close, he set his face to seek God regarding the future of his people.

However, the close of the ‘Servitude of the Nation’ (end of the 70 years), that had been prophesied by Jeremiah (Jer 29:10), was marked by the decree signed by Cyrus allowing the captives to return home. This decree was signed, according to Ezra 1:1, in the first year of Cyrus, (which would have been 537 B.C.

Now, Cyrus and Darius started their reigns simultaneously, Cyrus being the ruler of the whole empire, Darius being appointed under Cyrus as king over the realm of the Chaldeans (Babylon area). Therefore, the first year of Cyrus would be the same as the first year of Darius. If, as we know from Ezra, Cyrus signed the decree for the Jews to return home in his first year, and Daniel tells us that the events of this chapter occurred in Darius’ first year, both events must have occurred at or around the same time. It is my belief therefore, that it was the signing of the decree by Cyrus (which did not include the re-building of Jerusalem) that caused Daniel to turn to Jeremiah’s writings in order to understand exactly what had been prophesied regarding his people and Jerusalem.

Daniel specifically tells us when these things took place; the first year of Darius. He could of just as easily said: ‘in the year that Cyrus signed the decree allowing the Jews to return home’ – for it was the same year. Daniel then continues: I Daniel understood…. What did he understand? He understood that whilst the Servitude was now over and the Jews could return home, there was a second period of 70 years that still had 19 years to run that dealt, not with the people, but specifically with the city of Jerusalem. Thus Daniel says: I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

Jeremiah’s prophecy that Daniel referrers to is found in Jeremiah 25:11: “And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.”

It is against this backdrop that Daniel prays, firstly confessing the sins of his people – who had now served their 70 year sentence – (verses 3-15), and then for the city of Jerusalem – which still had 19 years of judgment decreed against it – pleading that God would have mercy and turn away His wrath, and if possible, cut short this time (verses 16-19).

Before we move on, one other point that is worth mentioning is that Daniel understands that Jeremiah’s prophecies were to be taken literally; he doesn’t look for a symbolic or allegorical interpretation. This is an important lesson for us when looking at prophetic scriptures. Numerous so-called scholars have looked at prophecies and, believing that they cannot possibly be fulfilled literally, have devised a ‘spiritual’ meaning.

Prior to 1948 countless theologians (not to mention the Catholic and Reformation churches) reasoned that Israel couldn’t possibly ever become a nation again, therefore the promises that were given to national Israel obviously have to be understood as applying to the church – this belief led to a wave of anti-Semitism that culminated in the Holocaust. However, amid this sea of liberal theologians there were still some God-fearing men and women who, despite the apparent absurdity of the belief, clung to the promises that God had given to national Israel and looked for their literal fulfilment. Men such as Sir Robert Anderson (whom we will refer to later in this study) were prepared to take God at His word, and whilst he died before he saw the Nation of Israel being ‘born in a day’ (Isaiah 66:8), he believed and taught that, because God had said it, it would happen.

Prophecy confirms God’s Word to be true (2 Chron 34:21-24 / Acts 10:43 / 2 Peter 1:19), and we can rest assured that God says what He means and means what He says. Our own lack of understanding of any particular prophetic scripture, or our belief that it can’t happen, is not sufficient grounds to second-guess God and then try to teach others that ‘what God really meant was….’

Daniel 9:3

And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplication, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

How serious are we? Do we leave it up to someone else to pray and fast and humble themselves before God? How concerned are we about our nation, the church, our church, our family, our lives?

Daniel 9:4

And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;

Daniel starts his prayer by appealing to God’s own nature, and as David had done so many times, reminding God of His covenant and faithfulness. We have no other ground on which to appeal.

Jesus taught us that when we pray we should start by acknowledging God and His greatness; “Our Father, which art in Heaven. Hallowed be Thy Name”!

Daniel 9:5

We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:

Daniel one of only a few people in scripture of whom no sin is recorded. Yet here he aligns himself with his nation and confesses the nations sin as his own.

Notice the scale and intensity increase:

we have sinned – this is general, for we have all sinned and fallen short (Rom 3:23)
we have committed iniquity – this implies ‘with knowledge’ not involuntary
we have done wickedly – it is bad enough that we have a sin nature, but to sin with knowledge, knowing what we are doing is wrong, will lead to wickedness in life and character.
we have rebelled – the wilful act of one now in defiance of God
even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments – we know God’s word to be true, we know God’s verdict on sin, yet we leave the greatest Counsel the world has known, and embrace lies that can never satisfy.

Daniel 9:6

Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

Israel and Judah had been sent so many prophets that spoke God’s word to all the people. Men like Isaiah, Jeremiah and Hosea all warned of the coming judgment, yet the nation of Israel chose to ignore them and instead, after their own lusts, they heaped up to themselves teachers, because they had itching ears, and they turned away from the truth and turned aside fables. Paul tells Timothy (2 Tim 4:3-4) that it will also be this way in the last days. Just like Israel, the modern church has been sent men like Chuck Smith, Chuck Missler, Roger Oakland and Dave Hunt, who have taught the truth and warned of the lies and deception that masquerades as Christianity. But just like the nation of Israel, many have rejected the truth and turned aside to purpose-driven emerging fables. Just as in Jeremiah’s day we hear ‘peace, peace’ when there is no peace. God’s prophets are being silenced and the Word ignored in favour of ‘new moves of the spirit’, ‘new revelations’, etc. etc.

Jeremiah had said: “To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.” (Jer 6:10)

Daniel 9:7

O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.

Daniel contrasts God’s righteousness with a people to whom God had said: “Be holy for I am holy” (Lev 11:44 / 19:2 etc). Instead of being holy their faces were the exact opposite and were full of shame. As Moses had warned (Deut 28), they had been driven out of their own land because they had not obeyed the Lord their God.

Daniel 9:8

O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.

This was not just a few, but the whole nation. The broad way is always vastly populated; it is the narrow way however, that leads to life. (Matt 7:13-14).

Daniel 9:9

To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;

Yet even after all of this God is merciful and forgiving – but only because of what Jesus did; for that is the only basis for God to forgive a guilty sinner.

Daniel 9:10-11

10 Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.

Read Deuteronomy 28 to see the choice that God laid before the children of Israel.

Note: Daniel attributes the Law to Moses – so it wasn’t ‘Hebrew poetry penned in Babylon’ as I was once told by a charismatic church leader! Daniel lived almost all of his life in Babylon and he says Moses wrote it. So that’s good enough for me!

Daniel 9:12-13

12 And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.

13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.

Daniel testifies that what the prophets had spoken had happened – exactly as they said it would. So please note once again, it wasn’t allegorical or picture language; God said He would judge them and He did.

Oh, and just in case you missed it last time, the Holy Spirit who inspired all scripture wants you to know that Moses wrote the Law. That includes Exodus 20:11 where God says He created everything in six literal days. Sadly, there are many in the ‘church’ who will not turn from their iniquities and understand God’s truth.

Daniel 9:14-15

14 Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.

15 And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.

In verse 14 Daniel acknowledges that the evil that had befallen his people was what they deserved for not obeying God’s voice. Then Daniel concludes the first part of his prayer in the same way he’d started it, by underlining the root of the problem: ‘we have sinned, we have done wickedly’. We have sinned because we are sinners, but we have also sinned through choice.

As has been mentioned, the Servitude of the nation has now ended, and Daniel’s prayer to this point has been confessing the sin that brought the Servitude about in the first place. Now we see a shift in emphasis from the people of Israel, to the city of Jerusalem, which Daniel has now understood from Jeremiah’s prophecy, is to lay desolate for a further 19 years. Here we will see Daniel pleading before God in what is possibly the most passionate passage in the entire Bible.

Daniel 9:16-19

16 O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.

17 Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake.

18 O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.

19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.

Clearly then, this portion of Daniel’s prayer is now in regard to the city of Jerusalem that still lay in ruins despite the fact that Cyrus had granted permission for the rebuilding of the Temple. Amazingly we discover that it was not until the 2^nd year of Darius the Great (not to be confused with Darius the Mead), 19 years later, that the foundations of the Temple were laid – on 24^th Chisleu/Kislev (Nov/Dec in our calendar). Haggai records:

“In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,…..” (Haggai 2:10)

“Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid, consider it.” (Haggai 2:18)

It is incredible to realise that the objections of a few ‘locals’ (that we read about in Ezra 4) were enough to thwart the decree of a Persian king for 19 years and prevent the rebuilding of the Temple – even more incredible when we remember that the ‘law of the Meads and Persians’ cannot be altered! Yet until God’s time was right and the decreed desolations were ended, the Jews were seemingly powerless. But mark the contrast when God “stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God” (Hag 1:14 – see also Ezra 3:8) From this point the Temple was rebuilt in just a little over 4 years, two months!

Thus we see that Daniel’s prayer was answered, whether in his lifetime we don’t know, for he would have been about 102 when the Temple foundations were laid and 106 when it was completed. However you just wonder whether, like Simeon and Anna, God allowed Daniel to live to see his prayer answered.(?)

It is also interesting to note that Daniel’s real concern is for God’s reputation – for the Lord’s sake (v17), ..city which is called by thy name (v18)….for thine own sake…. for thy city and thy people are called by thy name (v19). God had called this people His own, and had made an everlasting covenant with their fathers. He had brought them out of Egypt with and outstretched hand and defeated their foes before them. He had brought them into the Promised Land and promised to put His name in the Temple that Solomon had built (2 Chron 6:20).

That Temple had now been destroyed and the city lay in ruins; in addition, the people had been taken away captives into foreign lands. None of this presented a good impression of the ‘God of Israel’ to Israel’s neighbours. So, just as Moses had done in Exodus 32:10-12, when God had threatened to wipe out Israel and start a new nation with Moses, Daniel asks God to have mercy on his people and city simply for God’s own glory, not because they deserve it.

Daniel’s motivation to pray this prayer was almost certainly due to Solomon’s words in 1 Chronicles 6:36-39 which bear a distinct resemblance to what Daniel prayed: “If they sin against thee, (for there is no man which sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far off or near; Yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly; If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name: Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.” (1 Chronicles 6:36-39)

Daniel 9:20

And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;

Now we move into the next section of this chapter as we find that Daniel is interrupted by an important visitor! However we should note Daniel’s own division of his prayer: firstly he was confessing the sin of his people Israel, then he changes to present his requests regarding Jerusalem. This is further confirmation that the Servitude had ended but the Desolations were still ongoing; for he doesn’t present his supplications for his people, which surely he would have done had they still been captive. In other words, he acknowledges and confesses the sins of his people, but his request is concerning Jerusalem.

Daniel 9:21

Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.

Daniel immediately recognises Gabriel, which is in itself interesting, as it shows that angels have identifiable characteristics. We are told in scripture that angels are spirits (Heb 1:7, 14), yet clearly they also dwell in bodies (Jude v6) and can appear in bodily form, being able to touch and move physical objects when they choose (or rather as God commands) (cf Matt 28:2). Humans also are spirit beings that are temporarily residing in our physical bodies, but looking forward to our new eternal bodies that we will receive at the time of the Rapture! We will explore more on this subject in chapter 10.

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It is also interesting to note that whenever Gabriel appears in scripture, he is on an errand to do with announcing the Messiah.

This verse yields yet another fascinating insight into the mind of Daniel, for he notes that Gabriel touched him ‘about the time of the evening sacrifice’. The sacrifice that Daniel referrers to was not some Babylonian ritual, but rather the sacrifice that would have taken place in Jerusalem, in the Temple – only problem was, that Jerusalem and the Temple were in ruins and Daniel hadn’t been there for 70 years anyway.

Now, it is very likely that whilst he was praying, Daniel would have been thinking about those who were returning home to Jerusalem, no doubt by now on their way back, whose sins he had been confessing, , and wondering what they would find, how bad a state the Temple was really in? When would they be able to start sacrificing again as the Law of Moses required? We can only guess what he was thinking; but one thing is clear: despite being in Babylon for 70 years, Daniel’s mind was fixed on the things of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the covenants that God had made with His people.

Daniel 9:22

And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.

Once again this verse underlines that fact that God is not the author of confusion (1 Cor 14:33), but wants His people to know. God delights in telling the future before it happens and revealing it to His servants (Isaiah 46:10-11 / Amos 3:7). It the same with the book of Revelation; yet so often, like a broken record, we hear people say ‘oh Revelation is too hard to understand’. Well I guess if you don’t get the first verse, there’s not a lot of hope, because the first verse makes it abundantly clear that it is ‘The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass’. God wants us to know; that’s the whole purpose of the book!!!. Sadly too many Christians play the ‘it’s too confusing for me’ card and choose to remain in ignorance.

However, Paul repeatedly urged believers to know and find out; he wanted them to have understanding.

“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery” (Rom 11:25)

“Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant,” (1 Cor 10:1)

“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.” (1 Cor 12:1)

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep” (1 Thess 4:13)

We live in an age of great spiritual deception; Jesus repeatedly warned us not to be deceived. However the only safeguard against deception is to know the truth. Jesus Himself said: “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32)

Jesus also told us that one of the primary roles of the Holy Spirit would be to ‘guide us into all truth’ (John 16:13) and ‘teach us things’ (John 14:26).

As we will see in a moment, the Holy Spirit actually gives us a mandate to understand this prophecy!

Daniel 9:23

At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

Here we have it confirmed that Gabriel was dispatched as soon as Daniel started praying, and the reason he had come was to show Daniel, i.e. make him understand. Both Daniel and John are called the beloved, and it is interesting to note that they were the ones who received the visions / prophecies about the end times. It is as if God saves His greatest secrets for those who are closest to Him. Only one other individual in scripture is called the beloved – the church; for the church is one body, knit together with Christ as our Head (Eph 4:15-16); and indeed mysteries have been revealed to the church that were kept hidden in ages past, things that we are told the prophets desired to look into but were unable. (See 1 Peter 1:10-12 / Luke 10:22-24 / Matt 13:11).

To be continued…

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Daniel Ch9 v1-23 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Daniel Ch8

Barry Forder — Sun, 13 Jun 2021 10:30:20 +0000

This teaching on Daniel chapter 8 was given by Pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on Sunday 13th June 2021.

DANIEL CHAPTER 8

Daniel 8:1

In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first.

It has been about two years since Daniel’s first vision that we looked at in the previous chapter. The year is around 550 B.C. and Daniel is about 69 years old.

Daniel 8:2

And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.

Shushan (also called Susa) was at this time a province of Babylon in the area we would call Iran today. It was about 230 miles east of Babylon, 150 miles north of the top of the Persian Gulf. It had been the capital city of the Elamites, and would later become the capital and main residence of the Persian kings. It is where the action of the book of Esther takes place, and also where Nehemiah was serving as a cupbearer to king Artaxerxes. Because it was not a place of great importance at this time, some commentators have felt that Daniel was actually in Babylon and merely ‘transported’ to Shushan in his vision. However, I believe that Daniel was actually there for the following reasons: Firstly the grammar would seem to imply that Daniel was at Shushan when he saw the vision, not that in the vision he saw Shushan. The simple fact that Daniel identifies the place as Shushan strongly suggests that he was familiar with it, and therefore must at some time have visited not only the city, but also the palace. If he did visit it at some point then why not here and now?

Secondly, as we saw in chapter 5, Belshazzar doesn’t immediately think of Daniel when he sees the writing on the wall; yet at the end of this chapter we find that Daniel was still working for the king. An obvious solution to this ‘problem’ is that whilst Daniel was still in the service of the king, he was conducting his duties elsewhere, and hence ‘out of sight, out of mind’ as the old adage goes.

Elam was one of the sons of Shem (Gen 10:22) who had settled in this area after the flood.

Daniel 8:3

Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.

In verse 20 we will be told that this ram with two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia. The fact that one horn is higher than the other speaks of the fact that Persia was stronger than Media, and Persia started its rise to power after Media. We saw a similar idiom in the previous chapter with the bear being raised up on one side (Dan 7:5). Interestingly enough, the ram had long been associated with the Persian kingdom, both in mythology and practice. The Persian kings would take off their royal crown and wear a ram’s head when they went into battle. In ancient cultures, Persia was associated with Aries in the Zodiac, the Ram.

Daniel 8:4

I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.

As Daniel looks on, he sees this ram pushing in three directions, west, north and south. History confirms that these were the directions the Medo-Persian army went in. East of Persia was India, which remained untouched by the Persian kings. At the height of the Persian empire, Xerxes fielded two and a half million men in his army and ‘none could deliver out of his hand’.

Daniel 8:5

And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.

As Daniel was watching and thinking this through (remember the Meads and Persians were subservient to the king of Babylon at this time, and had been all of Daniel’s life; it must have been hard to grasp that Babylon would loose its dominance) suddenly, a male goat comes flying from the west and has an impressive horn between its eyes.

Daniel 8:6-7

6 And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had there seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power.

7 And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.

Verse 21 will tell us that this male goat is representative of the kingdom of Greece and verse 22 confirms that the ‘notable horn’ is the first king, who from history we know was Alexander the Great. This corresponds with the ‘belly and thighs of brass’ of the dream in chapter two and the leopard of the vision in chapter 7.

There had long been rivalry between Medo-Persia and Macedonia (the area just to the north of Greece). Philip of Macedon, Alexander’s father, was murdered by a conspiracy, said to have been masterminded by Darius of Persia. Thus when Alexander came to the throne as a young 19/20 year old, he needed little encouragement in going after Darius and the Persians; whom he duly defeated after a few decisive battles. Alexander’s kingdom surpassed anything that had existed up to this time, and in just 6 years it stretched all the way from Greece to India. If Persia was associated with a ram, then Greece was certainly associated with a goat. Various stories in their folklore were centred around a goat, and Alexander’s son was named `Alexander Aegus’, the `son of the goat’. In addition, some of Alexander’s successors are represented on their coins with goat horns. For us this is history; but we should keep in mind how incredible this was for Daniel 200 years before any of this happened. It would be like someone telling us Iceland will rule the world!

Daniel 8:8

Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.

Greece got stronger and stronger under Alexander and he even succeeded in uniting the Macedonians and the Persians, enlisting many foreigners into his army. However, at just 32 years old, Alexander died. It is famously reported that on his deathbed he was asked: ‘to whom shall the empire be given’, he answered: ‘give it to the strong’. As we mentioned in the notes on Daniel 7:6, within a year of Alexander’s death, the empire was divided up between his four generals, Antigonus took Babylon (later to be conquered by Seleucus), Ptolemy took Egypt, Cassandra took Macedonia and Lysimachus took Asia Minor. (see map below).

Daniel 8:9

And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.

We are now introduced to a little horn, but it should not be confused with the little horn of the previous chapter. In chapter 7 the little horn was seen to come from among the 10 horns, which were identified as being the 10 kings of the revived Roman Empire that are yet to come. Here the little horn comes out of one of the 4 horns that arose after the death of Alexander the Great. So this horn is to come out of the remains of the Greek Empire; and we are told that he ‘waxed exceeding great’ toward the south, east and the pleasant land – Israel.

Daniel 8:10

And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.

As we continue in the remainder of this chapter, we will have described (prophesied) for us an event that occurred in 167 B.C. Yet some of the language seems to go beyond what we know happened historically and points to a future fulfilling, of which this then becomes a model. This is not uncommon in prophetic scripture and is given the label ‘The Law of Double Reference’: This law observes the fact that often a passage or a block of Scripture is speaking of two different persons or two different events that are separated by a long period of time. Thus we have in clear view the little horn, who we will discover was Antiochus Epiphanies, yet a shadow is cast into the distant future as Antiochus Epiphanies becomes a model or type of Antichrist.

Those familiar with the book of Revelation may have already recognised this verse as being remarkably similar to Revelation 12:3-4:“And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth” (Rev 12:3-4). In our study on Revelation we noted that at the mid-point of the Tribulation (just prior to the commencement of the Great Tribulation) Satan will be thrown out of Heaven once and for all, but in so doing, he will ‘drag’ one third of the ‘stars’ (angels in this context) with him. Thus prophetically, this verse (Daniel 8:10) can be seen to be looking forward to that yet-future event; but that leaves the question of how it is to be understood in regard to Antiochus Epiphanies.

Finis Jennings Dake, in his reference Bible comments that the word ‘host’ is translated from the Hebrew word ‘tsaba’ which means ‘a mass of persons or things, especially organised for war’. Dake adds: “The words host and hosts are used 475 times of various armies of earth and heaven, as well as the mass of stars.” “The term host of heaven is used of the sun, moon, and stars; and here [i.e. in this verse] of the high priest, the priests and Levites. It is a technical term for the ministers of the temple. The host may also include the worshippers. They are pictured under the figure of stars of heaven. The fact that the host will be trodden under the foot of men proves it refers to the Jewish people on earth, and not literal stars of heaven”.

Therefore, if this is the case, this verse is prophesying that this little horn will stand up against the priests of the temple and attack the Levites and worshippers – something that we know from history (i.e. Josephus / 1 Maccabees), actually happened.

Daniel 8:11-12

11 Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.

12 And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.

Antiochus was a part of the Seleucid Empire that had come to power following the death of Alexander the Great. According to the book of 1 Maccabees in the Apocrypha, and other historical records, Antiochus IV was the 8^th king of the Syrian dynasty, reigning from 175 – 164 B.C. He ascended to the throne after the death of his father and imprisonment (by Rome) of his elder brother, Seleucus Philopator. Yet Antiochus was not the rightful heir, for Seleucus had a son. However, by flattery and bribery Antiochus succeeded in becoming king. He invaded Egypt and defeated Ptolemy VI, but on his way back he stopped of at Jerusalem. Jerusalem was situated right in between the Seleucid and Ptolemaic empires, and acted as a ‘buffer zone’ in between the two rival kingdoms. As you can imagine, the Jews were not very enamoured by this and tried to resist. (For more, see notes on ch.11).

In response, Antiochus plundered and desecrated the temple and even went as far as sacrificing a pig on the alter. He tried to do everything he possibly could to offend the Jews as can be seen from the following record from 1 Maccabees:

“And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah: he directed them:

– to follow customs strange to the land,

to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in the sanctuary,
to profane Sabbaths and feasts,
to defile the sanctuary and the priests,
to build alters in sacred precincts and shrines for idols,
to sacrifice swine and unclean animals, and
to leave their sons uncircumcised,

They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane, so that they [the Jews] should forget the law and change the ordinances. And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die”

Antiochus put an idol in the temple and stopped the daily sacrifices. Once again we see here a model of what Antichrist will do. Jesus himself referred to this event as the ‘abomination of desolation’ and foretold it happening again (see Matthew 24). The fact that the ‘model’ happened just as Daniel had prophesied, and with such incredible detail, we can be absolutely certain that the ‘fulfilment of the model’ will happen just as Jesus said.

Daniel 8:13

Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?

The question that Daniel overhears being asked is ‘how long will this be allowed to go on for’?

Daniel 8:14

And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

In the previous verse Daniel overheard a question being asked. It is reasonable to assume that the answer given in this verse would be the response to that question. It is amazing therefore, as one browses the various commentaries on this verse, that not only do we have various ‘interpretations’ of what the ‘two thousand and three hundred days’ actually mean, but also what they are referring to! Probably the most incredible of these interpretations was by a man named William Miller. Miller, an American Baptist preacher and active Freemason, proposed that the days actually meant years, and that the sanctuary actually referred to the earth. Therefore, he concluded, after 2300 years the earth would be cleansed and Jesus would return. Miller became convinced that the 2,300 day/year period started in 457 B.C. with the decree to rebuild Jerusalem by Artaxerxes I of Persia; his first mistake was that the decree to rebuild Jerusalem was not given until the 20^th year of Artaxerxes (445 B.C.) as we will see in the next chapter. However, according to his calculations, the period would end, and hence Christ would return, in 1843. Miller records, “I was thus brought… to the solemn conclusion, that in about twenty-five years from that time (1818) all the affairs of our present state would be wound up.” (Apology and Defence, William Miller, 11-12). As most people are aware, this did not happen. Yet from this ‘foundation’ came the Seventh Day Adventist movement. It is also worth noting that the JW’s also leaned on Miller’s ‘understanding’ of Bible prophecy. If Millar had checked his theory against the ‘whole council of God’, rather than take one verse out of context, it is unlikely he would have made this error in the first place.

So how are we to understand this verse? Clearly the reference is to how long the sanctuary in the Temple in Jerusalem was to lay desolate until it would finally be cleansed. So our period of time is up when the temple was cleansed, which we know was in the winter of 164 B.C.

The Maccabean Revolt

In 167 B.C. a Jewish priest, by the name of Mattathias, was so incensed by the desecration of the temple and the erecting of an idol in the holy place that, not only did he refuse to worship this idol, but also started killing the Hellenistic Jews* who did. (*Jews that had adopted the Greek culture and lifestyle). As a result of this, he and his five sons were forced to flee into the wilderness. After Mattathias’ death about one year later, his son Judas Maccabeus (whose name meant ‘hammer’) formed an army and led a revolt against Antiochus IV, which in 164 B.C. was eventually successful in overthrowing the Seleucid control of Israel. When the Jews finally entered the temple they found only one days supply of the consecrated olive oil that was needed to maintain the light on the great seven-branched lampstand called the ‘Menorah’. According to the Law of Moses this was to be kept continually burning. The Jewish Talmud records that the priests poured the oil into the seven lamps and lit them to bring forth light. Miraculously, to one days supply of oil burned for eight days – which was the length of time it took to press, prepare and consecrate new oil.

To commemorate this event the Jews added the Feast of Hanukkah, also called ‘Festival of Lights’ or ‘Festival of Rededication’ to their annual feasts. Whilst not specifically given by God, the validity of this feast is confirmed in John 10:22: “And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.” (John 10:22-23). After this event, the Maccabees then founded the Hasmonean royal dynasty and established Jewish independence in the Land of Israel for about one hundred years, from 165 B.C. to 63 B.C.

So, with the historical background covered, we return to the question of what is meant by the 2300 days?

If we take them as literal 24-hour days, then we have a period just short of 7 years, which could correspond to the time between Antiochus’ first incursion into Jerusalem in 170 B.C. until the cleansing of the Temple by Judas Maccabeus in 164 B.C. However, we are told in verse 13 that the period of time in question is concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, which didn’t occur until 167 B.C. The literal 24-hour day interpretation does not therefore satisfy the requirements. At first glance we now seem to be presented with a problem, that is until we realise that we are reading a translation. As good as the translators were (King James translators that is, – some of the modern ‘versions’ are shocking and completely change the meaning of things – beware!) on some occasions they have translated words into English to the best of their understanding but inadvertently confuse the issue. Such is the case here.

The Hebrew in this verse doesn’t use the word ‘day’ (Hebrew ‘Yom’), but rather ‘erev boker’, which would be literally translated as ‘evening-mornings’. It is easy to see why the translators thought evening-morning = day, however for the Jews who would think in terms of their sacrifices, 2300 evening-morning sacrifices would only equal 1150 days. Thus, this verse would seem to be saying that from the time the sacrifices were to be taken away (by Antiochus), there would be 1150 days, which is 110 days short of three and a half years. This fits with what we know from history and is consistent with what the text actually says.

Daniel 8:15-16

15 And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.

16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.

Daniel sought to understand, God wanted him to understand so Gabriel is instructed to make him understand. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Matt 7:7-8)

Daniel 8:17-19

17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.

18 Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.

19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.

Here Daniel is told that the vision refers to the time of the end, yet as we have noted, all of these things have been fulfilled in history. Thus here we find confirmation that the events of this vision, whist having an historical fulfilment have a yet future fulfilment when another ‘little horn’ will desecrate the temple and place his image inside; the Jews (just like Judas Maccabeus and his family) will initially be forced to flee to the wilderness (cf Matt 24:15-21); and just as we were 110 days short of the three and a half years, Jesus said to the Jews: “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake[i.e. the Jews] those days shall be shortened.” (Matt 24:22)

As we now continue with the interpretation, we will see even clearer allusions to the yet-future fulfilment of which Antiochus Epiphanies was just a model or type.

Daniel 8:20-22

20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.

21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

22 Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.

As we have already noted, Medo-Persia was conquered by Alexander’s Greece, which itself then broke into four lesser kingdoms.

Daniel 8:23

And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

Historically this was true of Antiochus, prophetically it is true of Antichrist.

Daniel 8:24

And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.

What Antiochus was, so will Antichrist be, yet ten fold more. Historically, Antiochus destroyed ‘impressively’ and fought against the holy people – the Jews. Prophetically Antichrist will be unlike anyone before him and will be allowed to prosper, i.e. do what he likes and launch such an attack on the Jews that the Nazi Holocaust will seem tame in comparison (cf Zech 13:8-9 / Jer 30:6-7). It is interesting to note that both for Antiochus and Antichrist they do not function by their own power, but will be supernaturally empowered by the ‘god of this world’ (2 Cor 4:4). Of Antichrist (the beast) we read: “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” (Rev 13:4) (cf Eph 6:12).

Daniel 8:25

And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

Gradually the emphasis over the last few verses has shifted from Antiochus being the main focus with Antichrist in the background, to now in this verse, Antichrist being the focus. Antichrist will indeed magnify himself in his heart and bring about a false peace (cf. the white horse in Rev 6 with a bow – the sign of a covenant). Antichrist will stand up against the Prince of princes, the Lord Jesus Christ, but will be broken without hand: “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:” (2 Thess 2:8).

Daniel 8:26

And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.

If the historical portion of this vision has been fulfilled literally and with such accuracy, we can be sure that the prophetic (yet to come) elements will be fulfilled just as literally and precisely.

Daniel 8:27

And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king’s business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.

It is hard for us to imagine how much this affected Daniel, yet if we really understand the impact of these things in the days we are living in, we too should be shaken out of our comfort zones and do two things: Firstly, pray for Israel and the Jews who will have to face what’s coming (Ps 122:6 / 137:5); Secondly: Preach the Word when it is convenient, and when it isn’t! (2 Tim 4:2). There is a dying world that needs to hear the good news that we have, the good news that there is a way of escaping the things that are coming (Luke 21:36).

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Daniel Ch8 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Daniel Ch7

Barry Forder — Sun, 06 Jun 2021 10:30:28 +0000

This teaching was given by Pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on 6th June 2021.

Daniel 7:1

In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.

With the historical section of the book now complete, this chapter sees us move back in time to the first year of Belshazzar, which was in about 552 B.C. Thus chronologically this chapter fits about 11 years after chapter 4 and about 12 years before chapter 5. On the surface it may seem that by now Daniel is no longer in a prominent position in Babylon; certainly, Belshazzar needs to be reminded about Daniel in chapter 5; however we will see at the end of chapter 8 that, after the vision recorded there, which we are told occurs in the third year of Belshazzar (two years after this event), Daniel returns to do the kings business. So even as an old man, Daniel was actively involved in the government of Babylon. (NB. At the end of chapter 1 we were told that Daniel served until the 1^st year of Cyrus – about 14 years from now). Regardless of what we may have accomplished or what age we may be, God has much work to be done and sadly few who are willing to give Him their all and get on with it. Jesus said: “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” (Matt 9:37-38).

Thankfully Daniel had not gone off the boil and as we saw in chapter 6, he prayed 3 times a day. When you are close to God you are far more likely to hear His voice. And so we have Daniel tucked up in bed one night and he starts to dream. As we will see, this is more akin to a nightmare than a dream; in fact, Daniel seems more troubled by this dream than he would be of the lion’s den. However, Daniel, recognising its importance, writes down the ‘sum of the matters’ i.e. the key points.

Daniel 7:2

Daniel spake and said….

Who did he speak to? In the last verse we read that he told the sum of the matters. Thus it may well be that he was relaying this to a scribe. It is certainly conceivable that a man who had been second in charge of Babylon would have had his own personal secretary.

….I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.

The four winds are mentioned nine times in scripture: Jer 49:36 / Exek 37:9 / Dan 8:8 / Dan 11:4 / Zech 2:6 / Matt 24:31 / Mark 13:27 / Rev 7:1 and here in Dan 7:2. (As an aside, ‘9’ is the number of Judgment). They are seen either ushering in judgement (as would appear to be the case in this vision) or bringing restoration. In each case it implies a global situation, with the ‘four’ seemingly referring to the four cardinal points of a compass (North, South, East and West). The great sea that Daniel refers to may well have been the Mediterranean, as this was known as the ‘great sea’ at that time; however the sea is also used in scripture as an idiom of the peoples and nations of the world (cf Rev 17:15). Thus, whatever is about to happen, it would appear to have a global impact that will affect the people and nations of the earth.

Daniel 7:3

And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

We will be told in verse 17 that these great beasts represent four kings (or kingdoms – the Aramaic could mean either). In chapter 2 we also had a dream and vision of a statue that was representing world kingdoms. On that occasion Daniel interpreted the golden head of the statue to represent Babylon; the chest and arms of sliver represented the Medo-Persian Empire that succeeded Babylon. Then we had the belly and thighs of brass representing the Greeks under Alexander the Great, and finally the two-stage Roman empire represented by the legs of iron (the old Roman Empire) and the feet of iron mingled with clay representing the ten kings who shall arise out of the revived / revised Roman Empire.

However, regarding the identity of the beasts/kingdoms in chapter 7, scholars are divided: we have essentially two options;

Firstly, the most popular view, often referred to as the classical view, proposes that these four beasts represent Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome, mirroring the dream in chapter 2. Whereas in chapter 2 they are seen as an impressive metal image, they are here seen as wild beasts contrasting between man’s view (chapter 2) and God’s perspective of these kingdoms (chapter 7).

The second view suggests that all of these kingdoms are yet to arise at some point in the future, and when they do they will all rise simultaneously.

What is generally agreed upon is that the final phase of the last beast is the same as the ten toes in chapter two and the ten horns / ten kings mentioned in Revelation 17:12.

Because of the following reason, and the subtleties in the text that we will explore as we get there, I am of the opinion that these four beasts do indeed represent Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and then Rome in its two phases.

Quite simply, unless this vision is a re-telling of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in chapter two, we have here presented to us four kingdoms of which history knows nothing and which are not mentioned anywhere else in scripture. If these kingdoms are yet to arise, then they would have to do so before the events of Revelation 6 commence, for from that point there would appear to be no room for them. This would mean that prior to the establishment of the revised Roman Empire as seen by Nebuchadnezzar as the ten toes, seen here as the ten horns, and as seen in Revelation (17:12) as ten kings, there will have to be another four world dominating Empires. Yet such a situation was not mentioned by Jesus in His great ‘end times’ talk in Matthew 24/25, nor is recorded by any other prophet. All of this, combined with the seemingly perfect fit of the description of these beasts to the corresponding Empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome, leads I believe, to the inescapable conclusion that in this chapter we have a re-telling of the dream of chapter two but now from God’s perspective.

There are two verses in particular that are highlighted by those holding to the ‘future fulfilment’ opinion that, at first glance, appear to present a difficulty with our ‘classical view’. These are verses 7 & 17, which will be dealt with when we get there. Again it must be stressed that the onus is on each of us to ‘search the scriptures daily to see whether these things are so’ (Acts 17:11), yet at the same time understand that the Holy Spirit came to ‘teach us all things’ (John 14:26) and ‘guide us into all truth’ (John 16:13). Sometimes, ‘agreeing to disagree’ is simply choosing to avoid the issue or even a polite way of saying that ‘I’m right, you’re wrong!…But I’m not prepared to discuss it’ and hardly fulfils 1 Cor 1:10!

Daniel 7:4

The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.

As we have mentioned, the classical view sees this beast as being Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon, just like the head of gold was in chapter two. The lion was the chief of beasts as Babylon was the chief of kingdoms (cf Dan 2:38-39). Creatures resembling lions with wings were on the walls and gates of Babylon (although some scholars believe that these creatures were meant to depict dragons and not lions). The eagle’s wings suggest swiftness in its ability to conquer, and this is certainly true of Babylon under Nebopolassar and Nebuchadnezzar. When king Neb got proud, his ‘wings were plucked off’ as we saw in chapter 4, but he was ‘made to stand up’ when he had learnt his lesson, at which point he put his trust in the God of Daniel and a ‘new heart’, a mans heart, was given to a man who had been like a beast for seven years.

< Babylonian image of a winged lion with a man’s head. (British Museum, London)

Daniel 7:5

And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

The second beast represents the second kingdom in Daniel’s vision, and so, if our interpretation is correct, we would expect it to correspond to the empire that succeeded Babylon, namely Medo-Persia. A bear is not as swift as a lion nor as majestic, and so it was with Medo-Persia. We are told in Daniel 2:38-39 that Medo-Persia was to be inferior to Babylon and as we noted in chapter 6, the rulers of the Medo-Persian Empire did not wield the power that Nebuchadnezzar enjoyed. We also know from history that Medo-Persia was bear-like in its lumbering strength, conquering many enemies without even a battle; at one point, Xerxes fielded two and a half million men in his army. It is also an historical fact that Medo-Persia was a united empire of the Meads and Persians, yet Persia was the stronger and would seem to be implied by the bear-like-beast raising up on one side. Also from history we know there were three main conquests that really established the Medo-Persian Empire, namely Babylon, Egypt and Lydia. And thus it would seem that this is what the three ribs represent. Opponents of this view tell us that historically, Medo-Persia was never associated with a bear, and that the Medo-Persian Empire conquered more than just three competing kingdoms. In answer to this, all Daniel tells us is that this second beast was like a bear in its characteristics, something that cannot be denied of Medo-Persia. Secondly, Daniel clearly records what was said to this beast: ‘Arise, devour much flesh’, but by the time this instruction was given, it already had the three ribs in its mouth. Therefore it would appear that there is no difficulty in understanding Medo-Persia as the second beast in Daniel’s dream.

Daniel 7:6

After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.

Once again, if our interpretation is correct, we would expect the third beast to correspond to the next historical empire, i.e. Greece. And once again we have a matching ‘photo fit’. The beast is like a leopard – one of the swiftest of all creatures – and in addition it has wings on its back implying even greater speed. This is one of the most compelling reasons to accept this interpretation because the empire of Greece under Alexander the Great conquered the known world in lightning speed, unparallel in history. At the age of 29 it is reported that the young Alexander fell on his bed and wept because there were no more lands to conquer. It is also recorded that, on his deathbed (aged almost 33), Alexander was asked: ‘to whom shall the empire be given’, his answer: ‘give it to the strong’.

Within a year his empire had been divided up between his four generals, Antigonus took Babylon, Ptolemy took Egypt, Cassandra took Macedonia and Lysimachus took Asia Minor.

NB: notice that dominion was given – once again we are reminded that it is God who ‘removeth kings, and setteth up kings’ (Dan 2:21), “to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will” (Dan 4:17)

Daniel 7:7

After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, 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 it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

Now we come to the fourth beast which should correspond to the Roman Empire in its two phases as revealed in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and Daniel’s subsequent interpretation in chapter 2. Once again we find that the ‘shoe fits’, and in fact when we look at the interpretation in verses 23-24, it would appear to vindicate the view here expressed, that the four kingdoms are indeed the same is in chapter 2. What is interesting about this forth beast is that it is so unlike anything else, that Daniel doesn’t even try to compare it to an animal, he just simply tells us that it is ‘dreadful and terrible’.

In chapter two we were told that Rome was “strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.” (Dan 2:40) Here a similar picture is painted which indeed echoes the history of the Roman Empire, which took delight in crushing and destroying their foes. As we will see in verse 24, the ten horns are to arise out of this kingdom, giving us our ‘two phases’ of Rome and Revised Rome.

A point to note that is often overlooked, is that Rome had both the familiar western leg, and the less publicised eastern leg, which actually outlived the western leg by a thousand years (the two legs corresponding to the legs of the statue in chapter 2). Some, who have studied prophecy in the past, seem to have largely focused on the western ‘European’ element and ignored the eastern empire that actually includes Assyria, Babylon and North Africa. We will deal with this more fully later.

NB: the phrase ‘it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it’ at first glance, would seen to be in reference to time, implying that the other beasts had preceded it. However the Aramaic word literally means ‘in the presence of’, thus the other beasts in the vision are said to be in the presence of this forth beast. Those who hold to a ‘yet future’ fulfilment for all of these beasts / kingdoms use this verse to say that all of these beasts will come up at the same time, so this cannot of yet occurred. However, Daniel is seeing a vision, and clearly in the vision one beast comes up first, then another, then another, and finally a forth. Just because Daniel sees them all at the same time in his vision does not mean that the actual fulfilment of these things cannot happen over a period of time. Daniel is seeing a panoramic of world kingdoms, he is seeing things from God’s perspective and God is outside of time. Likewise, in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, he saw the whole image at once yet clearly it was representing a succession of kingdoms. So once again there is no difficulty accepting the classical view.

Daniel 7:8

I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

In verse 11 we find that this little horn is given a personal pronoun showing him to be an individual. So from this verse we can see that this little horn that is speaking ‘blasphemous’ things, will subdue three of the original ten horns.

In the vision that John sees in Revelation 17 we are told “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.” (Rev 17:12)

Thus, here we have introduced the one we commonly label as Antichrist, and he is seen to uproot three of the ten kings that will reign with him during the Great Tribulation.

(For a possible explanation of who these three kings might be, and why they are uprooted by Antichrist, see notes when we get to Daniel 11:40-44).

Daniel 7:9

I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

As Daniel is watching he sees thrones ‘set in place’. These are not the thrones of the 10 horns, nor the thrones of the little horn. These are thrones that are placed alongside the Ancient of Days. In Revelation 19 we read: “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” (Rev 20:4) There are two distinct groups that we are told will reign with Christ during the Millennium, the bride of Christ (the Church) (2 Tim 2:12 / Rev 5:10), and those who were beheaded for their witness during the Tribulation time. Therefore, these thrones would seem to be the thrones that we (that is, Christians) will sit on! “It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him” (2 Tim 2:11-12)

Who is the Ancient of Days? From John’s description of Jesus in Revelation chapter 1, it would appear to be Jesus: I John….. was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last…..And I turned to see the voice that spake with me….His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (Rev 1:9-18)

The similarities between Daniel’s and John’s visions would lead us to conclude that this is none other than Jesus Christ. However in verse 13 we find that Jesus comes to the Ancient of Days, meaning that the Ancient of Days must be God the Father. Why do they look so similar? Remember Jesus’ words to Philip in John 14:9 “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” And in John 10:30 Jesus said: “I and my Father are one”

The reference to wheels is consistent with Ezekiel’s vision of God on His throne in Ezekiel chapter 1 and again suggests that this is God the Father.

Daniel 7:10

A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

A fiery stream coming out from before Him would create a left / right divide. Either you would be on one side or the other. This is reminiscent of Matt 25:31-34: “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”

What is really interesting about this passage from Matthew is that the deciding factor of who has been good vs. who has been bad, is all down to how they have treated Jesus’ brethren i.e. the Jews!

The ancient systems for counting didn’t go beyond a thousand, so this may imply a countless number, or it may simply mean as it says, ten thousand times ten thousand = one hundred million. If so, it is provocative that this could mean that after the various judgments of the Tribulation period culminating in the battle of Armageddon, one hundred million is all that will be left on the earth! Certainly about one and a half billion people will die under the forth seal in Revelation 6:7-8; and this is only at the beginning of the Tribulation.

How terrifying it would be to be standing in this crowd and see Jesus start to open the books. What information do those books contain? If God has been keeping a list of everything you have ever thought, done and said, and it is all recorded in black and white, what kind of defense could you offer? Praise God that Jesus has nailed to His own cross the handwriting of ordinances that were written against us and paid them in full on our behalf!! (See Col 2:14).

Daniel 7:11

I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

Revelation 13 is full of this beast speaking blasphemous things (Rev 13:1,5,6,11); finally this beast – who we know better as Antichrist – will get what’s coming! 2 Thessalonians 2:8 says: And then shall that Wicked [one] be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming” And in Revelation 19 John records: “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” (Rev 19:20)

Daniel 7:12

As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

So the last beast of the four is destroyed; that’s easy enough to understand; but as regarding the other beasts…? What this really means we may not find out until we get there, but a plausible answer is that the spiritual powers behind these kingdoms are ‘removed from office’ yet not destroyed until after the Millennium. Certainly the legacy of these kingdoms (Babylon, Medo-Persia and Greece) are prevalent in the world today. Babylon’s current influence was addressed in our study of chapter 4; Greece’s thirst for learning and ‘wisdom’ rejected the simplicity of the gospel and continues to this day in our education systems (see 1 Cor 1:22-23). Medo-Persia has spawned false religions such as Zoroastrianism and modern-day Persia (i.e. Iran) is an area today associated with a passionate hatred of Israel. Thus this verse may mean that this power and influence will be removed, which we would certainly expect as we enter a period of Theocracy (God’s reign) on planet earth.

Daniel 7:13-14

13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

It is amazing that the Preterists believe that all of this was fulfilled in AD70! Are we really expected to believe that lightning flashing across the sky, the moon being darkened and the stars falling from heaven, with the powers of the heavens shaken and the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, all occurred in AD70, and yet not a single account of this ‘world shaking’ event was recorded and persevered in history? (See Matt 24:27-30). Would the Preterists also have us believe that all would empires and dominions have now ended? – someone forgot to inform our present governments if that’s the case! Preterism is heresy! Jesus said ‘do not be deceived’ (Matt 24:4-5)!

Then we have the Amillennialists. Amillennialism is possibly the most widely held belief in the church regarding the end times. It is believed by both Roman Catholic and Reformation/Denominational churches. They believe that there will not be a time when Christ rules on earth (hence A = not, Millennium = thousand years, i.e. ‘no thousand years’ (cf Rev 20:1-7)). It is proposed that after the church has ‘won the world for Christ’ (something that Jesus neglected to explain to the disciples) Christ will wrap it all up and we go straight to Judgment Day! (It’s more like Monopoly than theology.) This puts all the emphasis on the church, and more specifically, on those who elevate themselves as the leaders of this ‘world takeover bid’ by the church. (NB: The Roman Catholic Church as already tried this with disastrous consequences).

This is also the underlying position of the ‘Emerging Church’ and a subtle undertone of some of the recent popular ‘church growth’ manuals.

Proponents of these things say that the church will unite with our Catholic (and even Muslim) brothers and sisters, and we will become world conquering. A recent ‘emerging church’ author explained that apparently we have all misinterpreted the Bible and actually there is a ‘secret message of Jesus’, which the author reveals is that the kingdom of God will be established on earth by the church. The thought of Jesus coming back and taking us to a place He has prepared for us in Heaven (as He clearly said in John 14:3), and then coming back to establish His kingdom on earth, is scoffed at by this ‘new wave’ of all-embracing, post-modern, emerging-driven scholars.

Paul said to Timothy: “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2 Tim 4:1-4)

I don’t want to attack any sincere brothers and sisters in Christ who hold different views, but let’s get serious; verses like this (Daniel 7:13-14) are not ambiguous! Jesus is coming back to establish his kingdom and reign on earth as abundant scriptures, such as this one, make absolutely clear! It is not the church that will usher in this new kingdom but Christ Himself. When He does, His kingdom will be everlasting; man’s government will be ended.

Daniel 7:15

I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.

It is important to understand that Daniel, at this time, was looking for the reestablishment of Israel, as their 70 years in Babylon was drawing to a close. This must have been quite a shocker to see that all of these beasts would come first.

Daniel 7:16

I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.

Who Daniel speaks to here we are not told, presumably an angel.

Please notice Daniel’s attitude here: he is grieved and troubled but he doesn’t ‘kick back’ and say ‘this is all too confusing for me’. No. He sets his heart on finding out the truth.

Daniel 7:17

These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.

As the ‘one who stood by him’ starts to interpret these things, it is easy to picture Daniel listening intently.

The first thing he is told is, as we mentioned earlier, that the four beasts represent four kings or kingdoms.

The ‘yet future’ view of these four beasts would draw our attention to the fact that we are told that these four beasts are four beasts that shall – future tense – arise. By the time Daniel is receiving this vision, king Nebuchadnezzar has been dead for almost 10 years. So, it is argued, this cannot be referring to Babylon of the past.”

However, as we have already mentioned, the vision is from God’s perspective and God is outside of time. The Aramaic word translated ‘which shall arise’ is ‘qum’ (pronounced ‘koom’) and means ‘to arise from’ ‘to come on the scene’ or even (and most fitting in this case) ‘to be made to stand’; which is indeed the case as we were reminded back in Daniel chapter 2: “he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding” (Dan 2:21)

So this verse literally reads: These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall be made to stand out of the earth.

Thus, this verse presents no problem to the view expressed thus far.

Daniel 7:18

But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

Now Daniel is given some great news! But the question for us is: ‘who is meant by ‘the saints’?

Clue: Who would Daniel have understood it to be in 552 B.C.?

Often when we hear the title ‘saints’ we are prone to think of ‘super-Christians’; but according to the New Testament, all who follow Christ are referred to as saints (See 2 Cor 3:13 / Eph 1:1 / Phil 1:1 / 2 Thess 1:10). However, Christians are not the only group in the Bible to be referred to as ‘saints’. Indeed if we were to take this verse as referring to Christians, we have a real problem when we get to verse 21, for there the ‘horn’ prevails over the saints – something that Jesus said not even the gates of hell would do against the Church (Matt 16:18).

This therefore leaves us only one option: as Daniel would have understood, the ones referred to in this verse are Israel, who throughout the Old Testament (of which Daniel is obviously part), are called ‘saints’. (See Deut 33:2-3 / 2 Chron 6:41 / Psalm 132:16 / etc).

So, as is consistent with numerous Old Testament prophecies, and in fulfilment of God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:7, 13:14-17 & 15:18, Daniel is told that Israel will take the kingdom that God promised to Abraham’s seed as a possession for ever.

Daniel 7:19

Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;

Now Daniel goes back to look more closely at the fourth beast, which we have already identified as Rome, which did indeed devour and break in pieces, stamping the residue of those whom it conquered.

Daniel 7:20

And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.

In particular Daniel wants to know about the ten horns, (whom we know to be the ten kings of Rev 17) and about the ‘other horn’ (whom we know to be Antichrist).

Daniel 7:21

I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

(See notes for verse 18).

Daniel watches and, no doubt to his surprise, sees Antichrist making war with the Jews and prevailing against them. So great will be this time of persecution for the Jews that Jeremiah labelled it ‘the time of Jacob’s trouble’ “For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” (Jer 30:5-7)

Zechariah goes even further and explains that only one third of the Jews will survive this ‘holocaust’, but the result will be that they turn to the Lord and repent.

“And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.” (Zech 13:8-9)

Daniel 7:22

Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

To Daniel’s (and the Jews) relief there is an ‘until’. God will not let this persecution go on one moment longer than is necessary to accomplish His plans. And at that moment ‘judgment was given’ – God ruled in favour – of the Jews, and they will be given the kingdom. See: Gen 15:18 / Gen 17:1-8 / Psalm 89 / Psalm 105 / 2 Samuel 7:12-13, 16, 24-26, 29 / Luke 1:32-33 / Acts 15:14-16

Daniel 7:23

Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

Now, after the brief summary we have just had, Daniel is taken back to the forth beast and given more information.

Daniel 7:24

And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

Once again we have it confirmed that the ten horns (ten kings) will come out of the forth beast (Rome), and Antichrist will himself come out after them and subdue three of them.

Daniel 7:25

And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

Both here and in Revelation 13 we find that Antichrist has a real speech problem! Again we are told he will ‘wear out’ the Jews as we have already noted, but here we are given the duration: time (singular) = 1 year, times (plural) = 2 years, and half a time = half a year. Therefore Antichrist’s oppression of the Jews will last for three and a half years (of 360 day prophetic years – see chapter 9 notes for more on this). This period of time is the same as the Great Tribulation that Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24.

Daniel 7:26

But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

Who is doing this judging? Christ and His bride – the Church.

“Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels?” (1 Cor 6:2-3)

Daniel 7:27

And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

So far we have concluded that the Jews will posses the kingdom (verses 18 & 22) in fulfilment of the unconditional promise made to Abraham. To this point the vision has all been about these ungodly earthly kingdoms, all of whom ‘unlawfully’ possessed the land that was given to Abraham by God. Therefore it follows that it is now given to whom it rightly belongs, i.e. the Jews. However this verse now refers to the ‘kingdom under the whole heaven’ and says that the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness under the whole heaven shall be given, not to the saints, but to the people of the saints of the Most High. Could this be a subtle reference to the Church? Could it be said that the Church are the ‘people of the Jews’? Romans 11 tells us that we have been grafted in to olive tree of Israel, Israel being the ‘natural branches’. It is also true in one sense that Israel birthed the Church; all the Apostles were Jews, to the Jews were ‘committed the oracles (words) of God’ (Rom 3:2), i.e. we get our Bible from the Jews. Given the fact that the Church is to reign over the ‘whole heaven’ with Christ: “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.” (Rev 2:26-27) “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” (Rev 3:21) – Surely therefore the ‘people of the saints’ are indeed Christians and therefore the Church!?

What we do know without question is that the ‘him’ whom ‘all dominions shall serve and obey’ is our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

Daniel 7:28

Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

Praise God for the faithfulness of Daniel.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study!

The post Daniel Ch7 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Daniel Ch6

Barry Forder — Sun, 30 May 2021 10:30:53 +0000

This teaching on Daniel Ch 6 was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on 30th May 2021.

Daniel 6:1

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

Chapter 6 starts at the beginning of the ‘reign’ of Darius over Babylon following the collapse of the Babylonian Empire in 539 B.C. We know from History that Cyrus was the overall head of the Medo-Persian Empire. At the beginning of Ch 9 Daniel confirms that Darius “was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans” – i.e. not over the whole Empire. Although there is some debate amongst scholars about the secular identity of Darius, we should note that ‘Darius‘ was a title meaning “holder of the scepter”. Certainly there are five later Persian rulers with the same title.

Some, including Donald J Wiseman of the British Museum, have postulated that ‘Darius’ was indeed a title and our character in question was in fact Cyrus himself. Scholars have noted that the closing verse of this chapter could also be translated in such a way as to imply that Darius is Cyrus. (NB: It is translated this way in the notes in the N.I.V.), however this does not fit with Daniel’s own comments, and why would Daniel not just call him Cyrus?

Another view is that Darius was Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, although his age as revealed at the end of chapter 5 would seem to discount this; as would the fact that this would then leave a gap of approximately four months with no king over Babylon from the death of Belshazzar until Cambyses was eventually appointed as king of Babylon in 538 B.C.

There is a much simpler explanation regarding the identity of Darius that fits both the Biblical narrative and history – we will come to that in a moment, but it is worth highlighting that Bible critics try to claim that Daniel’s assertion that ‘Darius the Mede was king of Babylon’ is ‘proof’ that the book of Daniel was not an eyewitness account, but rather the work of a much later author who was confused about the details of this period. Once again, critics are quick to make bold assertions that are based on biased opinions rather than objective facts. Professor Robert Dick Wilson who spent a lifetime studying these things states: “When one asserts that the author of Daniel has “confused” events or persons, it is not enough for him to affirm that the author was thus confused. This confusion is a matter of evidence. With all due deference to the opinion of other scholars, I am firmly convinced that no man to-day has sufficient evidence to prove that the author of Daniel was confused. There are no records to substantiate the assertions of confusion. Neither is it clear to the critics nor can they make it clear to others, that the author of Daniel either did not understand the facts with regard to Darius the Mede, nor clearly express himself about them.” (Studies in Daniel)

So who was Darius the Mede? The view that seems most consistent with what we know from the Bible and history, is that Darius the Mede was Gubaru, the general of Cyrus’ army who had taken Babylon on the night of Belshazzar’s feast, aged about 62, and according to Nabonidus. Cyrus rewarded Gubaru with a regional governorship for capturing the capital of the Babylonian Empire. What we do know from the ‘Nabonidus Chronicle’ and Josephus is that on October 12^th 539BC, Gubaru entered Babylon at night, killing Belshazzar and conquering the city without a fight. On October 29^th Cyrus entered the city, being met at the gates by Daniel with a scroll of Isaiah in his hand. Over 150 yeas before Isaiah had prophesied: “Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish; That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers: That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.” (Isaiah 44:24 – 45:6)

Only a few weeks before, Cyrus had instructed Gubaru to take the ‘impenetrable’ city of Babylon by diverting the river Euphrates into a canal upriver so that the water level dropped “to the height of the middle of a man’s thigh” (Herodotus). Thus the city’s flood defenses were rendered useless and the Persian army were able to march right into the city through the river bed. As Cyrus is now reading this portion of Isaiah he must have been ‘blown away’. Not only does this Jewish prophet, who had been dead for 150 years, mention him by name, but the passage describes how the city would be taken and the fact that Belshazzar’s loins were loosened – something that was no doubt common knowledge by now.

No doubt as a result of this, Cyrus, approximately one and a half years later in 537 BC, went on to sign a decree allowing the Jews to return to their homeland and rebuild their temple. This decree is recorded at the end of 2 Chronicles and at the beginning of Ezra: “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia [NB: 539 to 538 = Ascension year, therefore 538 to 537 = first year of reign], that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled [see Jer 29:10], the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.” (Ezra 1:1-4)

In addition to this decree recorded in the Bible there has been found a cylinder, now known as the ‘Stele of Cyrus’, which now resides in the British Museum. On the cylinder are the words:

“…without any battle, he entered the town, sparing any calamity:….I returned to sacred cities on the other side of the Tigris [river], the sanctuaries of which have been ruins for a long time… and established for them permanent sanctuaries. I also gathered all their former inhabitants and returned to them their habitations”

Returning to the ‘who is Darius?’ question: From archaeological discoveries we know that Cyrus was known as ‘king of lands’ (i.e. ruler of the empire), and because the empire was so vast, it was normal to appoint kings over districts or regions. Thus it is reasonable to assume that Cyrus would have appointed someone he trusted to be king of Babylon, and who better than his trusted general Gubaru who had just taken the city for his king? This starts out as a plausible theory but is soon confirmed by rereading the closing verse of chapter 5:“And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.” Initially we read ‘and Darius became king…’ but that is not what this verse states. What we are told is that ‘Darius the Median took the kingdom…’ The word translated ‘took’ is ‘qebal’ (Aramaic) meaning ‘to acquire’, also translated elsewhere as ‘receive’ or ‘take’. As we have already mentioned, it was Gubaru who acquired the kingdom on behalf of Cyrus, thus this verse would seem to identify Darius the Mede as Gubaru. This is also consistent with Daniel 9:1 where we are told that Darius was ‘made king over the realm of the Chaldeans’ (made = ‘malak’ (Aramaic) ‘to induct into royalty’).

(NB: Gubaru is also sometimes written as Ugbaru or Gobryas (Greek))

Daniel 6:2

And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.

Thus continuing from verse one, Darius had 120 governors with three presidents overseeing everything; and Daniel was the chief president, second to the king himself.

Daniel 6:3

Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes….

Not only did Daniel outrank all the other government officials, we are told that he was preferred above them all. Now, human nature being what it is, you can almost hear the murmuring in the background already ‘who does he think he is…?’.

…because an excellent spirit was in him;

Daniel’s whole life seems to be an example of what God can do in a life that is yielded to Him. We are called to be salt and light in this world, that men may see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven (Matt 5:13-16). We are to be an example in word, conversation, charity (love), spirit, faith and purity (1 Tim 4:12). We are to work hard for our employers so that the name of our God and His doctrine are not blasphemed (1 Tim 6:1). We are to allow no corrupt communication to proceed from our mouths, but only that which is helpful and will build others up (Eph 4:29).

How do we measure up to these things?

Could it be said of us that we have an excellent spirit?

…..and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

This did not go down well with the other officials. No doubt Darius had enlisted some of the best men of Babylon and added them to his own Persian staff, probably people that had served with him in the army. Now this ageing Jewish exile is almost being made king!

Daniel 6:4

Jealousy is a powerful motivator

Proverbs 6:34-35 says: “For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.”

Once the ‘ball of jealousy’ is rolling, nothing will stop it.

But notice again, despite trying to find fault in Daniel there was nothing in his life that he had to hide, no secret sins, nothing to regret or hope won’t be discovered.

Cf 1 John 1:8-9 – the Christians bar of soap!

Daniel 6:5

Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

What a testimony this is. It was clear to all, that Daniel was unwavering in his relationship with his God. If this is the only chink in our armour we need not worry!

Daniel 6:6

Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.

As an aside, Chuck Missler points out that the idea of kings and rulers being immortal continues to this day but has its root in Genesis 6 with the Nephilim.

Daniel 6:7

All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellers, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

As we saw in chapter three with the Chaldeans trying to entrap Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, so we see here. Do you notice the lie in their speech? ‘All the presidents…’ – no it wasn’t! Do not be put off by people who try to unsettle you with ‘everyone knows….’ Or ‘all scholars agree…’ type statements. Usually, the bolder the statement the shakier the foundation.

Their petition is calculated to appeal to the kings ego; yet as is so often the case, behind the things that puff us up is a cess pool of deceit.

These men started with jealousy, moved onto hatred, then onto scheming, then onto lying and deceit. As we have mentioned before, sin will always take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.

Regarding the lions den, see notes on verse 9 and 24.

Daniel 6:8

Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

As we mentioned earlier in our study, whatever king Nebuchadnezzar said went, He was the Law! And hence was represented as the head of gold in chapter two. But now in the Medo-Persian kingdom, the king is bound by the law, and so although the Medo-Persian was physically larger, its power was not as great so was represented by silver and not gold.

There is also a lesson here for those in leadership, that motives be tried before requests are granted. Paul warned Timothy in 1 Tim 3:1-6 “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless…….Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.”

Daniel 6:9

Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

“The decree of Darius the Mede with regard to the den of lions was easy of execution, inasmuch as at that time lions were common in all that part of the world. The Assyrian kings were wont to hunt lions as a pastime. Thus Tiglath–Pileser I says that he killed 920 lions in one hunting expedition; and Ashurnasirpal says that he killed at one time 120 lions and that at another time he captured 50 young lions and shut them up in Calah and in the palaces of his land in cages and let them produce their young. At another time he killed 370 strong lions. In his menagerie, he says, also, that he had herds of wild oxen, elephants, lions, birds, wild asses, gazelles, dogs, panthers, and all animals of the mountains and of the plains, to show to his people. Moreover, the Hebrew poets and prophets were familiar with lions; the people, also, made proverbs concerning them; and their heroes, such as Samson and David, are said to have slain them. So, also, the oldest story in the Aramaic language (that of Achikar from the fifth century B.C.) treats the lion as a well known animal. Herodotus says that lions interfered with the march of Xerxes army to Greece. Surely, if we can believe that the Romans imported lions from Africa and threw the Christians to them in the Coliseum, we can readily believe that a Median king of Babylon may have had a den of lions into which to throw those who had disobeyed his laws. Certainly, at least, there was no physical impossibility in the matter.”

(Robert D Wilson – Studies In Daniel)

Daniel 6:10

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

This is another hugely significant verse. Jerusalem lay in ruins, Daniel had not seen it for almost 70 years, and yet he prays towards it in accordance to Solomon’s petition as recorded in 2 Chron 6:34-39: “If thy people go out to war against their enemies by the way that thou shalt send them, and they pray unto thee toward this city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name; Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause. If they sin against thee, (for there is no man which sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far off or near; Yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly; If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name: Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.”

It is from this passage that devout Jews even today pray toward Jerusalem and it is also the reason that Muslims pray toward Mecca, because after Mohamed was rejected by the Jews he established Mecca instead of Jerusalem as the place of worship for his new religion.

The fact that his windows were open, demonstrates readiness and preparation, but what is also interesting is that Daniel doesn’t panic when he finds out about the decree. He has never lived in the fear of man and he is not going to worry now. Daniel’s prayer life was habitual and it was the easiest thing in the world for him to pray when trouble arose. How often do we stumble at the first hurdle when trials come simply because we are not in the habit of taking everything to God in prayer?

he kneeled upon his knees… There are many ways to pray, and limitless places to pray, but shutting yourself away and praying on your knees seems to make our physical body more in tune with the spiritual. Jesus said: “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly” (Matt 6:6). Bowing our knees when we pray emphasises the fact that we are addressing the God of Heaven, whose presence we should never enter lightly – yes we have an advocate with the Father in the person of Jesus, but we should still fear (reverence/respect) God. In probably Jesus’ most intense prayer in the garden of Gethsemane we read “he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,” (Luke 22:41)

In the book of Acts we read of Peter when he prayed for Tabitha (also called Dorcas) after she had become sick and died; we read: “But Peter put them all forth, [i.e. got the people out of the room] and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.” (Acts 9:40)

It is said that Peter was known as ‘old camel knees’ because of the calluses on his knees because of the hours he spent in prayer.

When Luke and Paul landed at Tyre, Luke records in Acts: “And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem. And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed” (Acts 21:4-5)

When we address the Creator God of the Universe we should do so with humility of heart, that will naturally overflow into the physical.

Now we get to the real meat of this verse:

…….he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

Many of us, if we are honest, struggle to pray once a day ‘on our knees’ i.e. actually putting time aside specifically to pray. It is of course right and proper that we pray ‘on the go’, Paul said that we should “pray without ceasing” (1 Thes 5:17), “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” (Eph 6:18); However, this is not to be a substitute for going into our room, shutting the door and spending some quality time with God. For Daniel on the other hand, this was a way of life, …as he did aforetime. Faced with this situation Daniel just did what he had always done since coming to Babylon almost 70 years ago; he had purposed in his heart to be separated unto his God and no distraction would keep him from this task.

How often the attractions of our ‘Babylon’ become the subtle distractions that keep us from a life of prayer and an undefiled walk with God. Paul said: “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Cor 6:12)

It is also important to notice how Daniel behaves in this situation, for the days are coming where those who would accuse us will be watching our every move, looking for an opportunity to entrap us. Already in Canada it is an offence to declare that Jesus is the only way under their ‘hate crimes’ laws. In various European countries pastors have been arrested for taking a Biblical stand against homosexuality. It is true that the church won’t go through the Great Tribulation, but we would be naive if we thought we would escape persecution altogether. Jesus said that in this world we would be persecuted, and that the world would hate us (John 16:1-3). This has been the case for the last 2000 years in most of the world. In the west we have largely escaped the persecution that many Christians face on a daily basis. It has been said that more Christians have been martyred in the last century than in all the previous centuries combined. So how did Daniel behave in this situation?

The first thing to notice is that he didn’t panic, nor did he do anything to intentionally draw attention to himself. He did not set out to provoke his accusers; he simply carried on serving God as he had always done. All that we do should be done in an attitude of love. Love does not provoke. As we noted in chapter three, we are to obey the laws and ordinances of men so long as they don’t contradict the commands of God; but if and when such occasions arise that mans laws become contrary to the word of God, we should have no hesitation in serving the Lord, regardless of the cost.

Daniel 6:11

Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

The whole thing was such an obvious set-up; we are not told how many men gathered outside Daniel’s house to ‘catch him in the act’, but if ‘these men’ refers to the same crowd mentioned in verses 4 & 5, it may have been all 120 princes and the other two presidents.

Daniel 6:12

Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

They had no need to ask if the king had signed such a decree because they had written it and taken it to him to sign in the first place!

Daniel 6:13

Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.

Now their plan comes to light, as does the fact that they had been watching him. Notice how they try to insult Daniel and put him down: ‘That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah’ – ‘this guy is only a slave anyway, and from Judah at that’.

Daniel 6:14

Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.

Notice that the king is not cross with Daniel, he is cross with himself for being so naive. How quick we are to try and undo what has been done when we realise the error of our ways. How was Darius going to explain this to Cyrus next time he was in town and asked to speak to that incredible old Jewish man?

Daniel 6:15-16

15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.

16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

With no way out the king does what he had to do. Did Darius have faith that God would deliver Daniel, or was he just hoping?

Daniel 6:17-18

17 And a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.

There are few mental traumas worse than remorse, for there is nothing that can be done to change the circumstances – unless of course you know the one true ‘Superman’ who, being outside of time, entered into His creation at a specific point in history and paid once and for all for every wrong thing we have ever done, said or thought thus wiping the slate clean.

“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1John 2:2)

Daniel 6:19-20

19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.

20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?

I’m just curious how long a pause Daniel left before answering?!

Daniel 6:21-22

21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.

22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

How incredible it must have been for Daniel to have spent a night in safety knowing that God had sent His angel and that the lions couldn’t harm him.

How incredible also for us to know that our adversary, who roams about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, cannot harm us because we also are protected by the angel of the Lord (Heb 1:14 / Heb 13:5). Could it have been the same ‘angel’ who protected the three in the furnace? Throughout the Old Testament the Angel of the Lord is no mere angel but the commander of the armies of the Lord – i.e. Jesus Christ.

It is worth noting that when a lion is about to move in for the kill they are silent, not wanting to disturb their prey. However, generally speaking, the only times they roar is when they feel threatened; such as behind bars at a zoo. Jesus said in Luke 10:19 “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”. John states: “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4). Our enemy is also behind bars, he can roar all he wants, and little children my still be frightened, but those who are mature in the faith know they need not fear because between us and him there is the impenetrable barrier of the blood of Jesus and we are safe in His hands (John 10:27-28).

Daniel 6:23

Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” (2 Chron 16:9)

There is someone else who was faultless yet betrayed, handed over to death, went down into a pit, a stone was rolled into place and sealed to stop Him escaping, yet on the third day He was taken ‘up out of the den and no manner of hurt was found upon Him*, because He believed in His God’

* Except for the nail prints in His hands & feet, which will serve as an eternal reminder of His love and sacrifice for you and I.

Daniel 6:24

And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

We should not be envious of the workers of iniquity for their day is coming. David wrote: “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb…… fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken”. This is exactly what happened to the wicked ones who plotted against Daniel; their ‘sword’ did indeed enter their own heart.

Regarding this verse, Robert Wilson says the following:

“The possibility of the destruction of the one hundred and twenty satraps and their families by lions is shown from the fact that the monuments of the kings of Assyria say that they had menageries containing “all the animals of the mountains and of the plains,” including elephants, panthers, and lions. Further, it is shown that lions at that time were the pest of the Euphrates Valley, hundreds of them being killed in a single hunting expedition, and that in one case mentioned by Ashurnasirapal, king of Assyria, fifty young lions were captured alive and shut up by him in the city of Calach.” (Robert D Wilson – Studies In Daniel)

Once again, the Bible is not a collection of quaint stories, it really is His-story.

Daniel 6:25-27

25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

So just as with Nebuchadnezzar, Darius now acknowledges and gives glory to the God of Daniel, who is steadfast forever and whose kingdom is without end!

Daniel 6:28

So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Just as Joseph had prospered because he trusted his God regardless of the circumstances, so Daniel did. Jesus said in Luke 16:11“If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?” He also told us to be as wise as serpents but as harmless as doves (Matt 10:16). Paul tells us that Christians should work even harder for their employers than the world does because we should work as unto the Lord (see 1Tim 6:1 / 2 Tim 4:9-10 / Titus 2:7-10)

And so ends the first (historical) section of the book. Chapters 7-12 will see Daniel having breathtaking visions that foretell the future of the Medo-Persian, Greek, Roman and final world empires. We will be introduced to the ‘little horn’ speaking great things, and we will see some of the most incredible prophecies in the Bible that help to unravel the days that we are living in right now and prove beyond doubt that Jesus Christ is the Messiah of Israel and He is destined to return and rule on the throne of David and establish an everlasting kingdom!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Daniel Ch6 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Daniel Ch5

Barry Forder — Sun, 23 May 2021 10:30:45 +0000

This study of Daniel chapter 5 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 23rd May at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Daniel 5:1

Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

As we move into chapter five we find that Belshazzar is now king (not to be confused with Belteshazzar – the Babylonian name for Daniel). About 23 years have passed since Nebuchadnezzar died and the kingdom of Babylon has gone through a turbulent time. Nebuchadnezzar’s son, Evil-Merodach, succeeded his father and reigned for almost three years (cf 2 Kings 25:27 / Jer 52:31). His brother, Neriglissar, then reigned for about five years being succeeded by his son, Labashi-Marduk, who, being very young reigned for just a few months before being murdered. Finally, Nabonidus who had married Nebuchadnezzar’s daughter became king. History records that Nabonidus did not get on well with the people of Babylon, nor even with the priests of Marduk (the Babylonian god). As a result of this, after three years, Nabonidus appointed his son Belshazzar as king of Babylon while he himself took an army to Arabia, presumably to build sandcastles and keep out of the limelight! All of this political turmoil was just the invitation that a brilliant young military leader by the name of Cyrus needed. The Meads and the Persians were two great adjacent empires that had been steadily growing in power; however when Cyrus came along with one of his parents Persian and the other a Mead, it was the smoothing oil that was required to unite two fairly strong empires into one all conquering one. Belshazzar would have been aware that the newly formed Medo-Persian Empire was in the ascendancy and was also no doubt aware that Cyrus’ army (under the command of his general – Gubaru (later to be crowned Darius)) was heading toward Babylon. So what do you do when you’re the king of Babylon and an invading army is approaching? Throw a party! Evidently Belshazzar was so sure that Babylon was impregnable that he simply shut the gates of the city and gave a great feast to a thousand of his lords to demonstrate his undeniable, if not foolhardy, confidence. After all, he was the king of the great Babylon, excellency of the Chaldeans and capital of the known world. If over-confidence was his first mistake, his second was soon to follow…

Daniel 5:2

Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.

Cf. 2 Kings 20:14-18 / Dan 1:2

Openly defying the God of Israel has never been a good career move – United Nations / European Union / PLO / Hezbollah / Hamas etc. take note!

Daniel 5:3-4

3Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.

4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

Proverbs 31:4 states that it is not for kings to drink wine or strong drink; how much more so when that drink is combined with idolatry. This is just asking for trouble.

Daniel 5:5-6

5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

6 Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

This would be enough to ruin anyone’s party! This writing didn’t just appear on the wall in any old place, it appeared by the candlestick – the brightest spot in the room so all would see. It is easy to understand why the king’s face was changed, and indeed why his thoughts troubled him. However, in case you are unclear as to the King James phrase ‘his loins were loosed’ – lets just say he needed the bathroom but didn’t make it in time!

There is an undeniably humorous side to this situation as we look on; imagine being the only man in scripture of whom it is recorded that they wet themselves (or worse)! And remember that “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever”!

(Isaiah 40:8)

What makes this even more incredible is that this event was even foretold by the prophet Isaiah 200 years beforehand! “Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut” (Isaiah 45:1)

Daniel 5:7-8

7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

8 Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.

As we saw in chapter two with Nebuchadnezzar, people are quick to turn to ‘religion’ when problems arise and seek answers from the ‘professional’ religious leaders. However just as we see here, they can seldom give the answers. Much is made in our day of ‘ordained ministers’ and so often these are the ones the world will turn to in the event of a tragedy or problem, even if only to seek their opinion. But is it not also true that so often these are the ones we see undermining the word of God and compromising in order to be seen to be politically correct? This should come as no great surprise, for those ordained and appointed by men will forever be answerable to men. In God’s kingdom it is very different. We read nothing in scripture of being ordained by the Bishop, but rather we read: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” (John 15:16) Thus, for any believer in Christ, it is the Lord Himself who has ordained us, we are answerable to him. Paul tells us: “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are” And why is this so? “That no flesh should glory in his presence.” (1 Cor 1:26-29)

Early in the book of Acts we read of the boldness of Peter and John, yet these were unlearned and ignorant (see Acts 4:13). They did not have their theology degree from a ‘Bible’ college, accredited by a secular university that is rooted in humanism and evolutionary thinking. These were just two simple fishermen who would have struggled to get a job in many churches today, yet we read that they had been with Jesus – and that was all the qualification that was necessary!

A personal ordination from the King of kings rates immeasurably higher than anything that manmade institutions purport to offer. Daniel was one with just such an ordination from the God of Heaven.

Daniel 5:9

Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.

In verse 6 Belshazzar was troubled and his countenance changed. Now he is really worried (Aramaic = exceedingly terrified) and it is obvious. It would appear from the word ‘astonied’ = shebash (Aramaic), that his lords were ‘perplexed’ because of the kings reactions. Wasn’t this the king who had thrown a party to demonstrate his invincibility? Now he has not only wet his pants in public, but has turned white as a sheet because no one can explain what this writing means.

We have seen the king make four major mistakes:

Overconfidence/Pride (verse 1)
Open defiance of the God of Heaven (verse 2)
Drinking to excess (verse 3)
Worshipping false gods (verse 4)

Seldom do people in such open rebellion not know why judgment has come upon them. The king’s conscience had already convicted him before a word had been spoken. People are wise after the event, but arrogant before. Just like Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 3:15 “and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands” all of Belshazzar’s actions were an open taunt to God. We see that same incredible attitude with Antichrist in Rev 13 where he blasphemes the God of Heaven (Rev 13:6).

“Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7)

Daniel 5:10

Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:

The person referred to here as the queen is what we would understand as the queen mother, and from the writings of the Greek historian Herodotus, it would appear to be Nitocris, wife of Nabonidus and daughter of Nebuchadnezzar, whom Herodotus mentions as a woman of extraordinary prudence.

Daniel 5:11

There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;

Having heard of the king’s problem she makes her way to the banqueting hall and suggests Daniel as the man to interpret the writing. As Nebuchadnezzar’s daughter she would have been well acquainted with Daniel and his exploits during her father’s reign, and seems to put in a public ‘dig’ saying that Nebuchadnezzar your grandfather (in law) was a real king.

Daniel 5:12

Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.

Maybe because Daniel cared for her father for the seven years of chapter 4, she seems to be fond of Daniel and presents a brief resume´ that is bound to impress. She acknowledges (in verse 11) that the spirit of the ‘holy gods’ is in him and boldly declares that he will shew the interpretation. This shows her faith not only in Daniel but in his ‘Gods’ – plural: Father, Son & Spirit.

Daniel 5:13

Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?

Daniel would have been around 81 years old by now, and it is clear from this verse that his reputation had preceded him.

Daniel 5:14

I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.

Notice the pride once more of Belshazzar “even I have heard of you, so you must be something!” The question could well be asked, why Daniel wasn’t called to start with, if he had got such a reputation? Possibly for the same reasons that were mentioned in the comments on Daniel 4:6 – see also Eph 5:13.

Daniel 5:15-16

15 And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing:

16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.

So the king explains the predicament that the other ‘wise’ men couldn’t solve and offers Daniel rewards including to be made third ruler in the kingdom. The reason that third ruler in the kingdom was offered is that, as we have noted, Nabonidus was king, Belshazzer was appointed king of Babylon while Nabonidus was away, thus the no#1 and no#2 spots were already filled. This is another evidence that this is an historically accurate record. Critics and ‘scholars’ scoffed for years claiming that Daniel was wrong and must have been written many years after this time because no record had been found of Belshazzar being king of Babylon. However, competent research and archaeological discoveries have now completely vindicated Daniel and in fact have demonstrated that Daniel had to be an eyewitness of these events.

Daniel 5:17

Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

Daniel, now much older and less concerned about political correctness, basically tells the king where to put his gifts! But he will explain the writing and give the interpretation anyway. All through the book Daniel demonstrates that he doesn’t work for man but for God.

Daniel 5:18-19

18 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:

19 And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.

Now before Daniel starts to read the writing and interpret the message, he decides to give this jumped up little king a history lesson about a real king who had real authority!

Daniel 5:20-21

20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:

21 And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.

Daniel explains to Belshazzar what happens to those who are proud before God – and underlines the ultimate lesson: that the most high God rules in the kingdom of men, and he appoints over it whomsoever he will.

Daniel 5:22

And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;

Now Daniel moves in for the kill!

Daniel 5:23

But hast lifted up thyself against the LORD of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

Just picture this situation: In the middle of his big party, with a thousand of his lords present, a hand out of nowhere writes on the wall. The king has an ‘accident’ and turns as white as a sheet. The best men of the land are unable to help him. By now word has got out about what has happened (the whole city has probably heard about his ‘bathroom problem’) His mum hears about it, comes in and embarrasses him yet further; eventually an 81-year-old man is called who, in front of a thousand lords, gives him a right telling off – and we haven’t even got to the interpretation of the writing yet!

This is a classic case of God resisting the proud, and should serve as a graphic example that pride is an abomination to the Lord (see Proverbs 16:5)

Daniel 5:24

Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.

After his little outburst, Daniel now interprets the writing.

Daniel 5:25

And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

Rabbinic tradition says that this writing was in the form of an encrypted Hebrew code called ‘Atbash’, if so it would have looked something like the following:

This is not the only time that encrypted words are found in the Bible. In Jeremiah 25:26 there is another example of Atbash (the word Sheshach is an encrypted form of ‘Babylon’), and in Isaiah 7:6 there is an example of another form of encryption called Albam (there the word Tabeel is an encryption of Remaliah). Both of these forms of encryption are fairly simple forms of transposition, where one letter is consistently used to replace another. (See diagrams/explanation on next page).

Hebrew / Aramaic reads right to left – all languages flow toward Jerusalem! If you look at a globe with Jerusalem in the centre, all countries west write right to left, all those east write left to right – this may be a coincidence, but then again.

Albam works by laying the second half of the alphabet alongside the first half; thus in the English alphabet it would be the equivalent to replacing every ‘a’ with an ‘n’ and vica-versa, ‘b’ with ‘o’ etc. The name ‘Albam’ derives from the first pair of letters in the Hebrew alphabet; Aleph (‘a))) replaces the Lamed (l)), and Bet (B) replaces the Mem (m), hence ALBaM.

Atbash works in a very similar way except the alphabet is wrapped around on itself so the Aleph (‘a))) becomes the Tav (t)), and the Bet (B) becomes the Shin (m), hence ATBaSh.

It would appear that Daniel was familiar with this form of encryption, as he has no difficulty in interpreting it before the king:

Note: Initially this may strike us as simply interesting, however when we stop to consider who the author of scripture actually is, the fact that God has placed hidden codes in the Bible is staggering. This is what the ancient Rabbis would call a ‘remez’ – a hint of something deeper.

Much has been written and said about the ‘Bible Code’, some of which is completely fictitious. However, with the help of modern computers, we have been able to clearly demonstrate that there are hidden codes in the Bible that point unquestionably to a supernatural author who knew the end from the beginning. The hidden codes in the Bible have also gone to demonstrate that every letter is there by deliberate supernatural design, and simply removing a single letter (from the original text) can corrupt a code that is hidden underneath. Thus we begin to see that Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:18 were not a colourful exaggeration, but literally every yod (the smallest Hebrew letter) and tittle (a decorative hook on letters like the dot we place above an ‘i’ or j’) will not pass until all has been fulfilled. The warning that John was given in Revelation 22 also ‘comes to life’ as see that adding and subtracting anything from the ‘book of this prophecy’ (i.e. the Bible being the book in which the prophecy of Revelation is found) or the ‘prophecy of this book’ (specifically Revelation itself) has serious consequences. Thus any who add or subtract anything from either the Bible or Revelation are warned that their part in the ‘Book of life’ will be taken away or the plagues described in Revelation will be added to them.

Could it be, that based on this warning, the Bible itself is the Lamb’s Book of Life, and all those who are saved actually have their names written within it? If this is so, and our names are written in code form in the pages of the Bible, what a powerful deterrent to adding or subtracting to a portion of scripture because it is difficult or unpopular, when, by altering the surface text (as many liberal and politically correct ‘Christians’ are wont to do) they may in fact corrupt the code underneath that contains their name – thus by subtracting from the Bible they inadvertently remove their own name from the Book of Life!

Proverbs 30:5 states that “Every word of God is pure. Do not add to His words lest He rebuke you and you be found a liar”.

David echoes in Psalm 119:160 “Thy word is true from the beginning”

If it is pure and true then there is nothing that we can add or subtract to improve it. We should simply fall before our God who has given us His Word, which we are told in Psalm 138:2 He has exalted above all His name! If blasphemy – the misuse of His name – is to be judged, how much more the misuse of His Word!

Daniel 5:26-28

26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.

27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

Thus king Belshazzar’s worst fears are realised, his time of playing games with the God of Israel is over, in the most dramatic fashion.

From this verse come two phrases that are still used today ‘you’re number’s up’ and ‘weighed and found wanting’. It is incredible the number of words and phrases that people use every day that originate from the Bible, yet most people have no idea, and worse still, no regard, for this most incredible book.

There is a play on words here as well with the word ‘PERES’. In both Hebrew and Aramaic there are no vowels so the word would have been written as ‘P_R_S’ with the vowels inferred. However without the vowels the sound and meaning can alter. Take for example the words CaT and CoT. Without the vowels all we would read is C_T. And so it is here with Peres; if the ‘e’ (which makes the word mean ‘divided’) is replaced with an ‘a’ we get the Aramaic word for ‘Persians’!

Daniel 5:29

29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Not that Daniel was bothered, the kingdom only had a few hours to go!

Daniel 5:30-31

30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.

31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

So Belshazzar, as all proud people will be, is cut down. David said in Psalm 7:9 “Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God tries the hearts and reins.”

Psalm 37:7-13 says:

“Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.” How true this was for Belshazzar who was made a public spectacle in front of his one thousand lords yet was humiliated by the God of heaven whom he had rejected.

Thus God sweeps aside the mighty Babylonian kingdom, the head of gold (cf Daniel 2); and in comes the Medo-Persian empire – the chest and arms of silver (cf Daniel 2).

There is some debate over the identity of Darius, but we will deal with that in chapter 6; what we do know is, that he was about sixty-two when he became ruler of Babylon in 539 B.C. It should be noted, that the first actual year for a Babylonian king was reckoned as their ascension year. What we would consider their 2^nd year would therefore be their first regal year. Thus 539-538 = Darius’ ascension year / 538-537 = Darius’ 1^st year etc.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Daniel Ch5 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Daniel Ch4

Barry Forder — Sun, 16 May 2021 10:30:00 +0000

This study of Daniel chapter 4 was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on 16th May 2021.

Daniel 4:1

Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

So here we have a chapter of the Bible written by a gentile king! – and note, he does not just write this to his own subjects, this is written to all that on the earth! This king – one of the most powerful who ever lived – has something to say to the world…

Daniel 4:2

I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.

By the time king Nebuchadnezzar writes this the account you are about to read has all taken place. Nebuchadnezzar is writing ‘after the events’, and so dramatic were they, he has to tell the world!

Babylon was full of gods. Idolatry was practically invented in Babel (later to be known as Babylon), so don’t miss the significance of Nebuchadnezzar referring to Daniel’s God as ‘the high God’. In the Aramaic (which this chapter was written in) the word translated ‘high’ is the adjective ʻillay’ (il-lah’-ee), meaning highest, supreme, the one above every other god. In Isaiah we read: “Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God” (Isaiah 44:6), and “Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the Lord? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:20-22)

As Nebuchadnezzar will explain, he once thought of himself as supreme. He had acquired great wealth and power, whatever Nebuchadnezzar said, people did. But he came to see that a man can gain the world but lose his soul, and where is the profit in that? (See Matt 16:26). Now he knows that there is a Higher Power, beyond the realm of earthly kings and governments, with a greater sovereignty than man has over even his own life.

There are many in this world who think they are in control of their own lives and destiny. They might not have the wealth and position of Nebuchadnezzar, but they think they rule over their own lives. One day they will all bow before God and the Man He has appointed to judge the world – Jesus Christ (Acts 17:31). Then the real power and majesty will be unveiled!

Daniel 4:3

How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

In chapter 3 Nebuchadnezzar built a golden statue to symbolize his own ‘everlasting kingdom and dominion’. It took the faith of three Hebrew men to show Nebuchadnezzar, by signs and wonders, how inferior he was compared to their mighty God. Nebuchadnezzar was duly impressed but there had been no change of heart. But now, around 26 years later, after learning the hard way (and we will see in the following verses just how hard!) Nebuchadnezzar finally gets it. This would have been the last year of his life. How sad it is that so many people don’t get it until they have wasted a lifetime, yet even then, the mighty God whose dominion is from generation to generation is full of mercy and compassion.

How often had Daniel prayed for Nebuchadnezzar? We don’t know; but it is clear Daniel never gave up on him, and the seeds that were sown finally burst into life!

Daniel 4:4

I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:

On the surface he was flourishing – like so many in this world, thinking that they have it all, not aware that it can all disappear like that.

“And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16-21)

Daniel 4:5

I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

God has a way of getting our attention. Even the hardest, most unreachable people in our eyes are never beyond the reach of God. I suspect that Daniel had been praying for his king and friend for some time, believing that God was able to get through to him.

Daniel 4:6

Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.

Daniel was well known to the king by now, so why not just call him? I think that Nebuchadnezzar realised this dream was not good, and may well have wanted to hear a sugar-coated interpretation rather than the truth. We see exactly the same with Ahab, king of Israel in 1 Kings 22:6-8 “Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king. And Jehoshaphat [king of Judah] said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him? And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” So the reason that Ahab didn’t ask Micaiah is basically because he told the truth! – and sometimes the truth is hard to take! I think that is why king Nebuchadnezzar didn’t call Daniel to start with.

Often the world will not ask our opinion because they don’t want to hear it! For non-Christians, even being around Christians can make them uncomfortable, as if a spot-light were shined upon them.

“have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light” (Ephesians 5:11-13)

Daniel 4:7

Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.

This tells a story! In chapter two the Chaldeans were straight in there with their ‘dummies guide to interpreting dreams’. This is what they were famous for as we mentioned in chapter two. This time the king even tells them the dream so it should be easy for them – but then again, they have had their fingers burnt by a certain Daniel too many times by now; even if they did interpret the dream, Daniel was bound to come along and tell them they’d got it wrong! They just were not going to take that chance. Notice they ‘did not make known’ not ‘were not able’, it appears that they didn’t even try!

Daniel 4:8

But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,

So finally king Nebuchadnezzar gives up and accepts the inevitable. But who does Nebuchadnezzar say came in? DANIEL – that is his Hebrew name, yet the king chooses to use this in telling us the story of these events, adding his Babylonian name just in case anyone didn’t know who Daniel was. How amazing that after all this time in Babylon (Daniel would have been about 50 by now), with so much pressure to blend into their culture (when in Rome…) that Daniel retains his Jewish identity and the name that glorifies his God.

Notice, that at that time, Nebuchadnezzar records that Daniel’s Babylonian name was after ‘my god’ – What a contrast in this chapter! The king started out following his god, and ends up following the ‘Most High God’!

Daniel 4:9

O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.

This is an interesting verse because Nebuchadnezzar informs us that Daniel is ‘chief of the Magi’. Now the Magi were essentially a Persian religious sect specialising in the mystical; so what was Daniel doing in charge of them? We will find out in chapter 6 that it was not something that was happily accepted by some of his contemporaries; but it appears that Daniel had converted this group and told them about the prophecies regarding the coming Jewish Messiah. How do we know this? Because just over 500 years later, a group of these Magi travelled for miles across the middle eastern deserts to Israel to celebrate the birth of a baby that had been born King of the Jews! (NB: there were far more than three of these Magi and they didn’t go to the stable but to Joseph and Mary’s house back in Nazareth – we have been duped by tradition into thinking that there were 3 wise men, or 3 kings and they went to the stable. Wrong, Wrong, Wrong! Tradition makes the Word of no effect! (Mark 7:13).

Also in this verse we have confirmed that king Neb knew that Daniel could and would be able to interpret the dream – and it would probably have something to do with Daniel’s ‘holy gods’.

What a testimony Daniel has that even the king knew that: ‘no secret troubleth thee’.

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3)

The Dream – Daniel 4:10-17

10 Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.

11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:

12 The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.

13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;

14 He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off

his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:

15 Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth:

16 Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.

17 This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

Daniel 4:18

This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

So Nebuchadnezzar asks Daniel to interpret the dream to him, and reiterates that the best of Babylon were unable (unwilling?) to answer. It is interesting to note that even before Daniel has spoken on this occasion, Nebuchadnezzar concedes that ‘the spirit of the holy gods’ in is Daniel. Obviously he remembers the events of chapter two.

Daniel 4:19

Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.

Once again, Nebuchadnezzar uses Daniel’s Jewish name, and then confirms Daniel’s Babylonian name so all would know to whom the king is referring.

Back in verse 9 the king confidently asserts that nothing troubles Daniel – that is, up until now! We will see in chapter nine that Daniel was familiar with Jeremiah’s prophecies; that being the case, Daniel may well be thinking of what Jeremiah said in chapter 27: “And now have I given all these lands unto the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him. And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son’s son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him” (Jer 27:6-7).

This is another remarkable prophecy that accurately foretells that after Nebuchadnezzar (whom God calls ‘My servant’), his son and then his grandson will rule Babylon until their time is up – we will deal with this in the next chapter. As for Daniel’s thoughts, if God had raised up Nebuchadnezzar for a purpose (that of bringing judgment on the house of Judah), what was to happen to him now? No wonder Daniel was ‘astonied’. Then there was the question of how exactly do you break this to the king?

NB: the word translated ‘astonied’ here is not the same as we saw back in chapter 3:24 where king Nebuchadnezzar was ‘astonied’ – lit ‘swept to ruin’. In 3:24 it is ‘tevahh’ which has a negative connotation; here the word is ‘Shemam’ which simply means ‘stunned’.

This hour must have been one of the longest of Nebuchadnezzar’s life; eventually he says to Daniel ‘Don’t let the dream trouble you (as well)’. If Daniel is troubled this is not good.

Finally Daniel says in effect ‘If only this dream were about your enemies; but alas……’

Daniel 4:20-22

20 The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;

21 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation:

22 It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.

Thus what Nebuchadnezzar probably feared is confirmed, he is the tree, but it is the next bit that is of most concern…..

Daniel 4:23

And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;

The ‘watcher’ from the context is an angel who comes down from the Holy One in Heaven. The important points in this verse are that the tree is to be cut down but the root is to remain. However the root is to be bound with iron and brass – the possible meaning of this is dealt with in the Pastors Blog https://www.calvaryportsmouth.co.uk/?p=4758&preview=true.

At the beginning of the verse the vocabulary refers to ‘it’ i.e. an impersonal pronoun, but by the end of the sentence the vocabulary changes to use the personal pronoun ‘his/him’. Thus this verse could be seen to have a double reference; firstly to king Nebuchadnezzar who is already identified as the tree in verse 22; and secondly the reference may be to Nebuchadnezzar’s dominion i.e. the kingdom of Babylon.

The reference to seven times is seen by most Bible commentators to represent seven years. In Daniel 7:25 and Rev 12:14 we read of time (singular) times (plural) and half a time. From the context we understand that this is referring to three and a half years (specifically the last three and a half years of the Tribulation), where time = 1 year, times = 2 years and half a time = 6 months. Thus Daniel is saying that Nebuchadnezzar is going to be cut down for seven years, during which time he will be covered with the dew and have his portion with the beasts of the field.

Daniel 4:24

This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:

King Nebuchadnezzar was all too familiar with issuing decrees; now one had been issued against him by the highest authority there is – the Most High God.

Daniel 4:25

That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

Thus Daniel explains to the king exactly what will happen to him, how he will be humbled until (whenever you see an ‘until’ in the Bible take note!), until he finally realises that it is the most High who rules in the kingdom of men, and He will give it to whomsoever He chooses. This is the third time this lesson had been taught to the king (two warnings and then this pronounced judgment – see Daniel 2:37-38 & Daniel 3:28-29), on the previous two occasions he has completely missed the point – this time he will finally get it.

Despite what world leaders may come and go, we also need to remember that God is in complete control of events on planet earth – yes He gives men and nations free choice, but because He knows the end from the beginning, all things are working to an expected end.

Daniel 4:26

And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.

Throughout this period Nebuchadnezzar did not lose his throne – an incredible fact in itself; no doubt in part as a result of Daniel being the king’s right-hand man; and yes, he will learn his lesson this time.

Daniel 4:27

Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.

Here Daniel pleads with the king to repent of his pride and iniquities in the hope that these events will be postponed.

Daniel 4:28

All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.

God’s decrees never fail. As Nebuchadnezzar himself records here, all this happened as Daniel had interpreted.

Daniel 4:29

At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.

We know from 2 Peter 3:9 that God is longsuffering toward us; here we find that God gave Nebuchadnezzar a year to repent, but as Jeremiah records in 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” So, one evening, the king is out for a stroll looking at his kingdom and feeling invincible…

Daniel 4:30

The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?

Oops! Proverbs 6:16-19 says: “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” Notice what is top of the list?

Again we read: “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.” (Prov 16:5) “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov 16:18) “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit” (Prov 29:23)

In a nutshell, God hates pride. Pride was the sin of Satan (1 Tim 3:6 see also Isaiah 14:13-15 / Ezek 28:14-17). Both James and Peter tell us that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. It is not wise to put yourself in a position where God is resisting you ‘cos you ‘aint going to win! – as king Neb found out!

Daniel 4:31

While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.

The terror of this is almost unimaginable. However God had warned twice and foretold this judgment a year before, so the king was without excuse. The same is true for the people in this world; God has given ample warning through His two witnesses – the law and the prophets (cf Luke 16:31) and has foretold the coming judgment ‘so they are without excuse’.

The speed with which this judgment fell should be a wake up call for anyone ‘dabbling’ in sin.

Daniel 4:32-33

32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.

There is a condition known as Lycanthropy, coming from the Greek ‘lykos’ meaning ‘wolf’ and ‘anthropos’ meaning ‘man’ lit. ‘Wolf-Man’. Very few recorded cases exist yet extensive mythology has originated by the belief that a person could change into a wolf; this has led to world-wide legends of werewolf’s etc.

A variation of this disease is Boanthropy where, rather than believing oneself to be a wolf, one believes oneself to be an ox or cow. It is this illness that most likely fits this situation. Myth and legend aside, there was a fairly recent case recorded in England just after the Second World War. A man in his early twenties was admitted to a mental institution with all the symptoms consistent with Boanthropy. In his commentary on Daniel, Dr John Walvoord offers the following: “Raymond Harrison recites a personal experience with a modern case similar to that of Nebuchadnezzar which he observed in a British mental institution in 1946. Harrison writes: ‘A great many doctors spend an entire busy professional career without once encountering an incidence of this kind of boanthropy described in the book of Daniel. The present writer therefore considers himself particularly fortunate to have actually observed a clinical case of boanthropy in a British mental institution in 1946. The patient was in his early twenties, who had reportedly been hospitalised for about five years. His symptoms were well developed on admission and diagnosis was immediate and conclusive. He was of average height and weight, with a good physique and he was in excellent bodily health. His mental symptoms included pronounced anti-social tendencies, and because of this he spent the entire day from dawn to dusk outdoors in the grounds of the institution. His daily routine consisted of wandering around the magnificent lawns, with which the hospital was graced. And it was his custom to pluck up and eat handfuls of grass all day long as he went. On observation he was seen to discriminate carefully between grass and weeds. And on enquiry from the attendant, the writer was told that the diet of this patient consisted exclusively of grass from the hospital lawns. He never ate institutional food with other inmates, and his only drink was water. The writer was able to examine him curiously, and the only physical abnormality noted, consisted of a lengthening of the hair and a coarse thickened condition of the fingernails. Without institutional care the patient would have manifested precisely the same physical conditions as those mentioned in Daniel 4:33. From the foregoing it seems evident that author of the forth chapter of Daniel was describing an accurate and attestable, rather rare mental affliction.”

Of course the critics of the Bible say that this could never of happened, however Eusebius refers to a Greek historian called Abydenus who sites a case in 268BC of a man with almost identical symptoms to Nebuchadnezzar. Josephus also quotes Berosus, a Babylonian historian, who documented the case of a Chaldean priest at the time of Alexander the Great, who once again appears to have suffered from this disease. In the East India Company Museum in London there is a cuneiform tablet that has been discovered that is inscribed with details about Nebuchadnezzar’s illness. Yet further evidence to support the Biblical account was the discovery of what has become known as the ‘Prayer of Nabonidus’ found in cave no#4 at Qumran (part of the Dead Sea Scrolls found between 1947-1956). Whilst the scroll is ascribed to Nabonidus (almost certainly due to confusion in the similar spelling of the names – only one letter is different in the two names) there is little doubt that the author is none other than Nebuchadnezzar himself. The scroll reads:

“The words of the prayer that (Nabonidus?), the king of A[ssyra and Ba]bylon, the [great] king, prayed [when he was smitten] with a malignant disease by the decree of the [Most High God] in [the city of] Tema. I was smitten for seven years and from [men] I was put away. But when I confessed my sins and my faults, He [God] allowed me (to have) a soothsayer. This was a Jewish [man of the exiles in Babylon. He] explained (it) and wrote (me) to render honour and g[reat glor]y to the name of the [Most High God]…”

Daniel 4:34

And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:

How often do we take ‘seven years’ to learn the most basic lesson, that God is in control? So often our pride exhibits itself as worry, which is a declaration that we, and not God, are in control. Oswald Chambers said: “If God is the God we know Him to be when we are closest to Him, what an impertinence worry is”. (see Matt 6:25-34 & Phil 4:6-7) Worry is simply a lack of faith in the one whose dominion is an everlasting dominion.

Daniel 4:35

And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

“Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?” (Isaiah 45:9)

“Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?” (Rom 9:20)

Daniel 4:36-37

36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellers and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.

37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

Amen!

Nebuchadnezzar lived for about one year after this time.

The Jewish Talmud records that Daniel was the one who looked after Nebuchadnezzar throughout the seven years, and then saw him restored to his throne. However this time the king knew that ‘his’ throne was really only on loan.

If God can reach someone like Nebuchadnezzar who had the position, wealth and all the ‘trappings’ this world can afford, then God can reach anyone. What an onus on us to pray for all those near and dear to us who don’t know the love of the Saviour, whose works are truth, and His ways judgment.

Also we should remember the admonition by Paul:

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”

(1 Tim 2:1-5)

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study!

The post Daniel Ch4 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Daniel Ch3

Barry Forder — Sun, 09 May 2021 10:30:09 +0000

This study was given by pastor Barry Forder on 9th May 2021 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s online family service.

Daniel 3:1

Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

As we move into this chapter most scholars place these events about 15-23 years after the events of Chapter 2. This would make Daniel and his Hebrew friends around 33 years old, and the year would be around 587 B.C. Although it is only conjecture, the following is provocative:

587 B.C. was the year Nebuchadnezzar laid the final siege against Jerusalem and carried Israel’s last king – Zedekiah – away to Babylon in chains. But back at the end of chapter 2 Nebuchadnezzar was shown that the God of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael & Azariah, the God of Israel, was not only a God who answers dreams, He was the one who appoints kings and is Sovereign over all. But 17 years had past and king Neb’s fear of the Almighty God had no doubt waned. Time has a way of dulling the senses. Jerusalem had been a thorn in his side and despite that niggling voice that told him to leave God’s people alone, he boldly marches to Jerusalem in 587 B.C., lays siege to it, then overthrows and destroys both the city and the Temple of God within it. Bolstered by this success his mind may well have turned to consider the dream of the statue he had had 17 years earlier, where he was depicted as the head of gold. But if he had now defeated the Jews and destroyed the temple to their God, why couldn’t Nebuchadnezzar be the whole image, not just the head? What nation could defeat the might of his Babylon? Why couldn’t his kingdom be an everlasting one?

But how would you celebrate a success like he had just had in Jerusalem – the city that even the Assyrians had failed to conquer! Maybe the answer would be to build a huge 90ft tall statue overlooking Babylon, completely overlaid with gold to show the world that he was the king of kings, and there was no-one who could defeat him? Nebuchadnezzar had been greeted with ‘O king live forever’ (Dan 2:2:4 / 3:9). Maybe to immortalise his greatness in a golden statue would be a way of doing just that?

As we go through this chapter, whether it was his own idea or not, it would appear that Nebuchadnezzar had been encouraged to do this by the wise men of Babylon who, even after 17 years, were still bitter that that they had been totally upstaged by these Hebrews men. They were clearly looking for an opportunity to exact revenge on the Jews who had humbled them in chapter two. If this is the case it is very much like the events that we will study in chapter 6 where Daniel’s enemies conspired against him and duped king Darius into signing a decree that would entrap Daniel.

Whatever the reasons, this was an act of defiance against the God of Heaven.

It is amazing that people are so insecure and jealous of others achievements that they will seemingly stop at nothing to remove the competition, and this is compounded when the ‘competition’ is morally upright. Those who stand for truth are seen as an irritant to a society that wants to be free from moral constraints. Jesus Himself confirmed this: “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.” (John 15:18-25) Paul reiterated this in 2 Tim 3:12 “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

A cubit is the measurement from the tip of your finger to your elbow. Although this measurement varies among ancient cultures, it is usually regarded to be about 18 inches. This would make the image approximately 90ft tall, 9ft wide (Nelsons Column in London is about 150ft in comparison). Notice the use of the number 6! 6×10 cubits high, 6 cubits wide. The number six in scripture is ‘the number of man’.

It maybe that the image that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream was of similar proportions, but it is an unusual ratio (height to width) for a human. The usual ratio for man is 5:1 or 6:1 (some of us are a little wider than we should be!). The dimensions of this statue are more like the Obelisks of Egypt, and it may well have been that on one of his expeditions Nebuchadnezzar would have seen these erected to immortalise Egyptian Pharaohs and deities and thus became part of the inspiration for him wanting to build one himself. However, unlike an Obelisk, we can be fairly sure that this was still an image of a man.

Interestingly, archaeologists have unearthed a 45ft square & 20ft high ‘base’ in the plain of Dura which many now believe could have been the base for this image, and would have been clearly visible from the walls of Babylon.

If the image was made of solid gold it would be approximately 4320 cubic ft. of gold. With 1200Lbs of Gold per cubic ft. it would equate to 5,184,000 Lbs. of Gold = £30 Billion of Gold! It is not out of the question that this could be solid gold for archaeologists have also discovered a 40ft table in the ruins of ancient Babylon made from solid gold and 15ft high solid gold statues were found in the Temple of Mardoch.

Daniel 3:2

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellers, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

The king is obviously impressed with his creation so calls for all the leaders and chief people of the land to come. There were about 100 provinces in Babylon at this time meaning that anywhere from 200,000 to 300,000 people would have gathered for this ‘grand unveiling’.

From the end of chapter two we know that Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were promoted to oversee the affairs of the province of Babylon, hence the reason they were invited. Daniel on the other hand we are told was “ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon”. Thus it would appear that Daniel was second only to the king. If this is so and Daniel has so much influence before the king, then why, we may ask, did Daniel not object to this gross act of idolatry? And why does Daniel not appear to attend this event?

Daniel 3:3

Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellers, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

The fact that we have the same phrase repeated here suggests that as Daniel is recording this event, he is copying the decree that had been written by the king (or maybe a decree that was written for the king!).

Daniel 3:4

Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,

Notice that this is a command from the king and to people, nations and languages – this is a diverse and mixed crowd from the known world.

Daniel 3:5

That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:

Six instruments mentioned – the number of man.

Music and idolatry have long been close companions. The root of this problem may well be that Satan appears to have been the worship leader in heaven (see Ezekiel 28:13-15). It would seem that he has a great understanding of how powerful and manipulative music can be. Music is a gift from God and is intended to accompany our praise to Him (as even a casual reading of the book of Psalms can confirm), yet in the wrong hands, it can be used for evil with devastating results. Consider the lust, violence and immorality that is communicated to young people through music. Satan always distorts what God has made good.

From what we know of history, the Babylonians had a love for music. This is prophetically seen in Psalm 137:1-4: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a strange land?”

Daniel 3:6

And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

Two things are out on the plain of Dura. The Image and a fiery furnace – possibly used for melting / moulding the metal for the construction of the image.

Daniel 3:7

Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

…that is, all except three men who stood out like a sore thumb!

Daniel 3:8

Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.

Notice that it’s the Chaldeans again who had been humbled in ch 2.

‘Accused the Jews’ is literally: ‘chewed them up’ by their words.

Daniel 3:9

They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.

This is the greeting that the king wants to hear, especially today.

Daniel 3:10-11

10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:

11 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

The fact they repeat to the king his decree leads some to conclude that they were the ones who had been responsible for getting the king to write this decree in the first place as a way of trapping these Jews. As we will mention later, Daniel is not present at this time, and it may well be that, knowing Daniel was away on business, they seized this opportunity to entrap his friends. Given the fact that this is some time after chapter two, they may well have been plotting and planning this event for years.

As an aside, ‘Furnace’ is mentioned 30 times in the Bible (KJV), and always in connection with tribulation and/or judgment. Certainly, there is a definite model here of the coming Tribulation, with a world ruler setting up an image to be worshipped, any who do not bow to that image and worship it will be put to death. We also find Jews who are persecuted yet supernaturally protected.

Daniel 3:12

12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

We have mentioned that the arguments of the critics regarding the accuracy and legitimacy of the people, names, places and events in the book of Daniel have been thoroughly refuted by competent research and archaeological discoveries. One such example is in regard to Daniel’s three friends. An archaeological dig in the area of ancient Babylon unearthed a five sided clay cylinder now in the Istanbul museum with the names: Hananunu – which is the Aramaic for Hananiah, Mishael-Mardach – obviously a reference to Mishael, and Abou-Nebo, the Aramaic for Abed-nego; these men are mentioned on the cylinder as having a prominent place in the government, thus clearly identifying these men as Daniel’s three friends as recorded in the Bible.

They are accused not just for refusing to bow today, but for not worshipping Nebuchadnezzar’s gods in the past – which the Chaldeans suggest is defying the king himself. This was not an impulse thing for these three men, but a predetermined purposing of heart that was made from the moment they got to Babylon – they will not be defiled!

Daniel 3:13

Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king.

Now the king had already said that whoever would not bow to the image would be thrown into the furnace, yet he calls these men before him to ask them personally. This would suggest that the king was keen to give these men a second chance. We already know from the end of chapter two that these men were in prominent governmental positions in the province of Babylon (Dan 2:49), and no doubt the king wanted to avoid having high ranking officials commit a public act of defiance against him, particularly on this day when all the people were gathered together on the plain of Dura.

Daniel 3:14

Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

The fact that the king addresses them by name and the manner in which he does so again suggests that up until this time they had had a good relationship with the king. The idea in the Aramaic is ‘did you intend to do this, was it on purpose?’ The king is hoping that it was just a misunderstanding and was not going to be something that would spoil his special day. But as we will see, these men had purposed in their hearts….(cf Dan 1:8)

“Purpose is something that comes through meditation, you have to think about what you’re going to do if you face this circumstance or that circumstance. And when you are prepared and the circumstance happens, you react to that which you have meditated on. So if you meditate on that which will not be helpful, then when you are in that potentially compromising situation you will do that which you have meditated on”. (Ron Matsen)

This is precisely why we are told to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom 12:1-2), and to ‘think on these things’ (see the list in Phil 4:8), setting our affection on the things above (Col 3:2).

Daniel 3:15

Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

So the king reiterates the decree and offers them a way out of this situation. How many of us would have had second thoughts at this time? After all, to be given a second chance may be God providing a way of escape. How easy it would have been to rationalise that Idols are not real gods; surely it would have been better to give in to king Neb’s command and ‘live to fight another day’? Would bowing be such a bad thing? As long as they didn’t mean it in their hearts?

What about us? Often we sing our songs in church on Sunday about being completely abandoned, surrendering all, serving God with a whole heart etc. etc. yet on Monday when we are asked questions by the world, how do we answer? Do our lives bring forth fruit ‘worthy of repentance’ (Luke 3:8)? We have all been there, backed into a corner with no apparent way out, and we start to reason to ourselves: “It’s not really lying, the truth would do more harm than good” …. “it’s not really theft, just ‘borrowing’” …. “.It’s not really wrong, it’s just…(fill in the blank)”… it’s not really worshipping an idol to bow down and pretend…is it?

“Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them. O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield” (Psalm 115:4-9)

Of course we know that bowing was not an option to these three men, nor could it be. The reputation of the God of Israel was on the line. The king’s statue was a public act of defiance against their God and the Chaldeans were just waiting for them to crumble. Yet these men knew the law which clearly stated: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:3-6)

“Everyday God will find a way of asking you ‘Do you trust Me?” Chuck Missler

In scripture, those who have made great professions of faith have often had that profession tested to breaking point. It is the heating up and subsequent hammering of steel that gives it its strength.

The king asks: ‘and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?’ Great question O king! Remember “He who seeks finds”! (Luke 11:10)

Daniel 3:16

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

The Aramaic word that the KJV translates as ‘careful’ is ‘chashach’ (khash-akh’) meaning to ‘have need of’. In other words they were saying to the king ‘we have no need to answer you, we are not accountable to you but to God’. It also implies that they were not anxious about this situation.

Daniel 3:17

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

This is an incredible statement of faith that comes from a life deeply rooted in God. “Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever. I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.” (Psalm 118:4-9) Jesus said “fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matt 10:28)

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen….(Hebrews 11:1)

Daniel 3:18

But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Thus they make is clear, they will not bow down to this image or worship any other foreign god. There is only one God for these men and they will not compromise regardless of the cost. Remember that these men lived before the cross and without knowing all that Jesus suffered and endured to purchase our freedom.

It is amazing the lengths that some people will go to, to worship false gods and follow false religions. All the effort that was put into making this statue, all the hours spent in rituals and practices that have no eternal value. How much more should we, who know the Truth, refuse to worship false gods, whatever form they come in, and seek to serve our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength.

In World War II when the British and allied forces had been pushed back by the German army to the beaches of Dunkirk, France, being trapped by the English Channel on one side and the approaching German’s on the other, they sent a simple three word message back home: “But if not”. Immediately this was recognised as being a quote from the book of Daniel and was understood to mean that the trapped British troops would wait to be saved, but if not, they would die fighting and standing up for their cause. This then led to the famous Dunkirk evacuations where hundreds of military, merchant and private fishing boats set sail across the Channel and dramatically rescued in the region of 350,000 British and allied soldiers.

It has been said that if such a message were to be sent today, the soldiers would perish, as no one knows what the Bible says anymore.

In October 1871, tragedy struck Chicago as fire ravaged the city. When it was all over, 300 people were dead and 100,000 were homeless. Horatio Gates Spafford was one of those who tried to help the people of the city get back on their feet. Spafford was a lawyer who had invested much of his money into the downtown Chicago real estate and consequently had lost a great deal to the fire. Also about this time his only son had died leaving him with his wife and his four daughters. For two years Spafford, who was a friend of evangelist Dwight Moody, assisted the homeless, impoverished, and grief-stricken that had been ruined by the fire. Eventually Spafford decided to take his family away for a holiday to Europe with the intention of meeting up with his friends Dwight Moody and Ira Sankey who at that time were on one of their evangelistic crusades.

At the last minute Horatio Spafford was delayed by some business so decided to send his family on ahead; he would catch up with them on the other side of the Atlantic. Their ship, the Ville de Havre, never made it. Off Newfoundland, it collided with another ship, the Loch Earn, and sank in a matter of minutes. Though Horatio’s wife, Anna, was able to cling to a piece of floating wreckage (one of only 47 survivors among hundreds), their four daughters, Maggie, Tanetta, Annie, and Bessie, were killed. Horatio received a telegram from his wife in England informing him of this terrible tragedy; all it said were two words: “saved alone.” Spafford boarded the next available ship to be near his grieving wife. As his own ship passed by the area where his daughters had died he was moved to write a song – the now famous ‘It is well with my soul’. He met up with his wife and they went on to meet up with Dwight Moody. “It is well,” Spafford told him quietly. “The will of God be done.”

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, that Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live: If Jordan above me shall roll, no pang shall be mine, for in death as in life Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait, The sky, not the grave, is our goal; oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord! Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll; the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well, with my soul, It is well, with my soul,

Daniel 3:19

Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

The fact that only now do we read that Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury and his face changes shows that prior to this point he wanted to see these men escape from this. But now he really is cross and any compassion gives way to rage.

We have already noted that Furnace speaks of tribulation, so it is interesting to note that use of ‘7 times’! There is a Tribulation coming upon this world soon that will last for ‘7 times’ (7 years).

Daniel 3:20

And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

At this point we know the story and are expectantly awaiting for the victory. However Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael did not; they must have thought that this is it! Maybe God wasn’t going to deliver them, maybe their lives were to be ended at this point. Maybe their minds were drawn to the words of Solomon in Proverbs: “The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts” (Prov 17:3), if so they could be confident that their hearts were clean before God. They would also no doubt have been aware of the story of Job who said in faith: “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him:” (Job 13:15) Later in the book of Romans Paul was to say: “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?” (Rom 9:20-21)

What right do we have to question God’s judgment when God is infinite in knowledge and understanding and we so limited and finite? James hits the problem of our suffering head on James 1:2-4: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing”. This is beautiful to know, that God wants to make us perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

If He has to knock off some rough edges here and there He is doing it out of love and compassion. Yes these things can be painful at the time; consider Mary and Martha: Jesus let their brother (Lazarus) die, not just so He could do a miracle (John 11:40), but so that they would believe in Jesus and therefore they themselves would never die (John 11:25) – an infinitely greater gift than seeing their brother raised.

In Hebrews we read: “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby”. (Heb 12:5-11).

Even Jesus said: “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) so we should expect ‘tribulation’ from the world and chastening from the hand of God. It is the former that is the case with these three men, but like Peter and the apostles in Acts 5 (where we read: “…and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.” (Acts 5:40-41)), Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael counted it an honour to stand for the name of the Most High God, for He alone is the One who rules in the kingdoms of men.

“Beloved, think it not strange (lit; stop thinking it strange) concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” (1 Peter 4:12-13)

When a metal smith is refining gold in a refining pot, he keeps skimming off the dross (the impurities) that are brought to the surface by the heat. The way of knowing when it is pure is when he can look into the pot and see an unblemished refection. We are the pot, He is the Refiner.

“As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” (Psalm 17:15)

Daniel 3:21

Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

Usually victims were stripped to humiliate them, yet here the king is so cross he just wants them thrown in. Hosen = undergarments, Hats = a turban of some description; other garments = robes of office; coats = usual outer garments.

Daniel 3:22

Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.

This give us an idea just how hot this furnace may have been. From the furnaces that have been found in this region, it would probably be that the opening was at the top with a viewing area to the side, thus as the ‘lid’ is lifted, the intense heat was just too much for these mighty men who were overcome by the flames.

Daniel 3:23

And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

This verse would lend support to the idea just stated that the opening was at the top.

Daniel 3:24

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellers, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

The word translated in the King James as ‘Astonied’ is ‘tevahh’ in Aramaic and conveys the idea of ‘sweeping to ruin’, to ‘take alarm’. We might say that the rug was pulled from under him, that he was well and truly knocked sideways! The answer from his counsellors would suggest that they were looking the other way and were not seeing what the king was. Imagine their surprise when the king then says……

Daniel 3:25

He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt…..

By going through this furnace the only thing that was burnt up was what was binding them! How precious that is to us, when in our own furnaces to realise that all that gets burnt is what was binding us before we went in.

…..and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God

The Aramaic actually says ‘the son of the gods’ – Plural. But we need to remember that the Holy Spirit is the real author of scripture. In Genesis 1:1 we read: ‘In the beginning God’ – singular, and we are comfortable with that, except the word in Hebrew is ‘Eloheim’. Whenever a Hebrew word ends with an ‘im’ ending it is plural meaning more than one (eg. Cherub – singular, Cherubim – plural). Thus Genesis 1:1 should read “ In the beginning the Gods”, this is the same throughout the Old Testament whenever ‘Eloheim’ is used. Yet it is always taken as singular in the Hebrew and hence it is translated so. Thus we have in the first verse of the Bible a subtle hint of the Trinity – Father, Son and Spirit. The same is also true in this verse in Daniel; what we have is what scholars call a ‘theophany’ – an Old Testament appearance of Jesus Christ. (See also Joshua 5:13-15 and compare with Exodus 3:4-6).

Note: The Aramaic word used is equivalent of the Hebrew ‘Eloheim’ and is not the same as ‘Bar-Eloheim’ (sons of God) usually translated ‘angels’.

Daniel 3:26

Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire.

King Neb gets as close as he can and spake – not shouted ! ‘Hey guys, why don’t you come on out?’ All the people who had gathered on the plain of Dura are now watching something completely different than they were expecting to watch – yet this was what God had gathered them all there to see. Nebuchadnezzar thought they were gathered to worship him, but God had a different idea!

You just have to wonder if Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego just delayed coming out for a little while. After all, how many times do you find yourself standing around talking to the Son of God in the midst of a furnace. There is a reality here also, that other people may look in at us in the midst of our time of tribulation and see that we are ‘not harmed’ by the flames. They may observe the peace and comfort we have in our suffering and wonder how we are able to cope. But as surely as He did with these three young men, God will bring us out of the furnace to glorify His name.

In verse 15 Nebuchadnezzar boasted: ‘and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?’ yet now, somewhat swayed by recent events, says: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God. Slowly king Nebuchadnezzar is getting the picture, but as we will see in chapter 4, he still has some way to go!

But what a testimony to these young men, that because of their faith and trust in God, the most powerful ruler on the face of the earth declares that their God is the Most High God!

Only three come out of the furnace. Where’s the forth one? He stays in there waiting for you, so that you know that when you find yourself in the furnace, He will be with you.

‘I will never leave you or forsake you’ (Hebrews 13:5)

Daniel 3:27

And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellers, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

God’s deliverance is complete – not even the smell of smoke!

We think so small yet our God is so big. Oswald Chambers, commenting on the occasion when Peter walked on the water to meet Jesus says: The wind was actually boisterous, the waves were actually high, but Peter did not see them at first. He did not reckon with them, he simply recognised his Lord, and stepped out in recognition of Him and walked on the water. Then he began to reckon with the actual things, and down he went instantly. Why could not our Lord have enabled him to walk at the bottom of the waves as well as on the top of them? Neither could be done saving by recognition of the Lord Jesus. We step right out on God over some things, then self-consideration enters in and down we go. If you are recognising your Lord, you have no business with where He engineers your circumstances. The actual things are, but immediately you look at them you are overwhelmed, you cannot recognise Jesus, and the rebuke comes: Wherefore didst thou doubt?” Let actual circumstances be what they may, keep recognising Jesus, maintain complete reliance on Him.

Daniel 3:28

Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

Peter & Paul both taught that we should obey the government, yet they were both put to death for civil disobedience. In Acts 5 Peter and the Apostles openly defy the Jewish leaders and kept publicly preaching in the name of Jesus despite being warned not to. In 1 Peter 2:13-14 Peter says: “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.” So how are we to understand this? Quite simply, we should obey and submit ourselves to every law of man unless it contradicts the higher law of God. Peter himself confirmed this in Acts 5:29“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego did just that here, and what do we find? that the unbreakable and eternal law of God (Exodus 20:3-5) has caused the fallible word of the king to be changed!

Daniel 3:29

Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

He still hasn’t quite got it! He recognised that God can interpret dreams, now he recognises that God can deliver; but he still has not understood that God is in complete control – it is He alone that rules in the kingdoms of men. At this stage he is really impressed with the signs and wonders (like so many in the church today) but has not truly sought after the source of those things.

Daniel 3:30

Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon.

They had already proven themselves 10 times better than their contempories (Dan 1:20), now these three Hebrew men, led away as captive from Jerusalem, are promoted to some of the most powerful positions in the most powerful Empire on earth at that time! “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7).

May the example and faith of Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah encourage and bless you as you stand for Jesus Christ.

The post Daniel Ch3 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Daniel Ch2

Barry Forder — Sun, 02 May 2021 10:30:44 +0000

This study of Daniel Ch2 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 2nd May 2021 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Daniel 2:1

And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.

The third year of Jehoiakim as we have already seen was 606 B.C. This was the year when Nebuchadnezzar came up against Jerusalem, besieged it and eventually took the choice captives back to Babylon including Daniel and his friends. Josephus records that it was while Nebuchadnezzar was in Palastine that he got word that his father, king Nebopolassar, had died. Thus to our way of reckoning, Nebuchadnezzar actually became king in the Autumn of 606 B.C. upon the death of his father. However the Babylonians (unlike the Jews) did not include the ascension year as part of the king’s reign. Thus for the Babylonians, the first year of a kings reign was counted from the first full year that he reigned. This makes 605B.C. king Nebuchadnezzar’s first year and 604 B.C. his second year. Daniel was taken to Babylon (as we have just noted) in 606 B.C. and we know from chapter one that he served a three-year apprenticeship before being presented to the king.

606 B.C. – Daniel’s 1^st year in training – Neb’s year of ascension
605 B.C. – Daniel’s 2^nd year in training – Neb’s 1^st year as king
604 B.C. – Daniel’s Final year in training – Neb’s 2^nd year as king

Thus it would appear that it was during Daniel’s final year as a trainee that Nebuchadnezzar had this dream. This explains why Daniel did not present himself before the king when the king called for the ‘wise men of Babylon’. In fact, none of the men that Ashpenaz was training for the king would have been ready at this time, so those that presented themselves before Nebuchadnezzar would no doubt have been the men who had served under Nebopolassar, Nebuchadnezzar’s father; and as becomes clear, Nebuchadnezzar did not trust them!

Nebuchadnezzar ruled his empire and had complete authority; what he said went. There was no government or cabinet that passed laws, it was all down to what king Neb said (this is alluded to in the king’s dream itself). No succeeding ruler had this power as will be seen in chapter 6 when king Darius signed a decree, he was bound by the ‘law of the Meads and Persians’ (Dan 6:16), although he was the king, he was himself bound by the law. Not so with king Nebuchadnezzar. Therefore we have here a man who need not worry about anything; he had all the wealth he could imagine, he had a powerful and mighty army, the kings harem, drink and food to satisfy his every desire, and he was in the prime of his life. Yet we read that this dream troubled him so much that he was unable to sleep. Nebuchadnezzar was a man that had the power to solve any problem, until now.

Daniel 2:2

Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

The king is so disturbed that he calls for his royal advisors, he is evidently not bothered about how this will make him look, he just needs to know what this dream meant. Some of us have dreams – in fact I have heard it said that we all have dreams, it’s just that not all of us remember them! Many dreams are an amalgamation of thoughts and images that we have seen that day, or in recent days. Some dreams are simply because we had too much pepperoni on the pizza before we went to bed last night. But without doubt God uses dreams to communicate. As well as in the book of Daniel, there are many dreams recorded in the Bible such as those connected to Joseph in the book of Genesis (Josephs own dreams, the butler and baker in prison, Pharaoh’s dream). In Job we read:

“For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;” (Job 33:14-15)

In the book of Acts, Peter quoted from the prophet Joel who said: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams” (Acts 2:17)

The magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans were supposed to be experts in interpreting dreams. Archaeologists have unearthed books containing formula whereby they would take the key elements of a dream and come up with the interpretation. The magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and the Chaldeans were not just superstitious nut cases as we may think from our understanding of the terms; these were men of great learning and would have been highly respected. Babylon was famous for its science and discoveries. The division of the elliptic into 360^o came from Babylon and was probably done so because of the earth’s orbit, which at that time may well have been 360 days. Thus these characters were no daily newspaper horoscope columnists – yes they dabbled in the occult, but they tried to apply scientific method to their practices.

The magicians: – sacred scribes, involved in mystic writings and secret writings
The Astrologers – ‘Enchanters’, involved in séances (talking to the dead – so they thought)
The Sorcerers – principally involved in using drugs and hallucinogenics; incantations etc.
The Chaldeans: – the Babylonian ‘star readers’ (astrologers), the Babylonian priests.

Daniel 2:3

And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.

So the king explains the predicament.

Daniel 2:4

Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.

In the usual (and no doubt wise) way you address the most powerful man in the known world, the Chaldeans get straight in there and ask the king to tell them the dream and they would be only too pleased to give the interpretation – no doubt their formula books at the ready.

In the original manuscripts the writing in this verse changes from Hebrew (which the book has been in up to now), into Aramaic (Syriack). It is significant that Daniel then uses Aramaic all the while he is referring to the Gentiles. Later in the book when the focus comes back to the Jews he will switch back to Hebrew (chapter 7, verse 28). Normally in the Bible we see the world through the lens of Israel, however in Daniel we get a rare glimpse at the world from a purely gentile perspective.

Daniel 2:5

The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.

There is some debate as to what Nebuchadnezzar is saying here; he is either saying that he can’t remember the dream, or that the ‘thing’ that has gone [forth] from him is the command to interpret the dream; it would seem more likely that it is the latter. J Vernon McGee states: This would be a rather extreme judgment, but you can see what the king wants. Frankly, a faulty translation of this verse gives the impression that the king had forgotten his dream. He hadn’t forgotten his dream. He knows the dream, senses its importance, and refuses to divulge it to the wise men. Why? He wants to get a correct interpretation of it. In the margin, the American Standard Version of 1901 translates “The thing is gone from me” as, “The word is gone forth from me.” In other words, Nebuchadnezzar is saying to these men, “I will not change my mind about this judgment I am pronouncing. Don’t beg me to tell you the dream—I’m not going to do it. You are going to come up with the dream if I am to listen to your interpretation of it.” The Berkeley Version has a helpful translation at this point also: “The king answered the Chaldeans, ‘This word I speak, I mean! If you do not tell me the dream and what it means, you shall be torn limb from limb and your houses will be destroyed.’” That translation really tones it down, but nevertheless the penalty is still excessive and extreme. Nebuchadnezzar is putting fear in these men. They have to come up with the interpretation of the dream, but they first of all have to give what the dream is.

Either way, the wise men are in no doubt as to what is being asked of them.

Daniel 2:6

But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.

Just in case being cut to pieces and having your house made into a dunghill was not a big enough incentive, the king offers a reward for whoever can tell him the dream and the interpretation.

Daniel 2:7

They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.

This was a real problem for them. They could given an interpretation for dreams – if they had them! But without a dream to begin with, they were well and truly stuck. This reminds me of the humorous anecdote of the scientists who have become so clever they don’t need God. They explain to God that they can now create life. God asks them if they could do it like He did it – from the dust of the ground. They look at each other and confidently assert that they could even do this, after all, the essential ingredients that we are made of are found in the dust of the earth. God decides to take them up on this challenge, so says ‘Go ahead then. Create life from the dust of the ground’. So the scientists bend down and pick up a few handfuls of dust to head back to their laboratory. All of a sudden God interrupts them, “Oh no you don’t. Get your own dust!”

Men can seemingly do a lot without God; but when it all comes down to it, we are hopeless and helpless without Him.

Daniel 2:8

The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.

King Nebuchadnezzar sees their problem, and just as he thought, there is a limit to these guys usefulness. The problem he has is, how can he trust their interpretation? And he perceives that they are trying to stall for time.

Daniel 2:9

But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.

The king underlines the decree – cut to pieces / dunghill etc – and then tells them that he doesn’t trust them, nor it would seem has he previously as he accuses them of [previously] preparing lying and corrupt words. The king is not going to be fooled this time.

Daniel 2:10-11

10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth

that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.

11 And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

It is interesting in scripture how often ‘evil’ men speak the truth. Here they are absolutely correct that only ‘the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh’ can do what the king is asking. Caiaphas, the high priest made the following true statement about Jesus that was also prophetic: “Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.” (John 11:49-50). Judas said: “I have betrayed the innocent blood.” (Matt 27:4).

Socrates said: ‘It maybe that God can forgive sin, but I don’t see how’. This shows great insight and understanding of the nature of God and the nature of man. God is righteous and holy and therefore cannot just forgive and forget sin. Sin – the inherent nature of man since the fall – has to be paid for, if justice is to be done. God would simply not be just if He ignored sin – this is what Socrates realised. The problem is, how can a finite man pay an infinite price? It cannot be done. But because “God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life”. So God, whose dwelling is not with flesh, became flesh and dwelt amongst us (John 1:14) so that He, being infinite, could pay the infinite price for sin that we owed, thus once and for all satisfying the justice of a holy God.

Daniel 2:12-13

12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

Even though Daniel and his friends were still trainees, king Nebuchadnezzar was prepared to abandon his training programme as well as getting rid of the old guard. After all, what was the point of wasting the kings money on these ‘wise men’ if none of them could help when he needed it?

Daniel 2:14-15

14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:

15 He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.

It would appear that Daniel was oblivious to the kings dream up until this point, thus supporting the fact that he was still in training and had not yet graduated – otherwise he also would have been called before the king. Arioch is only too pleased to explain the situation to Daniel, as killing all the wise men of Babylon was probably the last thing he wanted to do.

Daniel 2:16

Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.

This really is Jewish hutspa! Daniel, only 16 or 17 at this time, not yet ‘qualified’, goes into the king who has just signed a decree to have him executed! But then again, he had nothing to lose. This highlights a problem for so many Christians; we have so much to lose; so much in this world that is important to us, that we don’t want to stick our necks out for the sake of God’s glory. Daniel at this time had nothing, nothing but his relationship with God and that was clearly first in his mind as he went into the king. Daniel saw this as an opportunity to bring glory to his God.

Daniel 2:17

Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:

This is just great! Daniel gets home and says to his friends: “Guess what guys, the king has had a dream. No one could figure it out so he was going to kill all of us…..But I told him that me and my buddies would be able to work it out! How cool is that? You can hear their reply: ‘You did what?!’

Something tells me that Daniel did not need to encourage them too hard to pray that evening!

Daniel 2:18

That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

It’s at times like these that we are so glad that our God is merciful. What did they pray that evening? We can only speculate but possibly Psalms like Psalm 28:1-2 “Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit. Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.” Or maybe Psalm 31:1-4: “In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.”

What a comfort for God’s people that we have the promises in His word, and the testimony of men like David who was outmatched, outnumbered and frequently overwhelmed and yet knew that “….in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.” (Psalm 27:5-7)

Daniel 2:19

Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

All answered prayer is an occasion to bless God; but how much more here when, thanks to Daniel and his big mouth, God’s reputation is on the line! Daniel’s faith is remarkable; did he have any doubt that God would answer them? Not that you would notice.

Daniel 2:20-23

20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:

21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.

23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.

Oswald Chambers once said: “If God is the God we know Him to be when we are closest to Him, what an impertinence worry is”. The God that Daniel is thanking here is our God, He is the same yesterday, today and forever. That means that the next time you are in a difficult situation, the God of Daniel is ready to take your call!

Daniel 2:24

Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.

Daniel could have used this as an opportunity to get rid of all these other ‘wise men’, yet he says ‘destroy not’. Daniel no doubt saw this as an occasion to witness to them also, showing that, despite their fancy Babylonian names, there is just one God who reigns.

Daniel 2:25

Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.

Arioch is typical of your bureaucratic professional type. Notice how he claims all the credit for solving the king’s problems!

Daniel 2:26-27

26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?

27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;

After Arioch’s confident assertions, the king asks Daniel ‘Can you show me the dream and the interpretation?’, in effect Daniel says no way, nor can anyone else! – Arioch’s heart must have skipped a beat! Fortunately, Daniel continued……

Daniel 2:28

But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;

Here Daniel gives the king a 7-word summary of the subject of the dream.

Daniel 2:29

As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.

Now this is impressive. Daniel actually tells the king what he was thinking about before he went to sleep – it was this that gave rise to the dream. And notice again the scope of the dream: what is going to happen hereafter.

Daniel 2:30

But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.

Daniel again makes it clear that it is not because he is more intelligent or better than anyone else that God has revealed the dream to him; but for 1) ‘their sakes that shall make known the interpretation’ i.e. Daniel and his three friends and 2) for the king himself that he would understand.

Here as in verse 49, Daniel includes his three friends in the ‘who deserves credit’ list. Just because Daniel was the one that received the vision does not negate the part that his friends played through their prayers. This should serve to remind us that those who support a ministry are as important as those who head up and are the public face of that ministry – ‘every part doing its share’ (Eph 4:16).

The Dream – Daniel 2:31-35

31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.

32 This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,

33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.

35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

Daniel 2:36

This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.

Notice that Daniel says WE will tell……once again including his three friends.

The Interpretation – Daniel 2:37-38

37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom,

power, and strength, and glory.

38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.

As we mentioned earlier, no subsequent king had the total power that Nebuchadnezzar had. Other empires may have exceeded Nebuchadnezzar’s in physical size, but not in absolute authority.

Daniel 2:39

And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

The detail and accuracy of this prophecy is a thorn in the flesh to the critics; for after Babylon (that was full of gold), another kingdom did arise, but not with the absolute power of Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar. In 539 B.C. Cyrus conquered Babylon (without a battle! – see Chapter 5). Cyrus was part Median and part Persian and so united the two factions into the great Medo-Persian Empire. Silver coinage became the currency of the empire. After the Medo-Persian Empire, history confirms that a third kingdom, wielding brass shields and swords, with stunning speed conquered the Persians and went on to take the known world. It is recorded that the leader of this new empire, at only 30 or so years of age, wept because there were no more lands to be conquered. That leader was Alexander the Great and the Empire was the famous Greek Empire. After Alexander’s death the Greek Empire was divided between his four generals, but it never had the same power as it did under Alexander. Eventually the Greek Empire fell to a fourth empire.

Daniel 2:40

And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

Now we move onto the ‘iron’ nation that breaks into pieces and subdues all things. Even those with a basic grasp of history will be familiar with the empire that succeeded the Greeks. Rome. Whereas the previous empires took the best of the cultures and nations they were conquering, leaving much intact, Rome did not. The Roman Empire seemed to thrive on what it could destroy. It really did break into pieces and subdue all things

Daniel 2:41

And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.

Unlike the previous empires, Rome was never defeated. It divided into the eastern and western ‘legs’ (with the eastern leg outlasting the western by almost a 1000 years). Since its demise, almost all of the parts that made up the old empire have had their day at ruling. The Ottoman Turks, the French of Napoleon, The Germans, the Dutch, the Spanish and of course, the British Empire. Even America (USA) was founded by people from the old Roman Empire. So as we come to this verse we are told of a phase of the Roman Empire of which history knows nothing; therefore it is reasonable to conclude that it is yet to come, something that is confirmed in subsequent verses and chapters of this book. We are told this final phase of the Roman Empire will consist of feet and toes, partly potters clay and partly iron – not a good mixture for these two will not stick together, and indeed we are told that this kingdom will be divided, yet there will be the strength of iron in it.

Daniel 2:42

And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

This verse hints at the strong part of this kingdom ruling over the ‘partly broken’.

Daniel 2:43

And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

It is easy to just read over this verse and continue with the interpretation; however, if we read carefully there is a strange remark. We are told that, just as iron was mixed with miry clay in the vision, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men. Who are the ‘they’? From the context, and the fact that they mix themselves with the seed of men, would seem to exclude them from being the seed of men themselves. Chuck Missler (among others) see this as an allusion to the Nephilim (offspring of fallen angels). The first mention of these beings is in Genesis 6, the flood came to wipe them out, but we read that more came after the flood (Gen 6:4) only to be finished off by Joshua and then finally by David (remember Goliath & his brothers?). However Jesus said: “as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man” (Luke 17:26) Could it be that the Nephilim are set to make a return as part of a major end times delusion? (For more on this subject see ‘Alien Encounters’ by Dr Chuck Missler & Dr Mark Eastman).

Another thought is that this could be alluding to clones. Are clones human? Would they have souls? We are certainly living in interesting times!

Daniel 2:44

And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

This verse confirms that the final phase of the Roman Empire is yet future, for ‘in the days of these kings….”. The simple fact that these kings have not yet reigned – and from the context it is clear that they must reign simultaneously – nor have they been destroyed, nor has the God of heaven set up a world government (which is the whole subject of the dream), shows without any doubt that this is yet to be fulfilled. But when it is fulfilled it will be the end of mans rule and the beginning of God’s eternal kingdom that will stand forever.

Daniel 2:45

Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

There are those who would try to suggest that all prophecy has been fulfilled, and that Christ’s kingdom was established at His first coming in and through the church. Furthermore it is proposed that the church is now to fill the earth and subdue it in the name of Christ. Although not so prevalent in the UK, names such as ‘Kingdom Now’ and ‘Dominion Theology’ are well known in America of groups that support this idea. However have seen The Emerging Church, Mission Shaped Church, Messy Church and many others that have taken hold in this country. One of the underlying themes of these initiatives is a non-literal interpretation of scripture, particularly in regard to prophecy. The emphasis is on getting people into the church (nothing wrong with that on the surface) but at the expense of watering down the word of God so as not to be ‘offensive’ (and there we have the real problem – to present a sinner with a gospel that says he is a sinner on his way to hell unless he repents and puts his trust in Jesus, is always going to be offensive until such a person is brought under conviction by the law – see Psalm 19:7 / Rom 7:7 / Gal 3:24). By watering down the gospel message and not presenting the law, the modern church becomes nothing more than a caring social club; but without the solid foundation of God’s word they will yield to popular opinion and political pressure every time.

All of this goes hand in hand with a belief known as ‘Preterism’ which, in its extreme form holds that all prophecies have been fulfilled (by 70AD) and that Jesus is not really coming back physically but is now reigning in the hearts of Christians.

As even a casual reading of this chapter (and these last few verses in particular) will show, this simply cannot be, because the church is not a political kingdom, whereas the kingdom that God establishes here is a political rule on the earth that puts an end to mans government once and for all. The fact that the church exists alongside political ‘kingdoms’ in the world today shows that the church is not the stone cut without hands, for once that stone smites the feet of the image, it all comes crumbling down and there will be no more opposition. The fact that the church has opposition in this order of things shows that it cannot be the kingdom that Daniel sees in his vision. It is also clear that the stone that is cut from the mountain, is done so without hands, i.e. supernaturally. It is not mans effort that will accomplish this but God’s sovereign power through the One who throughout scripture is described as the Rock/Stone – Jesus Christ our Rock! (See 1 Cor 10:4 / Deut 32:4 / 2 Sam 22:2 / Ps 18:31 / Is 51:1 / Matt 16:18 / Acts 4:11 / Matt 21:42-44 / 1 Peter 2:8)

All of this is in agreement with the countless passages that talk of a time of political rule on the earth by the Lord himself. For example, Isaiah writes: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isaiah 2:1-4)

“And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” (Luke 1:31-33)

See also Psalm 2 – Jesus will rule the nations with a rod of iron – this hasn’t happened yet!

Daniel 2:46

Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.

Nebuchadnezzar makes the classic mistake of worshiping the instrument and not the source. Daniel had already laboured the point that it was not because of any ability he possessed, but rather it was because of the God of heaven that he was able to interpret the king’s dream.

Daniel 2:47

The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.

He didn’t get it! The dream wasn’t to show Nebuchadnezzar that God can reveal and interpret dreams, but to show him that it is God who rules in the kingdoms of men. It is He who puts one down and raises another up, “he removeth kings, and setteth up kings” (Dan 2:21). As Jesus said to Pilate: “Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above” (John 19:11).

Nebuchadnezzar will get another warning that it is God and not him that is running the show, but as we will see in chapter 5, he once again misses the point and is humbled before God and man in dramatic fashion!

Daniel 2:48-49

48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.

49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

So Daniel is promoted and ensures that his friends are too. As a result of these four Jewish young men the wise men of Babylon were spared from being cut in pieces and their houses being made a dunghill, were they grateful? Sadly the answer is no. In fact as we move into chapter three we will find these wise men conspiring against Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah and trying to get them killed. Their principle motivation was no doubt jealousy, after all they represented the greatest minds in the kingdom but had been made to look foolish by four teenage Hebrew slaves. However, before we are too hard on the Chaldeans and their associates, we should remember that in like manor we rejected the one who had given up His home to come to a foreign land to save us. He crossed a gulf that no one among the sons of men could cross; only one whose dwelling is ‘with the gods’ would be able, and so He humbled Himself and became a man, and then purposed in his heart to do the will of His Father in Heaven, to the extent that He became obedient to the death of the cross, that you and I may go free. He is the Rock that was smitten the first time (Ex 17:6), but will come again to establish His kingdom, a kingdom that will fill the whole earth, a kingdom that will be an eternal kingdom. The kingdom, the power & the glory be His, now & forever, Amen.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Daniel Ch2 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Daniel Ch1

Barry Forder — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 10:30:54 +0000

This study of Daniel Ch1 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 25th April 2021 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s online family service.

Daniel Chapter 1

The book of Daniel opens with an historical statement. Critics of the Bible (and of the book of Daniel in particular) try to deny that this really happened, yet it is a matter of historical record that Jews were deported to Babylon. For the previous 150 years or so, Israel had been preparing for invasion. Initially the threat of Assyria loomed – the Northern kingdom of Israel had been carried away to Assyria in 722 B.C. – now the might of Babylon posed an imminent threat to remaining southern kingdom of Judah. It is inconceivable that Judah would have let its finest young people and wealth be taken to Babylon without putting up a struggle. The writings of Berosus and Josephus, along with the accounts in Kings, Chronicles and Daniel all support the fact that Nebuchadnezzar did come into Israel (Judah) early in the reign of king Jehiokim; Berosus and Josephus also unite with Chronicles and Daniel in affirming that captives – including Israel’s finest – were taken from Judea to Babylon at this time.

However, for the purposes of our study, it is not the 1st verse, which tells us that the siege happened, but the 2nd verse that tells us why it happened that should grab our attention! Daniel records “And the LORD gave Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into his hand...” Prophets like Jeremiah and Habakkuk repeatedly warned that God was going to use the king of Babylon to judge Israel. God told Habakkuk “I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you. For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs.” (Hab1:5-6). Jeremiah prophesied: “this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years”. (Jer 25:11) When Habakkuk and Jeremiah prophesied this, Babylon was nothing more than just a city state of the then great Assyrian Empire. This is partly why so many false prophets had risen up who didn’t want to bother with all this ‘doom and gloom’ prophecy stuff; who takes prophecies literally anyway? That’s just for the fundamentalists right? – Sound a bit like today?

Despite how it seemed on the surface, because he trusted God’s word through the mouths of the prophets, Daniel knew that God was very much in control and so he says: “the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand”. This was no accident or haphazard event.

Another example of the literal fulfilment of prophecy in verse 2 where we read that Nebuchadnezzar carried away the vessels of the Temple. About 120 years before this, the son of the then king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and was given a guided tour by king Hezakiah. We read in 2nd Kings: “Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon. And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them. And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD. Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD. And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” (2 Kings 20:14-18).

Verse 3 alludes to the fact that Daniel was of the royal line, and that he was made a eunuch. This was a common practice because a conquering king would not want to have fertile chief advisers around the palace, for if they produced offspring they may conspire against the king and attempt to establish their own ‘royal’ line. It also meant that they were less likely to get distracted from their tasks by the king’s harem!

An inscription was found on a monument that is now in the Berlin museum confirming the person of Ashpenaz; the inscription reads: “Ashpenaz, master of the kings eunuchs” – so once again confirming the historical accuracy of Daniel.

The practice of carrying away the best and brightest of a conquered nation was a good strategic move. Firstly it meant that you rob that nation of its future leaders, and secondly it would help to keep the conquered nation in subjection, knowing that its favourite sons were ‘hostages’ under the ruling regime. The ancient cultures knew that the wealth of a nation is not its silver and gold but its youth; if the next generation were to be destroyed the empire would crumble. What a contrast to today where our youth are being systematically destroyed by the eroding of morals and a sense of accountability. Today we send our young people to the humanist training camps we call universities where morals and the fear of God are sucked out of them and then we commission research agencies to try to discover why suicide among young people is so high, why teenage pregnancy is out of control, why violent crime is on the increase etc. etc. Can we really be surprised when Evolution underpins almost all further education, teaching young people that we are here by chance, we are nothing more than animals and that there are no absolutes? Evolution is anti-God and anti-science. The Bible tells us that “the fool has said in his heart, ‘there is no God’” (Ps 14:1) and that “the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Rom 1:20) In other words, by the study of things that are made, i.e. science, we can clearly see that there is a God. This is what our young people need. This is what Daniel had! He trusted God and would not be defiled, even though he was now over 1500 miles away from home and accountability.

Ashpenaz was the man appointed by Nebuchadnezzar to oversee an intensive three-year training program, where, no doubt, Daniel and his Jewish friends would be ‘nourished’ and re-educated in the Babylonian ways and customs to go on to serve the king as his advisors. As we will see, what the ‘world’ sees as ‘nourishing’ seldom is.

Part of this training programme was subtle indoctrination. By changing their names they would begin to sever the ties with their homeland and the remembrance of their God. With Babylonian names they would start to fit into Babylonian culture and eventually this would become ‘home’. This merging into the culture and forgetting your past was a successful tactic for the Babylonians as can be seen in the fact that after the exile, only 50,000 Jews returned home; the rest had taken root in Babylon.

Daniel, whose name meant ‘my God is Judge’ became ‘may Bell protect you’.
Hananiah meant ‘God is gracious’, he became ‘Alumin by Rah’.
Mishael was ‘Who is like the Lord’, he became ‘Who is like Acou’.
And Azariah’s name was changed from ‘The Lord helps’ to ‘The servent of Nebo’.

How much this change of names influenced Daniel’s thinking can be seen in the fact that only once does Daniel call himself by this new name, and it only appears ten times in total in the book – including this occurrence. Yet he uses His Hebrew name 75 times. Bill Cooper points out that Daniel intentionally miss-spells this new name so as not to give any honour to the false Babylonian god!

Verse 8 is one of the most incredible in the Bible. In the midst of all this compromise and idolatry, with the pain of separation from his homeland still raw, we read:

“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself”

What an incredible statement by a 14 year old boy. And even more remarkable when you try to picture the following:

A 14-16 year old Daniel and his friends leave Jerusalem and travel for weeks across desert terrain. Suddenly they see a city in the distance. As they get closer the scale becomes clear. This is a city that is 15 miles per side, walls that are 330ft high and 80ft thick – wide enough for the Babylonians to have chariot races around the walls – six a breast! 250 towers are around the walls; 80ft brass gates reflecting the sun and shining for miles around, and the infamous hanging gardens that were one of the seven wonders of the ancient world with the Euphrates river running through the city. Babylon had orchards and vineyards inside the city as well as grazing for the herds; pine trees and all kinds of foliage – in the middle of a desert! It was completely self-sustaining so that in the event of a siege they could simply shut the gates and carry on life as normal.

There were over 200 open alters throughout the city, 153 different temples including one that had an 8 mile perimeter. Another had a perimeter of 3 miles. One table from the temple of Merodach was 40ft long and 6ft wide made from pure gold. The city was about 225 square miles inside, which is about 4-5 times the size of London today.

Into all of this come these four young Hebrew boys. You can hear the taunts: ‘Don’t tell us about your God – He’s the one whose temple we have just ransacked in Jerusalem, and we’ve brought all of His golden cups and bowls and shields to put them in the temple of our gods – you better start worshipping our gods, they’re the ones with real power!’ ‘You don’t want to keep those Hebrew names either, people will make fun of you – being named after that God, you need new names that people here will respect. Daniel, what’s the use of being called ‘my God is Judge’ from now on you should be called ‘may Bell protect you’. Hananiah, there’s no point being called ‘God is gracious’, if He was, you wouldn’t be here would you! ‘You can be ‘Illuminated by Rah’. Mishael, people will laugh if they hear you being called ‘Who is like the Lord’, so why not be ‘Who is like Acou’ one of our gods. And Azariah, you need to rethink your name ‘The Lord helps’, after all you are not in Jerusalem but Babylon. You should be called ‘The servant of Nebo’. Now what would be the problem with eating a bacon sandwich? Or maybe an Oyster? Or having a glass of the kings wine? After all Daniel was now a long way away from those who would disapprove, what harm would it do and who cared in Babylon anyway, everyone else would be doing it and no one would think less of him?

This was the temptation facing these young teenage boys, yet we read: “He purposed in his heart…” This was not a spur of the moment decision but a way of life that Daniel was not prepared to compromise for anyone or anything. As Joseph in Egypt had rejected the lust of the flesh for the sake of his God, so did Daniel. Purity was the key; but it is so easy to give in, you only have to do it once and there’s no going back. Once contaminated, even just a little bit, it is no longer pure. May we too purpose in our hearts not to give an inch to sin.

“How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Rom 6:2)

“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom 6:11)

“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” (Rom 13:11-14)

“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16)

Of course, Ashpenaz was understandably concerned at Daniel’s request to have a kosher diet. If these boys didn’t turn out looking fit and healthy, he would lose more then just his job!

However, after the 10 day trial proposed by Daniel, Ashpenaz could see that these Hebrew boys were looking fitter and healthier than the others. So in a move that must have caused some murmurings in the camp, all the trainee royal advisors were put on the ‘Daniel Diet’ of ‘pulse and water’! Can you imagine how this went down with all the other captives! In all seriousness, this may have been the start of Daniel’s unpopularity with his colleagues that we see fester and grow in the subsequent chapters.

Daniel purposed in his heart as a 14 year old, and as we will see, nothing has changed by the time he is in his 90’s. In the last verse of chapter 1 (v21) we read that ‘Daniel continued…’ What a testimony, what a challenge!

May you be blessed by this study and, like Daniel, purpose in your heart to not be defiled by anything of this world!

The post Daniel Ch1 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Daniel – Introduction

Barry Forder — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 10:30:28 +0000

This introduction to our verse-by-verse study of the book of Daniel was given by Pastor Barry Forder on 18th April 2021.

Introduction to this study:

The book of Daniel is one of the best-loved books of the Bible; it gives us the story of ‘Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego and the fiery furnace’ and ‘Daniel in the lions den’ – stories that many of us learned and loved at Sunday school. However the years have come and gone and we so often tend to just skip over those quaint little stories without them having any real impact on our lives; however, I believe that once we have completed a serious verse-by-verse study of this amazing book we will never be the same. This book gives us real perspective, it helps us to see things the way that God sees them – the way Daniel saw them.

Daniel, whose name means ‘God is my judge’, was just a teenager, probably about 14, when the Babylonian army, led by king Nebuchadnezzar, came and took him and his friends away from all they knew, and carried them away into a distant land. It’s hard for us to imagine the feelings and emotions of a 14-year-old being taken from the security of a family, not knowing if he would ever see them again. Although we are told that there was not a righteous man in Jerusalem at that time (Jer 5:1 / Jer 8:5-6), (hence the reason for God bringing His judgment), it would seem that there were still some God-fearing mums, for Daniel and his friends had been brought up to know and fear God and even their names were a continual reminder of the God of Israel. But would that be enough? After all, how many young people today, after seeing all that Daniel saw, and enduring all that he endured, would make a stand for God in the midst of a pagan culture? How many of our young people leave home and go to the University of ‘Babylon’, where secular humanism rules, and find their once vibrant faith destroyed as they become ‘free’ to do what they want, as the moral constraints and stability of a loving family (church and/or home) become just memories? And how many of us can truly say, as we are thrust out into the world every Monday morning, that we desire purity more than worldly pleasure?

Do we really fear God and shun evil as Job did? (Job 1:8). Do we run from temptation like Joseph? (Gen 39:12). Or do we find ourselves dropping the odd expletive (Col 3:8), telling a ‘funny’ course joke to our colleagues so that we will fit into the crowd (Eph 5:4), maybe telling the odd little ‘white’ lie (Col 3:9). “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?” (James 3:10-11). Were you in church praising God last Sunday, and then blending right back into the world on Monday? I heard of a man who went up to a Christian once and asked: ‘You’re a Christian aren’t you?’ The Christian replied ‘That’s for you to tell me’ – i.e. it should be obvious to all around us. Too many Christians act as secret agents, never wanting to blow their cover.

Daniel hadn’t been in Babylon for five minutes before they could tell what the most important thing in his life really was. It is my earnest prayer and desire that by the time we reach the end of this study, we too can say along with Daniel that we have ‘purposed in our hearts that we will not defile ourselves’ – no matter what the cost.

Overview of the book of Daniel

The book of Daniel records the collapse of the nation of Israel and the beginning of the ‘times of the gentiles’ – a period of time that will last until the Messiah returns to set up His kingdom (‘thy kingdom come…’) and sit on the Throne of David (see Luke 1:32) (i.e. the throne of Israel) ruling over all nations from Jerusalem: “And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up” (Acts 15:13-16)

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. (Luke 13:34-35)

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isaiah 2:2-4) (We will deal more fully with this whole idea of ‘Replacement Theology’ – the lie that God has finished with Israel – in part 2 (chapters 7-12) of our study).

As we will see, the book of Daniel is very much a book of prophecy, foretelling the history of the world in advance; from the time of the Babylonian empire of Nebuchadnezzar, to the final world empire of Antichrist, and then ultimately into the Millennial reign of Jesus.

Many of the prophecies in this book have now been fulfilled, however chapters 2, 7 and 9 contain prophecies of vital importance if we are to have a biblical understanding of the times we are living in. This book details what we can expect on the near horizon as world events play out to their ultimate conclusion as we approach the imminent return of Jesus.

We will deal with it in detail when we get there, but the prophecy in chapter 9, known as ‘Daniel’s 70 weeks’, is possibly the most remarkable prophecy in the entire Bible and provides undeniable proof that Jesus of Nazareth is the Jewish Messiah. In fact, so accurate are the prophecies in this book that it has led many critics to claim that it must have been written after the time of Christ – a claim that is easily refuted by the facts! Nevertheless, the book of Daniel has come under great attack from the (self-titled) ‘Higher Critics’ and sceptics and we will deal with some of their claims and objections as we go through our study.

The book can be divided into two main sections, the historical (chapters 1-6), and the visions (chapters 7-12). Also of note is the fact that the section of the book that is dealing with the gentiles is written in Aramaic, as opposed to Hebrew (which makes up the rest of the book).

The Chronology of the Book of Daniel:

606 B.C. Chapter 1 – Israel’s captivity in Babylon begins, Daniel deported

604 B.C. Chapter 2 – King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream

c.588 B.C. Chapter 3 – Nebuchadnezzar’s image & the fiery furnace

571-563 B.C. Chapter 4 – Nebuchadnezzar’s pride and fall

c.552 B.C. Chapter 7 – Daniel’s vision of the four beasts

c.550 B.C. Chapter 8 – Daniel’s vision of the Ram & He-goat

539 B.C. Chapter 5 – Babylon falls to the Persians – the writing on the wall

c.538 B.C. Chapter 6 – Daniel in the lions den

537 B.C. Chapter 9 – Daniel’s vision of the 70 weeks

c.535 B.C. Chapters 10 – The Spiritual War

c.535 B.C. Chapters 11-12 – Closing visions

As we have noted, Daniel was just a teenager when he was deported to Babylon in 606 B.C. Josephus records that he met Cyrus at the gates of Babylon in 539 B.C., and we know that he served under king Darius the Mede (who reigned in the province of Babylon under Cyrus). Therefore, we see that Daniel’s ministry stretched into his late 80’s, and saw him serve as ‘prime minister’ under two successive world empires – a feet unparalleled in history. But as Daniel records at the end of chapter 1, it was God alone who had lifted him up. His is the power, glory might and dominion, He alone rules in the kingdoms of men.

Pre-eminence, Purpose, Purity & Prophecy

The sub title of this study, ‘Pre-eminence, Purpose, Purity & Prophecy’ is an apt summary of the book.

Pre-eminence because the book shows time and again that it is God who rules in the kingdoms of men (Dan 4:17 / 4:25 / 4:32). It is He who orders the steps of a good man (Psalm 37:23), indeed, “Man’s goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?” (Prov 20:24). This was the basis of Daniel’s life, a confident assurance that whatever happened on the outside, however desperate things seemed to be, God was still on the throne, the One who is the same, yesterday, today, forever (Heb 13:8).

Purpose for two reasons:

Firstly because this book underlines the fact that God has a purpose for all that happens in our lives, as Daniel and his friends show – who would have thought that these teenagers who were dragged away in shackles would be the ones to bring the most powerful nation to its knees? Paul reminds us: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8:28).

Secondly, purpose because “Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” (Dan 1:8). In this context the ‘purpose’ referred to is a determined conscious decision that is made in the heart “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matt 6:21). Daniel’s treasure was to do the will of God regardless of what others thought or said, as we will see in chapter 6: “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed,[that everyone should worship king Darius alone or be thrown to the lions] he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” (Dan 6:10). Oh for men and women who purpose in their hearts to serve God. In the New Testament Paul purposed in his heart to preach the gospel: “But life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus-the work of telling others the Good News about God’s mighty kindness and love.” (Acts 20:24 TLB) “…woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” (1 Cor 9:16), as a result of this purpose of heart we read: “And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures” (Acts 17:2). For these people, serving God was a way of life, not just a ‘Sunday thing’. The challenge for us as we go through this book is: are we really living lives worthy of our calling? (Eph 4:1 / Col 1:10 / 1 Thess 2:12).

Purity. Because of Daniel’s purpose of heart, there was a beautiful purity about Daniel (as there was with Joseph). It is so easy for us to get tainted by the world and our surroundings, but when we do, it can so quickly escalate out of control. Chuck Smith sums it up clearly and concisely, “The flesh is never satisfied”. Chuck Missler comments that the more you feed a desire, the more you need to feed that desire; if you give into drink, you will need more drink to be satisfied, but then that will not be enough. If you take drugs, you will soon need more drugs to feed your habit; but that will not be enough. If you lust after the flesh, you will find yourself wanting more and more. If you gossip, one little story is never enough. Sin will always take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay. If you have a tin of pure white paint, how many drops of black paint would it take to stop it being pure white? And so it is with our lives. Daniel never gave in; and twice in the book of Ezekiel God points to Daniel as an example of what a righteous man should be like. (Ezekiel 14:14 /20). May God put us through His crucible to remove the dross so that, like pure gold, we become reflections of His glory.

Prophecy. This needs no explanation other than to say that prophecy is one of the infallible and undeniable proofs that God has given us to show that His word is true (see 2 Peter 1:19). Jesus Himself in Matthew 24 pointed to a prophecy in the book of Daniel as the key to understanding the end-times, yet it is astonishing that so many Christians are ignorant regarding the prophecies in the Bible. Job said: “Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?” (Job 24:1). Jesus held the Jews accountable for not understanding the prophetic scriptures, and rebuked the Pharisees because, although they could predict the weather, they didn’t understand the signs of the times.

Facts about the book

Author: Daniel – how do we know? Because seven times we read “I Daniel…” and secondly because Jesus said Daniel wrote it (Matt 24:15). “If you don’t believe what Jesus said you’ve got much bigger problems than the authorship of Daniel!” – Chuck Missler

Daniel uses his own name 75 times.
When was it written?: About 606-530 B.C.

Statistics:

27^th book of the Bible;
12 chapters,
357 verses;
11,606 words;
16 questions;
218 verses of history;
79 verses of fulfilled and 60 verses of unfulfilled prophecy;
7 commands;
4 promises; and
6 messages from God.

Scope: From king Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon in 606BC to the establishment of the Messianic kingdom in the Millennium.

Main characters:

Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael & Azariah.
Gentile kings: Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Cyrus, Darius

Daniel is one of only a few people in scripture of whom no sin is recorded, Joseph being another – this doesn’t mean they didn’t sin, Romans 3:23 makes that clear, but in this way they become a type of Christ.

Daniel is called ‘beloved’ (Dan 9:23 / 10:11 / 10:19), the same title is given to John in the NT. Both Daniel and John were given revelations of the climax of world events. It appears that God reserves His most intimate secrets for those who are His beloved. The church is also called His beloved (Rom 9:25) – i.e. these secrets are for us – what a privilege!

It is recorded by Josephus (a Jewish historian) that in 332 B.C. Jeduthan, a Jewish high priest, met Alexander the Great at the gates of Jerusalem and presented to him a copy of the book of Daniel. Upon showing Alexander the prophecies about himself in the book, Alexander was so impressed that he spared the city!

Historical Background:

The book of Daniel begins with an historical statement – something the critics try to obfuscate, yet there is no getting away from the fact that Daniel is a book of history as much as it is a book of prophecy.

Therefore, in preparation for our verse-by-verse study through Daniel is would be profitable to do a crash course in ancient history, to give us some of the background of the times that Daniel lived in and to set the scene.

Israel as a nation became divided during the reign of Solomon’s son, Rehoboam. The northern part of the nation became known as ‘Israel’, the southern part as ‘Judah’. Israel went from bad to worse and God sent prophet after prophet to warn them to repent or face judgment. All of this is recorded in the books of Kings and Chronicles. There was not a good king among the kings of Israel and so eventually God allowed the Assyrians to conquer Israel in around 722 B.C.

Judah was not a great deal better, with many bad kings who did not seek God but indulged in idolatry. However there were a few good kings such as Jehoshaphat (2 Chron 17:1-6), Joash (2 Chron 24:1-4), Hezakiah (2 Chron 29:1-2), and Josiah (2 Chron 34:1-2).

Josiah reigned in Judah from about 641 to 609 B.C. However Josiah’s death was brought about by a strange event that is recorded in 2 Chron 35:19-27.

Assyria had been the dominating world empire, having already conquered the northern kingdom of Israel as mentioned above; but their days were numbered as God had prophesied through Nahum. In 612 B.C. Babylon and Media formed an alliance and conquered Assyria’s capital, Nineveh. Three years later Pharaoh Necho, the king of Egypt attacked Assyria and defeated it at a place called Charchemish.

In 2 Chronicles 35:19-21 we read: “After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him. But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not.”

Now remember that Assyria had been Israel’s enemy for centuries – remember Jonah’s reluctance to go and preach to them? Consider also king Sennacherib’s taunts against Hezekiah (2 Chron 32). So the question has to be asked, why did king Josiah go out against Necho who was on his way to destroy Israel’s enemies? Surely Josiah should have been fighting with him if anything, not against him. The answer may be found in the opening line of verse 19: “After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple” – prepared it for what? Reading chapters 34 & 35 of 2 Chronicles we discover that Josiah had been presented with ‘the book of the law’ that had been discovered as they were starting to repair the temple. After reading it, Josiah realised how far away from God the nation had gone – the same is true today, reading God’s word will show how far from God our nation has gone.

Josiah set about restoring everything according to the law of Moses, however in verse 3 of chapter 35 he tells the priests to ‘put the holy ark in the house that Solomon had built’. Now if they were to put it in there, it was obviously not in there at that time. So where was it?

There are various theories about what happened to the Ark of the Covenant, but by far and away the most plausible is that it was taken by the Levites during the reign of king Manasseh who was desecrating everything that was holy, in order to keep it safe. It is believed that it was taken to Ethiopia, and certainly there are many legends of the ark being in Ethiopia. Recent discoveries by Bob Cornuke (Base Institute) have brought to light some compelling evidence to support this belief. What makes all of this interesting is to realise that Pharaoh Necho was not himself Egyptian, but Ethiopian! Could this therefore be the reason that Josiah went out to fight with Necho? Even Necho himself was surprised by Josiah’s actions and told Josiah that he was following God’s instructions and claimed that ‘God is with me’ – a strange comment from a gentile, unless of course he actually had the Ark!

Anyway, Josiah died in the battle and Necho went on to defeat the Assyrians as has been mentioned (and was prophesied by Isaiah in Isaiah 10:5-11). With Josiah now dead, his son, Jehoahaz became king in Jerusalem, that is until Necho, on his way back from the battle, stopped off at Jerusalem, put Judah under tribute, carried Jehoahaz away to Egypt and made Jehoahaz’s brother, Jehoiakim, king instead.

With the Assyrians conquered there was now a ‘power vacuum’ that needed to be filled. Necho was powerful, but there was a ‘new kid on the block’; a young general called Nebuchadnezzar. The king of Babylon at that time was Nabopolassar, but it was his son Nebuchadnezzar who was destined to become one of the most powerful rulers the world has known. Three years after Necho had won at Charchemish he found himself going back again, but this time to fight against Nabopolassar’s Babylon under the command of Nebuchadnezzar. Necho lost the battle and so began the mighty Babylonian Empire.

Eager to make his mark, the young Nebuchadnezzar stopped off at Jerusalem on his way home for some trophies, and here begins the book of Daniel: “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah…” (Dan 1:1) Jehoiakim was taken to Babylon but then allowed to return as a ‘vassal king’ and he reigned for another eight years. However the last five of these he rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar despite the warnings from Jeremiah who faithfully continued to prophesy in Jerusalem. When Jehoiakim died (at age 36) his son Jehoiachin (also called Jeconiah and sometimes simply Coniah) reigned, but only for three months and ten days (2 Chron 36:9). The Bible says he was evil in the sight of the Lord for which a blood curse was put upon him and his descendants (Jer 22:30). (NB: as he was of the royal line from king David this poses a real problem from the coming Messiah who is to be a descendant of David, of the royal line! Spot the difference between Matthew’s and Luke’s genealogies!). So eight years after his first visit, Nebuchadnezzar came again, laid siege to Jerusalem and took Jehoiachin back to Babylon along with more captives including a certain young priest called Ezekiel. Ezekiel started prophesying from Babylon in what would have been the 5^th year of Jehoiachin; by this time Daniel would have been about 27 years old.

King Nebuchadnezzar then made Zedekiah (Jehoiachin’s uncle cf: 2 Kings 24:17) the final king over Judah. Zedekiah reigned for eleven years before he too was carried away to Babylon after once again ignoring the prophecies of Jeremiah. (see Jer 34:2-3, then Ezekiel 12:13 and finally Jer 52:8-11 for a dramatic fulfilment of prophecy – Zedekiah went to Babylon, but he never saw it!)

In Jeremiah we read: “Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzar-adan, captain of the guard, which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem, And burned the house of the LORD, and the king’s house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, burned he with fire: And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down all the walls of Jerusalem round about.” (Jer 52:12-14)

So Jerusalem was finally destroyed and the people of Judah were led away captive from the land to give the land the rest that it was owed. “…..To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.” (2 Chron 36:21) (See also Lev 25:2-4 & Lev 26:32-35)

Judah had seen themselves as unconquerable, after all they were God’s chosen people, Jerusalem was the city of David. This complacency had led them into idolatry. Idols had been put on the hills and even on the temple mount; sexual immorality was everywhere. All that God had despised about the Canaanites whom God had removed from the land, Israel was now doing and worse. All that God had said would destroy a nation they had embraced – if you sow the wind you will reap the whirlwind. “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Prov 14:34)

Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem three times in total; the final time in 587 B.C. he levelled the city and destroyed the temple. With the first siege began the ‘servitude of the nation’, which, as prophesied by Jeremiah (Jer 29:10), lasted exactly seventy years (based on a 360 day year – we will cover this in ch 9). The final siege began a period of time known as the ‘desolations of Jerusalem’(Jer 25:11 / Daniel 9:2), also seventy years to the day. The first period of seventy years (servitude of the nation) was ended by the decree of Cyrus in 537 B.C. Legend has it that Cyrus was met at the gate of Babylon by an aged Daniel who presented Cyrus with a scroll of Isaiah in which there was a detailed prophecy from some 200 years earlier which not only mentioned Cyrus by name, but also recorded how he would take the city, and that he would set the captive Jews free and allow them to return home to Jerusalem (see Isaiah 44:24-45:6). The second seventy-year period (desolations of Jerusalem) was ended by the decree of Darius as recorded in Ezra 6:1.

So that is our historical background for this most incredible of books! Stay with us over the coming weeks as we study verse-by-verse, chapter by chapter through the book of the prophet Daniel.

May you be richly blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Daniel – Introduction first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Jude vs 20-25

Barry Forder — Sun, 11 Apr 2021 10:30:44 +0000

This final session in our verse-by-verse study of the book of Jude was given by Pastor Barry Forder and recorded on 11th April 2021 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s online family service.

In this closing section of the letter (vs 20-25), Jude now answers the ‘so what?’ question. Having warned us of apostates that have crept into the church, and given a detailed explanation of their ways so that they can be identified, Jude now tells us what we are to do with this information.

Firstly:

We are to keep our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus, making sure we keep ourselves in a place where we can know the love of God and be beneficiaries of His grace and blessings.

The father of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) never stopped loving his wayward son, however, the prodigal son removed himself from his father’s presence & blessing.
Israel too, though ‘espoused to God’ (Jeremiah 2:2) and ‘the apple of His eye’ (Deuteronomy 32:10) forsook Him and subsequently removed themselves from His blessings.
Samson knew the blessing of God on his life, yet when he removed himself, he lost the presence and power of God in his life

Secondly:

We are to reach out and rescue as many as we can from the deception of these apostates. Not all will listen, and we must make sure that in rescuing souls ‘as from a burning fire’ we do not get caught up, entangled and burned ourselves. We must work our our own salvation – pay attention to our own personal walk with the LORD first – but then have compassion on those who otherwise would be deceived by smooth-talking religious charlatans!

Jude concludes his letter by reminding us that God is able to keep us from falling and will give us all the resource of Heaven if we simply resist the world, the flesh and the devil. It is a moment by moment choice. If we abide in Him, He will abide in us.

Finally, He is, and will, present us faultless before His throne in Heaven. This is not based upon us, but upon the completed work of Christ on the cross. Jesus paid it all, Jesus is our advocate with the Father, and we are now clothed with the righteousness of Christ. He has made us accepted in the beloved! (Ephesians 1:6).

May this study encourage you to abide in Christ and stir your hearts to reach out to those who have ears to hear!

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Who do you say I am?

Barry Forder — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 10:30:53 +0000

…testimonies of the Deity of Christ

This teaching was given on Resurrection Day 2021 by pastor Barry Forder.

The most important question ever asked was asked by Jesus to His disciples at Caesarea Philippi in Northern Israel, around 6 months before His crucifixion. After asking whom the people were saying that Jesus might be, Jesus turned to His disciples and asked them “But who do you say I am?”

It is not a trivial question that can be dismissed by a glib answer; how you answer this question will change the course of your life and eternal destiny. Everything in this life, every success or failure, gain or loss, are all brought into context by your response. In the end, EVERYTHING will be determined by this one question and your own personal answer to it.

Either Jesus Christ was and is the Son of God, or he was a deluded fool – or worse!

C.S. Lewis famously said: “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronising nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. . . . Now it seems to me obvious that He was neither a lunatic nor a fiend: and consequently, however strange or terrifying or unlikely it may seem, I have to accept the view that He was and is God”. (Mere Christianity, 55-56)

In this study we explore some of the powerful testimonies and eye witness accounts of those who testified to this very fact, that Jesus was indeed the Son of God – God manifest in human flesh.

We consider the testimony of Jesus Himself. The crucifixion was not a tragedy, it was an achievement! It was why Jesus had come. For the last 6 months of His ministry He foretold his own death and resurrection.
The testimony of the Disciples – all the Disciples (with the exception of John) went to their deaths proclaiming Jesus was God.
The testimony of the Roman Centurion – the first Gentile convert, who witnesses first-hand the events at Golgotha proclaimed that this man was no ordinary man, He was the Son of God and worthy to be praised!
The testimony of Joseph of Arimathea – one of only 14 people in Jewish history to be called ‘honourable counsellor’ (Mark 15:43). Yet this member of the Sanhedrin became a believer and risked public disgrace to take a stand as a Disciple.
The testimony of the Roman guard at the tomb – although paid to never utter what they had witnessed, they could not keep this world-changing truth to themselves! Their record is amongst the most compelling of eyewitness accounts of the Resurrection.
The testimony of Pilate – the Roman governor who proclaimed Jesus ‘not guilty’ went on to write a letter to Emperor Tiberius confirming the events that had taken place in Jerusalem in A.D. 32. The arrest, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth! – From Tertullian (who wrote around 200 A.D.) we understand that Pilate became a follower of Jesus.

Finally, there is the testimony of Moses. Moses? Yes, for around 1500 years before the events in Jerusalem Moses wrote of Jesus being taken on the 10th day of the month (Palm Sunday), killed on the 14th as a spotless Passover Lamb, buried on 15th – the Feast of Unleavened Bread – and then becoming the Firstfruits to God raised up from the earth on the day after the Sabbath – the first day of the week – Resurrection Day!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study, and then be able to answer the most important question of all time by saying that Jesus is your Lord and your God!

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Palm Sunday – The Hour Has Come! (2021)

Barry Forder — Sun, 28 Mar 2021 10:30:21 +0000

This study on Palm Sunday was given by Pastor Barry Forder on 28th March 2021.

But why was this day really so important? Why does Psalm 119 speak of this specific day saying “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalms 118:24).

Did you also know that not only Zechariah but Daniel also recorded details of this specific day 500 years before it happened?

David spoke of this day one thousand years before it came to pass! That is mind-boggling! Try to think of an event on a specific day that will take place 1000 years in the future!

But we discover that even Moses recorded details about this day almost one thousand five hundred years before!

In fact, we can go back two thousand years before this day, to the time of Abraham, and find it alluded to in Genesis 22!

So what is really so special about this day? Why does this day stand out from the crowd and demand our attention?

The answer lies in one of the greatest conundrums in the Bible!

So why this day? Why reveal Himself now?

Because this was the one and only day, prophesied by the angel Gabriel (and recorded by Daniel) when the Messiah would reveal Himself to Israel!

The significance of this day to Jews and Gentiles alike cannot be overstated!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Palm Sunday – The Hour Has Come! (2021) first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Waiting on the LORD

Barry Forder — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 10:30:38 +0000

This teaching was given by Lekan Adejumo at Calvary Portsmouth on 21st March 2021.

In Psalm 27 vs 14 we read: “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord”. But what does it mean to wait on the LORD?

In this study, Lekan looks at what is means to wait on God, even when everything around us is demanding we do something, anything, other than just sit and wait!

Lekan teaches clearly from God’s Word, giving examples of those who have learned to wait on God, and of some who didn’t.

May you be richly blessed and encouraged by this important teaching.

The post Waiting on the LORD first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Jude vs 12-19

Barry Forder — Sun, 14 Mar 2021 10:30:17 +0000

This teaching was given by pastor Barry Forder on 14th March 21 as part of Calvary Portsmouth’s on-line family service.

Jude has been detailing the characteristics of the apostates who have crept into the church.

In the previous study he has explained they have no regard for authority, and then how they are like Cain, thinking they can come to God in way they choose, and in so doing they reject His Word.

They have run greedily in the way of Balaam, seeing ‘ministry’ as an opportunity to gain whatever material pleasures they desire; and they have sought position and recognition from man in the same way as Korah.

Now Jude builds on this and tells us they are also like hidden rocks under the surface of the water, who by their conduct damage others morally, making shipwreck of their faith.

They also care nothing for others, but rather seek to cherish and serve themselves; their fleshly appetites governing their actions.

They are as clouds without water, drawing people to them, but never able to satisfy.

They are carried about of winds, blown to and fro with every wind of doctrine – Eph 4:14

They are as autumn trees whose fruit is withered, always taking in but never producing fruit.

They are dead to the things of God, having been plucked up leaving no root to go down into the soil of God’s Word.

They are loud and brash like a roaring wave, but accomplish nothing of value. Instead, they ‘foam out’ shameful deeds.

Like a meteorite that shines brightly for a moment they are here then gone, not able to remain in a fixed orbit and held by the gravity of the Sun.

Jude then brings our attention to the fact that these apostates are not new. They existed in the days of Enoch before the Flood, when men began to turn away from God. In response, God raised up a prophet, Enoch, a teacher of righteousness, to prophesy of their end. Enoch’s prophecy is one of the oldest in Scripture and prophesies of the second coming of Jesus, when He will return with a heavenly multitude to bring judgment on this unbelieving and Christ rejecting world.

These apostates are murmurers, complainers who walk after their own lusts. They speak ‘great swelling words’ to impress men, but they do not have the Spirit of God within them – so in the words of Jeremiah, ‘what wisdom do they have?’ (Jeremiah 8:9).

So, what to we do with this comprehensive list?

We use it to look in the mirror to see if any of these things can be seen in us, and if so, come repentantly before the LORD and seek his mercy (to forgive us) and grace (to impart in us the Fruit of His Spirit).

…and of course, with this list we will be much better equipped to spot the truth from the error and the wheat from the tares!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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Jude vs 11b

Barry Forder — Sun, 07 Mar 2021 10:30:13 +0000

This study of Jude vs 11 was given as part of Calvary Portsmouth Sunday morning service on 7th March 2021.

In the previous session we began to look at the first of three examples Jude gives to help us understand the typical characteristics of apostates – i.e., the fruit they produce.

In this session we continue to look at the 2nd and 3rd of these examples: The ‘Error of Balaam’ and the ‘Gainsaying of Korah’.

Both of these examples are found in the book of Numbers (chapters 22 and 16 respectively).

Balaam, intent on collecting a substantial reward from king Balac of Moab, defied the clear instruction from God to not go. Then, after finding that God would only allow him to bless the Children of Israel, counselled Balac saying that the way to defeat Israel was to get God to judge them! In response, Balac caused Israel to commit fornication with the sons and daughters of Moab, and to worship their idols (see Psalm 106:228-29 / Revelation 2:14). However Balaam’s mistake was his failure to understand God’s grace. God did judge those in Israel who sinned – 24,00 died (see Numbers 24:9), but God did not destroy the nation. Instead, he turned Balaam’s attempt to curse Israel into a blessing (see Nehemiah 13:2).

The third example is that of Korah, a cousin of Moses, who was not content with the task that God had assigned him, to look after the Tabernacle. Instead, he wanted greater honour – in man’s eyes… and thereby hangs the problem. Your standing and position before man matters not one iota! It is how you are seen in God’s eyes. An apparently menial task performed in obedience to God is of eternally & infinitely greater value than the highest honour that can be bestowed by man.

The second part of Jude’s analysis of apostates concludes that they:

1) Reject God’s Word (Cain had rejected the instructions handed down from Adam regarding true worship)
2) Do not understand His Grace (Balaam did not perceive God’s grace and desire to restore those who fall)
3) Do not appreciate Spiritual things (Korah had a privilliged position and calling to tend for sacred things, but he cared for man’s opinion more than God’s)

They:

1) Want to come to God on their terms (as did Cain)
2) Want to enjoy worldly pleasures (as was the case with Balaam)
3) Want position and recognition (as seen with Korah)

May you be blessed and encouraged to walk a close walk with God through this study.

The post Jude vs 11b first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Jude vs 11

Barry Forder — Sun, 28 Feb 2021 10:30:27 +0000

This teaching was given by pastor Barry Forder on 28th February 2021.

Building on our study last week, we now begin to see Jude list 30 characteristic of apostates.

Not only is this a good expose of these people, it serves as a checklist of what we should not be!

1) Filthy dreamers

2) Defile the flesh

3) Despise dominion

4) Speak evil of dignities

5) Speak evil of what they don’t know

6) They act on carnal instincts

7) Gone in the way of Cain

8) Ran greedily after the error of Balaam

9) Destroyed themselves in the gainsaying of Korah

10) Spots (hidden rocks) in your love feasts

11) Feed themselves without fear

12) The are as clouds without water

13) Carried about of winds

14) Trees whose fruit withers

15) Without fruit

16) Twice dead

17) Plucked up by the roots

18) Raging waves of the sea

19) Foaming out shame

20) Wandering stars

21) Murmurers

22) Complainers

23) Walking after their own lusts

24) Their mouth speaks great swelling words

25) Having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage

26) Mockers

27) Walking after ungodly lusts

28) Separate themselves

29) Sensual

30) Without the Spirit

In this study we look at the first 7 of these in more detail, focusing on the 7th – The Way of Cain.

Cain did not deny the existence of God
He did not refuse to worship God
He simply failed to come to God on the basis of the atoning sacrificial shed blood of a lamb.
He wanted to come to God on his terms
He wanted to set the conditions for approaching God
Ultimately, he rejected God’s Word
All apostacy begins here

May you be encouraged and challenged by this study.

The post Jude vs 11 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Jude vs 8-10

Barry Forder — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 10:30:57 +0000

This study on Jude vs 8-10 was given by pastor Barry on 21st February 21 as part of Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s on-line family service.

Jude has been reminding his readers that it really does matter how you life your life as a Christian. Although your salvation is secure and guaranteed, your rewards and inheritance are not.

John says “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward”. (2 John vs 8).

Peter says that we should strive that we might have an ‘abundant entrance’ into Heaven (2 Peter :11).

Paul says that if we sow to the flesh, and spend our time and affections on worldly things (wood, hay and straw), we will still be saved (because Salivation is based solely on the completed work of Christ), but we ourselves will suffer loss when we stand before the Judgement seat of Christ (1 Cor 3:15 / Gal 6:7-8 / 2 Cor 5:10).

Jude has given us three examples to make his point:

1st Example

–Though saved from Egypt, those who did not believe all died in the wilderness and did not receive their inheritance

2nd Example

–The Angels who left their natural abode (though having been in the presence of God, became subject to His wrath and judgment

3rd Example

–The cities of Sodom & Gomorrah, though situated in the fertile plain of Jordan, ‘as beautiful as the Garden of Eden’ (Gen 13:10), were destroyed by God on account of their giving themselves over to immoral lusts.

The warning is given: those who give themselves over to the flesh will suffer loss.

In verses 8-10 Jude starts to detail just what those who are given over to worldly lust are really like.

The first characteristic is that they have no regard for authority, and even despise and mock those who are above them. The example Jude gives to illustrate this point however, must be one of the strangest remarks found in the Bible! In this study we explore what Jude was speaking of when he said: “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee”.

The conclusion and point Jude is making is clear. God takes the issue of authority (and the respect we should show toward it) very seriously. Whether it be order in a nation… – Romans 13:1

…order in the church – 1 Cor 14:40 / 1 Tim 3 / Titus 2 …order in the family – Titus 1:6 / Eph 6:1-4 or order in a marriage – 1 Cor 11 / Eph 5:23 / 1 Peter 3:1-7

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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Jude vs 6-7

Barry Forder — Sun, 14 Feb 2021 10:30:13 +0000

This study of Jude vs 6-7 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 14th February 2021 as part of Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s online family service.

Jude wanted to write a letter of encouragement, but found himself compelled by the Holy Spirit to write a letter of warning. As Jesus had foretold in Matthew 13, ‘tares’ had grown up in the early Christian church and there was a very real danger the true wheat would become entangled and, as a result, fail to produce the harvest they were called to. Jude writes to warn that God does not just sit idly by when people turn from walking in His statutes.

Sadly, this was not a one-time only event, and as Paul warned in 1 Timothy 4:1, ‘in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils’. Jude’s message is as much for today as it was for the early church.

In verses 5, 6 and 7, Jude gives three examples to ‘put us in remembrance’ that we can remove ourselves from God’s blessing, and just as with the Prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), we can forfeit our inheritance. Being ‘saved’ is not the cue to sit on our laurels and not care about how we live, although our salvation is secure in Christ, there is still much at stake.

Just as in Jude’s first example of the Children of Israel, they were saved from the bondage of Egypt (analogous to our live in bondage to sin before we came to Christ), but then the entire generation that left Egypt failed to receive the inheritance God had promised on account of their unbelief. They were all destroyed by God in the wilderness over the next 38 years.

Chuck Missler, in his book, The Kingdom, Power & Glory states: “What we do ‘after we have been born again’ affects our role, position, place & authority in the coming Millennial Kingdom. This kingdom is not heaven, but a literal, physical kingdom on earth where Jesus will reign for 1000 years. We acknowledge this kingdom, but don’t know the criteria required to inherit it. The truth “that not only our “rewards,” but our place of responsibility in that kingdom is being determined now; thus, there is an urgent need for a renewed recognition of our personal accountability. We must learn to be “partakers of Christ’s Life”– these are called “overcomers” or “faithful ones”. Overcoming means “victory over hostile powers.” Jesus is the real Overcomer. The only way we become an overcomer is by yielding ourselves to Him. Overcomers are not ‘perfect;’ they are just ones who make the right choices to go God’s way. David is an example: All believers will enter the kingdom; but only overcomers will inherit that kingdom (Heb.3:14; Rom.8:17; Matt.24:43, 47). Overcomers” (the faithful ones) will rule and reign there; the “overtaken” will simply dwell there (Rev.21:7; Matt.7:21). The deciding factor is how we live our lives here.”

In verse 6, Jude then gives the example of a specific group of fallen angles who removed themselves from their rightful place of privilege and blessing and gave themselves over to ‘the lust of the flesh’. In this study we explore who these angels were, why they fell, and what they did to provoke such divine wrath that it resulted in them being ‘chained in hell’ for thousands of years. However the point Jude is making is clear: even angels who had seen the majesty and glory of God, who had been with Him in Heaven, could lose their inheritance on account of giving in to carnal desires.

Jude’s final example is that of Sodom and Gomorrah. In just the same way as the angels he mentions, they also gave themselves over to unnatural affections, and the beautiful plain of Jordan, which was once as the Garden of Eden (Genesis 13:10), became a torched and arid wasteland on account of God’s judgment of their sin.

God is not mocked. What you do, how you think, what you allow into your life does matter. It will matter in eternity; it will matter in the Millennial kingdom; it matters now.

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

May you be challenged, blessed and encouraged by this study.

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Jude vs 1-5

Barry Forder — Sun, 07 Feb 2021 10:30:57 +0000

This study of Jude vs 1-5 was taught by Pastor Barry on 7th February 2021 as part of Calvary Portsmouth’s on-line family service.

Jude wanted to write to believers to encourage them in their faith, but there was a problem. People claiming to be Christians were spreading false teaching and living worldly lives – and telling others it was ok to do so because they were now saved, so you can live as you like.

So instead of letter of encouragement, Jude writes this short letter to remind Christians that it does matter how you live. You cannot go around living however you please. God has bought you with a price (the highest price of all – the blood of His Son), so we are to ‘honor God with our bodies and spirits’ – see 1 Corinthians 6:20.

Jude begins (humbly) by introducing himself as a bond-servant of Jesus and brother of James. Of course, he was actually the brother of Jesus! – but neither he or James ever refer to this, as if to use it as a mark of authority. The authority Jude and James have was because they were ‘in Christ’, not because they grew up in the same home in Nazareth.

Jude then reminds us that God is the One who is sanctifying us – in response to our faith (Acts 26:18), that Jesus is constantly watching over us, and that we have the privilege of being called to follow Him. Peter actually says we should ‘give diligence to make your calling and election sure’ (2 Peter 1:10). In other words, ‘You have been given a 2nd chance, you have been called by Jesus Himself – don’t blow your inheritance like the prodigal son or like Easu, by chasing after things to satisfy you merely on earth and not striving to take hold of all that you can have in Christ!’

Jude also reminds us that we have a ‘common salvation’. It is the same for the king as the pauper. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father but trough Him. There is salvation in no other way or no other Name, regardless of your rank, education, position in society or wealth. We are all sinners saved by His Grace.

Jude then urges us to fight for the faith, as if in a contest where there can be only one winner. Jude says in effect, ‘it is either the false teachers or the truth that will prevail. Don’t let them win!’ But that means you cannot just do nothing and leave it to someone else. The battle is not just in the media or government, it is in your work-place, in your children’s schools, in your home, even in your heart!

“I say this because some godless teachers have wormed their way in among you, saying that after we become Christians we can do just as we like without fear of God’s punishment. The fate of such people was written long ago, for they have turned against our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
My answer to them is: Remember this fact—which you know already—that the Lord saved a whole nation of people out of the land of Egypt and then killed every one of them who did not trust and obey him.” (Jude vs 4-5 The Living Bible)

This might come as a shock! (It should come as a shock!!). We have taught (and will continue to teach) that our salvation is secure, yet Jude uses the Israelites as an example of how we should not take our position for granted!

The children of Israel were delivered from slavery and bondage in Egypt (analogous to being saved from sin and born again), passed through the Red Sea, (analogous to baptism),

They were Redeemed (Ex 15:13 / Deut 21:8), Sanctified (Ex 31:13 / Lev 20:8), Converted (Psalm 19:7), In Grace (Ex 33:12-17 / Psalm 84:11) and had their names in the Book of Life (Ex 32:32-33)

…yet when they sinned through unbelief in the promises of God, they were cut off from God and lost their inheritance! (1 Cor 10:1-10).

The Bible is full of similar examples of individuals who ‘fell from Grace’ – including Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, two of only a very few people to have seen God! (Exodus 24:9-11) – yet they were both ‘cut off’ by God Himself (see Leviticus 10).

Paul told the Corinthians: “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall“. (1 Cor 10:12)

In speaking of how the Gentiles have been grafted into God’s family, Paul also says: “Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off”. (Romans 11:19-22)

Paul sums this up in Galatians 6:7-8 when he states: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting”.

May you be blessed, challenged and encouraged to walk closer with the LORD!

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3 John

Barry Forder — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 10:30:04 +0000

This study of 3 John was taught by pastor Barry on Sunday 31st Jan 2021 as part of Calvary Portsmouth’s on-line family service.

John’s 3rd epistle is written to his close friend Gaius. Although we know little of Gaius, it is clear the bond between him and John was strong. But not for natural reasons; it wasn’t that they just ‘hit it off’ or had things in common. That may all have been true, but this relationship was built on Christ. There is nothing more precious than friendship with a believer who stirs your heart toward Christ. Someone with whom the central topic of conversation is Jesus. Someone who ‘gets it’ and shares your passion for Christ, Someone who makes you want to be more like Jesus. That was evidently the bond between these two men.

John writes to encourage Gaius to continue showing love and hospitality to Christian preachers who would pass through, and who would need somewhere to stay for a few days. ‘Hotels’ in the first century were dangerous places, but John encourages Gaius to bless these brothers in Christ and so play his part in the furthering of the gospel. We all can do something to fulfil the Great Commission – to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations (Matt 28:19-20). You may not be called to the mission field; you may not see yourself as an evangelist (although that should never be used as an excuse to not share the gospel!), but you can support financially if you have the means, or like Gaius, show hospitality, or even simply pray! There is no excuse for doing nothing!

In contrast to Gaius loving and generous heart, John also writes of another individual in the church, Diotrephes. He had already rejected John’s apostolic authority and had no time for visiting preachers – and even threw out of ‘his church’ anyone who tried to show love and support to them!

Some years ago my parents had arranged for the late New Zealand evangelist Barry Smith to come and speak at a local leisure centre on a Saturday night. He was a wonderful godly man with a passion to see souls saved and taught powerfully about the reality and imminence of the LORD’s return. Hundreds of people attended the evening (many were saved!). He was then due to speak at the local Anglican church on the Sunday evening. However, the minister of the Anglican church attended the Saturday night event and at the end of the evening stood up and declared “I’m not having that man speak in my church!” Diotrephes was just like that. He did not want anyone to come and teach in his church, he did not want anyone to question his authority or what he was teaching. In truth, both the Anglican minister (renowned for watering down and undermining the authority of scripture) and Diotrephes were afraid of a challenge to their position, their ‘calling’.

But scripture tells us that perfect love casts out fear, and that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. If we are ‘In Christ’ we will have confidence in our calling, we will not fear man, for our trust will be in God. We will not be intent on defending ourselves or constantly trying to vindicate ourselves. It is not our ministry or our church, it’s His!

Are you ordained? It’s a question I’ve heard a number of times. But the question is not ‘have you been ordained by men’ but ‘have you been ordained by God’! Gaius was clearly ordained of God, Diotrephes was not!

If we are ordained to ministry in Christ, if we are in His will (and that’s the key – to be in His will, not our own) we will know that He has called us (we will not be afraid if someone challenges us), He makes us stand (it’s His Gospel not our agenda we are to proclaim), He sustains us (it is not our natural resources that we are relying on), He provides for us (it is not our education or wisdom that got us here in the first place!), He guides us (it is not our 5-step church-planting growth-plan that we are following!), He protects us and deals with all who would be against us. It is not our battle, it is His!

The lessons are clear: Be ‘in-Christ’, walk with Him, show love and hospitality to your brothers and sisters in Christ and do all you can to further the preaching of the Gospel to a lost and dying world in the days we have left before Jesus comes!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study. (PowerPoint slides used for this study are available for free download).

For the record, Barry Smith was subsequently invited speak at a local Baptist church on the Sunday instead! Barry Smith is now home in Heaven with his LORD, having no doubt heard those words “Well done good and faithful servant!”.

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2 John

Barry Forder — Sun, 24 Jan 2021 10:30:31 +0000

This teaching on 2nd John was given by pastor Barry Forder on 24th January 2021 as part of Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s on-line family service.

In this study we consider a largely unconsidered possibility as to the intended recipient of this short but powerful letter.

Many assume John was writing to the Church in general, or possibly to the local congregation. Others suggest that an unknown lady, but evidently respected at that time, was whom John wrote to.

But there is another possibility, one that sheds light on why John would write this letter in the first place.

Again, many assume 2nd John to be largely a repetition of 1st John, but the Holy Spirit has no need to repeat Himself. Instead, this letter is full of life and significance – not only 2000 years ago, but also to us today.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 John ch5

Barry Forder — Sun, 17 Jan 2021 10:30:41 +0000

This teaching on 1 John ch 5 was given by pastor Barry on 17th January 2021.

In this final chapter, John writes to remind us of the solid foundation we have for our faith – namely Jesus Christ. God Himself testified at Christ’s baptism and at the Cross that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the One who can save people from their sins. He is perfect God and perfect man in one; God manifest in the flesh.

Because we know this truth (confirmed in our hearts by the holy Spirit) we also have assurance of eternal life – an eternal life we (as Christians) are already living now!

John again exhorts us to keep His commandments, which we will do naturally if we love Him.

In this study we also address the subject of the authority of the Bible as God’s complete word to mankind. There has been centuries of controversy over verse 7 & 8, with many claiming that verse 8 in particular is a later addition, not found in the ‘most reliable’, or ‘most authoritative’ manuscripts. The NIV study Bible claims that it is not found in any manuscript before the 16th century! The vindication for verse 8 comes not from the early Christian writes who quoted it (or which there were many), nor from the early manuscripts (of which there are enough to convince any honest enquirer), rather the vindication comes from a early 2nd century sceptic who wrote a satirical work – within 50 years of John’s letter – in which he uses 1 John 5:7-8 as his source – thus demonstrating it was part of the original text as written by John.

Why is this important? Because as Irwin H. Linton said;

“The infallibility of the record upon which rest the eternal essentials of our faith – the deity of Christ, His voluntary, atoning death, bodily resurrection and impending return in power and glory – are all rendered uncertain in a mind in which the accuracy of the Bible record is in doubt.”

We should be in no doubt that what we read in scripture (as long as we are using a good translation) is what God had preserved so that we, through the patience and comfort of the scripture, might have an unwavering and unshakeable hope!

Just as John had previously told us that God is light, he concludes his letter by telling us that Jesus is also Life. Eternal life is in Jesus.

This is why John writes, that we might know we have eternal life, and that life is in God’s Son.

May you be encouraged and blessed by this study.

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1 John ch4

Barry Forder — Sun, 10 Jan 2021 10:30:34 +0000

This study on 1 John 4 was given by pastor Barry on the 10th January 2021 as part of Calvary Portsmouth’s on-line family service.

In this chapter John reminds us again that false prophets have come, and will continue to deceive until the finally global deception is unveiled in the person of Antichrist.

The world is being conditioned right now to unconditionally accept a global leader who will bring peace and order out of the world’s chaos. Covid 19 is proving to be an interesting test case for what is to come. The world is more ready than ever before to do away with cash and move to electronic payment – something that will become compulsory under Antichrist’s regime. We are becoming all too familiar with having someone point a digital thermometer at our hand or head to check our temperature; we are also used to the idea of ‘track and trace’ to keep tabs on where we have been and who we might have come into contact with. How long do you suppose it will be before all of these things are combined into some form of implant, in the right and or forehead, that will track and trace, take our temperature, and be able to be used as currency – it would be a lot easier and safer to scan your hand or forehead and would prevent almost all fraud! Yet the Bible says that all this – regardless how practical and good it might sound to many – will usher in a system where all the world will be required to worship Antichrist. Those who do will forfeit their chance of eternity with God, leaving just one other option.

John then goes on to remind believers that God has shown His incredible love to us – as undeserving as we were – so we in response should freely show our love for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. His Holy Spirit places within us the Love of God and it should simply overflow to those around us.

1 Corinthians 13 is considered the chapter on Love in the NT, yet 1 John 4 should be considered a contender!

27x in this chapter John speaks of Love
In verse 10 John will give us the definition of Love, and it is diametrically opposed to the world’s view!

It is unconditional giving to another without thought of what you will get in return.

We say “I love you” and we mean, “I love how you make me feel” – or “I love what you do for me”
True love says: “I love what I can do for you! I love how I can bless you”

John also makes that point that no one has seen God (v12). This echoes what we read in John 1:18: “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him”.

Yet in Genesis 18:20-33, Abraham has a face to face conversation with God. In Genesis 32:24-30, Jacob not only sees God face to face, he wrestles with Him all night. In Exodus 24:9-11 Moses and the elders of Israel go up the mount, see God, and eat and drink in His presence! Later, Moses specifically asks God if he can see Him, God obliges on the condition that Moses can only see the ‘after glow’ of God’s presence as He passes by. Later, Joshua, Gideon, Samson’s parents and others see God, and their lives are spared. So how do we reconcile this issue?

The key is found in John chapter 4, verse 24. There we read: “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” As a spirit being, God does not have a physical body. Physical objects are part of this order of things; ‘In the beginning (time), God created the heavens (space) and the earth (matter)’ (Gen 1:1). Before this, there was no time, no space and no matter. All three came into existence when God began His work of creation. It is therefore impossible for us, in this present order of things to see a God who ‘inhabits eternity’.

There will come a time when we will see Him…

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2)

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” (1 Cor 13:12)

Thus, no man has seen God as He truly is. For now, God has chosen to reveal Himself through physical manifestations as noted in the scriptures above. Jesus Christ is the ultimate (and final) physical manifestation of God. It is important to note that Father, Son and Spirit, all existed before the beginning, before matter. The Son did not ‘come into being’ at the point of conception with Mary; the Son has always existed, and has always enjoyed a relationship with the Father and the Spirit. For God’s purposes, the Son became a man (became flesh) and dwelt among us to declare the Father to us; to be a ‘lamp to our feet & a light to our path’ (thy Word is… Psalm 119:105), and to ultimately show us God.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The audio and PowerPoint slides used in this teaching are available for free download.

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1 John ch 3

Barry Forder — Sun, 03 Jan 2021 10:30:08 +0000

This teaching on 1 John ch 3 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 3rd January 2020 as part of Calvary Portsmouth’s online family service.

John gives us 5 key reasons for writing his 1^st Epistle:

- That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us 1:3
- And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 1:4
- these things write I unto you, that ye sin not 2:1
- These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. 2:26
- These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 5:13

As we move into chapter 3 John builds on all of these and starts by reminding us of the incredible, unconditional love that God has for us, that we have been adopted and given the position of the firstborn son – who would inherit a double blessing. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God”.

The Greek word for ‘bestowed’ implies that God was obligated to give us what was due to us! This is incredible! For we did not earn or merit God’s love, Christ did; and in return for our sin (which Jesus took upon Himself), we were given His position and so the Father gives us what was earned by Christ!

John want’s us to be assured of this position we now have in Christ, so 7x reminds us of things we should by now know:

We know when He appears, we shall be like Him v2
We know He was manifested to take away our sins v5
We know we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren v14
We know that one who hates (or does not love his brother) does not have eternal life within him v15
We know that He loves us because He laid down His life for us v16
We know that are of the truth if our love is shown by our deeds v18-19
We know that He abides in us though His Spirit if we keep His commandments v24

Along with this assurance John tells us of 5 ‘actions’ that elicit a response:

If we have hope that He will appear again:
- we will purify ourselves (live a pure life in heart & mind) v3
If we abide in Him:
- we will not sin v6
If we are born of God
- we will not (habitually) sin v9
Because He laid down His life for us:
- we should be willing to lay down our lives for the brethren v16
If our heart is clean:
- we will not fear God’s gaze v21

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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5 Reasons to Praise God

Barry Forder — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 10:30:06 +0000

This study was taught by pastor Barry Forder on the 27th December 2020.

After a turbulent year this is a timely reminder that we have many reasons to keep praising and trusting God.

In this study we look at just 5 reasons we should be praising God:

“Blessed be the Lord – your deliver” – we are saved!

Exodus 18:10

“Blessed be the Lord which has not left thee without a kinsman” – God is a God who can restore the years we have lost

Ruth 4:14

“Blessed be the Lord which sent thee to meet me” – God keeps us from making stupid mistakes by His grace and leading of His Spirit

1 Sam 25:32

“He gives & takes away – Blessed be the Lord” – The LORD knows what is best for us and is good and goes good.

Job 1:21

“Blessed be the Lord for he has heard” – The LORD knows what we ae going through – He is still in control.

Psalm 28:6

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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Why Magi?

Barry Forder — Sun, 20 Dec 2020 10:30:11 +0000

This teaching was given by pastor Barry Forder on 20th December as part of our Christmas 2020 series.

Last week we looked at why God would send seemingly obscure shepherds to see Jesus at the time of His birth.

Far from being a random choice, we noted that the shepherds on this hills around Bethlehem had a very specific job – namely to inspect lambs that would be later offered in sacrifice 8 miles away in Jerusalem. They came to confirm that Jesus was indeed the perfect Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world.

With that in mind, we now ask the question: Why Magi?

Why would God choose to send a group of people hundreds of miles, from another county? More to the point, why would a group of people from another country agree to travel hundreds of miles, bringing gifts, to see a small child?

In this study we look at the truth behind the tradition.

Who were the Magi?
What significance did they have?
How many of them were there really?
Why does the world believe there were only 3?
What evidence do we have that they actually visited Bethlehem?
When did they arrive in Jerusalem?
Why was Herod and all Jerusalem shaken at their arrival?

What few people seem to have realised was that some 600 years before, Daniel, whilst in Babylon, had been made the head of this Persian priestly group known as ‘Magi’. Seemingly, Daniel revealed some secrets to them that had been handed down for generations – secrets concerning a king who was to be born ‘king of the Jews’.

All the more poignant is the fact that, because of their supposed ability to see the future, one of the Magi’s principle responsibilities was to appoint kings.

Just as the shepherds arrived to confirm that Jesus was the perfect Lamb, the Magi arrived to appoint Jesus as the King of the Jews.

Around 600 before they arrived, the ‘crown’ of Israel had literally been taken to Babylon as the final king of Israel – Zedekiah – was taken away captive by Nebuchadnezzar. Now, the Magi bring the crown back and appoint the one whom their chief (Daniel) had declared would have an everlasting dominion!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The PowerPoint slides used in this study are available for free download.

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Why Shepherds?

Barry Forder — Sun, 13 Dec 2020 10:30:17 +0000

This teaching was given by pastor Barry on 13th December as part of our 2020 Christmas Studies.

Why shepherds?

Have you ever wondered? Of all those who could have been invited to see Jesus as He lay in the manger, why did God chose shepherds?

As we study the Bible we begin to realise there are no meaningless details.

Far from being a random choice, we discover there is much more hidden in the Christmas story that centuries of tradition as sadly obfuscated.

Shepherds were considered outcasts in 1st century Israel, so some say God chose them because He loves to choose the week things of the world to shame the wise.

Others say it was so news of Jesus’ birth could spread far and wide by people who had nothing to lose. But, if that were so, the Shepherds failed in their mission as the news of a ‘new born king’ didn’t even make it 8 miles up the road to Jerusalem, where Herod, a particularly nervous and uneasy Idumean, appointed by Rome, sat on the throne of Israel as if it were his. When Herod did find out, as Magi from Babylonia arrived en masse in Jerusalem looking for this rightful King of Israel Herod proverbially lost it!

Did you know that the prophet Micah foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem? Quite probably, as it’s a scripture read each year at Christmastime:

“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah,
though thou be little among the thousands of Judah,
yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel;
whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2)

But did you know that Micah, just 7 verse before, foretold the exact location, and it was to be a shepherds lookout tower on outskirts of Bethlehem?

“And thou, O tower of the flock,
the strong hold of the daughter of Zion,
unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion;
the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem”. (Micah 4:8)

This tower at Migdal Edar (which is the words translated as ‘tower of the flock”) was not only used by shepherds as a lookout to keep an eye on their sheep to protect them from thieves and predators, it was also used as a lambing room, where new-born lambs could be born away from the ravages of the cold night air. At the base of this tower was an natural depression in the rock the shepherds call the ‘manger’. It would be in there they would lay the new-born lambs.

But, significantly, these were not ordinary shepherds, and their sheep no ordinary sheep. All the sheep on the hills around Bethlehem were for one purpose; to be offered as sacrifices in the Temple in Jerusalem.

“Every day, according to the Torah, two lambs were required for a daily sacrifice in the Temple, meaning that 730 were needed each year plus the tens of thousands more lambs needed for Pesach (Passover) as well as for the other religious rituals”. – Harold Smith

For a lamb to be used as an offering it had to be without blemish. To protect it, the shepherds would wrap it in old priestly garments cut into strips, known as swaddling bands, to stop it kicking and thrashing about and damaging itself.

According to the Talmud, all sheep found in the area “from Jerusalem as far as Migdal Eder” [Bethlehem] were deemed to be holy and consecrated
They could only be used for sacrifices in the temple… in particular, for the Peace offerings and Passover sacrifices.

These shepherd’s primary duty was to inspect these lamb’s and confirm they were without blemish and able to be used as sacrificial lambs. It was their job to approve the lambs to be offered in Jerusalem to atone for sin!

“Luke’s original audience would have immediately picked up on the religious significance of the Bethlehem shepherds watching their flocks by night”
“Aware of the Tanakh (Old Testament) and the Jewish Temple worship of the day, they would have known that when you said Bethlehem, you said “sacrificial lambs”. The hills around Bethlehem were home to the thousands of lambs used in ritual worship in the Temple”. – Harold Smith

For 1st Century Christians: Hearing that Yeshua was born in Bethlehem would have automatically triggered an image of the Lamb of YHVH who takes away the sin [of the World].
With that in mind, it’s easy for us to imagine one of Luke’s listeners saying, ‘Of course the Lamb of YHVH would originate in Bethlehem – all the lambs for sacrifice came from there. –Harold Smith

This is why, of all people, God sent these shepherds (without any directions), not to a stable, but to see a baby lying in a manger – their manger!

Jesus, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

The PowerPoint slides used in this study are available for free download.

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1 John ch2 14-29

Barry Forder — Sun, 06 Dec 2020 10:30:30 +0000

This teaching on 1 John ch2 vs. 14-29 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 6th December 2020 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s on-line family service.

In this chapter John plainly states that if you are content (and find no real problem) with this world and the things of this world, if you are ‘given over’ to this world, you cannot at the same time be given over to God. You cannot serve two masters. Either God is your real love, so that you gladly forsake worldly gain for the infinitely better reward of a relationship with Him, or you put God to one side and love this world – a world that John reminds us is all going to be burnt up.

What matters most to you? Your career? Your material possessions? Your hobbies? Your football team? Your favorite TV soap or Netflix? Your friends or even your family?

Jesus said: “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” – Matthew 10:31

John then goes on to warn that false Christ’s will come – and are already around us, offering us alternative ways to ‘God’. These are just to forerunner to the Wicked One who is coming who will deceive the would world.

Deception will abound. Our only safeguard against deception is to abide in Jesus so that we can hear the gentle tender leading of His Holy Spirit.

These may be days full of challenges, there may be some difficult decisions to make, relationship and friendships that have to be severed, habits that must be broken, but there is the promise of reward and blessing greater than any of us can begin to imagine!

John’s message is to hold on! There is not much longer to wait!

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1 John ch2 1-13

Barry Forder — Sun, 29 Nov 2020 10:30:16 +0000

This teaching on 1 John 2: 1-13 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 29th November 2020 as part of Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s on-line family service.

In this 2nd chapter, John continues to explain his reason for writing, firstly ‘that you sin not’, but then assures us that if we do sin as believers, we have an advocate, a legal representative in the courtroom of heaven who will plead our case before the throne of God. On the other side of the courtroom stands Satan, ‘the accuser of the brethren’ (Rev 12:10), who reals off all the lies, adulterous and murderous thoughts, bitterness and more that we are guilty of. But when Satan has finished presenting his case against us, Jesus steps forward and holding out His nail-pierced hands, declares to the courtroom that His own blood was shed on the cross, so that He who knew no sin became all of the sins we have ever committed. In exchange we have been given the righteousness of Jesus – the sinless Son of God. Satan’s case for the prosecution immediately collapses and we are declared ‘Not guilty!’ by Heaven’s eternal court!

John then goes on to remind us that our love for God is being perfected as we walk in His Word:

A Christian no longer loves sin as he once did.
A Christian no longer brags about his sin as he once did.
A Christian no longer plans to sin as he once did.
A Christian no longer fondly remembers his sin as he once did.
A Christian never fully enjoys his sin as he once did.
A Christian no longer is comfortable in habitual sin as he once was.

“The Christian no longer loves sin; it is the object of his sternest horror: he no longer regards it as a mere trifle, plays with it, or talks of it with unconcern… Sin is dejected in the Christian’s heart, though it is not ejected. Sin may enter the heart, and fight for dominion, but it cannot sit upon the throne.” (Spurgeon)

John then highlights 4 stages of our Christians walk:

1# Little Children – those who are newly born again – the Greek word Teknia has more of an emphasis on a child’s relationship of dependence on a parent. This is a natural stage of our spiritual growth – but we should not remain here! Paul rebuked the Corinthian Christians that they were still on milk and had not progressed to solid food yet! (1 Cor 3:2). We often laugh as the character and characteristics of a baby – but if they are still behaving the same way when they are a teenager, it’s no longer funny!

2# Fathers – those who are spiritually mature – David Guzik comments: “These are men and women of deep, long spiritual standing. They have the kind of walk with God that doesn’t come overnight. These are like great oak trees in the Lord, that have grown big and strong through the years”.

3# Young Men – “These are men and women who are no longer little children, but still not yet fathers. They are the “front-line” of God’s work among His people. They are engaged in battle with the wicked one. We don’t send our little children out to war, and we don’t send our old men to the front lines. The greatest effort, the greatest cost, and the greatest strength are expected of the young men. Nevertheless, it is imperative that the older men and women take care and spiritual oversight for the young men and women in a fellowship. Paul told Timothy that the older men should care for and be an example for the younger men and that older women should be an example of godliness to the younger women.

4# Young Children – the Greek word John uses here is paidia has more of an emphasis on a child’s immaturity and need for instruction. The formative years of a child’s life are unquestionably important and will shape the kind of person they will be later in life. People young in the faith need good solid Bible teaching and to have a good grounding in scripture. “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word“. (Psalm 119:9). “It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him” (Lamentations 3:26-28).

John then concludes by giving specific admonition to the ‘Fathers’ and ‘Young men’:

“And so I say to you fathers who know the eternal God, and to you young men who are strong with God’s Word in your hearts, and have won your struggle against Satan: 15 Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love these things you show that you do not really love God” – TLB

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 John ch1

Barry Forder — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 10:30:13 +0000

This 1st study in our verse by verse journey through 1 John was recorded on 22nd November 2020 as part of our on-line family service.

John was called by Jesus, probably in his late teenage years, to leave the family fishing business on the shores of Galilee and follow Jesus, a Jewish Rabbi, and become his disciple. Little could John have known what the next 70 years of his life would bring.

His family had sufficient means to have hired servants (Mark 1:20) and he was personally known by the High Priest of Israel. He and his brother, James, were known as the ‘sons of thunder’ (Mark 3:17) and had great aspirations (Mark 10:34) – they were clearly no pushovers. Yet John was called to leave all of this and later is given the name ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’, or ‘John the beloved’.

What can bring about such a change? Only a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

John writes his 1st epistle, not to an individual, but to the whole Church, and states clearly his intention:

–“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us” 1:3

–“And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full”. 1:4

–“these things write I unto you, that ye sin not” 2:1

–“These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you”. 2:26

–“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God”. 5:13

John also gives a very simple 7-fold test to see if our faith and relationship with God are genuine:

1) Do you walk in the Light ? 1:6

–“He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now”.

2) Do you admit you are a sinner? 1:8

–“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”.

3) Do you obey God’s Commandment? 2:4

–“He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him”.

4) Do you imitate Christ? 2:6

–“He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked”.

5) Do you love others? 2:9

–“He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now”.

6) Do you still love the world? 2:15

–“If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him”.

7) Does your life prove Christ is Righteous? 2:29

–“If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that everyone that doeth righteousness is born of him”.

John writes because he wants us to know, to be in no doubt of who Jesus is, of what He has done, and of the joy we can have through constant abiding fellowship with God and other believers because of Jesus.

May you be blessed and encouraged by these studies.

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The Inheritance of The Saints

Barry Forder — Sun, 15 Nov 2020 10:30:19 +0000

This topical study on The Inheritance of the Saints was given by pastor Barry Forder on 15th November 2020.

Paul tells us in Colossians 1 v12 that those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ have not only been saved from God’s wrath and had their sins washed away, but they also automatically qualify to receive an inheritance. It is not an earthly inheritance, that might bring some temporal gain, but as Peter tells us, it is “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4).

Although seldom discussed, the New Testament is full of allusions to this inheritance, and Jesus Himself spoke, not only the treasure we should seek to lay up in Heaven (which will be the reward for our labour – see Matt 6:19-21), but also of receiving abundantly if we are willing to give up the right to our own lives and live for His glory (see Matthew 25:28-29 / Mark 10:28-31).

May this study stir up your hearts and minds and encourage you to live your life for Jesus Christ in the days that remain…

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2 Peter Ch3

Barry Forder — Sun, 08 Nov 2020 10:30:30 +0000

This final study in Peter’s second letter (ch3) was given by pastor Barry Forder on 8th November 2020.

In this chapter Peter underlines his reason for writing – namely to stir up your pure minds and to get you to remember:

What you have been saved from – (we were in darkness and given over to the lusts and desires of the flesh)
What you have been saved for – (you are to be a Royal Priesthood & Holy nation to show forth His praise!),
The certainty of our faith – (it is based on real events recorded by eyewitnesses and furthermore we have the undeniable proof of fulfilled prophecy)
Jesus is coming back – soon!
The material world around us is temporary and will all be burnt up
What you have awaiting you – the new heavens and new earth

However, Peter warns that in the last days people would scoff at the idea of Jesus returning, would deny that God is Creator, and would reject that there was once a worldwide flood to judge the earth.

In effect their argument will be that, because their perception is that apocalyptic events don’t happen (in their experience), they could not have happened in the past and the idea of divine judgment will not occur in the future.

To this Peter says they are ‘willingly ignorant’. Chuck Missler points out that this shows they have made a decision to not believe – not because there is insufficient evidence, but because they don’t want to accept it.

They would rather carry on in their own lusts – lusts for power and position, lusts for recognition and accolades, lusts to been seen as being intellectually superior. The notion of a God who will bring Judgment is unacceptable to them.

Despite the overwhelming evidence that we live in a universe that screams of many cataclysmic events, James Hutton, around the turn of the 19th century, proposed the now commonly accepted and taught view of uniformitarianism – ‘the past is the key to the present’ / ‘nothing changes, everything carries on as it always has’. He countered the then popular view Neptunism theory espoused by Abraham Werner et al which claimed that rocks had originated from a great flood and were basically sedimentary in origin – much as the Bible taught.

Within a few years Hutton’s ideas were picked up and championed by James Lyell, who wrote the infamous ‘Principle of Geology’ which in a stroke eradicated the writings of Moses in the minds of the worlds academia. There was now an alternative explanation of the history of the world that didn’t have to include the God of the Bible (and the personal moral challenge that entailed).

It just so happened that a young Charles Darwin was given a copy of Lyell’s book as he set out on his voyage on the Beagle. This changed his thinking and gave him a ‘millions of years’ framework from which would come his theory of evolution.

Thus Peter – and the Word of God – were proven right! Scoffers have come and they now do deny that Jesus will return, that He is Creator, and that there was once a worldwide flood.

In this study we look at some of the clear evidence that shows the geologic column – the backbone to ‘millions of years’ – is pure fabrication. Without it the theories of Hutton, Lyell and Darwin come crashing down.

Peter concludes by asking; “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be?”

The answer is simple, we must be holy and Godly as we expectantly wait for Christ’s return which will usher in the end of this age and bring in ‘everlasting righteousness’!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

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2 Peter Ch2 10-22

Barry Forder — Sun, 01 Nov 2020 10:30:15 +0000

This study on 2 Peter 2:10-22 was given by Pastor Barry on 1st November 2020 as part of our Sunday morning on-line service.

In this study, Peter builds on the warning he has been giving regarding false teachers in the church. Peter says that they will come, and will deceive many!

Here he paints a picture of what they are like, and how the two main characteristic are their love of personal gain – be it position or material reward, and their disrespect and disregard for authority. Paul warned Timothy that in the last days there would be so-called teachers who would teach what people want to hear (2 Tim 4:3) – rather than speaking the truth in love.

The media is an unbridled power in today’s world, forming opinion rather than informing it. Sadly, from the Pope in Rome to the ‘average’ Christian in the street, political correctness and popular opinion seem to have more sway than the unchanging Word of God.

Peter’s message is clear: Jesus is coming back soon; we should be living lives that evidence we have been changed by His Grace. We must be on our guard against those with ‘great swelling words of vanity’ that might make us feel good, but would lead us back into a life dominated by the lusts of the flesh.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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2 Peter Ch2 1-9

Barry Forder — Sun, 25 Oct 2020 10:30:21 +0000

This teaching on 2 Peter 2:1-9 was given by pastor Barry Forder on the 25th October 2020 – as part of Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s online family service.

In these verses Peter expands on two critical things that he had alluded to in his first letter. Firstly, we are heading into a time of deception greater than at any other time in history – and much of this deception will come from within the church. The second warning concerns a flagrant disregard for authority, whether that be in the home, in the nation or toward God. The example Peter gives to underline the second point is one that, probably, less than one church in one hundred will acknowledge, and even less will be willing to teach. The example is of the angels that, in Genesis 6 we are told, left their proper abode and indulged in physical relationships with the women on the Earth in the time before the flood. Their act was ‘self willed’, presumptuous, and demonstrated a complete disregard for authority. In this study we explore this bizarre event in more detail, but the important point Peter is making is that the world is becoming more and more unrighteous, and one of the key markers is people’s attitude to authority and their care-free ‘well if I want to I’ll do it’ attitude. Today, much of this is fueled by the media which presumes it has to answer to no one and shows complete distain toward government and authority.

Returning to Peter’s first point, Jesus, Paul, John and Peter all clearly warn that there will be many ‘false prophets’ as we get nearer to Jesus’ return. They will deny the basis of the atonement and bring in countless false teachings that will deceive many. So powerful and persuasive will be their messages that those who hold to ‘the faith once delivered to the saints’ (i.e. true Biblical Christianity) will be not just frowned upon, they will be accused of ‘hate crimes’.

A gloomy message? Not really. Peter says all of this to remind us that God is just and judgment is coming! “The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of trials, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished”.

May you be challenged, encouraged and blessed by this teaching.

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2 Peter Ch1 19-21

Barry Forder — Sun, 18 Oct 2020 10:30:56 +0000

This teaching by Pastor Barry on Biblical Prophecy was recorded as part of our journey through 2nd Peter on 18th October 2020.

In the previous verses Peter has made the point that he did not make this up; it wasn’t just an elaborate plot to come up with a story to sell books in the 1st Century!

Peter tells us he was an eye witness of the things he has written about. He was there, along with James, John, Matthew and the other disciples.

Peter even gives us the inside story on the events that occurred on the top of Mt Hermon* when just Jesus, James, John and himself climbed up and there they saw Jesus literally start glowing! Then Moses and Elijah turn up, and to cap it all, they then hear God’s voice. An experience like that should be enough to make a believer out of anyone! A few days before, Peter had declared that Jesus was the Messiah – the Son of God. Now, any questions he might’ve had evaporated in an instance as he gets a glimpse of Jesus glorified.

It is often that way for us. It is not until after we make a profession of faith that we get to really see Jesus as he is.

But what about the sceptics, then and now? What about those who didn’t get to go to the top of the mountain? How can they be expected to believe? Even if they have the testimony from eyewitnesses (as we looked at and documented in last week’s study) to confirm all that the Gospels records is true, how can people – especially today in our science-driven fact based world?

Well, Peter doesn’t gloss over our sceptic friends and their need for evidence. In fact Peter in these three verses presents something he says is even more substantial, even more robust, and provides undeniable proof that Jesus really is the Messiah and that the Bible is God’s Word to mankind!

People say ‘you can’t prove the Bible’, ‘you can’t prove the existence of God’. Wrong! We can, and Peter tells us that we can do it through Prophecy. It is undeniable, freely accessible to all to investigate and verify, and provides great and stronger proof than for anything else in the entire universe!

The slides used in this study are attached and are free us use.

May you be astounded, blessed and encouraged by this study! – but most importantly, may you put your trust in Jesus like never before!

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2 Peter Ch2 16-18

Barry Forder — Sun, 11 Oct 2020 10:30:32 +0000

This teaching on 2 Peter 1:16-18 was given by Pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s on-line service on 11th October 2020.

Verse 16 is a powerful rebuttal to all those who would claim the Bible is a myth or just made-up stories; for here we have an eyewitness testifying to the truthfulness of the Biblical record. He was there, he saw these things with his own eyes. This is not some second-hand account or here-say.

In this study we look at just some of the compelling evidence that shows the Biblical record is not a work of fiction full of historical inaccuracies as those who have never bothered to study claim. The historical accuracy of the Bible has been vindicated time and again.

But that then leads to the big question. What are you going to do with it?

If the Bible really is true, if it is the Word of God to His creation, it demands a response.

In these verses Peter alludes to an experience he had atop a mountain in Israel – an experience that would change the course of his life; for a few days later he was faced with the most important question of all time – not just to Peter to but to us all – Jesus asked: “Who do you say I am?”

Your answer to that question will determine your eternal destiny and how you live your life now.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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2 Peter Ch1 5-15

Barry Forder — Sun, 04 Oct 2020 10:30:16 +0000

This study of 2 Peter 1: 5-15 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 4th October 2020 at Calvary Portsmouth’s online family service.

Peter told us in v4 that we have been given ‘exceeding great and precious promises’, and that by holding onto these (much like you would a life-raft if you were lost at sea), we can escape the constant lure and pull of the world to confirm to its ways and thoughts, always craving some new thing that is supposed to satisfy that endless itch!

Of course, nothing satisfies other than an abiding relationship with Jesus Christ.

Peter now gives us a list of 8 attributes that should be found in the character of a true follower of Jesus. The list itself is given as a progression that we should grow into as we mature in our Christian walk.

Peter starts with Faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God, for we must believe that God is who He says He is, and that He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, supplying all that we need according to His riches. If we have Faith (and Paul tells us in Romans that God has given to all me a measure of Faith), that Faith should be the catalyst to compel us to live a morally upright and Virtuous life. Next we are to add Knowledge. True knowledge comes from reading God’s Word as we learn to discern between the physical and spiritual, and as we begin to grasp God’s amazing plan of Salvation and Sanctification through Grace. Next comes Temperance, “self-control (the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, esp. his sensual appetites)”. This can only be done through the indwelling Holy Spirit which is why we need Knowledge before Temperance can become a reality in our lives. Then Peter tells us that a true Christian, (after they have inevitably attempted temperance in their own strength and failed!), is to add Patience. This is the Biblical quality of learning to wait on the LORD, rest in the LORD and hope in the LORD, knowing that you cannot add a cubit to your stature or a single hair to your head! As we grow in Grace we will also become more God-like viz. Godliness – such that others will see God’s nature in us. When we have learned these things we are to add Brotherly Kindness, understanding that we really are family in Christ with all those who have put their trust in Him. For brotherly kindness to be real we need faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience and Godliness!

Finally Peter reaches the pinnacle and tells us that all of this is kept in place by the cap-stone, unconditional Love.

“Add to your faith virtue: We begin our life with God with faith, but faith progresses into virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love – love being the capstone of all God’s work in us. (David Guzik)

For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

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2 Peter Ch1 1-4

Barry Forder — Sun, 27 Sep 2020 10:30:04 +0000

This teaching was given by pastor Barry Forder on 27th September 2020 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s on-line family service.

In this study we begin an exploration of Peter’s second letter.

Peter writes with authority, not from pride or human ego, but from a place of humility, knowing that he has willingly surrendered himself to be a bond-slave of Jesus Christ, and that he had been personally called and commissioned by Jesus Himself.

7x in the first chapter of this epistle Peter speaks of ‘knowledge’. Christian’s are not to be (or should not be!) ignorant of:

God, His nature & character
His plan of salvation through Jesus
How to live a godly life
Why to live a godly life
The fruit that our lives should produce
Our eternal rewards that await us
The short time we have to fulfil the ministries we have been given
The certainty of our faith and the solid basis we have for believing
The importance of prophecy

Peter tells us that if we are to overcome the lust that is in the world (i.e. the craving for things we think will satisfy us or meet a need we think we have), it will be done by taking hold of the promises God has given us.

Some of the key promises we have been given are:

Promise #1 John 10:27-29 –Through faith in Jesus your eternal salvation is assured

Promise #2 Colossians 2:13-14 –Your sins are forgiven and wiped clean because of the cross

Promise # 3 Hebrews 9:14 –Your conscience is also cleansed – setting you free!

Promise # 4 Romans 8:15-17 –You are now adopted and part of God’s own family

Promise #5 1 John 3:1 –You have been given the place & position of the 1st born

Promise #6 1 Peter 1:4 –You have an inheritance that is incorruptible awaiting you

Promise #7 John 15:16 –You have been chosen by God to be used by Him to produce good fruit!

Promise #8 2 Timothy 2:13 – God is faithful – even if at times we are unfaithful

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 Peter Ch5 5-14

Barry Forder — Sun, 20 Sep 2020 10:30:52 +0000

This teaching on 1 Peter 5 vs 5-14 was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth on 20th September 2020.

In this final study of Peter’s first letter, Peter closes his instructions on order within the church by encouraging the spiritually younger believers to submit to those with greater spiritual maturity.

That is not to say that those young in the faith have nothing to contribute, on the contrary, every part of the body is of equal importance, but God is the one who calls, raises up and enables. Enthusiasm is no substitute for calling! – just look at the account of Moses in Exodus 2:11-14 when he set about trying to deliver his people by his own efforts compared to his reaction when God actually called him to do this in Exodus 3:11.

Before God can use us we must come to the place where we get to the end of our natural resources, our own ability, our own sense of self importance, and come to the place of complete dependence on God. Zeal is good! The message of the Gospel is life changing and should be proclaimed, but just as with Peter’s admonition to submit to the government and those in authority, and for for employees to submit to employers, and wives to submit to the own husbands, so Peter is clear that the spiritually younger are to submit to the spiritually older.

Peter is speaking from experience (as he does with everything he says). Peter had been ready to do battle with the Jewish leaders and the whole Roman army if necessary, when he drew his sword in Gethsemane. Peter had boldly declared “Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death” (Luke 22:33). Within a matter of hours, Peter had denied even knowing Jesus to a young girl in a courtyard around a fire.

In regard to ministry it is very simple. Wait on the LORD, He will raise you up in His timing. Do not despise the day of small beginnings (Zech 4:10), sometimes we are so keen to get somewhere (a promotion or position we feel we deserve or have earned) we forget that it is on the journey so much of our leaning and growing is done.

Oswald Chambers said: “We are apt to imagine that if Jesus Christ constrains us, and we obey Him, He will lead us to great success. We must never put our dreams of success as God’s purpose for us; His purpose may be exactly the opposite. We have an idea that God is leading us to a particular end, a desired goal; He is not. The question of getting to a particular end is a mere incident. What we call the process, God calls the end” (My Utmost for His Highest).

“For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.
But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another”. Psalm 75:3

Peter then continues by admonishing all believers to submit to each other – there is no place for pride or ego in Christ’s church. We are to be clothed with humility – for our protection and as a witness to others. It is an unwelcome sight to see a Christian pushing their way forward to get the top seat at the table. That is the world’s way, but it is not becoming a servant of Jesus Christ. Peter had seen this ‘vying for position’ even amongst the disciples (see Luke 22:24-26 / Luke 9:46-48 / Mark 10:35-37 / Luke 14:7-11) , and here tells us that God Himself will actually resist the proud, but Hs gives more Grace to the humble – that is, those who are willing to be humble before Him and accept the boundaries He as set, to accept without mummering and complaining the situation we find ourselves in, knowing that He is good and knows what is best for us!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

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1 Peter Ch5 1-4

Barry Forder — Sun, 13 Sep 2020 10:30:25 +0000

This teaching on 1 Peter 5:1-4 was given by pastor Barry Forder on the 13th September 2020 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

In this final chapter of Peter’s first letter, Peter starts by addressing the elders of the local congregations, reminding them of their primary responsibility – to give spiritual food to the congregation God has entrusted to their care.

Peter highlights that they are not do serve out of a sense of worldly obligation, as if they had been pressed-ganged into the role, but out of love for Christ – the only real reason for any ministry.

Neither are they to serve with their eye on what they might gain in this life, but knowing that by forsaking the pleasures of this life there awaits them a far more precious and eternal reward.

Alarmingly, in a recent report*, almost one third of pastors have considered, or are considering quitting the role. This is not to say that they are walking away from ministry, but rather that many now feel that serving as a pastor is no longer the most effective use of their time and resources.

In this final chapter, Peter exhorts pastors and elders to continue in the light that the ‘Chief Shepherd’ is soon to be returning and will reward those who have continued to serve faithfully.

Just as Paul urged the young pastor Timothy, now is not the time to quit, but to stand strong in the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Please pray for and encourage your pastor and elders. The unseen pressures and burdens they carry are greater than they will ever tell you.

*https://churchanswers.com/blog/six-reasons-your-pastor-is-about-to-quit/

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1 Peter Ch4 17-19

Barry Forder — Sun, 06 Sep 2020 10:30:07 +0000

This teaching on 1 Peter 4:17-19 was given by pastor Barry Forder and was recorded on 6th September 2020 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s on-line family service.

Peter tells us that the specific season of judgment that is coming upon the earth will begin with the ‘house of God’ – the Church!

Initially it might seem strange that God would need to bring judgment on the church, but as you look back through history you quickly begin to see how ‘the church’ has led so many into error for the sake of financial and other gain. The Word of God has been repeatedly compromised, watered down, twisted to fit the thinking and culture of the day and even abandoned in favour of self-help motivational pep talks.

Jesus, Paul, Jude, John and Peter all warned that deception would abound in the last days, and that it would largely come from withing the church.

Revelation 17 & 18 deal with the final judgment on what will become a One World Church – embracing all religious thoughts, ideas and expressions. This will be a far cry from the ‘faith once delivered to the saints’!

True believers have been persecuted as much by the institutional church as they have by the world.

In Matthew 13, Jesus warned that ‘Tares’ would be sown amongst the ‘Wheat’. The Tares would grow alongside and look identical to the Wheat – right up until the time of the harvest, when the only difference would be that the heads on the Wheat (true believers) would bow, but the heads of the Tares (apostates) would remain defiantly upright!

Jesus also said that ‘at the time of the end’ the Angels would come and separate the Wheat and the Tares. The Wheat would be gathered into His barn (a beautiful picture of the Rapture), the Tares would then be burned – a picture of the coming judgment that Peter speaks of.

May you be blessed, challenged and encouraged by this study!

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The Body of Christ

Barry Forder — Sun, 30 Aug 2020 10:30:13 +0000

This teaching was recorded on the 30th August 2020 as part of Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s family – on-line – service.

In this study, Leon shares some insights and challenging thoughts of what the Body of Christ (the Church) should be like, how we should act and behave toward each other, and what our witness is like to those in the world whom we come into contact with.

May you be challenged and encouraged by this teaching.

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1 Peter Ch4 1-16

Barry Forder — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 10:30:28 +0000

This teaching on 1 Peter 4:1-16 was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth n the 23rd August 2020.

In this study we see Peter build on the admonitions he had given to submit and be willing to suffer for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Peter has already pointed out that Jesus was willing to submit to His Father for the sake of the Father’s will and we should do likewise.

In chapter 4 Peter is gentle but firm in telling his hearers that time is up for playing around with the things of the old life. The LORD is coming for us and we need not only to be ready, but living each moment for His glory so as many as might hear the Gospel can be saved.

There can be no compromise with sin, for it is an insidious enemy that seeks to harm us and keep us away from real fellowship with Jesus. The battleground is our mind, and it is here the battle is either lost or won. Christ will give us the victory if we go to Him. We cannot fight this alone.

Peter then reminds us that we have each been given spiritual gifts that should be used for the edification of the body. None of us should make excuses as to why we don’t feel able! They are His gifts to us and He will work through us if we simply step out in faith.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 Peter Ch3 18-22

Barry Forder — Sun, 16 Aug 2020 10:30:06 +0000

This teaching on 1 Peter 3, vs 18-22 was given by Pastor Barry Forder on the 16th August 2020 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

In this study, we note that Peter has reminded us that because we have this incredible position in Christ, we should:

–Start thinking! (your life should be different now!) 1:13

–Don’t be like & do what you used to 1:14

–Be holy because you are now to be like Him 1:15-16

–Show genuine love for other Christians 1:22

–Act differently (in word and deed) 2:1

–Make a conscious effort to avoid sin 2:11

–Be good ambassadors for Christ in this world 2:12

–Submit to authority (Government & Employers) 2:13-20

–Wives submit to your husbands 3:1-6

–Husbands honour your wives 3:7

–Patiently endure affliction 3:14

Peter then gives us two arguments why we should endure suffering when it is God’s will.

1. Because Christ endured suffering & reproach by going to the Cross

–Thereby thwarting the plans of Satan

–Thus fulfilling the will of God that many might be saved

2. Because Noah patiently endured ridicule and persecution for 120 years when building the Ark

–Thereby thwarting the plans of Satan

– Thus fulfilling the will of God that many might be saved.

To make his point, Peter then speaks of the time when Jesus ‘proclaimed’ His victory over ‘the spirits in prison’.

The ‘spirits’ he refers to had rebelled against Godly authority in the time leading up to the Flood, a time during which Noah had endured suffering for His obedience.

In this study, we look at who or what the ‘Spirit’s’ are?

Why were they in prison?

When did Jesus preach to them?

Why did Jesus preach to them?

Peter concludes by asserting that Jesus is now shown to be above ever power and authority!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 Peter Ch3 8-17

Barry Forder — Sun, 09 Aug 2020 10:30:10 +0000

This teaching of 1 Peter 3:8-17 was given by pastor Barry Forder and recorded on 9th August 2020.

In this study Peter builds on the admonitions he has already given:

Christians are to submit to those in authority (particularly the government) (ch 2 13-17)
Christian employees are to submit to employers (ch 2 18-20)
Christian wives are to submit to their own husbands & Christian husbands in turn are to honour wives (ch 2 1-7)

All this is do be done, not because the recipient is deserving, but because it is pleasing and glorifying to God.

Now Peter speaks about how Christian’s should be in relation to each other in the midst of a hostile world.

In v.8 Peter gives us 5 qualities that should be evident in every believer:

1) homophrones: like-minded; harmony;
2) sympatheis: sympathetic;
3) philadelphoi: to love as brothers;
4) eusplanchnoi: compassionate, tender hearted
5) tapeinophrones: humble.

“This unique vocabulary stresses the importance of these Christian virtues which keep one from being deceitful” (dolon; cf. 1 Peter 2:1, 22). – Chuck Missler

Peter then highlights that, for Christians, there is no room for taking matters into our own hands if we are wronged! Instead we should show grace and love – as we have been shown!

In making his point, Peter quotes from Psalm 34, but interestingly he does not complete the quote, but rather omits the last line. It would be easy to miss this if you were just reading Peter’s quote, but when you compare the verse he is quoting from what is actually recorded in Psalm 34 you see that Peter misses the line that states “to cut of the remembrance of them from the earth”!

Jesus does exactly the same in Luke 4:16-21 when quoting from Isaiah 61:1-2 – much to the dismay of his hearers!

Why this is interesting is that this phenomena occurs 24 x in the Bible, where we see ‘dispensation gaps’ that anticipate the Church Age. What is provocative is that the number 24 seems to be associated with the Church (See Rev 4-5). This would seem to be clear evidence of design throughout the pages of the Bible.

Peter tells us that if we suffer for being a Christian, we should be happy – for this too will glorify God whilst at the same time strengthening our faith.

In fact, Peter goes further and says that because we should expect persecution and ridicule, we should always be ready to give a ‘reasoned defense’ of the hope we have as Christians, in a gentle way.

Sadly, many Christians are happy being followers of Christ, but are not ready to defend why they believe when the world asks them why!

Yet, in truth, we have so many good and powerful arguments (reasons) that can be presented to our unbelieving friends and family that no one we know should EVER reject Christ on the basis of thinking there is not enough evidence to support our faith! We need to be able to remove any intellectual arguments they have for not accepting Christ so that it becomes clear that the heart of the problem is the problem of the heart! In other words, there is not a single good intellectual reason for rejecting Jesus, only a moral one! – because Jesus calls us to acknowledge our sinful nature and repent!

So, if you are going to be laughed at, mocked and challenged because your believe in Jesus, make sure you use as an opportunity to shine brightly for Him – Remember that God used Gideon’s army – the few that were willing to step out in faith – to defeat the enemy. All it took was for those few to make a shout and let the light shine from the broken vessels!

May you be challenged and encouraged by this teaching.

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1 Peter Ch3 1-7

Barry Forder — Sun, 02 Aug 2020 10:30:57 +0000

This study of 1 Peter 3 vs 1-7 was recorded on 2nd August 2020 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth and given by Pastor Barry Forder.

In this study we look at the scriptural roles of the husband and wife and Peter’s admonition that we get this relationship right so that our prayers are not hindered.

In a world that has totally misunderstood and corrupted our understanding or marriage and of the role of wives and husbands, Peter here redresses the balance from God’s perspective.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 Peter Ch2 11-25

Barry Forder — Sun, 26 Jul 2020 10:30:06 +0000

This teaching on 1 Peter 2:11-25 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 26th July 2020 as part of Calvary Chapel Portsmouth family service.

In the second half of 1 Peter chapter 2 Peter turns his focus to relationships – and specifically how a Christian should act toward others.

v11-12 – The Believers’ relationship to others (which is dependant on our relationship to God)

v13-17 – The Believers’ relationship to rulers & those in authority (which is defined by our relationship to God)

v18-20 – The Believers’ relationship: servants to masters (employees to employers) (which is derived from our relationship to God & Christ’s example which we must follow).

In all of these relationships, we should remember that we are to bring Glory to God by our conduct. No longer can we just go around saying what we please, putting down any who disagree with us, rejecting rule and authority because we have a different political persuasion. Our opinions (and even more importantly our speech!) must be filtered through God’s Word first.

God’s created and loves all people, and has shown grace to all those who have received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. We are to follow the example of Christ, who, although wronged, never retaliated, replied sarcastically, or sought to get even. Rather, He left it all in His Father’s hands.

Remember that you have been chosen, you are part of a Royal Priesthood. Now you must reflect His glory and show respect and honour to all men.

May you be blessed, encouraged and challenged by this teaching!

The PowerPoint slides used in this study are available from free download in PDF format.

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1 Peter Ch2 1-10

Barry Forder — Sun, 19 Jul 2020 10:30:57 +0000

This study on 1 Peter 2:1-10 was given by pastor Barry Forder on the 19th July 2020 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s family service – online.

In chapter 2, Peter builds on the admonition to live a holy life, given in chapter 1, by reminding believers what our old lives were like without Christ, and how destructive the cumulative impact of an ungodly life can be.

In verse 1 Peter gives 5 ungodly attitude and speech, which:

–Drive wedges between believers

–Quench the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives

–Stunt Spiritual growth

–Give a false witness of Christ

Firstly, Peter tells us that we should remove ourselves from these things as you would remove yourself from a garment you take off.

Malice (Gr. kakian) is wicked ill-will; the desire to inflict pain, harm, or injury on our fellow man.
Guile, deceit (Gr. dolon) is deliberate dishonesty, falsehood, craft, seduction, slander, and treachery. Operationally, it is the antithesis of being a fiduciary
Hypocrisy (Gr. hypokriseis), pretended piety and love; pretending to be what one is not; a man with a double heart and a lying tongue.
Envy (Gr. phthonous), resentful discontent (both hypocrisy and envy appear in the plural in the Greek);
Evil speaking, slander (Gr. katalalias), backbiting lies.

None of these should have any place in those who are born again; rather, in obedience to the Word, believers should make decisive breaks with the past to be holy because He is holy!

In contrast, Peter tells us that, just as with a newborn desiring milk, we should crave the Word of God, knowing that by it we grow and are strengthened.

Then Peter builds on what Jesus had told him in Matthew 16, that Jesus is the ‘Rock’ upon which the church is built, and each of us (as believes) are part of the building as a whole. We might need some rough edges knocked off here and there to make us fit exactly where God want’s us, and we should constantly remind ourselves that much of what we go through here and now is God’s way of shaping and molding us so that we will be a perfect fit in His spiritual house.

Those who would try and argue that in Matthew 16 Jesus said that Peter is ‘the rock’ the church was to be built upon (the default Roman Catholic position) have seemingly never understood the constant use in scripture of a stone or rock as an idiom of Jesus, in at least 7 different ways:

1.To the Believer, smitten stone that the Spirit of life may flow from Him to all who will drink – Ex 17:6; 1 Cor 10:4; John 4:13,14; 7:37-39

2.To the Church, the foundation and chief corner Stone – Eph 2:20

3.To the Jews, at His 1st Coming, a “stumbling stone” – Rom 9:32,33; 1 Cor 1:23

4.To Israel, at His 2nd Coming, “the headstone of the corner” – Zech 4:7

5.To the Gentile world power, the smiting “Stone cut without hands”: – Dan 2:34

6.In the Divine Purpose, the Stone which, after the destruction of Gentile world powers, is to grow and fill the earth; – Dan 2:34

7.To unbelievers, the crushing Stone of judgment that will grind those to powder – Matt 21:44

Peter closes this portion of his letter of encouragement with a moving exhortation for his readers to practice holiness. He reminded them that, in contrast with the disobedient who are destined for destruction, they were a chosen people.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The PowerPoint slides used for this study are available online for free download.

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1 Peter Ch1 17-25

Barry Forder — Sun, 12 Jul 2020 10:30:34 +0000

This teaching on 1st Peter chapter 1, verses 17-25 was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on 12th July 2020.

In this chapter, Peter is encouraging us to look forward to the hope we have as Christians, and live life now in the light and understanding of that hope.

Peter ends the chapter by telling us that the ‘Word which by the gospel was preached to us to us’ is the same Word that endures forever. As Isaiah declared:

“All flesh is grass,
and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth:
because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it:
surely the people is grass.
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth:
but the word of our God shall stand for ever”

The Word is eternal, it is God’s complete revelation of Himself to us. It will never grow old or fade. In God’s Word we find His plan that from before the foundation of the earth included you and I (all those who would receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour).

We were born via the natural birth process as corruptible beings (like grass that after a short time will wither), but Peter tells us that God reached into time and pulled us out of the fire of corruption. We were given a second birth, no longer of corruptible flesh, but a spiritual birth.

Peter tells us that because of the indescribable love that God has shown us, we should love each other – specifically we should love all those who are now on the same team we are – whom God has hand-picked, who are now part of this spiritual family by faith. In the next chapter Peter will build on this thought and tells us that those whom God has rescued are part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation!

Because of this Peter tells us that we should be ‘passing our time here on earth’ living each day in the admiration, respect, adoration and awe of God our Father. In other words, our lives should reflect the miracle of God’s grace that we are now beneficiaries of!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The PowerPoint slides used for this study are available for free download.

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1 Peter Ch1 10-16

Barry Forder — Sun, 05 Jul 2020 10:30:38 +0000

This teaching on 1 Peter 1 vs.10-16 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 5th July 2020.

In this study we see Peter admonish us to:

Gird up the loins of our mind – literally, to live ready to go at a moment’s notice, just as the Children of Israel in Egypt on the night of the Passover.
Be sober – i.e. don’t be controlled (intoxicated) by outside influences (love, hobbies, work etc.)
Hope to the end – i.e. Set your hope fully (‘unchangeably’) on what awaits you when Christ returns for you
Not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts – Don’t live your life now as you once did before you knew Jesus! There must be an outward change that reflects the inward change
Be holy – this is not a suggestion but an imperative! However this is not a ‘legal requirement’ as we are no longer under the law, but it is a statement of how a Christian will live once we know the Love of God and live secure in that love.

All of this should be how we live once we realise we have been born again, received the priceless (and everlasting) gift of His Holy Spirit and been beneficiaries of all the prophets of old wrote for us! We have their examples and the models they gave us so we are without excuse. If they could live godly and obedient lives without all of Scripture being then written, how much more should we be able to live holy lives who have the whole counsel of God, the indwelling Spirit and His abundant grace freely available?

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 Peter Ch1 1-9

Barry Forder — Sun, 28 Jun 2020 10:30:17 +0000

This study of 1 Peter 1:1-9 was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on 28th June 2020.

In his introduction, Peter reminds those to whom he writes – those who are dispersed in this world away from their home – that we have this great hope in the completed work of Jesus, that should fill our lives with an unspeakable joy, regardless of what trials and temptations we may face.

The assurance of our salvation, that fact that we are being sanctified, and the promise of our ultimate deliverance from this world, coupled with the fact that God ‘keeps us’ – as if putting a military guard around us – should not only fill us with peace and comfort but also cause us to overflow with gratitude out of a love for Jesus!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 Peter – Introduction

Barry Forder — Sun, 21 Jun 2020 10:30:17 +0000

This teaching was given by pastor Barry Forder on 21st June 2020 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

In this introduction to 1st Peter, we look at the background, life and authenticity of this first letter of the Apostle Peter. Although scholars and critics have tried to call into question Peter’s authorship of both his first and second letters, with the Dead Sea Scrolls discovery in Cave 7 at Qumran of a fragment of 2nd Peter, the debate regarding Peter’s authorship is all but ended. The Dead Sea Scrolls were sealed up in their resting place at Qumran before A.D. 70, so, you can dream up all sorts of objections regarding words, sentences and paragraphs, you can try to claim that Peter was not educated enough to have written these words, you can come up with any objection you want, but there is no getting around the fact that these ancient documents were not only written but in circulation before A.D. 70 – well within the ‘eye witness period’.

As to Peter’s academic credentials, yes he was a fisherman, it is true that he had not had a university education, but he knew the scriptures and as recorded in the book of Acts, the time he had spent with Jesus had changed this county fisherman into a powerful and persuasive orator! “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

Peter knew failure, but he also knew the power of God’s grace to change a life.

Jesus once asked Peter if he loved him unconditionally. At that time Peter was unable to say yes. He loved Jesus for sure, and wanted to follow Him; but to give up everything, to take up his cross, follow Jesus and abandon everything else seemed just too hard. What if he were to fail again? Peter’s answer speak more of his doubt in his own abilities than his confidence in Jesus’.

Yet give up all he did.

This letter is for those who are struggling. For those who know and want to do what is right, but cannot find it within themselves to do it. This letter is for those who have taken the easy route for fear of others’ opinions, only to be mortified that they didn’t have the courage of their convictions.

This letter if for all those who are growing in Grace!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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James – Chapter 5

Barry Forder — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 10:30:16 +0000

This final study in our journey through the Epistle of James was recorded on 14th June 2020 as part of our family service.

In this study pastor Barry takes us through three final admonitions that James gives:

The End of Injustice vs. 1-9
The End of Trials vs. 10-12
The End of Self vs. 13-20

As we have already noted, James writes as one who had grown up each day with Jesus, in the same house, in the same family, yet did not realise who He was until Jesus appeared to him after the Resurrection. As he writes, James’ sense of urgency and his no-compromise approach stems from his desire for us not to miss out on the opportunity to know Jesus and walk with him ‘while it is still called today’.

In verses 1-9 James continues his admonition to be separate from the world by reminding us that the wealth and riches of those in the world, who have amassed their fortunes only to spend it on themselves and their pursuit of pleasure, will suddenly disappear. Everything this world has is temporary and one day all men will have to stand before God and give account. On that day, either Jesus will stand as the defense if you are His, or prosecution if you are not. All the riches in the world will have no value when God tries the hearts of men. But even now it is evident that the rich are not happier, more fulfilled, less anxious than those who have little. A mansion that is not a home, a diamond ring in a loveless relationship, and all the material possessions that can be bought & fame that can be achieved, do not bring contentment. Furthermore, the pursuit of wealth nearly always leads to the unjust oppression of others.

In verses 10-12 James then asks us to consider the prophets of old; how they were often mistreated and endured affliction. They endured, James reminds us, and were patient, waiting for something better. We are to be patient and hold on until the coming of the LORD. It won’t be long!

So James’ admonition is simple: don’t crave the things of the world, don’t live your life by swearing to do or achieve something beyond your means, making bold statements in an attempt to impress others who, in reality, have little regard for you anyway. Instead, be content to let your life be governed by a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. The only one you should be seeking to impress is God, and that can only be achieved through humility and obedience.

Finally, in verses 13-20, James concludes with the simple admonition to ‘keep our eyes on Jesus!’.

If we are afflicted – go to Jesus
If we are blessed – go to Jesus
If we are sick – go to Jesus
If you are struggling – find a ‘brother’ whom you can pray with and go to Jesus together
…and when you pray, for healing, for restoration, for blessing, or whatever, pray according to His word!

Elijah was just like us, yet he prayed according to God’s Word and he brought the heart of the nation back to God.

If we see a brother or sister losing their way, we must pray with them and for them and bring their hearts back to God also.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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James – Chapter 4

Barry Forder — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 10:30:44 +0000

This teaching through James chapter 4 was recorded on 7th June 2020.

In this study pastor Barry underlines that this hard and direct message to our hearts is really summed up in the words “no compromise”!

James gives no room to those who would live a ‘nominal Christian life’. As far as James is concerned, if we are followers of Jesus Christ, we must live like Him! He tells us to resist the ‘devilish disposition within us’ and ‘flee from it’. In contrast, we are to draw near to God, just as a large ship would draw near the dock. As we draw near to the One who is unshakable, unmovable, always the same, we find He draws near to us. The closer we get to Him, the closer He gets to us.

James tells us that even if it seems painful to sever our connection with the world and its treasures, we must do it for the sake of our relationship with God. Our time on this earth is like a vapor that passes in an instant, so like Moses, we must say “teach me to number my days” (Psalm 90:12), and surrender our entire lives to Him.

But there is no loss in casting aside that which cannot prosper us for that which is eternal and will never disappoint us! Paul said: “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:6)

May this study bless, encourage and challenge you to a deeper walk with Jesus Christ!

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Pentecost – The Birth, Mandate & Hope of the Church

Barry Forder — Sun, 31 May 2020 10:30:57 +0000

This topical study on Pentecost – the birth, mandate and hope of the Church – was given by Pastor Barry Forder on 31st May 2020 (Pentecost 2020) as part of our family service.

Pentecost, the Feast of Harvest, had been celebrated by Jews for centuries, but then in A.D. 32, the year of the Resurrection of Jesus, the reason and purpose of this Jewish festival suddenly and dramatically saw the light of day. Just as Passover, The Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Firstfruits had, for over a millennium, concealed the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus – in a nutshell, the Christian gospel – the Jewish Feast of Harvest had concealed the unthinkable! An assembly of all people from all nations – Gentiles included – presented as a voluntary offering to God, refined and purified, of the firstfruits of the earth… The Church!

In this study, we look at the details contained in the Torah regarding this feast and see how they foretold the birth of the Church, the spiritual cleansing and purification of the Bride of Christ, her mandate to be witnesses, and the hope of the future gathering into His barn of the Church.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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James – Chapter 3

Barry Forder — Sun, 24 May 2020 10:30:59 +0000

This teaching through James chapter 3 was given by pastor Barry Forder at our Sunday Service on 24th May 2020.

In this chapter, James drives home just how dangerous the tongue can be, and how much damage can be caused by either rash and hasty remarks, or by words that were intended to wound.

Behind this there is the greater issue of the heart – “for out of the heart the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45).

If the direction of influence into our lives is from the world, the flesh and the devil, our hearts (and tongues) will produce corrupt fruit and we will find ourselves blessing God one moment and cursing man whom He created the next. A spring does not produce both bitter and pure water, because it is fed from only one source.

So it should be with all those who profess with their mouths that they follow Jesus (Rom 10:9) – the flow of influence into their lives should be from God (reading His Word / Fellowship with believers / constant prayer) so that with a new heart (Psalm 51) and a renewed mind (Rom 12:1-2) they can guard against the pride the drives the tongue.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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James – Chapter 2

Barry Forder — Sun, 17 May 2020 10:30:13 +0000

This teaching on James chapter 2 was given on 17th May 2020 as part of our family service.

In this study pastor Barry Forder takes us through James’ admonitions to look at the heart and not the outward appearance when someone comes into the fellowship. Sadly, the world continually feeds us with the mindset that the wealthy and prosperous, those with celebrity status or social standing, are the ones we should ‘like’ or ‘follow’, believing that by doing so it will in-turn bring success and happiness to our lives.

Experience tells us, as does James in this chapter, that so often it is the wealthy and prosperous that have no regard for others, and will more often be a detriment rather than a blessing in our lives.

…and who in the world that has success, fame and fortune is truly happy and content?

James reminds us that the Law is full of good and Godly advice that we do well to take heed of, but at the same time, we should remember that the legal power of the law ended for us when we came to Christ. The royal law, the law of liberty should instead see us act in a Christ-like gracious manner to others, just as we have been dealt with ourselves.

James then concludes the chapter by emphasising that if our faith is genuine, it will be accompanied by good works. Saving faith (which is all that is needed to be born again) is a faith that is intrinsically linked to good works – the works are the fruit that demonstrate our faith is alive and connected to the root!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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James – Chapter 1 16-27

Barry Forder — Sun, 10 May 2020 10:30:02 +0000

This second of our studies in the Epistle of James was given by pastor Barry Forder on the 10th May 2020 as part of our family service.

In this session, we look at why James says we should no longer be deceived about temptation, and why we should intentionally distance ourselves from our natural, fleshly, carnal nature and fully embrace the Word of God as an effective antidote to falling prey to temptations when they come.

But then James reminds us that just knowing what is right is not enough, we have to act on it and live it out.

If our faith is genuine it will overflow into the ‘royal law’ of ‘good works’ summarised by Jesus as the ‘greatest commandment’:

“And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these”. Mark 12:29-31

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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James – Chapter 1 1-15

Barry Forder — Sun, 03 May 2020 10:30:40 +0000

This first study in our exploration of the Epistle of James was given by pastor Barry Forder on 3rd May 2020.

Yakov – the Hebrew name of the author – was the earthly brother of Jesus (Matthew 12:46, 47; 13:55; Mark 3:31, 32; Luke 8:19, 20; 1 Cor 9:5), but James did not believe his brother was the Messiah until after the Resurrection when Jesus specifically appeared to him… “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; ⁴ And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: ⁵ And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: ⁶ After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. ⁷ After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles”. 1 Corinthians 15:3-7

Following this encounter, James, who had shared an earthly home with 6 other siblings (see Matthew 13:55-56), became a follower of the One he had shared so much of his life with, and now would unreservedly commit the rest of his life to!

Maybe James had picked up his older brother’s direct and forthright manner because in these 108 verses he gives no less than 50 specific imperatives in the Greek – instructions, commands to us.

He knew and had seen too much to skirt around the issues. He gets straight to the point:

How do you handle life’s trials? As a follower of Christ don’t you realise that they are part of your Heavenly Brother’s training programme for you? So you should count them as joy!
How do you pray? Do you pray in faith? Or do you doubt that God would hear you? James know his Brother, and trusted Him implicitly! James tells us we can (and should) do the same.
How do you treat others? Does your opinion of them depend on your estimate of their worth. James had made this mistake and for years had lived with someone but only seeing them through his own eyes and not through God’s!
How do you deal with temptation? You cannot blame others, temptations come from within. James had lived with one who had never yielded to temptation, and now knew firsthand that Jesus is able to impart that same grace and strength in each one of us to enable us to be overcomers! – and there is a reward promised to all who overcome temptation!

James went on the become one of the most influential leaders of the early church…

–When Peter was released from prison he instructed them to tell James (Acts 12:17)
–Paul reported to him upon arrival in Jerusalem (Acts 21:17-26)

…yet never asserts his position or authority, rather opens his Epistle by stating that he is a servant of God and of Jesus – now His Lord!

This is a passionate Epistle that calls the believer to an uncompromising walk where our works are the natural overflow of our Faith in the One who walked with us, and now reigns over us!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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Hebrews – Chapter 13

Barry Forder — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 10:30:55 +0000

This final study in our journey through the letter to the Hebrews was given by Pastor Barry Forder as part of Calvary Portsmouth’s family service on 26th April 2020.

In this final chapter, the writer to the Hebrews gives some final exhortations, which can be broadly summarised as follows:

v1. Don’t grow complacent in your love for each other, but work at loving your church family daily.

v2. Continue to show the same love and grace to other outside the fellowship that you once received.

v3. Remember that you are part of a family of believers around the world – so pray for those who are struggling or being persecuted.

v4. Your love for others starts in the home, and the bedrock of the home is the intimate loving relationship between a husband and wife. It is a great and wonderful thing that is sacred, reserved only for within marriage where it is safe and blessed – and it speaks of Christ and His church.

v5. Don’t fall into the trap of wanting the next great thing. You have in Christ something better than anything the world could offer. If you are not satisfied and content with Christ, your focus is on the wrong things – which cannot bring comfort and fulfillment.

v6. Don’t ever worry about having little. The more you have on earth, the more there is to lose! Care about God’s opinion and not man’s!

v7. Pray for, then follow the example of those in spiritual authority in your lives.

v8. We have an unchanging anchor for our souls. Consider Jesus.

v9. Hold fast to that which is good – and don’t be blown around with every wind of doctrine. The Bible is all you need. “If the Bible don’t back it then it seems quite clear, perhaps it was the devil who whispered in your ear!” (Quote: Steve Taylor – ‘Guilty By Association’)

v10-v16. We no longer offer bulls and goats, our offering (from a grateful heart) is praise. That is the best sacrifice we can bring.

v17-v19. Pastors need the prayers of their congregation if they are to minister effectively.

v20-v25. It is Grace by which we stand.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

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Hebrews – Chapter 12

Barry Forder — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 10:30:06 +0000

This teaching on Hebrews chapter 12 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 19th April as part of Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s Sunday service.

In Hebrews chapter 11 the theme is ‘Faith’. As we move into chapter 12 we look at the 2nd element of Paul’s 1 C0rinthians 13 trilogy – ‘Hope’.

We have around us such a great example, given by those who have gone before us in the faith. The writer to the Hebrews urges us to remember and be encouraged by this.

Remember too all that Jesus endured for us, so let us run the race of life like we intend to win! We need to cut the ties of everything that would hold us down or keep us focussing on the things of this world rather than on Jesus and our eternal destiny.

The writer then reminds us that because God wants us to win this race against ‘the world, the flesh and the devil’ He will correct us, discipline us, put us back on track, just as any good human father would discipline his children. But don’t get grumpy when He does it! Certainly don’t be like Esau who reverted to ‘the flesh’ to fill the hole in his life created by his casual regard to his future inheritance.

In stark contrast, we are to be looking to the finish line, the Heavenly Jerusalem, our eternal home. That is our goal where we will fellowship and walk with God as it was in Eden before the fall.

We are living right now in the days spoken of in this chapter where God is shaking everything. For the world, this is the birth pangs spoken of throughout scripture when all that the world holds dear is crumbling. Covid19 has shaken the world like nothing we have seen before. Just as God humiliated the god’s of Egypt, so we see God doing to the god’s of man today, right before our eyes. The world loves money. The world’s economy is crashing. The world loves sport. Sport is all but ended for the foreseeable future. The world loves its health & beauty, but now all gym’s, hairdressers and beauty salons are closed. The world loves its social gatherings, theatres, cinemas, night clubs etc. Now all closed until further notice. The world is being forced to reevaluate what is important… and this is just a glimpse of what the Bible says is coming to this ungodly world. None of these gods can stand when they are shaken.

But for the Christian too, there is a shaking, so that the unimportant things, the worldly things, the things that up to now have held us down, are being loosened, so that what is really important, that which is eternal remains.

The Lord is getting His Church – His Bride – ready for her wedding day. We are to ‘cast off the unfruitful works 0f darkness’ (Romans 13:12).

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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He is Risen! – A Study on the Resurrection

Barry Forder — Sun, 12 Apr 2020 10:30:58 +0000

This study of the events leading up to, and then on the day of the Resurrection was given be Pastor Barry Forder on Easter Day 2020.

We pray that you will be blessed, challenged, encouraged and strengthened by this teaching.

PowerPoint slides (in PDF format) used for this study are available for free download.

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Palm Sunday – one of the most important days in history!

Barry Forder — Sun, 05 Apr 2020 10:30:48 +0000

This teaching by Pastor Barry Forder was recorded on Palm Sunday – 5th April 2020.

Palm Sunday.

It was, of course, the day we remember Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey – famously fulfilling the prophecy from Zechariah 9:9 given sone 500 years earlier. We know from scripture that a ‘multitude’ of Jesus disciples spread their coats on the ground, waved palm branches and sang praises to God (actually singing from Psalm 118) as Jesus rode by. That much tradition has passed down to us. (Palm Sunday is one of the few things tradition actually gets right!). We know too that this really angered the Pharisees! – but why?

But why was this day really so important? Why does Psalm 119 speak of this specific day saying “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalms 118:24).

Did you also know that not only Zechariah but Daniel also recorded details of this specific day 500 years before it happened?

David spoke of this day one thousand years before it came to pass! That is mind-boggling! Try to think of an event on a specific day that will take place 1000 years in the future!

But we discover that even Moses recorded details about this day almost one thousand five hundred years before!

In fact, we can go back two thousand years before this day, to the time of Abraham, and find it alluded to in Genesis 22!

So what is really so special about this day? Why does this day stand out from the crowd and demand our attention?

The answer lies in one of the greatest conundrums in the Bible!

Jesus came to reveal Himself to Israel and the world, right? So why, for almost His entire ministry, did He play-down who He really was? He constantly told people He healed to not make him known! “See you tell no man” was Jesus’ reply to those who wanted to shout abroad His greatness. He even silenced evil spirits from revealing His identity: “And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known“. (Mark 3:11-112). Incredibly, after feeding the 5000 the multitude wanted to crown Him and make Him their king there and then! But “When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone” (John 6:15).

So why this day? Why reveal Himself now?

Because this was the one and only day, prophesied by the angel Gabriel (and recorded by Daniel) when the Messiah would reveal Himself to Israel!

The prophecy is found in Daniel chapter 9, and foretells the exact day that Israel’s Messiah would come – and He did! But although a group of His disciples acknowledged it, the nation slept on in their ignorance and unbelief. They missed the ‘time of their visitation‘ (Luke 19:44). As a result, Jesus pronounced national blindness upon them – which Paul tells us in Romans 11:25 will last until ‘the fulness of the Gentiles be come in‘.

The significance of this day to Jews and Gentiles alike cannot be overstated!

¹⁹ Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. ²⁰ Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: ²¹ For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. ²² Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

Romans 11:19-22

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Palm Sunday – one of the most important days in history! first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Hebrews – Chapter 11

Barry Forder — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 10:30:45 +0000

This teaching on Hebrews 11 was recorded ‘live from home’ as part of Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s [Covid19 enforced] online service on 29th March 2020.

In this chapter, the writer to the Hebrews builds on his statement (quotation from Habakkuk 2:4) in the penultimate verse of chapter 10 “The just shall live by faith” by now going on to remind us of those who have gone before us who lived their lives by faith.

He makes the point that all of these ‘heroes of the faith’ were not building for here and now, but looking forward to that which is to come, the ‘exceedingly great and precious promises’ of all that lay ahead for those who walk with Jesus.

The challenge for the hearers, as it is for us, is not to look back to what once was, the ‘comfort’ we once found in earthly things, but to look ahead to the rewards and inheritance awaiting us if we continue to walk by faith – trusting Jesus. This should be our goal and focus.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Hebrews – Chapter 11 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Hebrews – Chapter 10

Barry Forder — Sun, 22 Mar 2020 10:30:29 +0000

This teaching on Hebrews chapter 10 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 22nd March 2020 – also known as ‘the ‘first Sunday Coronavirus made us have Chruch online!’

In this chapter, the writer to the Hebrews continues to show Jesus’ superiority over the Law in that He came to complete what the Law had aspired to, but was unable to fulfill’.

The writer then gives a timely admonition – to carry on meeting together! Regardless of what obstacles may seem to be in the way – be it Coronavirus (Covid 19) or persecution or natural disaster or whatever may come… we can see that the Day of the LORD is approaching fast! So we, now more than ever, need to keep fellowshipping and encouraging each other as the time is short and there are many who will respond to the Good News of the Gospel if they only get to hear!

The chapter closes with the 4th warning in the book of Hebrews, that being to not ‘fall’ into wilfull sin.

The Five Warnings of Hebrews:

1.Drifting 2:1-4

2.Disobedience 3:7-4:13

3.Failing to Mature 5:11-6:20

4.Willful Sin 10:26-39

5.Indifference 12:25-29

Great loss awaits those who fail to persevere: loss of reward and honor in Christ’s coming Millennial Kingdom

How can you avoid willful sin?

By continuing to fellowship, remain accountable, keep your eyes on Jesus, walk in the Grace He gives through His Spirit, and don’t allow your heart to become hardened through not trusting in Him (regardless of the external circumstances) and by remembering that a great reward awaits those who endure to the end.

Salvation is not the question here, it is inheritance that is at stake. Just as under the Law there was an offering for unintentional sins (through ignorance or weakness), but judgment awaits those who profess Jesus with their lips but deny Him by their lifestyles.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Hebrews – Chapter 10 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Hebrews – Chapter 9

Barry Forder — Sun, 15 Mar 2020 10:30:08 +0000

This teaching on Hebrews chapter 9 was given by Pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth on 15th March 2020.

In this chapter, the writer to the Hebrews builds on the previous chapter and shows how Jesus became a better offering than anything offered under the Law of Moses – for those offerings, offered by a fallible high priest only made a temporary covering for sin, but could do nothing to purge the conscience. They also had to be offered repeatedly. The Tabernacle in which they were offered was also the work of human hands and was only an earthly representation of what existed in Heaven.

But when Jesus came He was sinless, and His blood was not sprinkled on a mercy seat with mere models of Cheribuim at either end, it was sprinkled on the throne in Heaven with real mighty angels gathered round. Jesus’ blood was presented behind the vail, in the Heavenly holy of holies, and by doing so he made a way for all to enter in; which is why the veil in the earthly temple was torn in two when His work on the Cross was accomplished.

In this chapter, we are reminded that He has purchased for us eternal redemption, that we might be partakers of an eternal inheritance by the indwelling and working of His eternal Spirit!

Do you get the magnitude of that? The redemption He has purchased (literally the buying of us back) will never expire. There will never be a day when His work will not be quite enough to cover your sin. Neither can you undo what He has done – because it has been ‘signed off’ before the Throne in Heaven forever! Therefore in Christ, you have a guaranteed ‘inheritance of the saints’. If someone leaves you something in their will, from that moment it is not based on how well you perform, how good you are, what you can do to earn it, or anything else. It is a matter of fact that because one died you are a beneficiary. Just so with Christ. He died and all those who have (and will) put their trust in Him will be beneficiaries. The seal of this is His eternal Spirit who was given to the Church of Jesus forever!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study!

The post Hebrews – Chapter 9 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Hebrews – Chapter 8

Barry Forder — Sun, 08 Mar 2020 10:30:43 +0000

This study of Hebrews chapter 8 was taught by Pastor Barry Forder on 8th March 2020 as part of Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s family service.

In this chapter, the author reminds us of the point he has been making in the previous 7 chapters, namely that Jesus is better than Angels, Abraham, the Law, Moses, Aaron (and the Levitical priesthood) & Joshua!

Jesus is a High Priest who is able to ‘save to the uttermost’ those who come to God by Him. His sacrifice is greater than any sacrifice under the Law, and now He sits at the right hand of God – ‘ever living to make intercession for us’.

Our best efforts, our religion, our tradition cannot make us right with God, but our High Priest can!

He puts a new law, a new covenant, a new testament into play, that is not based on our ability to confirm or keep a set of rules. It is based on His ability to put a new law into our minds, a new desire in our hearts – if we are willing to put our faith in Him and simply receive it!

As a result, all our sin is eradicated! It is washed away.

This is really GOOD NEWS – this is the Gospel!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study (and if YOU have never put your trust in Jesus for your Salvation, do it now! – He will never leave you or forsake you!).

The post Hebrews – Chapter 8 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Hebrews – Chapter 6 vs10 – 7 vs28

Barry Forder — Sun, 01 Mar 2020 10:30:21 +0000

This teaching, from Hebrews 6 (verse 10) through to the end of Chapter 7, was given by Pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth on the 1st March 2020 as part of our family service.

In this study, we see the writer to the Hebrews build on what he has been saying in the preceding verses, encouraging his hearers to go on to maturity in their Christian faith, and then concludes his argument (that he began in chapter 5), that Jesus is better than Aaron and the Levitical priesthood.

The Levitical priesthood could never make one perfect, it could only condemn. Aaron’s priesthood was bassed on succession in Levi’s family line, but the priesthood of Jesus was just like that of Melchizedek in the Old Testament, not dependant on an earthly father or mother, or particular line, but appointed by God Himself.

When we realise just how great a Salvation we have in Christ, how He is so much better than angels, so much better than the Law (that can only condemn), so much better a deliverer than Moses, so much greater a champion than Joshua, and so much better a high priest than Aaron, how can we fail to grow in His amazing grace?

If you can read and study these things and remain unmoved, check you pulse! You might already be dead!

May you be blessed, encouraged and challenged by this study.

The post Hebrews – Chapter 6 vs10 – 7 vs28 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Hebrews – Chapter 6 vs1-9

Barry Forder — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 10:30:06 +0000

This study was recorded on 23rd February 2020 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth as part of our family service.

In this teaching, pastor Barry goes verse-by-verse through the first 9 verses of what many commentators have called the hardest chapter in the Bible!

J Vernon McGee, in his commentary on this chapter, stated “As we study this section, we are immediately confronted with the amazing fact that generally, commentators have avoided this chapter. Even such a man as Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, the prince of expositors, has completely bypassed it in his book on Hebrews.”

Dr. Chuck Missler has cataloged at least 16 different interpretations of this chapter (and in particular, verses 4-9) – so we must be Bereans as we approach this portion of scripture – we must stick to what we know from scripture and remember that scripture will never contradict scripture!

We should also note that the chapter begins with ‘For….’ expressly linking it to what the writer had been saying in the previous verses – namely, this issue of Christians growing toward spiritual maturity.

The chapter, therefore, picks up where the previous chapter left off – with the writer urging his hearers to grow up spiritually! He lists 6 things that we should have ‘nailed down’ by now; the basic foundational principles of our faith, broken down in three groups: Firstly ‘Justification’ (the completed work of Salvation in Christ, by what He did and not by what we can do)! Then ‘Sanctification’ (the setting-apart of the believer for work and ministry through Baptism and the laying on of hands for service). Finally ‘Glorification’ (i.e. all that awaits us, our hope of resurrection, eternal judgment and God’s consummation of all things). This is the stuff we should know! (If you don’t, speak to your pastor and ask him to explain!).

Then we get onto the challenging verses – 4-9!

The writer changes from talking about ‘we’ and ‘us’ and starts to speak of ‘they’ and ‘those’ – and the big question is, who is the writer talking about?

Some argue that it is Christians who have lost their Salvation – but that can’t be, as Salvation is the completed work of Christ – as a simple study of John 10 or Romans 8 clarifies.

Others say that the ones in view here are false converts – but the language does not allow for that. The ones spoken of here are ‘regenerated’ believers, fully partakers with Christ, and who have received the Holy Spirit.

So who is in view? How can believers ‘fall away’? What is it that the writer says is impossible? And how should we understand these verses?

Well, be Bereans, but my ‘paraphrase’ is this:

“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened (regenerated), and have tasted (fully experienced) [of] the heavenly gift (which is Christ Himself), and were made partakers (honorary life-long partners) of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted (fully experienced) the good word of God, and the powers (knowledge) of the world to come”,

[So the ‘those’ is clearly talking about believers who are saved!]

If they shall fall away… (i.e. if they fail to mature, wander from the pathway that would see them growing in grace, if they become cold and unresponsive to the incredible reality that Christ not only died for their sins, but rose so they could, would and should walk in newness of life, bearing fruit for His glory.)

For those people, it is impossible …to renew (restore) them again (as they had previously been) unto repentance (unto the gift of repentance – that comes from God alone -and should provoke in us such a sense of gratitude; the gift of repentance that comes when we are first saved and realise the extent of our sin and dependence on our Saviour). That repentance is not simply feeling sorry – as seen with Esau, who was indeed sorry for selling his birthright but found no repentance (see Heb 12:17). ‘Sorry’ is simply remorse and has as much to do with the regret at having been caught! Repentance – the true gift of repentance – comes from God and is a turning around, going in the opposite direction, a forsaking of all that has been in favour of what’s ahead. It is this precious gift that those who fail to mature in their walk with Christ forfeit and to which they will not be restored, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and of course, Christ cannot die again for their sin again to make them appreciate what He has done for them. If His shed blood on the cross has not been sufficient to radically change their hearts and minds, if they have no desire to grow, they will remain as it were like a stillborn child. Born yes, but truly living, no; never becoming what God intended. Of this sort are those who respond every time there is an alter call so they can get saved again. Jesus died once and for all for your sin. That is more than sufficient to ‘rock your world’ to the core and, having received the precious gift of His Spirit, become the catalyst for you to reach out for His grace and bring forth fruits worthy of repentance (Matt 3:8 / Romans 2:4 / 2 Tim 2:25 / 2 Cor 7:10).

…and put him to an open shame. The world looks at Christians to try to understand our Christ. Brennan Manning famously stated: The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.

Just as were the Children of Israel who failed to enter the promised land were an afront to God for doubting His promises, which the nations around observed; and as Moses himself pleaded when God offered to make of him a great nation, that God’s enemies would look on and mock.

For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:

The earth receives blessing from God and it is expected to produce fruit! So too with all believers.

But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected… If the ground does not produce fruit expected of it after it has received this gift of life-giving rain…

and is nigh unto cursing (although not actually cursed, it is close to it); whose end is to be burned. Just so the believer who fails to mature will be subject to the fire at the Judgment Seat of Christ (as Paul explains in 1 Cor 3).

But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, that is, we are confident that, through these warnings and admonitions, you will not be so ungrateful having been the beneficiaries of so great a salvation, and things that accompany salvation, that is, the fruit that should accompany, and be a natural by product of, your salvation.

though we thus speak. – this is what we have been talking about since Hebrews 5:12 to this point!

We will continue our study in Hebrews 6 next week – unless the Lord comes for us first! Maranatha!

Pastor Barry.

The post Hebrews – Chapter 6 vs1-9 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Hebrews – Chapter 5

Barry Forder — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 10:30:54 +0000

This teaching on Hebrews chapter 5, by pastor Barry Forder, was recorded on 16th February 2020 at Calvary Portsmouth.

The writer to the Hebrews has already shown to his Jewish hearers that Jesus was greater than the Angels, greater than the Law, greater than Moses and greater than Joshua.

In this chapter he goes on to show that Jesus is also greater than any earthly high priest; for Jesus’ priesthood was given to Him by the Father and is after the order of the priesthood of Melchizadek.

We are not told much about Melchizadek in scripture, and had these Hebrew Christians been ready for it (rather than ‘dull of hearing’ v11) the writer would have gone on to reveal some exciting truths about Melchizadek that all speak of Jesus. Sadly for us, because they had failed to mature as believers, they were not ready, and more likely, would not have appreciated the spiritual significance of all that the writer wanted to share.

Fortunately for us, we have been granted some of the insights that the writer might have been referring to! In his book, ‘The Authenticity of the book of Genesis’, Dr Bill Cooper explains that, due to the discovery of a series of letters to the Egyptian pharaoh, Amenophis IV, discovered in 1887, we now know a great deal more about Melchizadek and the priestly system to which he belonged. The letters were not written by Melchizadek himself, but by another king and priest of Jerusalem who came after him.

It reveals that there had been a thousand-year period where priests of the Most High God had ruled and reigned in Jerusalem. Furthermore, these kings & priests had not come from a hereditary system (as the Levitical priesthood would later be), but each had been chosen seemingly by God Himself. The king-priest who wrote the letters to pharaoh went by the name of Ebed-tob – which simply means ‘Good Servant’ – yet another foreshadowing of Christ!

It is of this order of priests that Jesus came – chosen by God to intercede for His people, and also destined to rule and reight in Jerusalem for a period of 1000 years!

This is truly staggering and yet another example of how God has engineered history to bring about His plans and purposes, and everything ultimately points to Jesus!

We just have to wonder at what else the writer to the Hebrews might have revealed to them had they not been so spiritually sluggish!

May we all pray that we don’t miss out on great spiritual truths because we fail to mature and grow in the Way!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study!

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Hebrews – Chapter 4

Barry Forder — Sun, 09 Feb 2020 10:30:04 +0000

This teaching on Hebrews chapter 4, was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth on the 9th of February 2020.

The writer to the Hebrews starts this chapter by telling his hearers that they should be terrified at the thought of not entering into the relationship with Jesus that God intends for us. It is such a shame to think that many Christians are content to be saved, but then miss out on God’s best for them – the peace, the security, the excitement, the wonder, the joy of living a life abandoned to Him, completely trusting Him.

If you’ve ever learned to ride a bike you may remember the rush of emotions when the one teaching you lets go and you realise you are actually now making this thing move and stay upright yourself! Everything tells you that gravity is going to take a hold of you and pull you to the ground, but somehow, as you pedal, although there may be a few wobbles to begin with, you actually start to ride!

Stepping out and trusting God’s grace is a little like that. He will never fail or forsake us, and He longs to do wonderful things with us and for us, but we have to have the faith (which comes from His Word) to start peddling, believing that we are not going to come crashing down! Remember that He is the Creator and Sustainer of everything!

It might be something simple or something huge, but it doesn’t make a difference to God. We need to trust Him with everything!

Someone once said they try to trust God with the big problems. A pastor replied, which problems do you think are big to God?!

Israel had seen God do incredible miracles, yet they failed to trust Him and enter the Promised Land when they had opportunity, simply because the did not believe. God didn’t refuse them entry because they weren’t holy enough, or because they didn’t pray enough, or because they had built a golden calf, or because they had lusted after meat, or because they murmured about going back to Egypt! All of those you would think would be good reasons to not let them into the Promised Land! But the reason why God did not let any of that generation into the Land (except Joshua and Caleb) was because they didn’t trust Him to deliver them! They looked from a natural perspective and reasoned that they were not strong enough (which they weren’t) and that their enemy was much bigger than they were (which was true), but they didn’t calculate with God at the centre of the equation!

All sin will be subject to God’s wrath, but unbelief – particularly from those who should know better – must be a real grief to the Father-heart of God!

Let us be terrified of missing out on the incredible rest that God has promised us and wants us to know, simply because we choose not to trust Him and instead become anxious with our finances, our job, our families, our children, our schedule, our health, our unsaved loved ones etc.

Remember that He is “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us”!

Let’s come boldly before His throne – which is overflowing with grace – and ask for the grace to trust Him more!

You can know the rest you were created to enjoy – in Christ!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Hebrews – Chapter 4 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Hebrews – Chapter 3

Barry Forder — Sun, 02 Feb 2020 10:30:57 +0000

This teaching on Hebrews chapter 3 was given by pastor Barry Forder on the 2nd February 2020 as part of our family service.

In chapter 3, the writer to the Hebrews, having shown that Jesus is better than Angels and the Law, now demonstrates that Jesus is even better than Moses.

But having made that point, the writer then urges his hearers to ‘take heed’ lest they fail to inherit all that God has for them, just as the generation that came out of Egypt with Moses failed to enter their promised inheritance. They were all ‘saved’ (delivered from Egypt), but they fell short of receiving all that God had for them because of a lack of trust! They had seen God do incredible miracles, yet when faced with the prospect of entering Canaan they started to recon with the natural, considering their own strength (or lack thereof) and did not trust God.

The writer goes as far as telling us that sin is defined as disobedience – or put simply, failing to trust God!

This is the second warning the writer to the Hebrews gives (after the warning of drifting given in chapter 2).

May you be blessed, challenged and encouraged by this study.

The post Hebrews – Chapter 3 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Hebrews Chapter 2

Barry Forder — Sun, 26 Jan 2020 10:30:43 +0000

This study of Hebrews chapter 2 was given by paster Barry Forder on 26th January 2020 as part of our family service.

In this study we consider the danger that tradition poses to the truth, and why the writer to the Hebrews is insistent that the Jewish believers, to whom he was writing, hold tightly onto the things they had been taught so that they didn’t drift away from the liberty and truth of the Gospel and turn back into the traditions of Judaism.

To emphasise this, the writer makes a clear distinction between the Law, that was given through the ministration of angels, and the Gospel which came directly through Jesus, was testified to by the Apostles and confirmed by God through the signs and wonders & gifts given to the Church through the Holy Spirit.

Jesus has been placed as Head over all things, and in the age to come He will subdue all things under him – whether thrones, dominions or powers. He has defeated death and will put down all rule, authority and power, having defeated the devil and has removed the fear of death for all who put their trust in Him!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Hebrews Chapter 2 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Hebrews – Chapter 1

Barry Forder — Sun, 19 Jan 2020 10:30:11 +0000

This study in Hebrews chapter 1, was taught by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel’s family service on 19th January 2020.

In this study, we look at how the writer to the Hebrews begins to show that Jesus is greater than all angels, and all other powers because He has rightfully become the heir of all things – having won back all that was lost in Adam. He is Creator and also Lord of all.

In times past God communicated to us through creation, our conscience and by prophets as they were moved by God to reveal truth and warn of coming judgment. God also used types and shadows, similitudes, to unveil His plan.

But now the veil has been torn in two and God speaks to us directly through His Son. Son-ish is God’s language. This is how He communicates to ‘those who have ears to hear’. The Son is the Word made flesh, and God uses His word to speak. To understand God you need to understand the language He uses to speak to us, and that is His Word.

In these times God chooses to speak through the person of Jesus.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

(Note: there are no PowerPoint slides accompanying this study)

The post Hebrews – Chapter 1 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Hebrews – Introduction – Bringing Sons Unto Glory

Barry Forder — Sun, 12 Jan 2020 10:30:04 +0000

This study by pastor Barry Forder was recorded on Sunday 12th January 2020 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s family service.

In this 2nd part of our introduction to the book of Hebrews, we look at what the writer meant when he records that Jesus is bringing many sons unto glory!

What does this mean for us? How should knowing this affect how we live?

Are you living in the knowledge and blessing of all that God has for you?

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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Hebrews – Introduction & The 5 Warnings

Barry Forder — Sun, 05 Jan 2020 10:30:07 +0000

This teaching was given by Pastor Barry Forder on 5th January 2020 and was the first session in our verse-by-verse study of Hebrews.

In this study, we look at 5 warnings the writer to the Hebrews gives them (and us) as a warning against complacency, that instead we might grow as believers into spiritual maturity.

Overview of the Book of Hebrews

Jesus: The New and Better Deliverer 1-7

–The God-man: better than the Angels – 1, 2

–Warning #1 (of 5) – 2:1-4

–An Apostle better than Moses – 3

–Warning #2 (of 5) – 3:17-4:13

–A Leader better than Joshua – 4:1-13

–A Priest better than Aaron – 4:14 – 5:10

–Warning #3 (of 5) – 5:11-6:20

–A Priest after the order of Melchizedek – 7

Calvary: A New and Better Covenant 8 – 10:17

–A Better Sanctuary – 9

–A Better Sacrifice – 10:17

Practical Applications 10:18 -13

–Warning #4 (of 5) – 10:18-31

–Hall of Faith – 11

–Exhortation to Endurance – 12 – 13

–Warning #5 (of 5) – 12:25-29

The underlying theme of this book is ‘bringing sons unto glory’. Wherever you are right now in your walk with the LORD, it’s not too late to turn around and seek Him with a whole heart, to know the power of His resurrection in your life. If you feel you need help or support, join us for this journey through Hebrews which, as we will see, is a practical guide to living a holy life for His glory.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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The Greatest Mystery – Part 6

Barry Forder — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 10:30:26 +0000

This teaching by pastor Barry Forder, recorded on the 15th December 2019, is the final part of our 6-session mini-series on ‘The Greatest Mystery’.

In this session, we see how God has been working all things throughout history to His timetable and for His purposes.

This ancient mystery determines the course of world history, it touches everything from kings, to presidents, empires, superpowers, down to the most minute details… and, as we will see, everything happens to happen in the exact way, at the exact place, and at the exact time.

And no one’s orchestrating it, no one on earth.

We have already noted the rise and fall of empires, the raising to positions of authority those who will accomplish His will – all in accordance with the ancient Jubilean mystery. We now go on to explore hidden codes, prophetic messages from millennia ago now being fulfilled on the very days appointed. We will uncover secrets hidden in the earth for centuries!

But with all of this said, we still have to answer the ‘so what’ question.

Why does everything seem to revolve around this Jubilean mystery? –Prophecy, revelation, World History.

The simple answer is, that it’s because the principle of the Jubilee is about return & restoration.

The Jewish people stand for all people – what happens to them has to do with us all. In the natural, we have not all left our ancestral possession… But in the spiritual, all have lost what belonged to us, given up the title of what was once ours.

You can never feel at home in this world because it’s not your inheritance. It’s not your land. It’s not what you were created for!

Redemption is at the center of the mystery. But “Who is it that the Jubilee is for?” For the exiled, the separated, the broken, the fallen, the one who has lost.

May you be blessed, encouraged and challenged by this study.

The post The Greatest Mystery – Part 6 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Greatest Mystery – Part 5

Barry Forder — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 10:30:43 +0000

This study, by pastor Barry Forder, was recorded on the 8th December 2019 at Calvary Portsmouth.

This is the 5th study in our series entitled ‘The Greatest Mystery’.

In this session, we continue to explore the incredible way God engineered to bring the Jews back into their homeland after almost 2000 years in accordance with His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

May you be blessed, challenged and amazed as we stand back in wonder, considering all that He has done!

The post The Greatest Mystery – Part 5 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Greatest Mystery – Part 4

Barry Forder — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 10:30:59 +0000

This study is the 4th in our series entitled “The Greatest Mystery”, by Pastor Barry Forder, recorded on the 1st December 2019.

In this session, we continue uncovering how God has engineered history to bring about his plans and designs.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post The Greatest Mystery – Part 4 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Truth About Faith

Barry Forder — Sun, 24 Nov 2019 10:30:05 +0000

This teaching on Faith was given on 24th November 2019 by guest teacher, Pastor Scott Gallatin, from Calvary Chapel Finger Lakes (USA).

What is Faith?

How much Faith do you need?

Do you wonder if you have enough Faith for God to answer your cries?

In this teaching, Pastor Scott takes us through the account in Matthew 15:22-28 of the Phonecian woman whose daughter was ‘grievously vexed with a devil’ and gives a clear and simple answer to these questions.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

The post The Truth About Faith first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Greatest Mystery – Part 3

Barry Forder — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 10:30:41 +0000

This study, by pastor Barry Forder, was recorded on 17th November 1219 and is the 3rd in our series entitled “The Greatest Mystery”.

In our first session, we looked at over 20 undeniable proofs for God’s existence and the validity, accuracy, and trustworthiness of the Bible, demonstrating it has been given to us from outside our time domain.

In the second session, we looked at one of the principal subjects of the Bible – The Nation of Israel – through Whom God has chosen to reveal Himself to this world. In his final address to the Nation Moses spoke of the blessing they would receive if they obeyed God and His laws, but he also spoke of the punishment that would come upon them if they disobeyed. Furthermore, he told them what would happen to them in the centuries and ages to come – he foretold their future. Now, that should be impossible! To tell the intricate course of human events even days or weeks before they take place cannot happen, let alone speaking thousands of years into the future of a nation. But all that Moses said has come true with incredible detail & precision!

In this third session, we begin by considering “The Mystery of the 490”, and again see undeniable proof that God is in complete control in the affairs of man. All History has been working to His timetable, and His timepiece is the Nation of Israel!

We then look at what could be the greatest of all mysteries, “The Jubilee Mysteries”!

For Israel, the Jubilee would occur every 50 years, and those who had lost or sold their home or land would have it restored, your separation from that which was yours would be ended. To mark the Jubilee there would be the blowing of the Shofar – the rams horn, as a trumpet to announce the coming of the year of Jubilee.

What does the Jubilee signify?
Returning to your possession, to regain that which you had lost
For two thousand years Israel had wandered the world without a homeland, without a possession of their own.
But as prophesied by Moses, their return home would be a sign that we are in the end times, the final days of this era.

Although totally unprecedented, Israel have returned to the land, a sign that the ancient Jubilee Mystery is being played out on a cosmic scale, touching kings, prime ministers, presidents and world leaders alike.

May you be astounded and blessed by this study!

The post The Greatest Mystery – Part 3 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Greatest Mystery – Part 2

Barry Forder — Sun, 10 Nov 2019 10:30:52 +0000

What if there were a people brought into existence as a sign, as a witness to the existence of God and as a vessel to bring about His purposes?

If such a people were to exist, what do you think would become of them? Wouldn’t you expect them to stand out? … to be different from every other people group on Earth.

And if there is a God and everything the Bible says about Him is true, it follows that there must also be a Devil, and everything the Bible says about him must also be true. Logically it would then follow that… If God had brought a group of people, a nation, into existence to stand as a witness to His existence and to fulfill His purposes… We could expect the Devil to have a peculiar hatred toward that group of people, and even go as far as attempting to destroy them.

Well, there is just such a people, they have remained an identifiable ethnic group despite the most vitriolic hatred and persecution ever known; despite being driven from their homeland for almost 2000 years.

The people? The Nation of Israel.

In this second study in our series ‘The Greatest Mystery’, Pastor Barry looks at the incredibly detailed prophecies concerning the history and future of the Jewish people, and looks and some incredible discoveries hidden in their Feasts and ‘religious holidays’.

But all of this – as staggering as it all is – is just the prelude to something even more astounding!

To be continued…

The post The Greatest Mystery – Part 2 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Greatest Mystery – Part 1

Barry Forder — Sun, 03 Nov 2019 10:30:07 +0000

What if there was a mystery that spanned the ages? A mystery birthed in a Middle Eastern desert over three thousand years ago that is now determining the events of our day?

What if I told you this mystery involves global leaders, heads of state, presidents, and many others who have all been working to a predetermined timetable? What if I could show you that this mystery has decided world events down to the year, the month and even the very day of their occurring?

What if I showed you that everything that ever has been and all that will be are connected to and are part of this mystery?

What if I showed you that you don’t need faith to believe this mystery, because it is etched as a silent witness into our past, present and future?

This study, taught by pastor Barry Forder, is the first part of a series entitled “The Greatest Mystery” that will provide undeniable proof of the existence of God as revealed in the Bible, and of His working in the affairs of man throughout the ages.

In this session, pastor Barry will lay the foundation, drawing on a number of apologetic arguments, to demonstrate the solid basis for the Christian faith. But this is only the beginning! What is to follow over the coming weeks is truly breath-taking!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study!

The post The Greatest Mystery – Part 1 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Paul’s Letter to Philemon

Barry Forder — Sun, 27 Oct 2019 10:30:06 +0000

This study was recorded at our Sunday morning service on 27th October 2019.

Paul’s short letter to Philemon is a powerful 25 verse presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

The letter addresses Philemon whose salve, Onesimus, had stolen from him, ran away to Rome where he had met Paul and been converted.

Paul pleads with Philemon to take Onesimus back, not merely as a salve, but now as a beloved brother.

Just as Christ is our advocate with the Father, so Paul offers to personally pay any debt that is owed.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Paul’s Letter to Philemon first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Paul’s Letter to Titus – Chapter 3

Barry Forder — Sun, 20 Oct 2019 10:30:05 +0000

This teaching on Titus chapter 3 was given by Pastor Barry Forder on 20th October 2019.

In Chapter 1 Paul instructs Titus to ‘set things in order’ in the church on the Island of Crete.

In the second chapter, the focus is turned to the vitally important subject of sound doctrine.

Here in this final chapter of this short, but powerful letter, Paul reminds Titus of the importance of the ‘good words’ that should accompany salvation, stating that we should be “careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men”.

Good works are good for two reasons:

–1. they are good (so bring blessing to the recipient/s)

–2. they help to maintain focus and direction for the doer (Prov 29:18)

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Paul’s Letter to Titus – Chapter 3 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Paul’s Letter to Titus – Chapter 1 10 – 2 15

Barry Forder — Sun, 06 Oct 2019 10:30:12 +0000

This study of Titus 1:10 – 2:15 was recorded on the 6th October 2019 at our family service.

The Powerpoint slides used by Pastor Barry for this teaching are available for free download (in PDF format).

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

The post Paul’s Letter to Titus – Chapter 1 10 – 2 15 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Science vs Evolution 3 – Kids Talk

Barry Forder — Sun, 29 Sep 2019 10:30:12 +0000

This teaching was recorded on 29th September 2019 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s children’s service.

In this 3rd teaching on the fallacy of the theory of evolution as proposed by Charles Darwin, pastor Barry explains to the children that what they will be taught in school on this subject is somewhat lacking in scientific support! [There is no actual scientific support!]

Even the much-publicised finches on the Galapagos Islands, so often heralded as ‘proof of evolution’, are merely an example of adaptation within a kind – they started off as birds, what did they become? Birds! They did not change into anything else! They already had the genetic information to make a beak, that information allowed for variation, but it did not allow them to become something other than the bird-kind they already were!

It is also important to recognise that, so often, in a classroom setting, children, are asked ‘bad questions’, i.e. questions that lead them to make unjustified assumptions, assuming evolution to be an already proven fact, rather than teaching them to think critically and ask, is evolution scientifically possible in the first place! – to which the answer is a resounding no!

Then there is the subtle way evolution’s proponents employ a ‘bait and switch’ tactic, pointing to something that is science, such as variation within a kind, when can be observed and is completly in accord with the Bible, but then making the colossal leap to suggest that proves the things we cannot obseve (e.g. reptiles evolving into birds) are also true. It’s the kind of ‘my dog has four legs…. my cat has four legs, therefore my cat is a dog!’ argument.

Another thing, seldom taught, is the various things we have to consider if we are to honestly talk about evolution (rather than merely the indoctrination that pervades our education system). For example, Macro Evolution is most commonly taught (the origin of the major kinds), but no time is given to the discussion of Cosmic or Chemical evolution, without which the show can’t get started in the first place! How do chemical’s come into being? or evolve?

Finally, in this teaching, we considered the still-taught ‘Nebular Hypothesis’. In a nutshll this is the idea that the planets in our solar system all originally came from filaments ejected from our Sun, that then cooled and became the planets we know today. This idea has been totaly debunked by true science!

Incredibly, although popularised by Immanuel Kant in his 1755 book “General History of Nature and Theory of the Heavens”, Kant got much of his ideas from a work published in Latin by Emanuel Swedenborg. Swedenborg claimed he, in turn, had got his information from seances with men on Jupiter, Saturn and places more distant!

Yes, it really is as bad as that! Our education system will champion a theory proposed by a man who claimed to have psychic powers and was given his information by aliens!

The Bible says we must cast down every argument that stops people looking to God. Evolution is exactly that, and since Michael Gove’s decision, when he was Education Security in 2014, to teach evolution to primary school children, we must challenge the non-science that is being taught to our children as a true account of our origins.

For more in this topic, down load our free PDF ‘Science vs Evolution’.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

The post Science vs Evolution 3 – Kids Talk first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Paul’s Letter to Titus – Chapter 1 1-9

Barry Forder — Sun, 22 Sep 2019 10:30:48 +0000

This verse-by-verse teaching on Paul’s letter to Titus, chapter 1, was given by pastor Barry Forder on the 22nd September 2019 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

In this letter, written around 64-67A.D., Paul writes to encourage his faithfull co-worker, Titus, and to exhort him to:

Chapter 1: All things set in order in the churches on the Island of Crete (many there were young believers that lacked maturity)

Chapter 2: To uphold Sound in doctrine, for the good of the church and to counter the false teaching of those who thought ‘godliness was a means for personal gain’

Chapter 3: To encourage Titus to impress upon the various congregations on Crete the need to perform good works as evidence that their Salvation was genuine!

In the first chapter, Paul reminds Titus of the three commissions he had been given:

1.Preach God’s Word 1:1-4

2.Ordain Qualified Leaders 1:5-9

3.Silence False Teachers 1:10-16

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Paul’s Letter to Titus – Chapter 1 1-9 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Coming Judgment of the Church – Part 4

Barry Forder — Sun, 15 Sep 2019 10:30:33 +0000

This final session in our 4-part series ‘The Coming Judgment of the Church’, taught by pastor Barry Forder, was recorded at our family service on Sunday 15th September 2019.

The Bible reveals that in the last days of this age, all religions will blend together into a single world church, which itself will eventually give way to the worship of Antichrist.

What began in ancient Babylon as a Satanic attempt to deceive mankind into following a false ‘seed’ will culminate in where it began, uniting all religions into a single faith.

From what we are told in Revelation 17 & 18, it appears that the Roman Catholic Church will be a major influence in this deception and just as Israel are revealed in Revelation 12 as the ‘clothing’ that protected the real Seed, ensuring the safe arrival of the Messiah, so the Vatican will prove to be the ‘clothing’ that has protected this false seed to make way for the false Messiah.

The Bible reveals that many (even within the Christian Church) will fall for this deception, which will be no doubt be presented to the world as the ultimate in acceptance and tolerance, embracing all and sundry regardless of morals or lifestyle, regardless of what god you worship.

Jesus said that the days before His return would be like it was in the days of Noah and Lot. Maybe only a few have dared to believe just how literally these words would be fulfilled! Yet, looking at the world today, and particularly seeing how quickly mainstream churches are giving in to compromise in the name of tolerance, we can now see these things being fulfilled before our eyes.

May you be blessed, challenged and encouraged by this study.

The post The Coming Judgment of the Church – Part 4 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Coming Judgment of the Church – Part 3

Barry Forder — Sun, 08 Sep 2019 10:30:36 +0000

This study, taught by pastor Barry Forder, is the 3rd in our series on The Coming Judgment of the Church – taught on 8th September 2019.

1 Peter 4:18 tells us that the session of judgment that is soon to come on the whole world will begin at the Church. Throughout the New Testament we have repeated warnings of apostasy in the church, and that God will one-day ‘root out’ and destroy the (tares) apostate church whilst the true Church (wheat) will be gathered into His barn – a beautiful picture of the Rapture

In the book of Jeremiah, we find an amazing parallel between the days in which Jeremiah lived and the church today.

Jeremiah lived at a time when most of the nation had fallen into apostasy and, although they still paid lip-service to God, had heaped up to themselves idols and false gods to worship. They had rejected God’s Word, embraced things that were an abomination to God, the priests no longer taught scripture, they had rejected God as their Creator and turned a blind eye to prophesy. Sounds a lot like the church today, doesn’t it!

Peter tells us that this is no coincidence. Just as there were false teachers among the Children of Israel, so there will be false teachers in the church. And just as Israel was judged for these things, so the apostate church will also be judged.

May you be blessed, challenged and encouraged by these studies!

The post The Coming Judgment of the Church – Part 3 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Coming Judgment of the Church – Part 2

Barry Forder — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 10:30:07 +0000

This teaching by pastor Barry Forder is the second in our four-part study looking at the coming judgment of the Church.

In this session, we look at the incredible parallels between the history of the nation of Israel and the history of the church.

In 1 Corinthians 10 Paul warns the church to not make the same mistakes the Nation of Israel did – yet history has shown that the Church has indeed made the same mistakes, failing to learn the lessons that had been given.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

Pastor Barry.

The post The Coming Judgment of the Church – Part 2 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Coming Judgment of the Church – Part 1

Barry Forder — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 10:30:57 +0000

This teaching by pastor Barry Forder was given on the 25th August 2019 and is the first in a four-part study looking at the coming judgment of the Church.

Peter tells us that the time of judgment that will soon engulf this world will begin with God bringing judgment on the apostate church that has taken His Name, but is far from His will.

Jesus, Paul, Peter, John and Jude all warn that deception will abound in the last days and much of this will come from within the church, by those professing to follow and serve Christ. Sadly, the Bible tells us that many will follow these false teachers and give heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons!

In this first session, we look at the root and history of apostasy, and see that every time God meets it with judgment.

The only sure guard against deception is the Word of God. God has revealed in His word the whole history and future of the church so that we should not be in darkness or ignorant about these things.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

Pastor Barry.

The post The Coming Judgment of the Church – Part 1 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

2 Timothy 4 5-22

Barry Forder — Sun, 11 Aug 2019 10:30:51 +0000

This teaching on 2 Timothy 4: 5-22 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 11th August 2019

Regrettably, the audio for this session did not record properly – we have uploaded the slides anyway for any that are interested.

The post 2 Timothy 4 5-22 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

2 Timothy 4 1-4

Barry Forder — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 10:30:09 +0000

This teaching on 2 Timothy 4 1-4 was given by pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth on 4th August 2019.

As Paul begins his final farewell to Timothy, he once again draws Timothy’s attention to the apostasy that will abound in the last days, and particularly within the church, as people abandon the Word in favor of ‘feel-good self-help messages’. In the midst of this compromise, as Timothy’s commander in this spiritual war, Paul commands Timothy to Preach the Word without wavering. Preach it when they want to hear and even when they don’t.

The Word of God is immovable, never changing, eternally true and everlasting. The grass will wither, the flowers will fade, but the Word of our God stands forever. Time will not change it, popular opinion will certainly not change it, political correctness will not intimidate it.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The Powerpoint slides used in this teaching are available for free download (in PDF format) along with the audio recording.

The post 2 Timothy 4 1-4 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

2 Timothy 3 4-9

Barry Forder — Sun, 21 Jul 2019 10:30:44 +0000

This teaching, given by Pastor Barry Forder on 21st July 2019, from 2 Timothy 3 continues to look at the way the Apostle Paul said the world would be in the last days.

This world has chosen to reject God and all that is good in its pursuit for self-gratification.

The world is big on amusement but low on morality. The Government and media, and all who shape people thoughts, are heady and high-minded, speaking and writing with impunity as if they are accountable to no one for their thoughts and words. But what foundation do they have for the ungodly propaganda they spread? If all they have is their own opinion, why should their opinion be any more valid than mine? They want me to conform to their liberal values and ideologies, but it seems to not have occurred to them that my values – Christian values – should be just as acceptable in this day of toleration as their own! Particularly given that the values Christians hold to have a foundation other than our own opinion. They are founded on a wisdom that has shaped society & nations for almost two millennia! It is a wisdom that has not come from a fallible human mind, subject to change and swayed by popular opinion, but from the mind and heart of God Himself, communicated to us through His never changing Word!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The Powerpoint slides used in this presentation are available as PDF to download free of charge, along with the audio recording of this session.

The post 2 Timothy 3 4-9 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

2 Timothy 3:1-3

Barry Forder — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 10:30:59 +0000

This teaching, by pastor Barry Forder, was recorded at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth on 14th July 2019 as part of our verse-by-verse study of Paul’s 2nd letter to Timothy.

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good” 2 Tim 3:1-3

It is amazing how this list, written by Paul almost 2000 years ago, reads like a newspaper headline today!.

Yet if we dare to speak out against society’s accepted norm, we are immediately shot down and told we are not being tolerant and branded as a fundamentalist! Since 9:11 a fundamentalist is seen as an extremist, completely intolerant of other people’s views.

However, the dictionary defines Fundamentalism as:

1a) a belief in the literal truth of the Bible

1b) a movement in 20^th century Protestantism emphasising such belief

1c) adherence to such a belief

2a) a movement or attitude stressing strict and literal adherence to a set of basic principles

Therefore, by definition 2a, almost all people are, to some degree, fundamentalists. The football referee who strictly adheres to the rules and basic principles of the game is a fundamentalist. The businessman who strictly adheres to legal and ethical codes of practice is also a fundamentalist. The school maths teacher who teaches the rules of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division stresses a literal adherence to the basic principles that are non-negotiable. If the people in these examples did not strictly adhere to the basic principles on the grounds that they did not want to be dogmatic or offensive, they would soon be looking for alternative employment!

The fundamentals that Christians stick to are to ‘Love the LORD our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves! But love cannot be detached from truth and justice! We are to speak the truth in love!

Society at large has rejected God and does not want to hear the truth if it offends their blinkered sensibilities. We are now reaping the consequences. The only remedy is that men and women turn to Jesus Christ while there is still time.

May you be blessed, challenged and encouraged by this study!

The post 2 Timothy 3:1-3 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

2 Timothy 2 22-26

Barry Forder — Sun, 07 Jul 2019 10:30:21 +0000

This teaching, by pastor Barry Forder, was recorded at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth on 7th July 2019 as a continuation of our verse by verse study through the book of 2nd Timothy.

In these verses, Paul encourages Timothy (as he had done in v3) to not get entangled with this world.

We are on a journey that we get to share with other believers, who can encourage and support us, and in return we them.

But the lure of the world, through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life is always there, and only by walking in the Spirit through the Grace that Jesus gives can we be victorious.

May you be blessed, challenged and encouraged by this study!

Pastor Barry.

The post 2 Timothy 2 22-26 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Science vs Evolution 2 – Kids Talk

Barry Forder — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 10:30:47 +0000

This teaching was recorded at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth as part of our Children’s service on 30th June 2019.

In this session Pastor Barry looks back at a significant event that occurred 158 years ago (on this day) – ‘The Great Debate’ in Oxford, England, and explains to the Children that, with what we now know from Science, Evolution has been shown to be impossible!

Darwin’s book has been shown to be false, the Bible has been shown to be true!

The publication of Darwin’s Origin of the Species on 24 November 1859 caused ripples through an academic community that, up to that point, had accepted the Biblical explanations of our origins. Sir Isaac Newton (1643 – 1727), among other prominent scientists (including René Descartes), upheld “that the physical laws he had uncovered revealed the mechanical perfection of the workings of the universe to be akin to a watchmaker, wherein the watchmaker is God”.

Bishop William Paley (1743–1805), in defending the Biblical view, and building on Newton’s comments said that the watch, with its gears, springs, and other mechanisms could never arise by the actions of random chance alone; and thus life itself, being immeasurably more complex, could not be the product of random chance either. Scottish philosopher and historian David Hume (1711-1776), who held notoriously ambiguous views of Christianity, responded by saying that “Living systems only have the appearance of machines, Unless it can be proven that living systems are indeed machines at the molecular level, then Paley’s watchmaker argument is irrelevant”

This paved the way for The Great Debate at Oxford on June 30^th 1860 where Bishop Samuel Wilberforce (1805-1873) stood to defend the Biblical belief in deliberate design by a Designer (often referred to as The Teleological Argument). Thomas Henry Huxley (1825-1895), nicknamed ‘Darwin’s bulldog’, opposed Wilberforce and sought to champion Darwin’s concept of evolution by natural selection, which had been published less than a year before.

Darwin had said: “If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed, which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down. But I can find no such case”⁴³. Regardless of however unlikely it may seem, If Huxley could prove evolution was possible, Wilberforce’s argument for design would break down.

Wilberforce is generally considered to have lost the argument because of the challenge brought by Huxley (some also credit Darwin’s friend, the botanist Joseph Hooker). Huxley’s argument was simple: using mathematical logic and the laws of probability he argued that if time is infinite, then the probability must = 1. To ‘prove’ his point he argued that if he be hypothetically given 6 monkeys, each with a typewriter, a limitless supply of paper, and limitless time, the monkeys would, by random key-strokes alone, eventually be able to type all the works of Shakespeare, the 23 Psalm etc. etc. Wilberforce was stumped and it was hailed as a victory for Darwin’s evolution by natural selection.

However, it’s funny how time brings with it illumination!

Thanks to the advances in science, and the invention of the electron microscope, we are now able to see a ‘simple cell’ in a way that Huxley, Wilberforce and Darwin could never have dreamed of.

Michael Denton, in his book, ‘Evolution: A Theory In Crisis’ (1986) stated: “Although the tiniest bacterial cells are incredibly small, each is in effect a veritable micro-miniaturized factory containing thousands of exquisitely designed pieces of intricate molecular machinery, made up of 100,000,000,000 atoms, far more complicated than any machine built by man and absolutely without parallel in the non-living world”

Because of the law of mass action as described above, we can now see the scientific flaw in Huxley’s argument. For a protein to form, it would require the joining together of a long complex chain of amino acids, but as explained, in the proposed early earth atmosphere, in the primordial watery soup, whenever an amino acid joined the chain, an existing amino acid would break off.

For Huxley, this would be the equivalent to one of his monkeys randomly striking the ‘E’ key, then the next key struck – randomly – being the ‘v’; but when the third key was struck, randomly giving an ‘o’,

the first ‘E’ would break away!

Even given limitless time, you would therefore never get ‘E-v-o-l-u-t-i-o-n’.

Sir Fred Hoyle said: “The speculations of The Origin of Species turned out to be wrong… It is ironic that the scientific facts throw Darwin out, but leave William Paley, a figure of fun to the scientific world for more than a century, still in the tournament with a chance of being the ultimate winner”

“Modern microbiology has revealed that even the simplest organisms are complex machines beyond our imagining. Science has refuted Hume and totally vindicated Paley”

May you be blessed, challenged and encouraged by this study!

Pastor Barry

The post Science vs Evolution 2 – Kids Talk first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

2 Timothy 2 1-22

Barry Forder — Sun, 23 Jun 2019 10:30:01 +0000

This teaching was given by pastor Barry Forder on the 23rd June 2019 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

In 2 Timothy chapter 2 Paul continues to encourage his ‘son in the faith’ to hold on and keep fighting the good fight.

All ministry can become a struggle, and there are times we feel like throwing the towel in and giving up! But Paul reminds Timothy that his source of strength is not his own flesh, it is not from within, but from without, it is from Jesus Christ Himself. It is only by the Grace of God that we are saved, it is only by that same grace that we are sanctified, and it is only by that Grace we can stand and continue on in ministry.

Yes Paul is not telling Timothy that this life is easy!

In this chapter, he uses the example of a soldier, an athlete, and farmer to illustrate the very real challenge that awaits us in ministry, yet with God’s grace we will be ‘more than conquerors’ through Christ who loved us!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

Pastor Barry.

The post 2 Timothy 2 1-22 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

2 Timothy 1 13 – 2 1

Barry Forder — Sun, 16 Jun 2019 10:30:51 +0000

This teaching on 2 Timothy was given by pastor Barry Forder as part of our verse-by-verse study through Paul’s last letter, to his ‘son in the faith’ Timothy. It was recorded at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth on 16th June 2019.

In this session we see Paul urge Timothy to carry on the fight and not to give up, for we know that we are not following a set or creeds or instructions, we are not on a quest for self-fulfillment, but we are following a person, The Lord Jesus Christ!

Paul reminds Timothy that Jesus is able to guard all that we have deposited with Him, our good works, ministry, service; none of it is wasted. Most of all, He is the Anchor of our souls!

Yet we can be shaken, and like a ship blown off course, so Paul tells Timothy to Hold Fast! Don’t be led astray by false teachers, don’t waver from the pure doctrine you have received. As the old adage goes: “If it’s new it’s probably not true, and if it’s true it’s probably not new!”

Then, as we move into Chapter 2, Paul brings in the heavy artillery! Grace! It is all about Grace.

Without the grace that is in Christ Jesus, we cannot stand, walk or live this life.

Over the next few weeks we will consider this vital topic in more detail.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

Pastor Barry.

The post 2 Timothy 1 13 – 2 1 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

2 Timothy 1 1-11

Barry Forder — Sun, 09 Jun 2019 10:30:12 +0000

This verse by verse study of 2 Timothy 1:1-11 was given by Pastor Barry Forder and recorded on the 9th June 2019 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

In the opening to this epistle, the last that Paul would write, he seeks to encourage his young ‘son in the faith’.

Ministry can be tough, there are attacks from without, doubts from within and the awesome weight that comes from knowing you are giving instruction to people that will impact, and maybe even decide, their eternal destiny.

The underlying theme of this letter is loyalty, and in chapter 1 Paul emphasises that Timothy must be loyal to the call of God upon his life even through the suffering and persecution he had and would continue to face.

But Paul acknowledges that Timothy had an unfeigned faith. Dr Chuck Missler defines faith as ‘not belief in spite of the evidence… but rather obedience in spite of the consequences!’

May you be strengthened and encouraged by this study.

Every blessing, Pastor Barry.

The post 2 Timothy 1 1-11 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Introduction to 2 Timothy

Barry Forder — Sun, 02 Jun 2019 10:30:30 +0000

This study was taught by Pastor Barry Forder at our family service on 2nd June 2019.

In his final letter, shortly before his death, Paul writes from prison to encourage young pastor Timothy.

In this introduction we consider the life of Paul, from ‘church hater’ to ‘Apostle to the Gentiles’; and look at this unique thing we call the church.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The audio and PowerPoint slides used in this study are available from free download.

The post Introduction to 2 Timothy first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Daniel Chapter 3

Barry Forder — Sun, 26 May 2019 10:30:36 +0000

This teaching, by guest teacher John Reynolds, was recorded at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s family service on 26th May 2019.

In this study John takes us through the incredible account in Daniel chapter 3 and looks at the prophetic implications and the lessons for us today.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study!

The post Daniel Chapter 3 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

Barry Forder — Sun, 19 May 2019 10:30:26 +0000

This teaching by pastor Barry Forder was recorded at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s family service on 19th May 2019.

Pilate had asked Jesus the question “What is truth?”

To many, truth is merely relative, that is, we can each decide our own truth depending on our circumstances and experiences.

The day before Pilate asked this question, Jesus stated “Thy Word is truth!”, that it, God’s word does not merely contain ideas and concepts that are true, it is truth itself. Every part of it, every statement made, every doctrine taught is true. It is the fount of truth. Without out it, we would be lost in a sea of ideas, opinions, philosophies and dreams.

Sadly, today’s church has largely become blinded to this great fact, and has replaced the truth of God’s word for politically correct and socially acceptable axioms*.

*a generally accepted proposition or principle, sanctioned by experience; maxim

Today society seems to dictate truth and the church, like an obedient dog, walks on behind!

However, that is not the way it was in the early church! They knew they had been given something precious that they were to earnestly contend for! Despite what modernists and liberal theologians would have us believe, truth is non-negotionable!

Doctrine is not open to debate, and we do not get to decide what the Bible means – it tells us itself what it means and we have been given the Holy Spirit to teach us and lead us into all truth!

Today’s ministers and clergy can spiritualise and allegorise all day long. They can tell you the Second Coming is not going to be a physical return; they can tell you that God didn’t really Create everything in 6 literal 24 hour days if they like; they can tell you that God is not going to keep His untold number of promises to National Israel, that these somehow will now fall on the church. They can tell you these things and teach them in pulpits all over the land – BUT IT DOENS’T MAKE THEM TRUE!

They have missed the boat! Truth has already been declared (and God did not consult them first!). The Apostles Doctrine is as rock solid and non-negotiable today as when it was given. Christianity is based on this. The fundamentals are not open to debate!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study!

As usual, the Powerpoint slides used in this study are available for free download.

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1 Timothy 6

Barry Forder — Sun, 05 May 2019 10:30:14 +0000

This teaching by pastor Barry Forder was recorded at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth family service on 5th May 2019.

This is our concluding study of Paul’s first letter to Timothy.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The audio and Powerpoint slides used in this study are available for free download.

The post 1 Timothy 6 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Feasts of Israel – Part 2

Barry Forder — Sun, 28 Apr 2019 10:30:30 +0000

This teaching is the conclusion of a two-part study looking at the Feasts of Israel and their prophetic significance.

This teaching was given by guest speaker, Adrian Hudson, on 28th April 2019 as part of Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s family service.

In 1 Corinthians 15, the apostle Paul tells us that the Gospel itself is concealed in the Old Testament. In this 2^nd Part of our two-part study on the Feast’s of Israel, Adrian shows how not only the first four feasts point to Jesus, but the ‘Autumn’ Feasts also all point to Jesus and declare Him to be the Messiah!

Furthermore, as with the Spring feasts, there will also be a literal prophetic fulfillment that will see Israel preparing to defend herself from those ‘round about’ her as the trumpet is sounded to mark the day of battle (Feast of Trumpets). Then comes the time when Israel will have fled from Antichrist to the wilderness of Edom. It will be there that they will ‘look upon Jesus whom they pierced, and morn’. This will be the fulfillment of the Feast of Atonement as they realise that Christ is their Messiah who atones for their sin.

Finally, the Feast of Tabernacles will see the return of Jesus when He will come to dwell (tabernacle) among them!

Only God could engineer the incredible details found in the Feasts of Israel that act as a model given over 1400 years in advance of Jesus, death, burial and resurrection, His deliverance of Israel, His unveiling Himself to them, and finally His return to rule over the whole house of Israel!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

As usual, the PowerPoint slides used in this study and audio are available for free download.

The post The Feasts of Israel – Part 2 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Why we believe He is risen!

Barry Forder — Sun, 21 Apr 2019 10:30:49 +0000

This teaching was given at our Easter Day service, 21st April 2019, by pastor Barry Forder.

(Please note: The audio quality of this recording is very poor due to a technical fault. We have uploaded it anyway for any that wish to persevere listening to it!)

For many in today’s modern, science-based, intellectual world the idea that people could seriously believe Jesus rose from the dead is quite frankly ridiculous!

But what if it were true?

What if the groundswell of academic study on this subject points unmistakably to the fact that Jesus of Nazareth did somehow rise from the dead after being in the grave for 3 days and 3 nights?

It is my contention that people do not reject belief in Jesus and the resurrection on the basis of the evidence, but simply because they have been led to believe that no evidence exists.

So why do we believe Jesus rose from the dead? Well, there are many reasons, but let’s give you three:

1.Because God foretold THOUSANDS of years before that the Messiah would come, that He would die for our sins, and that on the 3rd day He would rise again (you try predicting any future event with precision, then have it recorded in a book written by around 40 authors, from different backgrounds and at different times, and yet having it all agree in minute detail and carry a single theme!).

2.Because Jesus Himself said He would die and rise again on the 3rd day – and only God or a madman would dare to make such an audacious claim!

3.Because we have the eyewitness reports of the disciples, the Roman guards, and Pilate.

May you be challenged and blessed by this study.

It is our prayer that you would come to know Jesus personally. If you want to know more, please contact us or come visit one Sunday.

Pastor Barry – Easter 2019

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The Feasts of Israel – Part 1

Barry Forder — Sun, 14 Apr 2019 10:30:37 +0000

This teaching is the first of a two-part study looking at the Feasts of Israel and their prophetic significance.

This teaching was given by guest speaker, Adrian Hudson, on 14th April 2019 as part of Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s family service.

In 1 Corinthians 15, the apostle Paul tells us that the Gospel itself is concealed in the Old Testament, and specifically, we find it in the Feasts of Israel that occurred in the Spring – namely:

The Feast of Passover, which details the death of Jesus who died as a Passover Lamb in our place to secure our deliverance from slavery and bondage

The Feast of Unleavened Bread, which alludes to the spotless, sinless Christ who was put into the ground like a grain of wheat, that He might rise again bearing much fruit.

The Feast of Firstfruits, which speaks of Christ who presented Himself to His Father as the Firstfruits of those who will rise from the dead

In this study, Adrian takes us through these three feasts + Shavuot (The Feast of Harvest / Pentecost) showing the incredible design which show the Author of the Bible to be outside of time and space, telling the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things not yet done! (Isaiah 46:9-10).

Only God could conceal the incredible details found in the Feasts of Israel that act as a model given over 1400 years in advance of Jesus, death, burial and resurrection!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

The Audio and Powerpoint slides (in PDF format) used in this teaching are available for free download.

The post The Feasts of Israel – Part 1 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

1 Timothy 5

Barry Forder — Sun, 07 Apr 2019 10:30:51 +0000

This teaching on 1 Timothy 5, by Pastor Barry Forder, was given on 7th April 2019 at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth as part of our family service.

The Audio and Powerpoint slides used in this study are available for free download.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this teaching.

The post 1 Timothy 5 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Science vs Evolution – Children’s Talk

Barry Forder — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 10:30:09 +0000

This teaching by pastor Barry Forder was recorded at our Children’s service on 31st March 2019.

In this teaching we presented to our Children some of the simple reasons that prove Evolution is stupid – it just cannot and did not happen! Yet sadly it is still taught in the classrooms to our vulnerable and impressionable children as a scientific fact.

One of the examples we looked at was the ‘Molecular Chirality’ of the amino acids the make-up Proteins. Proteins are made up of entirely left-handed amino acids. There are 20 amino acids found in living systems but only about 10% of these have been able to be produced in laboratory experiments designed to simulate the earth atmosphere as proposed by evolutionists. Out of the 10% that have been formed by ‘random chance’ in a laboratory, there has been a mix of 50/50 right and left handed amino acids. Evolutionists have yet to explain how, by random chance, 100% left handed amino acids are found in living systems. As we demonstrated by flipping coins, by random chance, you are never going to get all just one type, all of the time, every time!!

There are so many more examples that we can give to show that the ‘high quality science education’ our government wants to foister on the minds of our children is nothing short of secular humanism. Yet when we mention the God who Created all things we are told we are guilty of indoctrination!

The mantra of today’s schools, colleges and universities is ‘In the beginning Nothing…’ Then they call the Biblical explanation, with a beginning (verified by science), a universe that has been stretched out (verified by science), an Earth that is a globe (verified by science) hanging on nothing in space (verified by science), a Sun and Moon that exist to enable life on Earth and mark seasons (observable), life that suddenly appears on Earth (observable in the fossil record), creatures that reproduce only after their kind (verified by science and observation), a human race that is degenerating (verified by science), a world-wide flood (observable), a world that once had a uniform climate (verified by science), an ocean with ‘pathways’ (verified by science), the hydro cycle (verified by science) etc. etc… they call all of this, ‘myth’ or ‘religious belief’, but nothing exploding and defying countless laws of nature and violating unnumbered scientific facts, this they call “scientific knowledge, supported by extensive, robust evidence”

May you be encouraged by this teaching to stand firmly on His Word.

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Psalm 23 – The Sheep’s Psalm

Barry Forder — Sun, 24 Mar 2019 10:30:37 +0000

This teaching by pastor Barry Forder was recorded at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth on the 24th March 2019.

In the early hours of Friday 22^nd March 2019, Heaven welcomed a special guest home to a banquet table that had been prepared for her (Psalm 23:5). Linda Bennett had been a part of the Calvary Portsmouth church family for many years and had taught in Sunday School those who have now gone on to serve the LORD in various ministries elsewhere around the world. Linda also had a tremendous gift of encouragement and was used of the LORD to counsel and encourage individuals and couples alike. To many in the fellowship, Linda was like a second mum! – and she was a great cook too!

But it is possibly for her ministry in teaching other women that Linda is best remembered. Linda taught at a number of woman’s conferences and led the Calvary Portsmouth ladies Bible Study for many years. We are blessed to have some of Linda’s teaching on this web site – see Linda’s Blog – ‘Above Rubies‘, for studies on ‘The Names of God’, ‘Bloom Where You Are Planted’ and ‘Proverbs 31: Above Rubies’

https://www.calvaryportsmouth.co.uk/category/above-rubies/

Linda had a deep love for God’s Word, and among many of her favourite passages was Psalm 23 – ‘The Sheep’s Psalm’. Therefore it seemed appropriate to take a week off our verse-by-verse study of 1 Timothy and for this week, in honour of Linda and out of gratitude for her faithful witness and ministry, to look at this precious jewel of a Psalm.

Spurgeon said: “There is no inspired title to this psalm, and none is needed, for it records no special event, and needs no other key than that which every Christian may find in his own bosom. It is David’s Heavenly Pastoral; a surpassing ode, which none of the daughters of music can excel. The position of this psalm is worthy of notice. It follows the twenty-second, which is peculiarly the Psalm of the Cross. There are no green pastures, no still waters on the other side of the twenty-second psalm. It is only after we have read, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” that we come to “The Lord is my Shepherd.” We must by experience know the value of blood shedding, and see the sword awakened against the Shepherd, before we shall be able truly to know the Sweetness of the good Shepherd’s care.”

This Psalm is great comfort for all saints, as we begin “to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God”. (Eph 3:18-19)

That a God so mighty would condescend to be our very own personal Shepherd is staggering! Yet He cares for us when we cannot care for ourselves; He protects us againt all enemies; He leads and guides us, all for His great names sake. The shadows we face in this valley of death are just a reminder that the Light is Greater still! What a committmet He has made to us!

May you be strengthened and encouraged by this teaching.

The audio and Powerpoint slides used for this teaching are available to be downloaded free of charge.

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1 Timothy 4

Barry Forder — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 10:30:18 +0000

This teaching by Pastor Barry Forder was recorded at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s family service on 17th March 2019 as part of our verse-by-verse study through 1st Timothy.

Following on from the teaching by Pastor Antonye Holyde last week, we see that in 1 Timothy 4 how those from within the camp can leave and join the enemies ranks – having given “heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils”.

The conclusion is still the same.

We must be ‘nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine’, refuse ‘old wives’ fables’ and not give into compromise (or like Saul in 1 Sam 14 settle for a place where we feel safe), instead we must be on the offensive and ‘both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men’

We must ‘exercise ourselves toward godliness’ and take our stand against the wiles of the Devil, knowing that if we do, we will not only ‘save ourselves, but also those who hear us’ (1 Tim 4:16) – and we might just win some of those who left to join the enemies camp back again!

May you be challenged, strengthened and encouraged by this teaching!

The post 1 Timothy 4 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

1 Samuel 14 1-23

Barry Forder — Sun, 10 Mar 2019 10:30:43 +0000

The Grace to Step Out in Faith – 10th March 2019

In this teaching by guest speaker, Pastor Antonye Holyde, we look at the courage of Jonathan (Saul’s son) to step out in faith, leaving behind the compromise that surrounded him, and take a stand for the God of Israel.

Pastor Antonye encourages us to reach out to this lost and dying world with the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Pastor Antonye and his wife Suzanne have planted 30 churches in their ministry to date, and in March 2019 will be returning to California to begin a new work, following the LORD’s leading. For the last 8 years they have been ministering in Camden (London) at Calvary Chapel Shoreline and have seen God’s grace transform countless lives.

May you be challenged, strengthened and encouraged by this teaching!

The post 1 Samuel 14 1-23 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

1 Timothy 3 8-16

Barry Forder — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 10:30:05 +0000

This study of 1 Timothy 3:8-16 was taught by Pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s family service on 3rd March 2019.

In this study, we review the various forms of Church Government and the role of the Pastor, then go on to look at the role of deacons, i.e. those who serve the congregation in practical ways to enable the body to function as it should.

One of the key verses is v.10 where Paul tells Timothy that Deacons are to ‘use the office’ as a means to an end. If you serve the congregation by making refreshments after the service, that is merely a means to an end that you might use it as an opportunity to minister. If you help by setting the equipment up each week, that is simply the ‘excuse’ you have t0 fellowship and encourage each other. Of course, the practical needs are important, but the spiritual needs always should take precedence!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 Timothy 3 1-7

Barry Forder — Sun, 24 Feb 2019 10:30:21 +0000

This teaching by pastor Barry Forder was recorded at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s family service on the 24th Feb 19.

In chapter 3 of Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he outlines the requirements of a ‘poiman’ (Shepherd) / ‘episkope’ (overseer) – one who is entrusted by God with the spiritual care and nurturing of the sheep given into his care.

As in the last chapter, the real issue is again one of the heart. It is not the outward appearance that matters so much as the inward person that only God sees.

If our relationship with God is one of surrender and yielding, what people see as they look upon the outside is merely a reflection of what God’s grace has done on the inside!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 Timothy 2 5-15

Barry Forder — Sun, 17 Feb 2019 10:30:23 +0000

This teaching, by pastor Barry Forder, was recorded at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s family service on 17th February 2019.

In this study, we continue to look at the order in the church and see that at the heart of it is the condition of our hearts!

Are we prepared to submit to one another in love? Are we prepared to submit to the authority God has placed above us? For men we have to submit to government and the powers that be – that we might, by our peaceable and godly lives be a witness that would lead others to Christ. Godly men are not about flexing muscles and showing wrath.

In like manner, women should not flaunt themselves but be willing to learn ‘peaceably’, recognizing God’s order in creation. Whilst a woman may teach in a variety of situations, the office of Pastor is for men only, and then only for a few men that God specifically calls. It is a sad fact that practically all denominations now appoint women as pastors

Whilst Paul would have women learn in silence (i.e not shouting out in public meetings), a woman is given the great responsibility of raising Godly children that would continue in faith, love, holiness and with sobriety. The influence that God has entrusted to women is a powerful thing!

Paul would have the men step up and get on our knees and fight like men – in prayer!

Women are not to usurp the authority of the man, for God calls the men to march first into battle. Even Deborah, a Judge of Israel, in Judges 4, had the wisdom to get Barak to lead the army of Israel against the enemy. In the few examples in scripture where the woman as usurped the man and ‘gone into battle ahead of him’, it has never ended well! From the Garden of Eden to woman in Revelation 17 & 18.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 Timothy 2 1-4

Barry Forder — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 10:30:06 +0000

This teaching on 1 Timothy 2:1-4 was given by Pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s family service on 10th February 2019.

We now began to look at Paul’s instructions to Timothy regarding men and women in the church. Men must not be militant ‘political activists’ be willing to be under the authority of government and laws of the land.

In contrast, Woman must be willing to be under the authority of their husbands. Both men and women in the church then, by their lives and actions show their willingness to submit to earthly authority as a practical and outward sign that they are willing to submit to heavenly authority.

Paul explains the reason for this is that it is not only pleasing to God, it also becomes a witness to the world, that thereby others may be saved.

We begin to see unfolding here how important our attitudes are in winning other souls to Christ. Yes, these views seem outdated to the world, they do not understand the concept of submission. But far from rolling over and being a ‘doormat’ for others to walk all over, we show by our willingness to submit a real strength and trust in God’s order and His plan.

May this study bless and encourage you in your walk with Him.

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1 Timothy 1 6-20

Barry Forder — Sun, 03 Feb 2019 10:30:04 +0000

This teaching on 1 Timothy 1: 6-20 was given by Pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s family service on 3rd February 2019.

Paul continues to give instruction and encouragement to young pastor Timothy.

The challenges before him, as with so many churches and pastors today are:

to teach sound doctrine and correct the erroneous ramblings of those who have become self-appointed teachers
yet to remain humble, recognising that it is only by Grace we stand and have been called to minister
then standing in that Grace, because you have been called and appointed by God, to wage a good warfare against the enemy

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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1 Timothy 1 1-5

Barry Forder — Sun, 27 Jan 2019 10:30:50 +0000

This teaching was given as part of our family service on 27th January 2019, taught by Pastor Barry Forder.

In this session we look at the opening 5 verses of Paul’s first letter to Timothy and see that Paul gives Timothy two essential qualities that should be found in any spiritual officer within the church:

He must be a man of faith, and
He must be motivated by love.

Paul also explains the three fundamental responsibilities for a pastor in a local church:

1) Teach sound doctrine vv.1-11

2) Proclaim the Gospel vv.12-17

3) Defend the faith vv.18-20

Above all, what we do in the church must be done in love, out of a pure mind and good conscience.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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Introduction to 1st Timothy

Barry Forder — Sun, 20 Jan 2019 10:30:31 +0000

This teaching was recorded at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth family service on 20th January 2019.

In this study, we look at the historical background that brought the Apostle Paul to Lystra where a young 13/14-year-old Timothy first heard him preach about Jesus of Nazareth, whom Paul claimed was the promised Messiah of Israel! On that occasion it almost cost Paul his life, being stoned and dragged outside of the city, left for dead. But then, surrounded by the faithful believers, who were no doubt praying, Paul miraculously got up and headed straight back into the city! What must his enemies thought! But what too must a young impressionable boy have made of it?

Around three years later Paul returned with Silas to find a faithful young Christian man with an obvious calling on his life to pastoral ministry.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

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Introduction to 1&2 Timothy

Barry Forder — Sun, 13 Jan 2019 10:30:26 +0000

Recorded on the 13th January 2019 at our family service, this study is an introduction to our verse by verse journey through 1st and 2nd Timothy.

Written by Paul to his young prodigy and ‘son in the faith’ Timothy, to encourage this young pastor of the church at Ephesus to keep going!

We all face challenges in life, and as a Christian, we can expect challenges in ministry. Paul urges Timothy that it is too soon to quit! He had been given a charge by God, called to a work that could only be accomplished by standing strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus.

This is a message for all believers, to endure as a faithful soldier enlisted in God’s army.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The audio and Powerpoint slides used in this study are available for free download.

The post Introduction to 1&2 Timothy first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

A New Year Message…

Barry Forder — Sun, 06 Jan 2019 10:30:06 +0000

This teaching was given by Pastor Barry Forder at our family service on the 6th January 2019.

During the service, we celebrated the dedication of a child in the fellowship to the LORD, and as this was also the first service of 2019, Pastor Barry taught on the theme of dedicating our lives to the LORD at the start of another year.

In this study, we look at:

the typical ‘New Year’s Resolutions’ people make and consider the Biblical alternatives.
why the Bible is such an amazing book that should be read by all – and at the beginning of a new year, it’s a great time to start!
why we dedicate our children to the LORD and consider the world’s alternatives to bringing children up in a godly home

The Powerpoint slides used in the presentation are available for free download, as is this audio recording.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study!

The post A New Year Message… first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Gospel of Mark 16

Barry Forder — Sun, 16 Dec 2018 10:30:37 +0000

This teaching of Mark 16 was given by Pastor Barry Forder at our family service on 16th December 2018 and concludes our verse-by-verse journey through the Gospel of Mark.

In this study we look at the last chapter in this incredible Gospel, considering the evidence for the Resurrection, and the preposterous claim put forward by the Jewish leadership, that the Disciples of Jesus had come and stolen the body – while a highly trained unit of Rome’s finest soldiers just slept??!!

We also look at the claim that the last 16 verses of Mark’s Gospel were a later addition. The claim is made that in two of the ‘oldest’ and ‘most reliable’ manuscripts these verses were not there, thus proving them to be a later addition.

This all sounds very scholarly, and the average person will simply accept the footnotes in their ‘Bible’, after all, surely we can trust the translators can’t we?

Well actually no. A resounding no!

We now know that Sinaiticus and Vaticanus (the two manuscripts referred to as being older and more reliable) are totally unreliable and were actually forgeries set up by the Roman Catholic church with the express attempt to undermine the true text of the Bible as has been passed down, century to century.

The sad fact is that most people simply accept modern translations, believing the ‘it’s easier to read’ propaganda without realising that whole verses are missing, words are changed, the Deity of Christ is intentionally obfuscated, and error after error is introduced into the text.

God had preserved His word, and every jot and tittle does matter!

Modern versions are nothing more than a commentary on the text (at best), where the translators tell you what they think the original Hebrew or Greek text said. Not what it actually says, so that you can be guided yourself by the Holy Spirit to understand God’s Word.

May this study bless and challenge you!

We love and serve a Risen Saviour who does not leave us afraid (v8), but empowers us to be witnesses of His resurrection to this world!

Every blessing,

Pastor Barry

December 2018

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The Gospel of Mark 15 27-47

Barry Forder — Sun, 09 Dec 2018 10:30:50 +0000

This verse by verse study of Mark 15 27-47 was given by Pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s family service on 9th December 2018. The Powerpoint slides used in this study are available as a free download.

In this study we look at the Crucifixion of Jesus, and consider 9 events that led to a Roman Centurion becoming the first gentile convert.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

Every blessing,

Pastor Barry.

The post The Gospel of Mark 15 27-47 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Gospel of Mark 15 1-26

Barry Forder — Sun, 02 Dec 2018 10:30:25 +0000

This verse by verse study of Mark 15 1-16 was given by Pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s family service on 2nd December 2018.

The Powerpoint slides used in this study are available as a free download.

Chapter 15 sees Jesus taken from the palace of the High Priest to a somewhat disgruntled Pilate! As far as he was concerned, this was a Jewish matter and one not worthy of his attention. Yet, due to the emotionally charged situation, and the fact that this was occurring at one of the busiest times in the Jewish calendar, he could not afford an uproar in Jerusalem – something that the Jewish leadership could all too quickly arrange if their demands were not met.

In an attempt to get ‘off the hook’ Pilate offered the customary act of clemency, that of releasing a prisoner. Pilate offered them Jesus but the people (swayed by the Jewish leaders) demanded Barabas.

Barabas (lit. ‘son of the father’) was guilty. Jesus was innocent. Thus here we see a model of the great exchange: ” he who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor 5:21).

Then, in an eternal declaration of Christ’s victory over the Devil, His bruised feet on Golgotha are literally on the head of the enemy! How so?

Golgotha was known as ‘The Place of a Skull’. Whose skull was so significant that the place of its burial would be immortalised? Why would a place become famous for the burial of a skull rather than a body? What would cause a skull to become disconnected from the body it had once been a part of?

We get a clue back in 1 Samuel 17:54 where we read that “David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent”.

This may well qualify for one of the most obscure verses in the Bible! Not least for the fact that, at the time David killed Goliath, Jerusalem was under the control of the Jebusites; to take the head of Goliath there then was to risk life and limb.

So why did David do it? The only explanation can be that the LORD told him to. But why?

The logical answer is that God was intentionally setting up a model to be fulfilled when, some 1000 years later, the Son of David would declare victory on the very spot the head of this satanic embodiment of evil was laid to rest, by placing His feet on Goliath’s severed head.

And the name of the place? Gol-Gath-a Goliath of Gath!

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel”. Genesis 3:15

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

Pastor Barry.

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The Gospel of Mark 14 12-72

Barry Forder — Sun, 25 Nov 2018 10:30:31 +0000

This teaching was recorded at Calvary Chapel Portsmouth’s family service on 25th November 2018.

In this study Pastor Barry takes us through the remainder of Mark chapter 14, looking at the events that took place on the Wednesday of Passion Week, leading up to the arrest and trial of Jesus that took place on the Passover in fulfilment of the prophecies and God’s model where a male lamb without blemish would be offered as an atonement for sin.

From the details, and the fact that all these things took place as God’s Word had foretold, it is clear to see that God is in complete control of history.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

Pastor Barry.

The post The Gospel of Mark 14 12-72 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Faith

Barry Forder — Sun, 18 Nov 2018 10:30:17 +0000

This teaching was given as part of our family service on 18th November 2018, by guest speaker Ilir Begaj.

In this study, Ilir looks at the faith of Abraham following the battle of the kings in Genesis 14.

You can listen to the audio on this web page, or save it for listening to later.

We hope and pray this teaching will bless you and encourage you to undertake your own personal study and adventure in God’s Word!

The post Faith first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Gospel of Mark 14 1-11

Barry Forder — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 10:30:59 +0000

This verse-by-verse study of Mark 14:1-11 was taught by Pastor Barry Forder at our family service on 11th November 2018.

In this study, we consider one of the most important acts of worship recorded, as Mary (sister of Martha and Lazarus) poured some very expensive perfume over Jesus. Why is this so important?

Because it teaches us just how valuable worship is in God’s eyes. To worship God is greater than your most valuable and treasured possession. When you worship it breaks chains of oppression, it causes principalities and powers to bow. It conquers fear and comforts grief. It destroys doubt and invites God’s very presence into your midst. It banishes sin and crushes iniquity, it replaces sorrow with joy and lifts us to the very throne of God!

Whether Mary understood the significance of what she was doing we cannot say, but clearly, Jesus saw this as an anointing in preparation for His burial. A body would not normally be anointed before the death of the person, but this just goes to emphasise that, at this stage, Jesus was ‘as dead’ in as much as there was no way He was backing out now. He had come to do His Father’s will, and he would not fall at the last hurdle.

In both Matthew’s and Mark’s account, Jesus states:“Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her”. (Matt 26:13) Mary thus becomes an example of the way we should worship Jesus – i.e. without reservation. Yet that is not what common sense tells us, and to pour out the equivalent of £30,000 worth of perfume just seems an extravagant waste! No wonder the disciples murmured!

Yet, as Oswald Chambers comments:

Faith in active opposition to common sense is mistaken enthusiasm and narrow-mindedness, and common sense in opposition to faith demonstrates a mistaken reliance on reason as the basis for truth.
Common sense and faith are as different from each other as the natural life is from the spiritual, and as impulsiveness is from inspiration. Nothing that Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, but is revelation sense
Suppose God tells you to do something that is an enormous test of your common sense, totally going against it. What will you do?
We tend to say, “Yes, but— suppose I do obey God in this matter, what about…?” Or we say, “Yes, I will obey God if what He asks of me doesn’t go against my common sense, but don’t ask me to take a step in the dark.”
Jesus Christ demands the same unrestrained, adventurous spirit in those who have placed their trust in Him that the natural man exhibits. If a person is ever going to do anything worthwhile, there will be times when he must risk everything by his leap in the dark. In the spiritual realm, Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold on to or believe through common sense, and leap by faith into what He says

Whilst giving to the poor is not discouraged by these verses – indeed we are told: “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble” (Psalm 41:1) – and throughout the ages Christian institutions have certainly led the way in this area, we must take note that we will not ‘make poverty history’ all the time the world system is as it is. Only when Jesus is on the throne will we see true social justice. Satan would like nothing more than to sidetrack Christians by getting them on-board the social bandwagon, tackling the world’s problems. We have a much more pressing social problem to fight: the sin that resides in every human heart, for which the only remedy is Jesus Christ. We must recognise our calling to preach the Word, teach all nations, in all seasons, for what is the point of a socially perfect world, with poverty eradicated, if the fate of all the inhabitants is an eternity separated from God?

May you be blessed and challenged to worship Him in Spirit and Truth through this study.

Every blessing,

Pastor Barry.

The post The Gospel of Mark 14 1-11 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Gospel of Mark 13 21-37

Barry Forder — Sun, 04 Nov 2018 10:30:13 +0000

This verse-by-verse study of Mark 13:21-37 was taught by Pastor Barry Forder at our family service on 4th November 2018.

In our previous study, we looked at the individual who will soon make an appearance on the world stage whom we often refer to as Antichrist. In fact, this individual is known by 33 different titles in the Old Testament and 13 in the New Testament.

However, there is another individual that Jesus alludes to in Mark 13, and that is the one referred to as the False Prophet in Revelation 19:20.

But it is in Revelation chapter 13 that we are introduced to the Devil’s two great protagonists, the ‘Beast from the sea’ v.1 (aka Antichrist) and the ‘Beast from the earth’ v.11 (aka the False Prophet). From the beginning, Satan has been a deceiver and master counterfeiter. Now, at the mid-point of the Tribulation, Satan (man’s great opponent) will attempt to deceive mankind through an unholy trinity, with Satan (as he has always wanted) being ‘like God’; Antichrist (as the name means) ‘in the place of Christ’, and the False Prophet assuming a Holy Spirit-like role, pointing people to the false Christ.

In Revelation 13:13 we read: “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men”

By this time, the people of the earth will have seen God’s two witnesses (see Revelation 11) call down fire from Heaven on any that tried to harm them; Satan now gives this power to the false prophet as if to counter what God has done. This reminds us of Pharaoh’s magicians in Egypt who tied to counter the signs that Moses and Aaron did in an attempt to harden the people’s hearts.

But the False Prophet will win the hearts of the people with his deceptions and will deceive the people (who have made this world their home) by the ‘signs and wonders’ he performs, and then he’ll suggest that they make an image of Antichrist in a re-run of Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon (Daniel chapter 3) and Antiochus Epiphanes (Daniel chapter 8 & 11).

Somehow the false prophet will make the image of Antichrist (which will be placed in the Holy of Holies in the temple in Jerusalem) to seem as if it’s alive and even cause it to talk. Just like it was with king Neb’ back in Daniel 3, any that don’t worship the image will be killed. He will then cause all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads

This is of course the infamous ‘Mark of the Beast’.

Everyone will have to receive the mark and buying or selling will be made impossible unless you have either the mark, or Antichrist’s name, or the number of his name. In this way everyone will be forced to pledge allegiance to Antichrist. Whilst some sort of electronic microchip may well be used during this time, the mark is unlikely to be your own personal ID number (such as you currently have with your Credit Card number), because the whole point of this is that you are given Antichrist’s number. Whatever the mark will be it will also probably be visible; again, it is an outward sign that a person has pledged their allegiance to Antichrist. This is also another one of Satan’s poor copies, because back in Revelation chapter 7 the servants of God were marked in their foreheads with the name of God.

Thus this satanic trinity will have their moment – but it will be brief! Jesus will return and destroy the work of the Devil.

In Mark 13 Jesus then goes on to say that Israel will not be destroyed – despite the Devil’s best efforts.

The chapter ends with a warning to all of us to watch! These things are almost upon us, the world is running out of time. It is now more important than ever to share the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with any that have ears to hear.

As usual, the audio of this teaching and Powerpoint slides used are available for free download.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

Every blessing in Christ,

Pastor Barry.

The post The Gospel of Mark 13 21-37 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

God’s Heart Toward His People – a verse by verse study of Leviticus 19

Barry Forder — Sun, 28 Oct 2018 10:30:43 +0000

This study was taught by guest teacher Adrian Hudson at Calvary Chapel’s family service on 28th October 2018.

What is God like?

Can we really know?

In one sense we will never be able to understand or fathom our great God. How can the finite understand the infinite?

Yet in His Word, God has revealed Himself in ways we can understand so that we can get at least a glimpse of the Father-heart of God.

In this message, Bible teacher and expositor Adrain Hudson takes us on a verse-by-verse journey through Leviticus chapter 19 to see the wisdom, love, and compassion of God shown through the Law’s He gave His people.

Just as a loving parent sets boundaries for a child to protect them from harm, our loving God had done so for us.

May you be blessed, challenged and encouraged by this teaching.

The post God’s Heart Toward His People – a verse by verse study of Leviticus 19 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The Gospel of Mark 13 14-20

Barry Forder — Sun, 21 Oct 2018 10:30:02 +0000

This verse-by-verse study of Mark 13:14-20 was taught by Pastor Barry Forder at our family service on 21st October 2018.

In our verse-by-verse journey through the Gospel of Mark we are reviewing the Olivet Discourse – the private briefing that Jesus gave to Peter, James, Andrew, and John on the Mt of Olives on the Tuesday before His crucifixion.

In this study, we look at what Jesus meant when he warned of the coming ‘abomination of desolation‘ – spoken of by Daniel the prophet!

Obviously, the place to go to discover what this means is the book of Daniel!

In chapter 8, Daniel received a vision from the LORD that showed him the coming world empires, with the Medo-Persian Empire eventually falling to the strength and lightning speed of Alexander’s Greece. But after Alexander’s untimely death, Greece was divided amongst his four generals. Daniel prophetically recorded:
“Therefore the he goat (Alexander) waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken (Alexander died at the age of just 32); and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven”. Daniel 8:8
Within a year of Alexander’s death, the empire was divided up between his four generals, Antigonus took Babylon (later to be conquered by Seleucus), Ptolemy took Egypt, Cassandra took Macedonia and Lysimachus took Asia Minor.

But then Daniel records the rise of ‘another’:

“And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land”.

We are now introduced to a ‘little horn’ that comes out of one of the ‘4 horns’ that arose after the death of Alexander the Great. So this horn is to come out of the remains of the Greek Empire; and we are told that he ‘waxed exceeding great’ toward the south, east and the pleasant land – Israel.

As Daniel chapter 8 continues we have described (prophesied) for us an event that occurred in 167 B.C. at the hand of one of the Seleucid kings, Antiochus Epiphanies. Antiochus was a part of the Seleucid Empire and according to the book of 1 Maccabees in the Apocrypha, and other historical records, Antiochus IV was the 8^th king of the Syrian dynasty, reigning from 175 – 164 B.C. He ascended to the throne after the death of his father and imprisonment (by Rome) of his elder brother, Seleucus Philopator. Yet Antiochus was not the rightful heir, for Seleucus had a son. However, by flattery and bribery, Antiochus succeeded in becoming king. He invaded Egypt and defeated Ptolemy VI, but on his way back he stopped of at Jerusalem. Jerusalem was situated right in between the Seleucid and Ptolemaic empires and acted as a ‘buffer zone’ in between the two rival kingdoms. As you can imagine, the Jews were not very enamored by this, and upon hearing a false report of his death, started to celebrate. This met with swift and decisive action and Antiochus appointed a new high priest in an attempt to assert his authority.

However, following a further (and this time ill-fated) battle with Egypt, Antiochus wanted to vent his anger and frustration so again turned on the Jews. This time he plundered and desecrated the temple and even went as far as sacrificing a pig on the altar. He tried to do everything he possibly could to offend the Jews as can be seen from the following record from 1 Maccabees:

“And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah: he directed them:

– to follow customs strange to the land,

to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in the sanctuary,
to profane Sabbaths and feasts,
to defile the sanctuary and the priests,
to build altars in sacred precincts and shrines for idols,
to sacrifice swine and unclean animals, and
to leave their sons uncircumcised,

Antiochus put an idol in the temple (and ‘abomination’) and stopped the daily sacrifices.

Here we see a model of what Antichrist will do, and this is what Jesus refers to as the ‘abomination of desolation’. That which Daniel recorded prophetically was just the dress rehearsal! The real event will soon be enacted on the world stage as a cunning political leader will come to the fore, agree a ‘covenant’ with Israel to allow them to resume their Temple sacrifices, only to turn on Israel after 3 1/2 years. The fact that the ‘model’ happened just as Daniel had prophesied, and with such incredible detail, we can be absolutely certain that the ‘fulfilment of the model’ will happen just as Jesus said.

We are living now in the countdown to the Tribulation. Israel will have to endure the Tribulation, although God will protect them and bring them through. The Church, however, are promised a way of escape before the Tribulation begins.

If you are not yet part of the Church, please come along one Sunday morning soon, or visit another Calvary Chapel or Bible-believing (and teaching!) Church.

Brexit, Syria, Iran, Russia, an economic collapse etc. are just the rumbles in the distance that warn of something much greater to come!

to be continued…

As usual, the Audio recording and Powerpoint slides used for this teaching are available for free download.

Every blessing,

Pastor Barry.

The post The Gospel of Mark 13 14-20 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.