Category Archives: Application

16 August 2012 Calendar Reading

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The comments written by Mr K on the 16 August 2012 calendar state “He [Christ] prayed to His Father that they would be kept from the evil one. (Jn 17:15).”

With all due respect, Mr K, the Lord Jesus prayed nothing of the sort. My Bible clearly states: I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. (Jn 17:15)

What does the verse really say? It says that the Lord prayed that they would be kept from the evil. Now notice that it says from the evil – not just evil. And why would it have the word “the”? Because it is a specific reference to something particular that has already been spoken of in the context and continues to be addressed by the following verses – “the world”. The evil being referred to here is the evil associated with “the world” and all that it stands for.

Now of course we are aware that the Scriptures call the mastermind of “the world” system not only the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2) but also the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4).
In his attempts to get his name where it doesn’t belong in the Scriptures, being the imposter that he is and the father of lies (Jn 8:44), he has used some of his servants to deceive, even the elect, by inspiring those servants to manipulate the Greek texts on which so many have put their trust, to their own peril, alas. While the Revised Text of the spiritualists Westcott and Hort might say “evil one” the King James Bible translators never fell for the trap. In the same way those “ungodly men” (Jude 4), Westcott and Hort, twist the text of 1 John 5:19 to say “the whole world lieth in the wicked one” instead of the whole world lieth in wickedness. Once again they try to get their master into a place of prominence at the expense of truth. They divert the focus from “wickedness” to the “wicked one” just as they diverted the reader away from “the evil” to “the evil one”.

Mr K, you need to be more careful. You have allowed the spiritualists Westcott and Hort, haters of evangelicals and sound Biblical doctrine, to influence your interpretation of God’s Holy Word.

But take heart – I was the same about twenty years ago when I was invited to speak about the “Pre-existent Christ”. When I came to speak I found that key verses, one in particular, in the NIV bible I was using didn’t say what it was meant to. I knew what it should say and I needed it. I had to quote it from the King James Bible – the Bible my elderly friend used and claimed had nothing missing from. So I determined  to find out about this. I researched in the local public library and found out about Westcott and Hort – spiritualists involved in necromancy (communication with the dead & spirits) while doing their “translations”. Their names were even listed in the index of a book called ‘Encylopedia of the Paranormal’. They deliberately left out words and ideas because of their hatred of certain doctrines and evangelical believers, it seems. So it was true. It was a deliberate plot; a satanic conspiracy to attack God’s Word. Well, that explains a few things – doesn’t it.

 

Magazine No 182

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Some time back I tried to contact the editor of a good little publication. But I never heard anything back. Some people don’t like feedback that challenges their writings in any way. So this blog might provide a way to address a few issues. Maybe the right people might eventually get to read this response to an issue that seems to keep surfacing.

I was a little surprised to read in what I’ll call Magazine No 182 the name Joshua inserted in the quoted verse of Hebrews 4:8: For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

Finding it in the Editorial is significant as it makes a statement about what is regarded as acceptable in the magazine. Apparently the writer has superior knowledge to the Scriptures which clearly has printed the word “Jesus” in Hebrews 4:8. I’m sorry, but the believers where I fellowship take exception to “Bible Correctors”. We all will stand before the Lord in a coming day and answer for how we handled the Word of God – that’s a frightening enough thought if you consider the basis for my comments below and parallel the reason for Moses and Aaron being kept out of the Promised Land; “ye believed me not, to sanctify me” (Numbers 20:12, 27:14). As one of the shepherds in a small flock of God’s people I know that our sheep will reject this magazine on the basis of human interference with the Scriptures. They would not be happy that I passed a magazine to them only to find they must take issue with it.

What or who does the verse refer to? Why can’t it just be “Jesus” – as it says? Consider these verses:

Exodus 23:23 For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.

The “Angel” (with capital A – consider that. This alone should be enough.) was going to bring them into Canaan. Who was this Angel? The preceding verses (20-21) give the answer:

Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.

The One referred to here had to be more than any ordinary angel. “My name is in him” tells us something. This Angel is to be obeyed, not provoked, and has the ability to “pardon” “transgressions”. The One referred to cannot be any other than the pre-existent Lord Jesus.

Joshua 5:13-15 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?        And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? And the captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

Why would Joshua loose his shoe? He knew he was forbidden to do anything denoting worship to anyone other than the LORD. Again, this points to Jesus.

Joshua 24:2, 8 And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, . . . . . . . . And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you.

The LORD speaks to the people reminding them that He brought them in …just as the New Testament states – if you accept the word “Jesus” as written. And see the next verses below…

Judges 2:1-2 And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?

The message is parallel with the previous passage in Joshua yet here “an angel of the LORD” is spoken of. It is the “angel of the LORD” that speaks to them. Is He identified in Scripture? The New Testament contains references that don’t try to conceal the fact that it was the pre-existent Lord Jesus:

Acts 7:45 Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;

The Jesus of Hebrews 4:8 is spoken of here too in Acts 7. If we need to try to make out that the text really means Joshua in Hebrews then we would need to do the same In Acts – but there’s no need to because it says ‘Jesus’ and means Jesus. Why would anyone want it to be otherwise? What, after all, is wrong with it being Jesus anyway?

. . for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. (1 Cor 10:4)

Paul under the inspiration of the Spirit of God declares that Christ was present with them.

He had no problem with the idea. Paul never sought to change what God’s Spirit wanted written. Why should we?

This fits perfectly with the thought in the Editorial that the “rest was not fully realised in Canaan in Joshua’s day” and was “still future, in the Psalms, indicat[ing] that the coming of Christ was required before His rest could be fully realised.” All of this statement is quite true when ‘Jesus’ is kept in the verses as shown above. Jesus was with them as they went into Canaan, even if the people never saw Him physically as a person, but we all know that it was “when the fulness of the time was come” that “God sent forth his Son, made of a woman”. And Hebrews chapters 3 and 4 make their point clearly enough regarding the place of the Lord Jesus with regard to the “rest”.

It is our belief that the Scriptures have it all perfectly in order. Why change it? Or will He in a coming day have to say, “ye believed me not, to sanctify me”?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another point of interest in this article is the statement that “The assembly is the final and highest authority.”

May I suggest, with all due respect, that the writer may have overlooked something in making the above statement: Where does the assembly get its authority from?

Remember the words of the centurion in Luke 7:8: For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. Where did he get his authority from so that he could give orders and have them carried out? He had authority only because he was under authority.

If the assembly has any authority, where and who does it get it from? It can only have authority if it is under authority. In line with the “If…then” logic theme, the assembly cannot be the final authority as it has to be under authority. The “final and highest authority” on earth has to be the written Word of God. The incarnate Word of God is the Head of the church, certainly – but He is in heaven presently. So the issue at stake here is the authority of the written word of God.

This reader cannot help but notice how all three points made in this part of the article (and earlier too) are somehow meant to draw their basis from verses quoted from the Old Testament. While there is always Old Testament background and foundation for New Testament truth, surely the reader could expect principles that were being applied to New Testament assemblies to be built on verses found in the New Testament. Why would there be any difficulty in finding a New Testament basis for anything regarding New Testament churches; ‘assemblies’ as we know them? Do we sacrifice superior Scriptural foundations in order to support a man-made pattern of words fashioned to be the backbone of an article’s design?

 Also the verses in question are used to ‘back up’ the point being made, as opposed to presenting a point that clearly comes from the teaching of a passage of verses. Isn’t there some quote about “a text taken out of context is a pretext”? And whatever happened to “rightly dividing the word of truth”?

Alas, the issue is really, once again, and as stated earlier, a case of what authority and place the written word of God is acknowledged by the writer of the article. Apparently there is no problem with asserting that the translators have got it wrong and inserting a convenient “humanized” alternative name to suit a sub-supernatural interpretation of the passage. No problem if you also promote the idea that a group of people can have more authority than the Scriptures. Obviously the two are connected. But doesn’t this echo viewpoints not too different from those who come knocking at our doors in pairs? That’s an alarming perception.

Those I write on behalf of would be totally disappointed with the position described in the paragraph above. A person’s handling of the written Word of God reflects their heart concerning the Incarnate Word. If the Editorial of Magazine No 182 thus denigrates the authority and accuracy of the written Word of God, then won’t there indeed be plenty of foundation for the statement to be made in a coming day: “ye believed me not, to sanctify me”?

The real ‘Christ-mass’

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In pagan Rome the 25th December was known for the celebration of the birth of the Sun god. Pope Julius I brought about the substitution of this celebration with a ‘Christ-mass’. This came about due to Constantine’s counterfeit ‘conversion’ after which the leaders thought of the ‘Christ-mass’ celebration as a vital part of the process of converting the pagan world.. [italicized part quoted from the Christianity Today website which was set up by those with Church of Rome connections]

Alas, Constantine and friends and their modern day counterparts missed the most important part. The only true way of “converting the pagan world” comes about through the simple message of the Bible that:

  • Everyone chooses to sin. All are sinners. Isa 53:6, Rom 3:23
  • Sin results in separation from God and spiritual death. Rom 6:23
  • Christ paid the penalty for our sins in a once for all, never to be repeated sacrifice at Calvary. Heb 9:28; 10:12 [1-18]
  • Salvation is a gift, accepted by faith. It cannot be earned. Eph 2:8,9

In attempting to coerce people to become ‘Christians’ through the use of the ‘Christ-mass’ Constantine and friends [and their modern day counterparts] commit the most un-Christian, un-Biblical and blasphemous thing they could do – just as they do any and every time they partake in a “mass”. A mass, in effect, involves the re-crucifying of the Saviour – whereas Hebrews 10:12 says “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever…” Christ was sacrificed once. Satan must rejoice every time sincere, well-meaning people ignorantly carry out a ritual that puts Christ back on a cross but still leaves them guilt-ridden, wondering, hoping they are saved. But they are still lost and without Christ if that is all they are putting their trust in.

The Bible’s message is that because Christ “offered one sacrifice for sins for ever” anyone may accept by faith God’s gift of salvation. There is certainly nothing we can add to it.

To think about:

  • The wise men gave gifts to “the young child”; How come people give gifts to each other?
  • Beware of quotes like this from Grapevine magazine, Issue 4, 2006:
    “Soul-search: He who hasn’t got Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.”  ≈ Well meaning but missing the mark because of what’s outlined above.
  • May the Spirit of Christmas bless you abundantly.
    ≈ Well meaning, but if it’s the spirit of the discussion above I wouldn’t want it, thanks.
  • We hung God’s Gift on a Tree. Have you received Him yet?
    ≈ Now we’re starting to get a bit closer.

These sayings are clever – but do they convey enough truth?

Last but not least:
It was never the Saviour’s birth that God asked us to remember – but Him (the Lord Jesus Christ) and His death. Note these verses:

Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. (1 Corinthians 11:24-26)

Reading below the surface

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As you have opportunity to read a few books when they hit the market, and Christian magazines, you need to be awake. Not everything is always what it appears on the surface.

Consider this statement from one of the books I read a while back:

[speaking of the man it was written about]…“that he would be enabled to present a balance between the truth of the Word and the ministry of the Holy Spirit”.

Can you see anything in this statement worth commenting on? I imagine many see nothing wrong. This statement above embodies a lie, an outright deception, even though written by someone who would claim to be a Christian.

The “Word” referred to here is clearly meant as the Bible. Who wrote the “Word”? The Holy Spirit inspired the writing (2 Peter 1:21 and 2 Tim 3:16).

What is the ministry of the Holy Spirit? “..he will guide you into all truth” (Jn 16:13). But in the next chapter of John we read, “Thy word is truth.” (John 17:17)

How is it, then, that the Holy Spirit could ever be at odds with the Word [written]? …unless the writer’s perceived “ministry of the Holy Spirit” was not really of God; but was a fake, a counterfeit, a deception. The writer, possibly without realising it, is perpetuating what is blasphemy.

This nonsense is typical of the kind of thing many Christians are accepting because it is written by people who claim to be believers. We must always remember what Paul wrote to the Galatians when he said, …if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. (Gal 1:9)  People need to see that the gospel Paul preached is the same and only gospel of grace by which anyone may be saved today. Writers like the above have accepted a gospel of grace plus something else. If it’s a gospel plus anything, even what they call “Holy Spirit”, they’re inviting the trouble Paul speaks of in Galatians 1:9. Remember that this is included in what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 11:4 where he speaks of “…another Jesus, …another spirit, …another gospel”.

Observe for yourself how many people who claim to be “Christians” are constantly living under some kind of curse. Is it because they also have accepted a gospel of grace plus something else? We hear from some folk that they no longer see any need to meet to “remember the Lord” as is clearly outlined in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, or they don’t now believe in a “rapture” – no wonder, if they accept any part of another Jesus, another spirit, another gospel.

“But we mustn’t judge anyone” we get told. Well, God’s Scriptures do! [Actually 1 Corinthians 2:15 and its context is clear when it says: But he that is spiritual judgeth all things.] So we just quote God’s Bible where appropriate. Let God be true but every man a liar. (Rom 3:4) It’s what God says that counts. It’s God’s Word as revealed in the Scriptures that we will all be judged against in a coming day. It is the standard.

It’s just everywhere; issues relating to what people refer to as God’s Word. The closer we get to the end, the more intense the battle for the truth, and, unfortunately, the greater the deception. We stand or fall on the Word of God. Instead of handing out trendy “Footrot Flats” look-a-likes we need to realise we have available in the ‘world language’ of English the no compromise, inerrant, pure Word of God, in the Scriptures, for which people in England, even, of all places, were prepared to give their lives [and be burnt at the stake].

Maybe the real problem lies with the belief of so many, who dare to claim the name of Christ, that their Bibles contain mistakes. [Sadly, very often they’re right. It’s often true – their ‘bibles’ do.] It is a joy to fellowship with believers who believe what their Bibles say and unashamedly, assuredly profess that “every word of God is pure”. How could we ever call God a liar?

Other ‘Christian’ books I’ve read in recent years were interesting but I can’t help wondering what God thinks of some of them. There were biographies and autobiographies that hardly give God a look in. Maybe He didn’t really figure in their experiences. Some were about well known missionaries, no less. An assembly magazine which is meant to inspire believers by its articles came across like a travel brochure.

But the thing that really stands out these days is the quotes. It’s trendy to quote all sorts of people or secular literature. We can read an editorial in a “Christian” magazine with its quotes of what godless people have said but nothing of what God says. Did I see that coming when I stopped our subscription to that magazine nearly two decades ago?

Revelation 13:16-17

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Several years back there was an e-mail circulating with a Powerpoint presentation about Mondex and their “bio-chip”. It was well meaning but had one huge embarrassing error in it. While the presentation is now probably out of date in terms of its usefulness, this does illustrate an important point: Bible believers need to use truth not error to win others.

Note the underlined word in the verses quoted in the presentation (Revelation 13:16-17):

He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

But in the King James Bible that we are yet to find any errors in it says:

And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

There’s a big difference. You can see which one is right. You might want to do what we did – ditch any Bible that doesn’t tell the truth – they are part of Satan’s conspiracy of lies. There’s one Bible in English that doesn’t lie or leave out bits – use it.

If you have a copy of the Powerpoint presentation about Mondex we suggest you amend your presentations – it’s very easy to do. [You can all copy and paste, and save.]

Meantime, folks, we should remember our chief mission as believers is to reach people for Christ. If they turn to Him now they’ll never see the situation arise where people have to go through a Luciferian initiation [“worship the beast” see Revelation chapters 13 & 14] in order to take that mark. If they don’t turn to Christ now, there’s a high probability that they won’t later [see 2 Thes 2:8-12]

But for those who do turn to Christ after the Rapture has taken place there are 2 specific requirements placed on them according to the Bible:

1. They must NEVER, on any account, accept the “mark of the beast“.

And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. (Rev 14:9-10)

2.　They must always help and side with God’s people, the Jews.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40　And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matt 25:31-46)

23 March 2011 Calendar Reading

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This might be one from last year but I believe it highlights something which many folk don’t get to appreciate until they come to use a King James Bible.

For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you…And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new. And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you.
Leviticus 26:9, 11

Mr M comments correctly that the word “you” is found 5 times in these two verses, plus there are 7 more in the chapter. He asserts that this highlights the fact that God “deals with us always as individuals” and in doing so Mr M uses the words “intensely personal”. We all agree with Mr M that God has provided a means of sal­vation to the world (John 3:16) but individuals have to appropriate it and we agree that God’s personal interest in us as individuals is amazingly wonderful.

As I was writing this my teenage son entered the room and seeing what I had written up to this point commented that he also had read the calendar. My son then proceeded to tell me in his own words exactly what I am about to say! He had spotted it too.

As well-meaning as Mr M may be, he has based his whole comment on wrong interpretation. When “you” is used in the King James Bible it signifies plural [more than one] hearers. In the same way “ye” is used in the King James Bible to signify the hearers are plural. For singular [just one] hearer the King James uses “thee, thou, thy and thine”. This of course is one of the beauties of the wonderful King James Version. When we read in Luke 22:31-32 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. . . you can see that the Lord was saying that while Satan was wanting to sift all of them (“you”) He [the Lord] had prayed for Peter (“thee”) that he wouldn’t fail . . Read it through again now that you know this and see what a different meaning it all takes on.

Mr M has fallen into the trap of presenting precious truth based on the wrong verses. He is not the only one to do this and have it printed by the calendar publishers. The verses he has chosen, by using the word “you” would actually suggest all those benefits mentioned in the verses to be with a group of people. And of course that is exactly what the truth is – God had established His covenant with a group of people.

So where has this well-meaning man gone wrong?

He has read the Bible verses as if they were written to him in the language of 2011. But they weren’t! This in itself is a trap commonly fallen into by Charismatics and Pentecostals who believe they can apply anything they like from anywhere in Scripture. We all need to remember that when we read the Scriptures it is like when we are reading someone else’s letter.

Firstly, the verses in question were written to the Children of Israel, a group of people, with a specific meaning intended. They were not written with me in 2011 in mind – apart from any secondary implications that the Lord, who knows everything, wanted to attach to the verses.

Secondly, just because we often say “you” today and use it to speak to an individual doesn’t mean that’s what God was intending in His message of Leviticus 26:9 and 11. He has specifically chosen to have it written in a plural form [i.e. intended for a group of hearers] – so I have no right to interpret it otherwise.

It appears Mr M has read the verses and spiritualised them. But why would you? If you’re looking for something to show that God’s dealings are with the individual, then why not choose verses that definitely show that?

Magazine No 187

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I write with regard to Magazine No 187.

 The Editorial states:  Elisha . . . instructs a stick (2 Kings 6:1-7) to be thrown into the water to locate an axe head, after a mistake.

 The choice of the word “mistake” may suit the thought being presented but it is a poor choice. There was no mistake made by the unfortunate user of the borrowed axe head. It was what anyone today would call an “accident”. There was no deliberate wrong doing involved; it was just one of those things that don’t go according to plan, through the fault of nobody.

 Once again we have an Editorial, no less, presenting a less than good enough standard in terms of theological purity. Alas, these things never come alone; where there’s one there’s usually more.

 Spiritualising the Scriptures is one thing, but anyone who does so had better get their exegesis correct or they could get themselves into big trouble with contradictions or inconsistency.

 Two lines down we read: One day we may have to cross Jordan.

 The implication is clearly that Jordan is a figure of death. Crossing Jordan has never been a picture of death. Canaan cannot be a picture of heaven. It does not match up. If Canaan is heaven I wouldn’t want to go there.

 How is it some of us have had to tolerate this same naive and ill-founded interpretation by two UK writers in separate conservative publications within a few weeks of each other? Do we wonder why the young ones are no longer seen in so many assemblies? Maybe Hebrews 5:12 could be applied to some UK writers.

 Mr John Ritchie wrote a little book called From Egypt to Canaan. How could his writings be ignored in the UK? A more recent UK writer, Roy Hession has written an excellent book about the Epistle to the Hebrews called From Shadow to Substance. This book has many refreshing truths explained simply; the Jordan and Canaan aspects included.

 Many over the years have fallen into this ‘Canaan is heaven’ trap – but certainly not all. Some well-known expositors of the word are very forthright in correctly pointing out these crucial details that put a different perspective on such naïve and grossly inaccurate interpretations:

– Egypt is a picture of “the world” [as in 1 John 2:17].
– The King of Egypt is a picture of Satan, mastermind of ‘the world’ (see 2 Cor 4:4).
– Israelite slaves in Egypt are a picture of people living in the ‘world’ controlled by Satan (Eph 2:2)
– The Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt pictures believers redeemed from Satan’s power and brought into God’s Kingdom (Col 1:13)

So far so good. The magazine Editor would agree, I’m sure.

I can’t help but notice that no death was involved up till now, on the part of those redeemed.

Now comes the crunch: Why were the Children of Israel delivered?

They were delivered in order for them to get into Canaan.

And what is Canaan a picture of then?

Canaan cannot picture heaven as many think! – because there were giants in Canaan. There were walled cities. There were sinful people living in Canaan who God asked to be wiped out. Achan, one of the very Children of Israel, sinned in Canaan. That’s not heaven, brother.

And if Canaan is not heaven then Jordan is not death.

To insist that Canaan pictures heaven would be suicide as far as a man’s spiritual integrity goes. No, admit it – it does not match.

So what is Canaan a picture of?

Canaan (the Promised Land) is a picture of the believer’s life of ‘walking in the Spirit’ (Gal 5:16). The believer’s walk is to be characterised by his fellowship with the Lord, living in obedience under the Lordship of Christ; living a life of victory while facing the same kinds of attacks, pressures, enemies and obstacles the Children of Israel did in Canaan; as many would say, against the world, the flesh and the devil.