A Survey of the Old testament Law--Aaron's Golden Calf

Let’s just kinda recap what has happened so far. In Exodus 20, God calls Moses up the mountain, and gives him the Ten Commandments. He takes them down, announces them to the people, and they cry out, “You go talk to God, lest we die!” So Moses goes back up the mountain, and from Exodus 21 through Exodus 23, Moses receives the commandments that the people were to obey, and in Exodus 24 the people cry out “All that the LORD has said we will do and be obedient!” And God establishes His covenant with Israel. God reveals the specifications for the Tabernacle and all its furnishings—the altars and the lampstand and the Ark of the Covenant and the tent itself—basically, He tells Moses, “This is how I am to be worshipped.” He then gives Moses the sign/token/pledge of this covenant, the 7^th-day Sabbath. And then in the very last verse in Exodus 31, we see how the covenant was put in writing. I love this verse. Exodus 31:18—When He had finished speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written by the finger of God.

And now we now get to one of the most well-known events not only in Exodus, but in all of Scripture. It is an event that really doesn’t require much explanation. But it does contain several applications to our own lives. And this passage gives us a term that is used even today when we talk about people’s ideas of God and who He is and what He is like. I am talking of course about the golden calf. Now, keep in mind, back in Exodus 24, when the covenant was being established, that Moses took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, "All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient" (Exodus 24:7). That was now several days ago. One of the commandments which the people swore that they would “do and be obedient” was Exodus 20:4—“You shall not make for yourself a graven image.” What is the command? No graven images. Remember that. No graven images.

Exodus 32:1-6—1 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, "Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him." 2 And Aaron said to them, "Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me." 3 So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. 4 And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, "This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!" 5 So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow is a feast to the LORD." 6 Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 

What was the commandment? No graven images. What did the people make? A graven image. That’s how stupid and stubborn we human beings are. Now, in this whole mess, who should have known better? Aaron. Aaron was up on the mountain back in Exodus 24:9-10—9 Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10 and they saw the God of Israel. But, what Aaron did was not too much different from what another fellow did a few hundred years earlier. Another fellow received a command from God to not do something. His wife did what she wasn’t supposed to do, he saw her do it, and he thought it looked OK and said, “Hey, why not?” Any idea who I’m talking about? Genesis 2:16-17—16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." What happened? Genesis 3:6—She took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. That’s how stupid and stubborn we human beings are. We hear what we’re supposed to do, and not supposed to do, we go on our merry way and do what we want. 

Exodus 32:7-8—7 And the LORD said to Moses, “Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, 'This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!'” Look at verse 7. When a parent catches their child doing something wrong, and they call the other parent, how do they refer to that child? “Do you know what YOUR son did today?” God tells Moses “These are YOUR people.” And we’re gonna talk more about that later. For now, notice something else. This is a very clear example of the omniscience—or “All-Knowingness” of God. While God was speaking all these words to Moses, what’s going on down at the bottom of the mountain? They’re making the golden calf. They're drinking and carousing and doing all sorts of wickedness. Does God see what the people are doing and even hear what they're saying? He’s speaking to Moses up here—and seeing the idolatry going on down there. And that is one thing we don’t often think about when we think about how God sees everything. We try to turn our eyes away from wickedness don’t we? When we see something filthy on TV, or see some of the magazines at the checkout, we stop and look away, right? We don’t watch pornography. We don’t engage in the sinful things that go on in the world. consider not only the wickedness that goes on in public—let alone the most bizarre stuff that goes in in the places that are hidden away in the darker corners of the world. Those places where the people think no one sees them—God sees it all. Hebrews 4:13—And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. He has seen all the wickedness I used to do before I knew him. And believe you me, I don’t even want to think of what He saw. And yet He is not tempted by seeing it, He is not corrupted by seeing it. He is offended by fact that it takes place. He looks on it all and will judge it all one day. Just as He will do here. 

Exodus 32:9-10—9 And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! 10 Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation." He presents to Moses a proposition that must have sounded very appealing to his flesh. But it’s not so much that God is tempting him—I really think this is a place where God is testing Moses to show Moses the weight of the office God has called him to. Keil and Delitzsch—

“God puts the fate of the nation into the hand of Moses, that he may remember his office as mediator, and show himself worthy of his calling. [By placing] the preservation or destruction of Israel in the hands of Moses, coupled with a promise, which left the fullest freedom to [Moses’] decision…this constituted a great test for Moses, whether he would be willing to give up his own people…as the price of his own exaltation. And Moses stood the test. The preservation of Israel was dearer to him than the honour of becoming the head and founder of a new kingdom of God. True to his calling as mediator, he entered the breach before God, to turn away His wrath, that He might not destroy the sinful nation.” 

Besides, it wasn’t as if the entire nation of Israel was participating in idolatry. And if God had wiped out all the people, He would have taken out the innocent with the guilty. And we see Moses' plea, his mediation, in Exodus 32:11—11 Then Moses pleaded with the LORD his God, and said: “LORD, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?” What did God call these people in Exodus 32:7—“Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt.” But here, Moses shows that he understands just who these people belong to, and who really brought them out of the land of Egypt. God said to Moses, “These people belong to you.” Moses says, “No, LORD, they belong to you.” Exodus 32:12-14—“12 Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, 'He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.'" So the LORD relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people. Moses knew the real reason why God does every single thing He ever does—and that is His glory, His name. That is what prayer is all about. It’s not about getting what WE want. It’s about God. This event is the basis of some of the most long-debated questions in all of theology.

First, “Can we change God’s mind?” Second, “Does God change His mind?” Third, “If God does not change His mind, and if we can't change His mind—then why pray?” Well, we need to understand one basic principle about prayer. And that is: Prayer is not about changing God’s mind—it’s about changing our hearts. And I don’t think it’s as if God was telling Moses, “I am going to wipe these people out,” so much as He was telling Moses, “Give Me a reason why I shouldn’t wipe these people out.” Moses understood the reason for prayer, and he knew that the honor and glory of God’s name was to be upheld even if it meant having to put up with these stubborn, stiff-necked people. Did God know Moses what Moses was going to pray? Does God know what we’re going to pray? Does God know what we need when we pray? Matthew 6:8—“Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” Yet what do many of our prayers sound like? “God do this for me” or “Lord do that for me” or “Lord I need help with something else.” Who and what is the center of that kind of prayer? ME and my needs. Should ME and my needs be the center of our prayers? Who and what should be the center of our prayers? God and His glory and His name. In the “Model Prayer” (Matthew 6:9-13), what is the first thing we should pray for? Matthew 6:9—“Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your name.” Right after the commandments against having other gods or making graven images, what is the very next commandment? Exodus 20:7—“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.” This, by the way, another commandment the people broke, giving the name of God to the golden calf (Exodus 32:4-5).

Moses understood this. He remembered the promises God made to Abraham, Isaac and Israel. And he knew that if God did indeed wipe the people out, the pagan nations would have great reason to blaspheme His name. When the prophet Nathan rebuked David for his transgression with Bathsheba, the main point of his rebuke was not that he had committed adultery and killed one of his soldiers. Yes, he did rebuke him for those things. But listen to 2^nd Samuel 12:13-14—13 So David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die." The child died because David gave the enemies of God a reason to blaspheme. This sounds very cruel to us, doesn't it? It was David that sinned—why should this child, who had not committed such a sin, bear the penalty for his father’s sin? Keil and Delitzsch— 

“As his sin had given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme or ridicule his religion and that of all other believers, the child that was begotten in adultery and had just been born should die…on the one hand, so that the father should atone for his adultery in the death of the son, and, on the other hand, that the visible occasion for any further blasphemy should be taken away: so that David was not only to feel the pain of punishment in the death of his son, but was also to discern in it a distinct token of the grace of God.” 

We will see the same thing here shortly—that even though God will not destroy them for this sin, they will be punished in a very visible and very memorable manner. 

Exodus 32:15-19—15 And Moses turned and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand. The tablets were written on both sides; on the one side and on the other they were written. 16 Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God engraved on the tablets. 17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is a noise of war in the camp." 18 But he said: " It is not the noise of the shout of victory, Nor the noise of the cry of defeat, But the sound of singing I hear." 19 So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing. So Moses' anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.

A couple things here. First, think back to the very first verses of the chapter. Where was Aaron? He was right in the middle of the rabble and riff-raff—and in fact HE was the one who fashioned the golden calf! Where is Joshua? He’s up the mountain a ways off. Was he in the middle of the wickedness? No. Was he kind of milling around the scene, checking things out? Was he trying to see how close he could get without crossing the line? And yet there are those who claim to be Christians who will date or even marry those who are not followers of Christ. Some will simply get as close to sin as they can, thinking they won’t cross the line into sin. Can't say I haven’t done that a time or two. But what do you always hear them say? “I can handle it! I'm strong enough!” or you’ll ask them, “Are you sure you should be doing that? There’s gonna be a lot of temptation with that.” And you hear these famous last words—“I would neeeevvvvverrr do that!” When you hear a Christian say something like that, get ready for some bad news. The sin that every Christian will fall into is the one they say “I would neeeevvvvverrr do that!” Because that statement is filled with one thing and one thing only—and what is that? Pride. Pride in their own flesh. Proverbs 16:18—Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 29:23—A man's pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor. Mark 7:20-23—“20 What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” Notice how Jesus lists pride among all these other sins that defile a man. And He says that pride will indeed defile a man. So when you hear a Christian say, “I would never fall into that sin”—get ready, because they're about to. Because they're speaking out of pride, which lives in our flesh, and their flesh will make sure it gets its way.

Now, we’re gonna talk for a minute about the Ten Commandments movie. Of course, the way they depicted this scene was quite a bit tamer than what it actually looked like. And we should be very glad for that. This was a drunken orgy, and not many people—if any—had a shred of clothing on. And the scene was much more depraved than what we see on the screen. But does anybody remember what Charlton Heston does with the stone tablets? He throws them at the golden calf, and they make this huge explosion, and the earth opens up and swallows all the idolaters? Well, it makes for fascinating cinema—but bad theology. Which doesn't really make much sense when you have the script right in front of you. What actually happened was Moses slammed them to the ground and they shattered—a quite literal metaphor for how the people “broke the Law.”

 

Now, look at how the people were punished. God did not destroy the people, lest He give the pagans a reason to blaspheme His name. But, Exodus 32:20—Then [Moses] took the calf which they had made, burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder; and he scattered it on the water and made the children of Israel drink it. In other words, he made them take their sin into themselves, that they may get just a taste (for lack of a better word) of how abominable their sin was to God. Now, keep in mind, this would not have been a swift process. They would have heated up a large fire, cast the idol into it, and would have had to watch it melt and watch it get beaten down, spread on the water before they drank it. And this was a symbolic act on Moses’ part, teaching them that sin is not something that is exclusively external—that sin pollutes the inner person.  Proverbs 19:28—A disreputable witness scorns justice, and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity. Job 15:15-16—15 If God puts no trust in His saints, and the heavens are not pure in His sight, 16 how much less is man, who is abominable and filthy, who drinks iniquity like water! But, if we are in Christ, our “inner man” is not dying and decaying—it is being refreshed and renewed every day by God Himself. Romans 7:21-22—21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 2^nd Corinthians 4:16—Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 

Lastly, we’re gonna see just how foolish we human beings really are. Exodus 32:21-24—21 And Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?" 22 So Aaron said, "Do not let the anger of my lord become hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23 For they said to me, 'Make us gods that shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' 24 And I said to them, 'Whoever has any gold, let them break it off.' So they gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out."Aaron is saying a couple things here. First, in verse 24 he makes this miraculous declaration--“Moses, it was amazing! You wouldn’t believe it! I took their gold and I randomly threw it in the fire, and—**POOF**—this fully formed golden calf just jumped right out!!” 

Second, but more importantly, what else is he trying to do? look at verses 22-23. Who is he blaming for his actions? “You know the people! They MADE me do it—It’s THEIR fault!” And again, we go back to the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:11-13—11 And [God] said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?" 12 Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate." 13 And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." Who does Adam blame for his sin? The woman. But also, he blames God, the One who gave him a wife. “The woman YOU gave me…” Who does Eve pin the blame on? The serpent. Remember the Flip Wilson character Geraldine Jones? What was her famous line? “The devil made me do it.” The devil doesn't MAKE us do ANYTHING. Our sin is our own. And by reading Aaron’s foolish reply, don’t we get a glimpse of our own foolishness when we dismissed our own sins for so many years and blamed them on someone else? We see it all around us today. A person commits a horrific crime and they blame society for it. Or they blame the fact that they were raised in the projects by a drug-addicted mother and an abusive father. But there are plenty of people of all races who grow up in such circumstances who don’t give themselves over to a life of crime. Otherwise, this city would be full of serial killers. Notice though, with Adam and Eve, that God holds each one of them accountable for their own sin. “Adam, did eat from that tree? Eve, what did you do?” And even Aaron had to drink the water that was littered with the gold from the calf he made. 

Exodus 32:25-28—25 Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies), 26 then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, "Whoever is on the LORD's side—come to me!" And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. 27 And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.'" 28 So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day.

Everyone who did not commit himself to the LORD God, but instead sided with the idolaters, was killed. Period, paragraph. No mercy. God said, “If they want they to worship their calf, then let them die.” Ezekiel 18:20—The soul who sins shall die. Were the Levites to spare anyone? They could not say, “Well, I know Yitzhak is still on the side of the idolaters, but he’s my cousin and I just can't do it.” What did we say was the most important thing to God? His name and His glory. God tells the sons of Levi, “Let these people be an example of what I will do to those who blaspheme against Me and worship other gods.” And I dare say, if any of the sons of Levi did not carry out these orders, they would have been counted as being among the idolaters, and would have been, more than likely, slain with the sword as well. In fact, listen to these words of our Lord Jesus Christ, Matthew 10:34-37—“34 Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; 36 and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” And listen to this one last verse from Exodus, Exodus 32:29—Then Moses said, "Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother." Sound familiar? Think Jesus’ words might have reminded the Jews of a certain event in their history? Methinks.

More next time.

Prayer for the Persecuted Church (1/31/2012)

1/22/2012 Indonesia (The Jakarta Post) GKI Yasmin Services Disrupted Again- A crowd of Muslim hard-liners disrupted about 100 members of the GKI Yasmin congregation as they held divine services at a member's home in Bogor, West Java on Sunday. "We were conducting our worship at one member's home before people from Forkami and Garis came to our place," GKI Yasmin spokeswoman Dwiati Novita Rini told The Jakarta Post over the telephone on Sunday. The congregation resisted efforts by about 50 Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) officers to stop their service, Dwiati said. "The Satpol PP came around 9 a.m. and were trying to stop our activity because they didn't want any clashes to happen. [House of Representatives member] Lily Wahid was negotiating with one of the Satpol PP officers and the congregation could continue worship," she said. The congregation completed their service peacefully around 10 a.m. and the demonstrators from Forkami and Garis left the congregation member's home around 11 a.m, Dwiati added. The Bogor City administration, citing permit application problems, has barred the congregation from from conducting religious services for more than two years, defying a 2010 Supreme Court ruling guaranteeing the congregation's right to hold services at its church building. Full Story Pray that God will place a hedge of protection around the saints in Indonesia and that the evil plans of the Islamic radicals will be blocked. Pray that the Bogor City administration will have a radical change in heart and policy so that it will uphold a 2010 Supreme Court ruling guaranteeing the congregation's right to hold services at its church building. Pray that the believers will know the presence and peace of Jesus along with the daily guiding wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Pray for the Gospel of Salvation to be proclaimed with the anticipation of Muslims receiving Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.

1/23/2012 Iran (MNN) Raido is Helping Iranian Believers- Iran ranks #5 on the Open Doors World Watch List 2012 -- a listing of the worst 50 countries known for their persecution of Christians. In spite of the overt hostility against believers, a change has been felt. With the Arab Spring and the recent revolution, it is clear that younger Iranians are actively seeking alternatives to Islam. Muslims in Iran are more open to the Gospel than ever before. New believers face persecution, arrest, and execution because of their faith in the Lord. Christians know any effort to express their faith can heighten the risk that Islamic authorities might learn of their Christian activities. Words of Hope shares a recent story of "R" and his wife "S," regular listeners to their Farsi Gospel broadcasts. When authorities learned of their house church activities, "R" and "S" were arrested. After weeks of interrogation, they were released on bail. In a letter to the Words of Hope Iranian team leader, "R" and "S" testified that their understanding of God's Word had been crucial to their perseverance: "We want to praise God for your prayers. While we were in jail, we often thought about you and felt assured that in every situation God is using us. We believe that if we Iranians hear the true teaching of Jesus Christ, by the grace of God we will be able to stand firm in our faith no matter what trials and tribulations come. Jesus is building His Church in Iran." Encouraged and emboldened by the responses they're getting, the team continues to advance the Gospel in Iran despite the severe restrictions imposed by the Islamic authorities. One listener wrote, "What the Lord is doing in Iran today is nothing short of a spiritual awakening." Pray for the church in Iran. Full Story Praise that the Christians are encouraged and emboldened to continue to advance the Gospel in Iran despite the severe restrictions imposed by the Islamic authorities. Praise that the Muslims in Iran are more open to the Gospel than ever before. Pray that the new believers will stay unwavering in their Christian faith as they face persecution, arrest, and execution because of their faith.

1/24/2012 Saudi Arabia (ICC) Saudi Arabian Officals Assault, Strip Search Christian Prisoners- International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that Saudi Arabian officials strip searched 29 Christian women and assaulted six Christian men after arresting them for holding a prayer meeting at a private home in Jeddah. The prisoners are currently being held at Briman prison in Jeddah. "We feel humiliated because the security officials stripped searched us. They used the same glove to search several of us at the same time. Some of my friends are suffering from physical pain to their private parts due to the unsanitary condition of the strip search. We haven't committed any crime. We are imprisoned for worshipping the God of heaven and earth," said one of the female prisoners during an interview with ICC. In a message for Christians around the world, the prisoner said, "We want you to help us to get out of prison in every way you can, including prayer. Please tell your governments about our plight, contact human rights organizations and others and inform them about us." Please sign the petition on our asking the Saudi Arabian government to release the Christian prisoners. Call the Saudi Arabian Embassy in your country and ask them to release the prisoners. United States:             (+1) 202 342 3800       Canada:             (+1) 613 237 4100       United Kingdom:             (+44) 207 9173-000       Australia:             (+61) 2 6250 7000       Germany:             (+49) 30 88 92 50       France:             (+33) 1 56 79 4000       Full Story Pray that the Saudi officials will release the prisoners and respect their religious freedoms. Pray that the Christian believers will unwaveringly continue to worship and serve the Lord. Pray that all the officials and Muslims that are involved with the ongoing heinous persecution will learn about Jesus' love and choose to follow Him as their personal Savior. Pray that the international community, including Congress and the State Department, will rally and cry out for the persecution of believers to immediately cease.

1/24/2012 Nigeria (CDN) Seven Christians Killed in Bauchi State, Nigeria-Many Injured, Church Building Destroyed-  Early morning attacks in Tafawa Balewa, Bauchi state on Sunday (Jan. 22) left at least seven Christians dead and a church building destroyed. The attack on the Evangelical Church Winning All Church 2, residents of Tafawa Balewa said, was carried out by area Islamic extremists alongside members of the Boko Haram sect, with the church building and surrounding houses bombed. Yunnana Yusufu, a pastor with the Church of Christ in Nigeria in Tafawa Balewa, told Compass that the assailants arrived in the early morning hours and began shooting at Christians in the town. Yusufu said that many other Christians were injured. Bauchi Police Commissioner Ikechukwu Aduba reportedly confirmed the attack on Tafawa Balewa, saying two soldiers and a policeman, as well as eight civilians were later killed in a gunfight. He added that six suspects had been arrested. Bukata Zhadi, secretary of the Christian Elders Council in Tafawa Balewa, said attacks on Christian communities in the area have been incessant, with Sunday's attack bringing to 10 the number of Christians killed in the past two weeks in Tafawa Balewa. Full Story   Pray that those who have lost loved ones via the brutally inflicted murders by Islamic extremists will receive the nurture and love of Christ and that they will also not become embittered. Pray that the Nigerian Muslims will realize the deception in the Quran and will personally receive salvation from their sins through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray that the Lord will thwart all hostile plans by the Islamic radicals against Christians.

1/25/2012 Sudan (CDN) Two Catholic Priests Kidnapped in Sudan- South Sudanese militia loyal to Sudan's Islamic government have kidnapped two Catholic priests in Rabak, Christian sources said. A large truck smashed through the gates of the St. Josephine Bakhita's Catholic Church compound in Rabak and the Rev. Joseph Makwey and the Rev. Sylvester Mogga were kidnapped at gunpoint by the assailants. Four days later, on Jan. 19, the kidnappers forced the two priests to call their bishop with a ransom. Auxiliary Bishop Daniel Adwok told Compass by phone that there was no direct communication between the bishop and the kidnappers, though the priests managed to convey that they were being mistreated. The kidnappers have attempted no communication with church leaders since then, Adwok said. Eyewitnesses told Compass that they saw the assailants severely beating the priests while abducting them. The kidnappers also looted the priests' living quarters, stealing two vehicles, two laptops and a safe. The incident caused panic and terror among Christians in Rabak, with church leaders saying they fear for their lives as they become targets of the Islamic government and its allied militias. Sudan has seen a steep increase in persecution against Christians, according to an annual ranking by Christian support organization Open Doors. Sudan-where northern Christians experienced greater vulnerability after southern Sudan seceded in a July referendum, and where Christians were targeted amid isolated military conflicts - jumped 19 places last year from its 2010 ranking, from 35th to 16th, according to Open Doors' 2012 World Watch List. Sudanese law prohibits missionaries from evangelizing, and converting from Islam to another religion is punishable by imprisonment or death in Sudan, though previously such laws were not strictly enforced. Full Story Pray that Rev. Joseph Makwey and the Rev. Sylvester Mogga who were kidnapped at gunpoint will draw close to the Lord during this tumultuous time of abuse. Pray for their safe release. Pray that the Sudanese Christians will ardently worship God and proclaim the Gospel through the leading of the Holy Spirit with courage and prudence even in the midst of the tormenting Islamic fanatics. Pray that the international community will courageously expose, condemn, and demand justice for the brutal victimization of the Sudanese Christians.

1/25/2012 Somalia (ICC) Islamists Arrest a Muslim Father After His Sons Convert to Christianity- International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on January 14 Somali Islamists arrested a Muslim father after two of his teenage children converted to Christianity in Kismayo, Somalia. The two sons of Mo'alim Mohamud Aw-Omar converted to Christianity late last year, and fled their homes following their conversion. Members of the radical Islamic group, al-Shabaab, accused Aw-Omar of "failing to raise his sons as good Muslims" because "good Muslims cannot convert to Christianity." According to sources on the ground, the Islamists have refused to release Aw-Omar until his two sons return to Kismayo, which is unlikely to happen because the teenagers will be killed if they return. According to the strict interpretation of the Islamic sharia law that Al-Shabaab follows, leaving Islam is a crime punishable by death. Radical Islamists have killed a number of Christian converts in Somalia. This is the first confirmed case of a parent being arrested for the conversion of children. In a statement to ICC, a Somali Christian leader said, "This tactic (of arresting parents for conversion of children) is apparently intended to discourage Muslims from converting to Christianity since their Muslim parents could be held accountable for their conversion. The Somali Islamists have previously tried other failed harsh tactics such as summary executions of converts to minimize the number of Muslims converting to Christianity. Please pray for the Somali Christians, especially those living in Islamist controlled areas in southern Somalia." Full Story Pray that all the Christians, including the two sons of Mo'alim Mohamud Aw-Omar, will courageously stay strong in their faith. Pray that Aw-Omar will come to saving faith in Christ as he realizes the love of Christ compared to radical Islam that is clearly manifested in the death sentence for anyone who leaves Islam. Pray that Al-Shabaab will respect the religious freedom of all Somalis. Pray that the believers will share the Good News of salvation that is only through Jesus Christ. Pray that God will place a hedge of protection around the saints.

1/25/2012 India (AsiaNews) Indian Authorities Arrest a Pastor After Hindu Radical Assaulted Him- Dozens of Hindu activists of the RSS (Rashtriya Sangh Savayansevak) attacked 20 Christians of the Fellowship of New Life in a private house. Accusing those present of proselytism and forced conversions, the ultranationalists begun to beat Kishore Kavalekar, a faithful, and Rev. Kalappa Chandrakanth Chavant, then dragged him in front of the whole village. Finally, attackers tied him to a tree near a Hindu temple and called the Haliyal police. The police arrested Rev. Chandrakanth and Kishore, imprisoning them for 24 hours, leaving the RSS activists to roam free. "The complicity between the government forces and the ultra-nationalist BJP- stated the president of the GCIC - is seriously endangering the survival of Christians in Karnataka. Tomorrow, India celebrates the 62nd Republic Day: It is imperative that the secular credentials of our Constitution are guaranteed to be followed in all the states in the country." "Christians - adds Sajan George - are treated as second class citizens not only by the ultra-nationalist forces, but also the authorities. With the approach of Republic Day, it is time that the State ensures the Christian minority of its constitutional rights. " Full Story Pray that the Christians who have been and are being viciously mistreated with beatings will be comforted and strengthened by the Lord. Pray that the believers will ardently worship God and proclaim the Gospel through the leading of the Holy Spirit with courage and prudence even in the midst of the tormenting Hindu radicals. Pray that the State will ensure that the Christian minority will receive their constitutional rights.

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A Survey of the Old testament Law--The Sign of the Sabbath

This week we will look at the final portion of the old covenant that God spoke to Moses. The terms of the old covenant are contained in the portion of Scripture that starts at Exodus 20:1 and runs through Exodus 31:17. The final command given to the people was the sign or pledge or token of this old covenant. That sign or token or pledge was the seventh-day sabbath. If you recall way back in Exodus 24, we talked about how covenants were ratified, always by blood. But there was also always a sign or pledge that both sides would fulfill their part of the bargain. After the flood, God made a covenant with Noah, that God would never again destroy all life on the planet with water. God put a rainbow in the sky as a token of His faithfulness. In the covenant that God made with Abraham, God gave the sign of circumcision. And under the covenant that He is making with the nation of Israel, God gives the sign of the seventh-day sabbath.

Exodus 31:12-17—12 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 13 "Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: 'Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you. 14 You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 16 Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.'" 

Out of all of the Ten Commandments, the keeping of the sabbath is the one that is the most widely debated. Are Christians bound by the sabbath? If so, do we keep it on Saturday or on Sunday? Well, the short answer is this: the church, under the new covenant, is NOT bound by ANY sabbath—neither Saturday nor Sunday. Phrases like “Sunday Sabbath” or “Christian Sabbath” are really not appropriate. The true Sabbath is not a day of the week. The true sabbath is eternal rest in Christ.

Should we come together as a body to hear the word and to partake in the worship of God? Absolutely. Hebrews 10:24-25—24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. But keeping the sabbath on any day of the week is not part of the new covenant. And there are two very simple reasons. ONE—God says in Exodus 31:17 that the sabbath is what? “It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever.” This was the sign of the old covenant. God tells Israel, “Keep My sabbaths, and I shall be your God and you shall be My people.” The sabbath was not enforced on any Gentile nation. It was a sign between God and Israel. There is an interesting little passage in the book of Nehemiah chapter 10. The people have come back from the Babylonian captivity, they have rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, and the people sign a decree that they will separate themselves from the pagan nations around them. And we find the following language in this decree, in Nehemiah 10:31—If the peoples of the land brought wares or any grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we would not buy it from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day. Did this decree say that the Israelites, if they found a foreigner selling grain or wares on the sabbath, would put that person to death? No. It said they would not buy from the peoples of the land on the sabbath. What does that tell us about the sabbath? It was between God and whom? It was between God and Israel. It was not binding on any Gentile nation—never was, never has been.

Another point I want to make is this: when we think of all the ordinances and rituals and offerings and sacrifices that we find throughout the old covenant, they are all, for the most part, “Work, work, work; do, do, do.” However, the commands concerning the sabbath are what? “Don’t work; don’t do.” Contrary to what many legalistic, sabbath-keeping groups demand of their followers, the commands concerning the sabbath were not meant to be a yoke upon the neck of the people. If it was, then we would not see the many confrontations between Christ and the Pharisees over sabbath-keeping. And we will see one of these confrontations if we turn to Matthew 12:1-8—1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!" 3 But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? 6 Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. 7 But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." 

In this passage, did Jesus encourage His disciples to sin by working on the sabbath? Well, if He did, then He was partaking in that sin--yet the Scriptures declare Christ to be sinless. So no, they were not working on the sabbath. They were picking a few heads of grain and eating them to ease their hunger—which they were allowed to do under the Law (Deuteronomy 23:24-25). But the Pharisees had turned that into work. John MacArthur—“In picking and rolling and rubbing and discarding, they had been reaping, threshing, sifting, grinding, winnowing and preparing food.” All by picking a few heads of grain and rolling them in their hands and eating them.

Now, we find a dire warning for those who break the Sabbath, we find it in Exodus 31:14—“Everyone who profanes [the sabbath] shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it…shall be cut off.” How does Jesus describe what the priests did in the temple on the sabbath? Matthew 12:5—“On the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless.” The priests in the temple “profane the sabbath.” Then look at what He says in Matthew 12:7-8—“But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” First, He refers to the actions of His disciples as ‘guiltless.’ But He also explains, from the prophet Hosea, that it is not the keeping of the strictest letter of the Law that God desires, but for men to know God, and that God is a merciful God. A little later on He gets into a discussion about how these men would pull out their neighbor’s goat out if it fell into a pit on the Sabbath. He also reminds them that, in order that the Law not be broken, they would circumcise their male children on a Sabbath if must needs be.

Now, let's remember one thing: when Jesus walked the earth, were the Israelites still under the old covenant? Yes. Were animals still being killed, cut up and burned, their blood being poured out around the altar and sprinkled and smeared all over the temple? Yes. Was the Torah still being taught? Yes. Were the people of Israel still being commanded to keep the sabbath? Yes. BUT here’s the thing, and the second main point I want to make—the Pharisees had taken the sabbath and changed it from a day of rest to a day of work. What I mean is this: it was harder for people to keep the sabbath than it was to not keep the sabbath. They had to spend all day, every waking moment of every sabbath day (keep in mind, they did not refer to it as “Saturday”) worrying about whether or not they were breaking the sabbath! “Oh no! I picked up my mixing bowl up off the floor! Did I just break the sabbath?” There were literally hundreds of volumes of books being written by the rabbis about what counted as ‘work.’

In fact, according to one book I found, even today many “traditional” Jews will not drive a car on the sabbath. Want to know why? Spark plugs. “Turning a key in a car sets the ignition on—which creates a spark—a fire. Not the kind of fire of banging two stones together, but a fire nevertheless—a human being creating when God commands that he rest from all creative acts. Granted, some of these (forbidden activities) are so routine and ordinary, with no ‘work’ involved, and don’t seem to involve any genuine creative efforts, but that is the challenge of observing the Shabbat to the letter of the Law.” (From a discussion at AskMoses.com, quoted in Brown, Michael L., 60 Questions Christians Ask About Jewish Beliefs and Practices, ch. 15). In fact, this is a misapplication of Exodus 35:4—“You shall kindle no fire throughout your dwellings on the Sabbath day.” So unless they're firing up their Buick in their living room, they're OK. Now we read that and we say “Oh, how silly!” But it’s really not any sillier than people who want to teach that the sabbath is still binding on the church under the new covenant. Because it’s not. Especially the “Saturday” sabbath, which is a misnomer because the Jews don’t use the term “Saturday.” They call it “Shabbat.” 

The point is this—when Jesus refers to Himself as “Lord of the sabbath,” He is telling these Jews, who are still teaching the Law, still keeping the sabbath, that HE is the one to whom the seventh day was dedicated. HE is the one who says what can and what can't be done on the sabbath. To them, that was blasphemy. In a parallel passage to this, He says in Mark 2:27-28—27 And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28 Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath." The Pharisees had gotten it all backwards. They were teaching that man was the servant of the sabbath, when the truth was that the sabbath was the servant of man. Just like Paul said in Galatians 3:24-25—24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. The law was a servant to point the way to Christ. But now that Christ has come, that servant has been fired (so to speak).

The sabbath was not meant to stir people up to anxiety—it was meant to give them rest. From the first day through the sixth day (which was how they refer to what we call “Sunday through Friday”), it was “work, work, work; do, do, do.” But the seventh day was “stop working and stop doing.” Exodus 31:15—“Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD.” Remember that phrase “Sabbath of rest.” It’s going to be very important. Because now we are going to see the next reason why the sabbath is not binding on the church—that is, that Christ is our sabbath; He is our rest. Hebrews 4:1-3—1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. 3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: "So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest,'" although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. First, let’s put this in context. The book of Hebrews is a commentary on the Law. Is all Scripture given by God? Yes. So, not only is the book of Hebrews a commentary on the Law, it is, in all actuality, GOD’S commentary on HIS OWN Law. It was written by a Hebrew to Hebrews. The people he was writing to would have had a pretty good knowledge of the Old Testament. Now when we read Hebrews 4:3—For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: "So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest,'" we see the word ‘rest’ used twice, and having two very different meanings. What is the first ‘rest’ he is talking about? Resting in Christ. Matthew 11:28—“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” What is the second ‘rest’? When Joshua led the people of Israel into the land of Canaan—the “Promised Land,” the ‘rest’ the Israelites were looking forward to. Now, who was it that would not enter into that ‘rest’? It was all those who rebelled in the wilderness (see Numbers 14:1-35), because of whom the people had to wander the desert for 40 years. Those who rebelled did not enter into the ‘rest’ they were looking to. 

Hebrews 4:4-5 hold the key to this whole issue of the sabbath. Hebrews 4:4-5—4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all His works"; 5 and again in this place: "They shall not enter My rest." Many times when you read the book of Hebrews you will find passages that say something along the lines of “God has said in a certain place [this], and in another place, [this], and again He says [that].” He does that all through the entire first chapter (Hebrews 1:1-14). And what he’s doing is stringing passages of Scripture together to make a single point. And the point he is making here is that both of these ‘rests’—God resting on the seventh day (the basis for the seventh-day sabbath) and the people resting when they entered Canaan—these were both simply types and shadows of the rest that Christ would bring. God rested on the seventh day, but did He stop working altogether? No. John 5:16-17—16 The Jews…sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working." So even after God rested on the seventh day, He did not stop working. He was working even while Jesus walked the earth; He is still working now! The people of Israel looked forward to that day when they would enter Canaan as their promised rest. But did they really ever rest? No. They were always fighting pagan nations and even amongst themselves. Obtaining a piece of land did not give them rest.

BUT—the rest that we have in Christ is the true sabbath, and we see that in Hebrews 4:8-10—8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. If you have a KJV, verse 8 is not correctly translated. It should say If Joshua had given them rest, not If Jesus had given them rest. Through the first eight verses, the Greek word translated ‘rest’ has been the generic Greek word for ‘rest.’ BUT! There is another Greek word that literally means ‘sabbath.’ That is the word σάββατον (sabbaton). And in Hebrews 4:9, where it says There remains therefore a rest for the people of God, the word translated ‘rest’ is the Greek word σάββατισμός (sabbatismos). There remains a σάββατισμός (sabbatismos) for the people of God. That word literally means “a keeping of the sabbath.” What does that mean for us? It means we don’t look at one day out of the week as our sabbath—we look to Heaven as our sabbath.

True rest comes on that day when Christ Jesus welcomes us into His kingdom. Revelation 14:13—13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them." So if we are looking to Heaven and the rest that Christ has promised us, guess what we do every single day of the week? We keep the sabbath! By doing that, we remember the Sabbath and keep it holy! Keep in mind, the point the writer keeps making throughout the entire book of Hebrews is how Christ is so much greater than the Law. And if Christ is greater than the Law, then the rest He gives is far greater than a day of the week. That is why Paul tells us in Colossians 2:16-17—16 Let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. The seventh-day sabbath was a shadow of the true ‘rest’, the true sabbath that we look forward to by faith in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I really think one reason God took the sabbath so seriously is because it was a gift He gave them. In Exodus 16 we see God giving the people manna. The command was that on the sixth day they were to gather up enough for two days because He would not give them any on the seventh. Exodus 16:27-29—27 Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. 28 And the LORD said to Moses, "How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? 29 See! For the LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day." In verse 29 God says “The LORD has given you the sabbath.” What happened to those who rejected the gift of the sabbath? They found no food. What happened to them under the Law? They died. Christ is our sabbath; He is our rest from our own works. What happens to those who reject the gift of rest that is found in Christ? Eternal death. Those who rejected the gift of the sabbath under the old covenant were cut off physically; those who reject the gift of the sabbath that is Christ under the new covenant are cut off spiritually, eternally. Hmmm…I think there is a parallel there.

We could go on, literally for months. But the fact is simple—the church, under the new covenant, is not bound by a Sabbath. Saturday, Sunday, doesn’t matter. Should we take one day and rest, and be refreshed, and come together as a body to worship God together? Absolutely. But there is no such thing as a “Christian Sabbath.” Christ is the fulfillment of the command concerning the Sabbath. And we are to remember Him and keep Him sanctified in our hearts, and be looking forward to our eternal Sabbath rest which comes from Him.

Jesus Christ is Lord.
Amen.

Prayers for the Persecuted Church--1/20/2012

1/18/12 Sudan (CDN) Sudan Threatens to Arrest Church Leaders - Sudan's Ministry of Guidance and Religious Endowments has threatened to arrest church leaders if they carry out evangelistic activities and do not comply with an order for churches to provide their names and contact information, Christian sources said. THe warning in a January 3 letter to church leaders of the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church (SPEC) arrived a few days after Sudan President Omar al-Bashir told cheering crowds on January 3 that, following the secession of the largely non-Islamic South Sudan last July, the country's constitution will be more deeply entrenched in Sharia Law. "We will take legal procedures against pastors who are involved in preaching or evangelistic activities," Hamid Yousif Adam, undersecretary of the Ministry of Guidance and Religious Endowment, wrote to the church leaders. "We have all legal rights to take them to court." Sources said the order was aimed at oppressing Christians amid growing hostilities toward Christianity. Full Story Pray for both North and South Sudan who have been plagued by anti-Christian hostility and persecution. Pray that the new government in North Sudan will not oppress and persecute the church now that the South has seceded. Pray for the remaining church in pro-Islamic North Sudan that they will remain strong and faithful to Christ. Pray for the new leaders in North Sudan, that they might be convicted and changed by God and know Christ as their Lord.

1/18/12 Nigeria (ICC) Religious Cleansing Happening in Nigeria - With more than 80 Christians killed by radical Muslims since Christmas, a Nigerian church leader believes that Islamists are carrying out religious cleansing against Christians in Northern Nigeria. In an exclusive interview with ICC, the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, called upon Nigerian Christians to defend themselves from the ongoing problem. The Christian leader decried the Nigerian government's failure to protect Christians from the killings and accused some security agents of taking sides. He said, "The security agencies are polarized along religious lines. Even when the security agents have information (concerning security measures to be taken against Boko Haram), some of them pass the information to these criminals. This is because some of the security agents are more loyal to their religion (Islam) than to Nigeria as a nation." In a disturbing development, the violence has also spread to southern Nigeria where Muslims and their places of worship have been attacked in apparent retaliation for the killing of Christians in Northern Nigeria. According to a report by BBC, a mosque and an Islamic school were burned down in the Southern Nigerian city of Benin on January 10. Five people were killed and six were injured in the violence in the city.  Full Story Pray that the violence in Nigeria, towards Christians and Muslims, subsides and peace resumes. Pray that the Christian population does not retaliate to the violence, but rather displays love toward their enemies. Pray for the Muslims who are determined to wipe out the Christian population in Nigeria. Pray for the victims and their families, that they may be faithful witnesses to Christ and that they may be comforted during this persecution.

1/18/12 United Kingdom (TheChristianInstitute) Use of Sharia 'Courts' Increasing in UK - The use of Sharia 'courts' is on the increase in Britain with thousands using Islamic law to settle disputes, according to the BBC. The news comes as a leading barrister claims that Sharia Law is compatible with human rights and beneficial to communities. However, critics say the courts discriminate against women and should not operate as a parallel legal system. A bill has been brought before the House of Lords by Christian humanitarian, Baroness Cox, to curb the growth of Sharia courts. Sheikh Haitham al-Haddad, a representative of the Islamic Sharia Council at Leyton, told BBC Asian Network that his caseload at the east London council had "easily more than tripled" over the past three to five years - dealing with up to 300 disputes a month. Sharia opponents believe the law discriminates against women as well as rulings falsely claiming legal jurisdiction over criminal and family law. In 2009, think-tank Civitas reported than an estimated 85 Sharia councils could be operating in Britain. Full Story Pray for this disturbing trend to cease in the UK, as it has enormous implications for the future of the European country's legal system. Pray that the church and those representatives in the government who oppose the implementation of Sharia law will continue to fight its use as a parallel legal system. Pray for the church in the UK, who, in recent months, has been faced with its own oppression.

1/18/12 Pakistan (CatholicCulture) 2,000 Protest Government's Demolition of Church Buildings - Two thousand Pakistani Christians, including Auxilary Bishop Sebastian Shah of Lahore, priests, and Protestant leaders, protested the Punjabi government's decision to confiscate Church land and demolish the charitable and educational institutions located on it. "We shall continue protesting until the government returns all the land it took and pays for the losses," said Father Morris Jalal. "We do not fear anyone and will fight for our rights."  Full Story Pray for Pakistan, as the oppression of Christians continues in various forms. Pray for the government. Since implementing blasphemy laws, Christians have been a target of frequent legal oppression and even the death penalty for speaking positively about Jesus Christ or negatively about Mohammed. Pray for the success of these protests, so that the land and buildings can be rebuilt and provide a place for education and worship in Pakistan. Please pray that these protests remain peaceful and loving despite their opposition to the governments actions.

1/16/12 Iran (ACLJ) Under Increased Pressure, Pastor Youcef Refuses to Recant Faith - Iran is continuing its relentless attempt to force persecuted Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani to recant his faith in Jesus Christ. New reports state that Iranian officials are still pressuring the pastor, who has been sentenced to death for his Christian faith, "to renounce his faith in Christ and accept the prophet Muhammad as his savior." Pastor Youcef once again refused, remaining steadfast in his faith. Remember, Iran previously demanded on at least three separate occasions that Pastor Youcef recant his faith and convert to Islam at his latest trial, to which he replied, "I cannot". The Iranian court tasked with making a final determination about Pastor Youcef's fate has ignored its own promise to make its determination over a month ago. Iran's move to further delay a determination regarding Pastor Youcef not only violates international law; it violates Iranian law as well. Full Story Pray for Pastor Youcef. Give thanks to God for his steadfast faith in Jesus and pray for his faith to remain strong. Pray for those eyes who are watching Pastor Youcef, that they might see and wonder who this God is that he would lay down his life for before he denies Him. Pray for Iran, as the church there is exploding and many more pastors and believers may face pressures similar to Pastor Youcef's.

1/14/12 North Korea (Crosswalk) Seven Underground Churches Raided in North Korea- The underground church has faced increased persecution in North Korea since the unexpected death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il on December 17th. "Three weeks ago seven underground churches got exposed," says Thomas Kim, executive director of Cornerstone Ministries. "It's been very difficult for the last month and I think it's going to continue," he says. The North Korean leadership apparently fears the kind of insurrection that swept other communist regimes and is now sweeping through the Middle East. "They are scared there will be an uprising," Kim notes. "They are scared by the expansion of the Christian faith because Christians will die for their faith." "Now the regime is putting out many people to search for the underground church. There is a need to pray for protection," Kim said.  Full Story Pray that this change in leadership may result in eased pressure upon the North Korean church. Pray for the leaders of North Korea, that they may see the love of Christ in these Christians. Pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are facing some of the most intense persecution in the world. Pray for their faith to be strengthened and that they would remain faithful to Christ. Giving Made Easier! ICC Offers the Ability to Automate Your Monthly Gift!   You can sign up to be a monthly supporter of the persecuted through a monthly credit card transfer via our website. Your automated recurring gift will help us plan, build, and serve the persecuted with greater confidence. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to serve our persecuted brothers and sisters. You can sign up for recurring gifts or make a secure online donation by clicking here. Thank you for caring and praying for the persecuted.   2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941 Washington, D.C. 20006-1846 Web: persecution.org Phone: USA 1-800-422-5441       Email: icc@persecution.org