A reader writes to Kevin Williams about his article, “The Call of the Shofar” that appeared in the Winter 2001 issue of the Pneuma Review and was later excerpted in the email newsletter.

I rarely have time to peruse the material in your electronic newsletter but now the article by Kevin Williams caught my attention. I wonder if you can pass on this note to him.

The Austrian-born Jewish philosopher, Martin Buber (1878 – 1965), died in Jerusalem on June 13, 1965.
Image: Wikimedia Commons

There is a revealing story about the meaning of the Shofar in a book by Martin Buber called Hundert Chassidische Geschichten. The book was published when the Nazis came to power in 1930 and it reflects the aspiration to write in a way too clever for the powerful to understand the resistance. The story is called The Window. It is the last one in the collection and it goes something like this:

In the time when rabbi Menachem lived in the land of the Israel it happened that a fool went and stood up on the top of the Mount of Olives to blow the Shofar. A rumor spread quickly amongst the bewildered crowd that this was the Shofar blast that announced the day of Redemption. When the rumor reached rabbi Menachem’s ears he opened the window, took a look at the world around him and said: “But nothing has been renewed there.”

I am not sure if the wording is quite correct. This is my translation from the Finnish version that came out just a few months ago. There must be an early translation into English available. Anyway, I think the point (apart from the reference to the Nazis) is that there is no point in blowing the shofar if no change happens around you.

Yours,

Arto from Helsinki, Finland

Response:

Dear Arto,

What a pleasure to hear all the way from Helsinki. The closest I’ve ever been to your country was Sweden, back in 1977. I found the Scandinavian people warm and wonderful and I should like to return there one day. If I may greet you, “Hej!”

I was not familiar with this story from Hundert Chassidische Geschichten, but certainly appreciate you passing it along to me. I also appreciate your interpretation of the midrash—the story.

I too would offer my interpretation, if you will indulge me. It was somewhat reminiscent of our own experience with the advent of the year 2000. There were many well-intentioned, and often seemingly well informed people “sounding the alarm,” that the world that we knew was going to come to a screeching halt on January 1. Like the “fool” in your story, they led many astray and multitudes into wild expenditures attempting to avert certain disaster.

Amos Yong challenges classical Pentecostals to re-examine what ecumenism really is.

II. Classical Pentecostal Objections to Ecumenism

Given this biblically defined ecumenism [Editor’s note: please see part 1 in the Winter 2001 issue], then, why is it that most Pentecostals remain staunchly anti-ecumenical? While many reasons have been given, three stand out as representing a fair consensus. First, Pentecostals believe that the unity of the Church should be understood spiritually rather than visibly. Second, many Pentecostals believe that the ecumenical movement represents churches that have betrayed the essence of the gospel, especially doctrinally. Finally, correlative with the previous objection, Pentecostals are generally concerned that non-Pentecostal churches are devoid of the life that is found only in the Spirit of God as ‘pentecostally’ experienced and defined, thus fulfilling the biblical prophecy of widespread apostasy in the last days. Let me respond to each in order.

Objection 1: Spiritual rather than visible unity

Pentecostals have always valued the spiritual unity that they have found in the experience of the charismata, especially speaking in tongues. Manifestations of tongues and other spiritual gifts are, for them, a more incontrovertible sign of the Spirit’s presence and activity in their lives and congregations. The institutional, organizational, and architectural forms of non-Pentecostal churches do not impress Pentecostals. These are considered to be merely outward signs of pomp and circumstance that all human constructions can display, but which do not guarantee inward and spiritual vitality. Rather, these outward paraphernalia are symptomatic of the hierarchicalism, patriarchalism, and traditionalism endemic to the history of the church, all of which has been conveniently covered up or obscured by stain glass windows, Gothic architecture, and iconography that is distracting at best and bewitching at worst. The point is that the unity of the church is found, not in outward forms of organization and agreement, but in the spiritual togetherness that genuine Christians experience through the Spirit in the name of Jesus.

A brief response proceeds along three lines. First, Pentecostals should recognize that this argument actually has its roots in the Reformation and post-Reformation era and is driven by an ideology of individualism. The basic assumption is that God works first and foremost through individuals and not institutions or organizations. Just as sola Christus neglected the Holy Spirit, sola fide neglected sanctifying works, and sola Scriptura neglected the role of tradition in reading and interpreting the Word of God, so did the unspoken emphasis on the individual neglect the centrality and importance of the community of faith. Since the Reformation, the Church has been struggling to counteract the influential but exaggerated importance of Luther’s “here I stand!” A myriad of individuals after the German reformer have come to similar conclusions regarding their parent Protestant churches and movements resulting in the emergence of innumerable denominations.

Forward:  As a preparatory note, at times I will mention an “Israeli believer.” The distinction is, these are Jewish believers in Messiah Jesus who are also citizens of national Israel. The political situation in the Holy Land is one that, being recognized as a believer in Jesus can mean losing your job, your home, suffering very real persecution, potentially losing your citizenship, and being exiled from your own promised inheritance. So, while I would like to give credit where credit is due, some of the teachers quoted in this text may have to remain anonymous so their identities are protected. I am however, eternally grateful to have been able to learn from these men of God and to be able to pass this information on to Christian brethren everywhere. 

—Kevin Williams

While this is a study on the book of Matthew, it seems prudent to begin in a different gospel account. Jesus said a great deal about himself during his life here on earth. For instance, in Luke 24:44 we read, “Now He said to them, ‘These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’” We find a similar statement in Luke 24:27, “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He [Jesus] expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”

By the master’s inference, we should be able to go into every page of the Hebrew Scriptures and find evidence of Jesus the Messiah. It is possible, and a worthy effort.

The same is true in the gospels. An obvious statement? Certainly. But the intrinsic Jewishness of Jesus, his message to his people, Israel, and the clues to the nation of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are locked in the gospel of Matthew is such a way that it is easily overlooked in a predominately non-Jewish Christian culture.

And so, we being our study of the Gospel According to Saint Matthew not quoting Matthew, but quoting from the Gospel According to Saint John. Remarkably enough it was during one of the national festivals not commanded in the Bible that Jesus affirms that he has already told us he is the Messiah.

At that time the Feast of the Dedication (Hanukkah) took place at Jerusalem; it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. The Jews therefore gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe;” (John 10:22-25).

Yet, as we read through the pages of Matthew, Jesus never comes out and plainly states, “I am the promised Messiah.”

In this study, we shall examine the Messiahship of Jesus, along with many other aspects of this Redeemer and Savior. As we journey down this path, we may find new and wondrous discoveries about Jesus we had not considered before. We may also find out some things, which challenge our traditions and historical way of thinking. If you have any die-hard traditions and interpretations, be forewarned—you may end up placing these sacred cows on the altar! May you do so with a willing heart.

___

In 1997, At the Church of the Good Shepherd in Wayne, Ohio, an Israeli believer asked the congregation, “Who can tell me the first verse of the Old Testament?” Naturally, everyone chimed in; “In the beginning God made the heavens and the earth.”

Lauren Winner, “Flowing into The Mainstream” Publisher’s Weekly (Sept. 11, 2000), pages 39-40, 42.

Hungry? More than ever, people are turning pages to learn passion for God. All this is possible now that Christian publishers and booksellers no longer think charismatics are “fringe.” In fact, books by Pentecostal/charismatic authors have become the bread and butter for most Christian bookstores (p. 39, 40).

Lauren Winner

Lauren Winner, book producer for Beliefnet.com, provides many reasons for this movement to the mainstream. First of all, non-charismatic evangelicals are reading books by charismatics more than ever. Tired of dry religiosity, many non-charismatics are looking for the missing joy and God-ward desire they see in their Pentecostal/charismatic friends. Those readers are finding practical answers to where they are at today. Are you looking for healing? How do you pray effectively? Is faith a noun or a verb? How do you live up to what God has called you to? You will find answers from charismatic authors today.

I am encouraged that Pentecostal/charismatic books are being widely received. While gaining spiritual credibility is certainly positive, charismatics in general have not gained intellectual credibility. I believe there is still a great need for biblical excellency (instead of biblical expediency) to infect the Pentecostal/charismatic movement. Nevertheless, this new acceptance of charismatic books and authors is a positive development.

Reviewed by Raul Mock

However, history’s course has been marked much more by sacrifice than by praise. There is an interrupting parallel between the sequence of events in the two books of Samuel and the events that constitute our worship history since the birth of the Christian church. Historically we have come out of the period of “ark isolation” into a time where in worship God’s authority, provision and presence is being reestablished.

David, the man who became king, first became a man by discovering the heart of God in the context of worship. God, however, had already moved prior to David by raising a prophetic leadership voice that called for the rule of God’s heart. Samuel “prepared the way” for David as centuries later John “prepared the way” for Jesus.

Worship has always been the means by which God has sought to reestablish his rule and restore relationship with His people. The context of 1st & 2nd Samuel does concern itself with the immediate and intimate details of the establishment of the Kingdom of Israel, but it also carries potent illustrations pertinent to worship and worship leadership. It is with this worship leadership emphasis that we look again at the story.

The first book of Samuel opens with the account of Hannah, the despised one, yet doubly loved by her husband (1 Sam. 1:5-6), going before God, whom she believed had caused her barrenness (v. 6), and with unconscious emotion pours out her petition for a son.

In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the LORD. And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life” (1 Sam. 1:10-11).

Hannah is accused of drunkenness by Eli the high Priest and told to go and sober up! She stands her ground and is promised that she will receive what she asked for. Samuel is born, and Hannah, true to her word, returns her God-given gift back to Him.

I prayed for this child and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD. (1 Sam. 1:27-28)

I have often wished that God would “think ahead” and grant me what he wants for me before I have to struggle for it. It is only in hindsight, and sometimes only with “loud” hindsight, that I have discovered that the very purposeful pursuing of what I believe God has laid on my heart has, in its tough passage, provided me with the heart of what it was all about. It is this very characteristic we call “heart” that is the focus of God’s intentions, and the source of relationship. In Hannah’s case, God was not just interested in the birth of a child, but in giving birth to a servant-hearted prophetic kingdom.
I was in two-day pastors’ gathering not long ago in Melbourne, Australia. Our purpose was solely to ascertain what God was saying about church leadership coming together to pray. One of the pastors made a comment that I will not forget. He said, “We’re not here to launch another program, we’re here to see what God is birthing…if we merely launch another program it will simply die, but if God births what is in His heart, what comes will bring life!”

Giving birth is an arduous and painful process, but the joy in what has been born puts pain behind. Hannah, with bitter tears cried out for a son. Ridicule resulted. Her perseverance paid off. She not only gave birth to a son, she mothered a prophetic leader “whose words never fell to the ground.” Samuel, whose name means “heard of God” inaugurated a new kingdom era for Israel that led to the greatest king they ever had.

Matthias Wenk, Community-Forming Power: The Socio-Ethical Role of the Spirit in Luke-Acts, Journal of Pentecostal Theology Supplemental Series 19 (Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press, 2000), 368 pages, ISBN 9780567043504.

Those who have been keeping abreast of the developments in biblical scholarship by Pentecostal scholars are in for a treat with this book. A pastor and part-time lecturer at the Theologisch-Diakonisches Seminar Aarau in Hindelbank, Switzerland, Wenk has revised his doctoral dissertation written under the guidance of Max Turner—who may be most familiar to readers of this journal as the author of The Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts (Hendrickson, 1998)—at London Bible College. Here, he extends the insights of Turner, and other Pentecostal biblical scholars like Robert Menzies and James Shelton, by showing how the Holy Spirit in Luke-Acts is more than just the divine person who inspires the speech of the people of God. Rather, inspired speech is but the initial work of the Spirit of God through which the believing community is transformed. The result is an illuminating exposition of the Spirit’s work in Luke-Acts that highlights a) the content of Spirit-inspired speeches; b) the divine intent behind such Spirit-inspired speeches; and c) the transformative effect of these same speeches that shape the community of faith.

Matthias Wenk at the Society for Pentecostal Studies convention, March 2014.

Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there.

Then they said to one another, “Come let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had bricks for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the earth.”

But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.”

So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of the all the earth, and they ceased building the city. Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of the earth.

Genesis 11:1-9 NKJV

The building of the Tower was an unparalleled time of communication and technology. A time when not doing God’s will, filling the earth with God’s glory, was popular. The majority chose to do things the it wanted to. Even those with a godly heritage embracing anything other than what God wanted.

Unparalleled? Perhaps that time so many generations ago is similar to what is happening right now in America. I have been thinking about all the confusion that is going on in our nation. How foolish we must be appearing in the eyes of other nations around the world.

When God came down and looked at what was going on at Babel, He confused the language of the people. I have a feeling in my heart that God is looking down on America and all her sin and is sending a spirit of confusion on our nation. What does this mean for us as Christians? What does it for us as pastors? I believe we need to be in prayer, not only for our nation, but also for the Church. All the events that are happening are pointing to the soon return of our Lord. It seems as His coming gets closer there is more pressure on the True Church. Our people need to deeply know the Lord so that regardless of what may happen before the Lord calls us to Himself, we are ready always to give a reason for the hope that is in us. We need to fearlessly stand up against the adversary, for the worst he can do is kill the body. This is a time for great trust in our God and reliance upon Him.

I pray that we as spiritual leaders will search our hearts so that nothing stands between God and us. In this day of confused leadership, we must stand as “examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:3). As the people we minister to see us sensitive before God, so they will follow us and they will search their hearts and draw closer to God.

PR

The word paraklesis has some rich meaning in the New Testament (see “parakaleo,” Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Abridged in One Volume), G. Bromiley, ed. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1985), especially p. 781). When it relates to the proclamation of salvation, exhorting men to be saved, it implies speaking in the name of God and in the power of the Spirit. In the sense that it is used here, paraklesis is exhortation and admonition. Paraklesis is an urgent entreaty that is neither critical nor polemical, but serious and has been infused with the power of the Spirit. With this in mind, this column is intended to bring a word of encouragement to pastors, ministers and all those in Christian leadership.

Richard Twiss, One Church Many Tribes: Following Jesus the Way God Made You (Regal Books, 2000), 216 pages.

What can the church of the 21^st Century learn from the mistakes of the past?

Richard Twiss could be a budding new personality in the Christian world. I recently noticed his name on a column in Charisma magazine, and this new book has endorsements by many well known, respected Christians and I was asked to review it for the Pneuma Review.

The book features a photograph of Richard all decked out in his native clothes on its cover. Twiss is an American Indian, which is nomenclature he does not like since it tends to demean his culture. He also does not like native American and instead asks all of us that come from family origins different than his, call Richard and others of his culture First Nations People, an expression which I have adopted but still find difficult to use.

Twiss’ book repeats comments I had earlier heard from Pastors who ministered to the First Nations People, comments that deal with the lack of success the church has experienced as it reached out to our country’s original inhabitants. The book also criticizes many of the political decisions the elected and appointed officials of the US have made about First Nations People. Richard resents that his ancestors openly offered friendship to those who left Europe for the new world, but were instead exploited and ignored by what today’s Americans call our founding fathers.

Richard Twiss (1954-2013).

All of us familiar with early and not so early missionary effort realize that the early missionary often confused piety with the fashion that existed in the culture from which the missionary came. That confusion led to banning many local expressions of praise and worship being offered by the new believer to God on High. In retrospect, we now teach our potential missionary to become part of the culture to which they are sent and not to reform the culture. Careful reading of Paul’s theology and his missiology leads to the conclusion that Paul knew and practiced what we missed. Better results are obtained when we work within a culture and not when we attempt to replace that with things dear and familiar to our ideas. The question “How then shall we live?” has answers that vary from people group to people group. Twiss’ book reads easily and quickly. I would describe much of his discussion as a lament over what could have been, a polemic over what should have been and as a hope over what might now be experienced in his native culture. Twiss has a burden for his people and he needs our help and understanding to undo some of the errors that were made trying to reach the First Nations People. It can be done. We can be one people.

Part 1 of Professor Grudem’s exegetical study of 1 Corinthians 13. The Duration of Prophecy: How Long Will Prophecy Be Used in the Church?

“The Duration of Prophecy” is Chapter 12 from The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today by Wayne A. Grudem.

Introduction

Many people reading this study have never seen the gift of prophecy functioning in their local church. In fact, outside of the charismatic movement and certain traditionally Pentecostal denominations, this gift is not now used and has not been used in recent history—for many churches, it has not been used in the history of their denominations.

Why not?

Is the non-use of this gift part of God’s plan for the church? Was this gift only to be used during the New Testament time, then to fade away? Or is this gift still valid for use today, still valuable for the church—and perhaps even necessary if the church is to function the way God intends it to function?

This is the question of the duration of prophecy. Can we solve this question by examining the New Testament? In the New Testament itself, are there indications of how long God expected prophecy to function in the church?

On the one side of this question are charismatic and Pentecostal Christians who continue to use this gift, and who say it is valid for the entire church age.

On the other side are some Reformed and dispensational Christians who say that prophecy was one of the special gifts associated with the foundation of the church at the time of the apostles, and that it was expected to cease functioning at a very early date, either around the time of the deaths of the last apostles or at the time that the writing of the books of New Testament Scripture was complete. Their view is commonly called the cessationist view.

Probably in the middle are most contemporary evangelicals—neither charismatics nor cessationists but still undecided about this question, and wondering if it can be decided clearly.

The Interpretation of 1 Corinthians 13:8-13

This passage is important to the discussion because in it Paul mentions the gift of prophecy as something that is “imperfect,” and then says that what is “imperfect” will “pass away” (1 Cor. 13:10). He even says when this will happen. It will happen “when the perfect comes.” But when is that? And even if we can determine when that is, does that mean Paul had in mind something that would answer this “cessation” question for the church today?

Editor Introduction to The Kingdom of God As Scripture’s Central Theme

Part 1 of The Kingdom of God As Scripture’s Central Theme

Editors Introduction: This is part 2 of David Burns’ proposal that the Kingdom of God is the central unifying theme of Scripture. First published in two parts in the print version of Pneuma Review in 2001, we invite all readers to continue the conversation now that it has been brought online. Please leave your comments under the article.

The Kingdom of God in the Old Testament

The Kingdom of God is at the heart of the Old Testament. Throughout its pages God is presented as the undisputed Sovereign who reigns over all he has created and who administers the rule of his Kingdom through covenant. In our brief survey we will show how the Kingdom of God developed in the Old Testament and focus on texts that speak of his kingship. From there we will move on to discuss the coming of the Kingdom under the New Covenant.

The Kingdom of God in the Pentateuch (Torah)

The fall of man in the garden led to evil becoming rampant (Gen. 6:1-5,11-12). The great flood of Noah’s day effectively reduced evil in the world by destroying all life. Yet God assured the advancement of his Kingdom by delivering the righteous Noah, his family, and two of every creature safely through the flood (Gen. 6-9). They became the recipients of another covenant wherein God promised to never again flood the earth (Gen. 9:11). The Noahic Covenant was essentially the Adamic Covenant reformulated to fit a sinful world. The creation mandate of multiplying and ruling is restated (Gen. 9:1-2), but the rule of man now has an element of dread for the creatures (Gen. 9:2). In fact man’s entire role as “image” is in jeopardy due to his failure as God’s representative on earth. Thus the sacredness of that image must be protected by placing a just penalty upon any living being that would take its life (Gen. 9:5-6).