From:-
TORCH TRUST FOR THE BLIND, Torch House, Torch Way, Northampton Road, Market
Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 9HL, U.K.
Telephone: (01858) 438260, Fax: (01858) 438275, email: info@torchtrust.org
Charity Number 1095904.
Studies in the Book of Revelation
. . . from all at Torch House, Market Harborough, UK – where we have recently enjoyed the annual celebration of Christ’s death and resurrection.
The next celebration will be in remembrance of Christ’s ascension back into heaven. Some of you will receive this magazine shortly after Ascension day – 40 days after Easter Sunday.
What a wonderful day that is . . . a reminder of Jesus’ glorious ascension back to Heaven. Why glorious? Because He had done what He came to do. Do you remember His final words from the cross: “It is finished”? Those words were not words of defeat, but words of triumph – total triumph. Mission accomplished. What mission? To redeem the world from eternal separation from God caused by sin.
On Good Friday this year, the final week of Jesus’ life on earth – including His death and resurrection – were re-enacted in the streets of the city of Leicester. It was such a powerful presentation that the estimated crowd of 7,000 onlookers were so riveted that you could have heard a pin drop for all of the one and a half hours. And one of the most poignant aspects that came across was Jesus’ insistent refusal to speak up in self-justification or to “get out of it” – to save Himself from the situation – which He could have done at any moment. What a massive temptation to do so.
So why didn’t He?
The answer lies in one of the few statements He made when under trial. In answer to Pilate’s plea – “Don’t you realise I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” – Jesus replied, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.” The clue? Total obedience to His Father. Oh yes, it was the religious leaders that insisted on His death, and the Roman soldiers that “did the job”, but none of that was really the cause of His death. No, it was His willing submission and obedience to His Father. Earlier, he had said to Pilate: “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world . . .” He knew His Father’s heart of love for the whole of mankind – because He Himself had the same heart of love – such love that He just could not “leave us to our fate”.
What love! What obedience! And what a glorious re-entry into heaven, having done the job . . . having obeyed His Father.
And you know what? All those who have put their trust in Him for the salvation He came to provide are given the right to follow Him into that place of glory. Won’t it be wonderful if we can arrive having, like Him, obeyed the Father. At the wedding at Cana when the bride’s family were in a panic over the wine running out, the mother of Jesus had the advice they needed: “Whatever He tells you to do, do it.” (John 2:5). That’s the key: we too are given the capacity, by God’s grace and help, to obey the Father. Let’s make it our aim to “do whatever He tells us”. . .
May God bless you all.
Jill Ferraby and the Torch editors
by Mike Townsend
In the central part of Revelation, we read of seven opened seals, seven trumpet blasts, and seven poured out bowls. These are not twenty-one consecutive events, but three different ways of looking at the time between Jesus’ first coming and his second. The seals give meaning to history, the trumpets blast out warnings, and the bowls dispense God’s judgments. This interpretation is known as the “parallel” view.
In this study we are going to consider the significance of the seven seals. As the lamb opens the first four seals, the famous “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” dash forth. Who is this rider on the first pure white horse? White speaks of righteousness. “He was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest” (chapter 6 verse 2). We meet this horse and rider again at the very end of Revelation in chapter 19. There the rider is named: “faithful and true”, “the word of God”, and “King of kings and Lord of lords”. It can be no other than Jesus riding out on his mission of salvation. Be assured, Jesus is the prime mover in history.
The second horse is fiery red and its rider carries a large sword. His purpose is to take peace out of the earth. More people die from war and acts of terrorism now than during the Second World War. War is constantly with us. If you are facing such terror at the moment, it is important to know that God is in control.
The third horse is black, and the rider carries a set of weighing scales. The cry goes up, “a quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages,” (chapter 6 verse 6). This represents inflation and economic turmoil. The world economy has gone mad! Some may say it has never been right, with two thirds of the world starving whilst the rest live in luxury and suffer from obesity.
I have been visiting Romania since the revolution in 1990. Over this period, some stores have been filling with expensive western goods, but few can afford to buy. When I drove around northern Nigeria in a twenty-year-old car that needed repairs every day, I was astonished at some top of the range Mercedes cars swooping past. The open display of riches by some was a challenge when most people lived from day to day fearing famine. Christians support debt reduction and the “Make poverty History” campaign.
The fourth horse is pale in colour – like a corpse, and has Death as its rider. We all need to come to terms with death, especially when it is sudden or untimely. “They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth” (chapter 6 verse 8). When I visited the Holy Land, I was privileged to go into the Garden Tomb, where Jesus was probably buried. I stood on the plinth where the body was laid. I was overwhelmed by a feeling of hope and resurrection. Words of Jesus flooded my heart: “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me will live, even though he dies” (John chapter 11 verse 25). If we trust solely in the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation we don’t need to be frightened by the pale horse and its rider.
The opening of the fifth seal doesn’t release another horse, but gives the first of three views of God’s people in these chapters. John “saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the Word of God and the testimony they had maintained” (chapter 6 verse 9). Stephen was the first of the martyrs – those who have been killed because they believe in Jesus. Many have followed in his steps, and sadly there will be many more. “Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow-servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed” (chapter 6 verse 11). Our Christian brothers and sisters are still being martyred today. Even as I write (at the end of March) the news tells of eleven Christians murdered in Indonesia.
All this builds up to the opening of the sixth seal. The sun turns black, the moon red, the earth quakes and stars fall. Remember this is apocalyptic language. Sometimes world events or personal circumstances seem wickedly meaningless and out of control. The shooting of tiny young school children in the Scottish town of Dunblain caused many to question the existence of God. Though the world has experienced many greater disasters, the fact that the events of September 11th 2001 in America took place in the wealthy heart of the strongest nation on earth and was played out in full cinematic drama on TV screens, made many doubt that there is a purpose for humankind. However, God has a purpose for His Church.
Chapter 7 is an interlude before the opening of the seventh seal. Four angels are poised ready to unleash ravaging winds. But God holds them back: “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God. Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel” (verses 3 and 4). This is our second view of God’s people. Revelation chapter 14 verse 3 tells us who they are: the “redeemed from the earth”. The number is 12 (completeness) times 12 times 1,000 (a really big number). Though the 144,000 are taken from Israel’s 12 tribes, the new testament church is described as the “Israel of God” (Galatians chapter 6 verse 16). They represent the church on earth. Each Christian is sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians chapter 1 verse 13).
Some Jehovah’s Witnesses once told me that they could not be among the 144,000 special people in heaven. I am glad to say they came to know Jesus and so will be part of the next group, that “great multitude that no-one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the lamb” (verse 9). This third view of God’s people, the white-robed throng in verses 9 to 17, is the church in heaven. The description is very similar to that at the very end of Revelation; no more hunger, thirst or tears. They “were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘salvation belongs to our God!’” The praise in heaven is a multiplication of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.
How can you be sure you will be amongst that glorious number? The elder says, “they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb.” Personal trust in Jesus’ crucifixion sacrifice is necessary. Will you be there?
In Israel the word Shalom is used as a greeting, like our “hello”. However, it has a wider meaning than “Peace”, and embraces wholeness, restfulness, contentment and joy of body, mind and spirit. It is a lovely word.
I, Mum Heath, Sandy, Eileen and a growing team of volunteers seek to bring “Shalom” to distressed and disappointed people; some are in danger of losing their faith, others have never come to Jesus Christ for salvation.
We three worked for Torch for many years, and learned a lot as we saw the power of God bringing lost and damaged people to Himself. Each of us, for different reasons, felt the Lord leading us to another avenue of service, not exclusively among visually impaired people, though they will always have a big place in our hearts. Many people struggle with hurts and disabilities, seen and unseen. The experience gained at Torch has been a wonderful help to us as we face some of the problems of these friends.
Sandy is specially called to evangelise in meetings, fellowships and clubs as well as with individuals. She also has a valuable link with Social Services locally, and is recognised as their visitor to all newly-registered blind people. This involves a lot of time spent on the telephone as well as visiting the client.
Eileen and I also visit some who are losing sight and hearing, and need help with finger language and learning Moon type. We also open our home to visitors who are lonely, and need prayer and a listening ear.
Interesting letters, emails, and phone conversations come to the office. Sometimes deaf-blind people use teletalk, which can take an hour for what would normally be a ten minute conversation. They use this method when they want an immediate reply.
The consummation of these efforts comes when we enjoy three full days of fellowship at our annual holiday in July. Lots of good things have come from that time; lives have been strengthened, and attitudes changed.
So many hurting men and women are travelling life’s pathway. We, and the team who help us, seek to continue the ministry of Jesus, who reached out to people of all types with His love.
From time to time we refer people to good things available from other ministries like the tape library at Torch. We aim to be workers together as the Lord leads us in His great service.
If you would like to know more, contact us – email: heathshal@aol.com, phone: 01342 325105.
by Moira Fox
A couple of weeks ago I had a telephone call from a friend. As usual she was looking for volunteers, this time to collect entry fees at the local amateur dramatic society’s current presentation here in the Okanagan in British Columbia. It was to be a group of six short, modern plays.
Now, I do not normally go to such events but I thought that perhaps I could show that I was willing to help in community situations apart from the religious events.
But then I said, “I have only one question to ask. If I agree to help, what will I be putting my signature to?” My friend who is also a Christian wasn’t sure about the content of the plays being presented, but later she phoned to say that she had heard that there was some coarse, rough language, and she understood why I would not want to be associated with such a presentation.
Yesterday, I had a call from her.
“Moira,” she said, “I wish I had listened to you and found out more about the plays. We had the first performance last evening and it was dreadful. The plays had explicit sexual inferences and also some very distasteful language . . .”
How thankful I was that I had been prompted by the Holy Spirit and not put my “signature” to a presentation that cut across my moral principles and mocked the Scriptural precepts: “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” (Eph. 5:11), and “Whatsoever things are true . . . noble . . . just . . . pure . . . lovely . . . of good report . . . think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8).
At the time of writing (mid April) Michael and Janet Stafford are in Malawi. They give the following news:
· Within the last two weeks, equipment for producing giant print has been set up, and the first few volumes of the Chichewa New Testament have been completed.
· The interest and need that we have seen in the fellowship groups indicates the giant print New Testament will be in great demand.
· It has been wonderful to see the Sena braille New Testament going off to Mozambique – a truck load left Torch House, Blantyre, last Friday (April 8th).
· A blind night club musician was converted through reading the Chichewa braille Bible. (Full story in future edition of The Torch).
· Lack of rain has resulted in no harvest at all for most people. Famine is forecast! Many people fear the future.
· Already many have little or no food and are existing on the “nyika” bulb from the river bed.
· No rain – low water table – means the threat of a water shortage.
· Pray for fair distribution of relief agencies to include those who are blind and have other disabilities.
· Pray for Vitola, a blind lady with AIDS who has a 4-week old baby – both are extremely ill. As their earthly life ebbs away, may the eternal life Vitola now has in Jesus become a real hope for her.
Here are two people who would like to correspond with others. You may like to braille a letter to one of these people. Introduce yourself by giving your name, your correct postal address, your age, and some information about yourself, your family and your country.
Anybody reading this who would like us to include their name and information in our next bulletin, send in your full name, postal address, age, and tell us about the things you enjoy doing. The aim of having a penfriend is to develop a friendship and exchange information and ideas.
A. SABA, Clara, Co Kilkennu, Ireland. email: saba@eircom.net
Irish born in Sri Lanka, this person (sorry, we don’t know their sex) would like contact and fellowship with people. He/she, aged 54, has done chemical engineering, but had to give up in 1998.
CHINEDU PRINCE, The Federal Polytechnic, Bida, PMB 55 Bida, Niger State, Nigeria.
Chinedu is 22 years old, the second of five children, and of the Igbo tribe. Hobbies: swimming, travelling, visiting the internet, playing the piano and making friends.
Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognising him.
He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
“What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”
He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going further. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognised him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
by Gordon Temple
It was the first Easter day. Two people walked from Jerusalem towards the village of Emmaus. They were grieving the untimely and unjust death of the one in whom they had put their faith: Jesus. They were confused rather than comforted by the reports of an empty tomb and of angels speaking of his resurrection. Unrecognised by them the risen Jesus joined them on their walk. He asks them what they are discussing and from one of them, called Cleopas, he gets the response: “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”.
Jesus of course knew better than anybody the events of the previous few days – after all, he was the central character in the drama. But rather than cut them short by revealing his inside knowledge he encourages them to tell their tale. He listens patiently to them – then puts what they had witnessed into context. He explains how the seemingly disastrous chain of events that ended with Jesus nailed to a cross were not random happenings but rather the outworking of God’s plans already revealed in Scripture. As he did so, they experienced what John Wesley also experienced in 1783 when he came to Christ: “I felt my heart strangely warmed”.
Only later did they realise their companion was none other than Jesus himself. How they must have appreciated his willingness to let them talk. It must have been just what they needed – someone ready to listen to their doubts and worries – someone to help them get their experiences in perspective – and someone to bring encouragement to them.
When we express our prayers to God we are not telling him anything he doesn’t already know. God is all-knowing – he knows the circumstances of those we intercede for, he knows their needs, he knows our hearts. Yet we believe he desires our prayers.
A child talking to a parent may not tell the parent anything they don’t already know. But still the parent listens and does not cut off the child’s jumbled story with an “I already know” rebuke, simply because they enjoy hearing the child express itself.
Perhaps this gives the clue to what prayer is really about. A relationship without conversation is not much of a relationship. We can be one of God’s family but without prayer – without an ongoing conversation with God – the relationship is colourless and sterile.
Luke records that “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke 5:16). If Jesus found it necessary to get time alone to pray, then surely we must follow his example. I am convinced that for Jesus, prayer was much more than a shopping list of requests to God. Fundamentally it was about relationship – an intentional spending of time in God’s presence.
Jesus’ prayer life so intrigued his disciples they asked for lessons – and were given the Lord’s Prayer as a sort of template to follow. Expressing worship, a desire for God’s will to be done, a request for the daily essentials of life, an appeal for forgiveness, and a prayer for deliverance from evil – it exemplifies the areas our own prayers can encompass. But this is only one half of the conversation that prayer is surely intended to be. Our prayer-time needs to include time for God to speak to us, whether through reading his word, the Bible, or just to allow God to order the thoughts of our minds.
We need to seek that nearness of God of which Paul writes: “The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:5-7). In that nearness, we can so often find the perspective on life’s challenges that our own anxious thoughts lack.
It would not be realistic to say that every prayer-time yields a sense of response from heaven but without a commitment to prayer we shall certainly miss out on the heart-warming communion Cleopas and his companion so enjoyed.
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12).
by Marissa Hendry
One day I was coming back from Leicester on the bus and asked the driver to let me know when we had arrived at Fleckney Co-op (my getting off point). He either didn’t hear me or forgot because I missed my stop. I soon realised and, a bit fed up and anxious, got off a few stops further on. I wasn’t sure where I was and didn’t ask the driver because on another occasion the driver had been curt and unhelpful so it put me off asking for help. So I rang the house where I live and one of the staff knew the bus route and came to find me. I thank God for that – and for the member of staff as well.
I had begun to feel nervous and anxious about this particular route and bus company, and even felt rather cross and upset with God over it.
Then recently, my daily reading from Word for Today, the Bible reading notes from United Christian Broadcasting, really helped put things into perspective. It said how God often puts us in situations that cause us to be anxious to test us and increase our faith and trust in Him. If we “pass”, we move onto a higher level of blessing. Another message said we are often put into the same situation repeatedly, so that God can teach us through it till we have learnt from it. Although it helped me to manage better the next time, I’m still finding it a bit hard, but I thank Him for what He showed me. I know that during those times when it feels that He’s not there, interested or bothered, He will never leave me and wherever I go His angels are watching me and protecting me.
He has proved this by people being nice who don’t even know me. There was one such lady and we got talking and I just told her what had happened. She understood my situation and was so loving and caring, even though we only met briefly. I’m still moved now when I think of her and thank God for this angel regularly. It was a reminder that God does care.
God bless you.
by Norman Hillyer
I am the good shepherd (John 10:11).
We speak of a good dog, and mean that the animal is obedient. Or of a good mechanic, that is, clever; a good doctor, skilled and sympathetic; a good mother, devoted to her family; a good teacher, one who inspires students.
When Jesus claims to be the Good Shepherd, “good” certainly includes all such qualities. But the word used means something different again: “I am the attractive shepherd.”
When he declared, “I will draw everyone to myself” (John 12:32), we are not to picture a magnet drawing unresisting iron filings to itself. Jesus means the quality which makes men and women want to go to Him: “I am the attractive Shepherd.”