Category: Prophetic Perspectives

Sect, sectarian; cult, cultic?

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Prophetic Perspectives

So many aspects to blether on about (see even that word ‘blether’ I remember from my pre-adult years). BTW I have not yet reached 70 (but thanks for the congrats – I am of course in my 70th year so maybe that counts?)

These reflections will probably not be in chronological order but will splurge on to keyboard as my memory connects. Last post I mentioned Judith’s tease of me that she and Ben grew up in a cult so a few reflections. There are two terms that are often confused – that of sect and cult. A sect shares the same basic world-view as that of the larger definition that it is part of – so for example Judaism and Pharisee-ism. Pharisees were part of the Jewish faith but claimed that there tenets and practices were more faithful and therefore were ‘truer’. Many Christian denominations are like that and most fresh expressions are based on being more ‘true’ and in the case of the protestant side of things are more ‘biblical’. A cult on the other hand deviates from orthodoxy – Mormonism with practices, doctrines and writings that carry authority; Jehovah Witnesses (a re-incarnation of Arianism?) is deemed a cult with one of its central beliefs that Jesus is not the Second ‘Person’ of the Trinity but a created being – a ‘god’ with a small ‘g’.

So, Judith, you did not grow up in a cult!!!

Then there are two adjectives that are also validly applied in situations – ‘sectarian’ and ‘cultic’. They describe attitudes more than beliefs. The first one being descriptive of divisive behaviour often being aligned to derisive descriptions of anyone not considered ‘in’. Glasgow with the two Scottish football teams – one supposedly Catholic, the other supposedly Protestant; Northern Ireland with its Orange marches expressing the clear division between Protestantism and Catholicism. Cultic I consider is more about tendencies that are exhibited in cults and often centres around authoritarianism and ways of controlling behaviour. I have a friend who spent some time in the ‘Moonies’ and he describes the sleep deprivation and monitoring that he experienced – typical of many of the more controlling cults.

I don’t consider that we (House Church Movement, later termed ‘New Churches’) were sectarian though I think we – like many others – could have been termed sociologically a ‘sect’. Definitely not a cult… but cultic? Perhaps mildly so. There is a movement that had a very wide influence that has had a significant shock over this past year. I have worked with some from there but have always thought that a psychologist would be able to see very quickly who was in leadership and who was not. The ‘followers’ would in the main be those who were troubled by fear and anxiety with a focus on how antagonistic the world was to those of faith and how it was getting even more so in these ‘last days’… meanwhile the leaders could affirm the rightness of the antagonistic world but they know where it is all going and if followers stay within boundaries they will make it through together. In Enneagram language predominantly #6s (anxieties manifesting) and #8s – always strong. That kind of combination is set up for ‘cultic’ elements: strong leadership and followers who find a security in the authority framework. Pushing it further many charismatic setups are open to that outworking… and the New Church movement with the foundation of ‘apostles and prophets’ was no exception. Cultic? Not in my opinion but I am sure there were those who did well and those who did not within the movement(s), and the variety of how strong the discipling was (R1, R2 as per Andrew Walker and the many further distinctions) made an impact in different ways on different personalities.

I once heard John Barr say that we are to cover one another’s weaknesses but to confront sin and that sadly the church has often confronted weakness (in the ‘weak’, aka those who did not fit the system) and covered sin (in the leaders?).

I am deeply grateful for the most formative years of my Christian life being with the New Churches (and for me, Pioneer) in the UK: from 1977 – 2000 (or so). I was introduced to principles that seminary never taught, saw integrity, and still live with the passion to continue to explore new territory (another post: beyond ‘restoration of the church’ to the ‘restoration of God’s world’).

Gerald Coates’ radicalism has left an enduring mark on my life and I was deeply privileged to be asked to give the final eulogy at his funeral. I suggested that those present, should they like me acknowledge the deep impact he had made on our lives, should consider how we might play a part in ‘he though being dead still speaks’. In answering the ‘how’ of that I decided to tell his foundational story. He was brought up in the Plymouth Brethren and at the time he was starting to journey with the small group in his and Anona’s house he had a dream. That dream clearly marked his transition from his days in the Brethren to what might be coming. He dreamt he was driving a car down a narrow lane, the lane being lined by trees either side so there was no possibility of going left or right. Then the path ran out. He came to a beautiful manicured grass lawn in a country manor setting. On the grass were those having picnics, playing games – having a wonderful time. However, he continued to drive across the grass, disturbing all the activities and left behind two dirty tyre tracks that forever disturbed the beauty of the setting. He sent the dream to a brother in Canterbury who had a gift to interpret dreams. He wrote back along the lines that ‘you have been on a narrow path and one marked by boundaries set by men (‘men’ being appropriate in this setting) as Scripture says ‘I see men as trees’; that path has ended for you and you are now coming to disturbing flesh (‘all grass is flesh’) and the most beautiful flesh is religious flesh but it is still flesh…’

I gave that as the foundational story for Gerald, and suggested if we wanted to honour his life we should be guilty of leaving behind two tyre tracks wherever we confront religion. I hope I am guilty!

An aside: I was amazed how many came to me afterwards to say they had never heard the dream. From 1977 – early 1990’s I must have heard that dream recounted 100 times… We can move on from our foundational story, but I do think our lives need to pay attention to our foundational story.

A cult… no. Cultic – ouch I think no, but lessons to learn. Foundational story – stay true. On the edge – I hope so. Diversity… another post. OK all for now.

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Europe – left behind or aligning for the future

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Prophetic Perspectives

The global world order is changing. No amount of trying to restore a former order will succeed. In every challenge that changes order there is the opportunity to sow into the future. Europe could be left behind -and by that I am not referring particularly to trade and commerce but spiritually. If Europe can learn how to get on board then there is a major contribution to be made.

I have (and still do) hold to a two-fold movement in the NT. Jesus dies in Jerusalem stating that no prophet can die outside of that city, for religious restrictions have to be broken in order for the promises to Abraham to be released by the Spirit. Paul then travelled throughout the then known world (almost) with the implications for society. We have reduced the effect of the cross to a possible internal transaction (you can have your personal sins forgiven), reducing the overcoming of all powers in order that there might be a new creation… Paul’s message was that the Caesar reign was over (for Caesar’s imperial rule was the earthly image of the demonic realm that seeks to subjugate all humanity in that ‘kingdom’. Jesus, not Caesar, was ‘king of kings and lord of lords’ (titles accorded to Caesar) and a new era was present – an era of liberation of humanity.

A twofold movement – from Jerusalem to Rome – Jew first then Greek / Gentile:

καὶ κηρυχθήσεται τοῦτο τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς βασιλείας ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ εἰς μαρτύριον πᾶσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, καὶ τότε ἥξει τὸ τέλος (Matt 24:14… Greek text not to be clever but a few interesting points within it).

And this gospel of the kingdom (same word for kingdom of God and also the Empire (of Rome)) shall be proclaimed (a public message) in the whole civilised world (oikoumene – the word used to draw boundaries of what was in and out in the sense of Roman Empire) for a witness to the non-Jewish peoples (ta ethne – used to distinguish from ‘the people’ of God, in other words Gentiles) and then the end (telos not eschaton) will come.

The second element that captivated Paul with his ‘I want to get to Spain’ – the Western end of the Roman oikoumene. OK… the then known world with an all-but one world government… except for the Empires that co-existed at that time (and before and after)…

Europe – a pivotal time for something that recaptures the Pauline proclamation with a reach now beyond that world he operated in. The Far East waits. What will that look like… 2040 we will be able to look back and see how we responded. There is more at stake than global trade wars and what currency is the reserve currency. And then… yes the Middle East. The place where the prince of peace died in order that there might no longer be the divisions of Jew and Gentile (Arab – close cousins!, caucasian, Asian/ East Asian); those who control the finances and those who serve to maintain the economic inequalities; the patriarchal system… War about boundaries can hide the desire to hold things in a proper way…

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Embracing and manifesting presence

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Prophetic Perspectives

Often in the Charismatic world there has been an emphasis on demonstrating power to convince… I see a necessary shift from power to presence. Knowing who God is… carrying that presence, so that God is again mobile – not having to put up with the frustration of being confined to a ‘temple’. The curtain is torn.

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Time – repeats or the future arrives?

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Prophetic Perspectives

Time is such an elusive factor – a discussion within the scientific community, a theological / theo-philosophical discussion (I am not of the ‘God outside of time’ school, but cannot easily resolve all the factors – another post another day!), and in the light of the video that I reference here it is a challenge prophetically. I am deeply disturbed by the ‘again’ language that is used explicitly and implicitly. In times past I came across people who said that the most basic step in the prophetic was to have authority over the weather but I have come to the conclusion that the greatest requirement is to enable kairos time (arrival of heaven) to chronological time. Otherwise history just repeats.

I recorded three videos, the first one here and I will publish one a day over the next couple of days. The first is on the issue of time and not being caught in the snare of ‘again’. The second is a shift I see that is vital that we move from ‘demonstrating the power of God’ as a conclusive sign to that of the presence of God, and the third I look at the shift from Jerusalem –> West, and now what?

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Guest posts this week

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Prophetic Perspectives

Occasionally I invite someone to guest post on this site. I am doing so this week and the posts will be a little different. Heidi Basley wrote me recently and I was taken by what she had to say. She has been on a personal journey that has opened space for trauma survivors and within it is considerable reflection on theological / biblical themes that resonate wider. I asked if she would be willing to write three posts. They are by necessity longer than the posts that normally appear here. Read and let them resonate / guide.

Here is her introduction:

Heidi writes like she walks—with people.

She’s a theologian, trauma witness, and spiral-form thinker who doesn’t lead from a stage but walks among the traumatised like family. Her calling is clear: to move with those the world didn’t stay for. Not to fix. Not to rescue. But to listen, name, and stay—with Presence. Her life’s work is grounded in a deep conviction: trauma survivors are not a problem to be solved. They are a people group still waiting to be seen, known, and trusted with breath. Heidi is the founder of traumaneutics.com—a home for theology that breathes, where naming is healing, and presence is the only credential. The website is currently under construction—a space still forming, just like the people it’s being built for. But the spiral is already open. And you’re welcome in it. She writes from gardens and graveyards, waiting rooms and worn carpets—the places where theology usually stays silent. And from those places, she speaks what she has seen: that Jesus is still naming. Still sending. Still coming. Her voice carries the ache and the hope of someone who knows trauma from the inside, but also knows what it means to be met, undone, and apostolically entrusted. This isn’t content. It’s witness. If you’ve ever felt like your story was too fractured for theology to hold—you may find, in her words, a breath you didn’t know you were waiting for.

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Gardeners of the World

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by Simon Swift
Posted in Prophetic Perspectives

Latest article from Simon Swift… along the lines of ‘I have a dream’.

Generosity needs to be at the heart of our practice of faith. It holds in its scope the forms of goodness, hospitality, kindness and unselfishness. Giving is an action we can take, an antidote to the world of ‘take what I can’ that has infected our culture. Giving material things like food for the hungry, shelter for the homeless and a place for the refugee are important. However, most of the time, in our daily lives, it’s about sharing things like love, smiles & hugs. At other times sharing tears and sympathy or standing with someone in need. At other times it is to share the joy of living and encouragement to those struggling.

Paul said we do not wage war with the weapons of this world. We cannot win our war with bullets and bombs. Our way of demonstrating is not with marches and placards, with throwing eggs or bricks. Our war needs to be waged with deliberate, authentic love. The daily practice of love and kindness, of generosity and forgiveness. The absence of judgmentalism and vindictiveness. We then become the salt of the earth, the light of the world.

Salt can be used for good and bad. Like the Romans when they finally defeated Carthage, we can salt the earth so nothing can grow. That is the way of judgmentalism, of hate and tribalism. There is to much of that in our politics today. Instead we need to be salt that seasons and brings out the wonderful flavours of life in our diverse world. Where we go we are to turn waste lands into oases. Where there is darkness and chaos with prowling wolves looking to devour sheep; we are to be the shepherds that safeguard the weak, champions of God’s relational justice. We are to shine as the light that transforms the darkness of our post industrial world, the barren wilderness of the techno-consumer society, into a garden; a garden of colour and beauty.

In this garden Heaven intersects Earth and it becomes a place where the disabled are valued for who they are. Where regardless of ones sexuality, gender, or race, one is given the opportunity to contribute to the diversity of God’s creation without the curse of judgementalism. Transgender simply adds another colour that enhances the beauty of garden. Its is a place where both men and women have a sense of worth, with the freedom to be contributors to the flourishing of the garden. A place where our children have hope; a place to emerge into adulthood being able to bear the image in which we were created. In this garden eternal life is to be found and lived.

Perhaps then we should avoid the language of war or battling the forces of evil. After all evil has no place in the garden. Instead use the language of gardening, of tending the earth, of sowing and harvesting. The language of growth and transformation, of fruitfulness. Of trees that line the river who’s leaves heal nations. A question then: Do our alters have a river that flows out from them that is capable of feeding the land with such trees?

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Iberian Peninsula: lights out

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Prophetic Perspectives

I am writing this post a few days after the total power outage in Spain, Portugal and Andorra. There was some impact on other nations but the power outage was total here. We still do not have our internet back, hence replying to emails and putting a post here has been delayed. At a practical level a wonderful reminder to how so many people in our world live. We were in total darkness so had the wonder of seeing the stars in a way we have never seen them in Spain before; we had no water and had the privilege of being by the sea to use sea water to ‘flush’ the toilets… all that lasted around 12 hours, minus the internet (now 72+ hours). Many in the world have no access to clean water… we remain so privileged.

Our context

Gayle had a birthday with a number of guests who were here for 3-7 days and in the middle of that time we had a session to consider where we were at vis-a-vis Europe. The global scene is in major flux with global shifts taking place. The USA, China are currently the ‘big’ powers and other players will have to find fresh alignments. Some while back as I was praying I had an image of a world map and ‘Latin’ America shifted and positioned itself under Europe; the African continent simultaneously moved under China, while India remained in position. There is an obvious interpretation and I am sure it will not be as neat as that but there was a direction of movement of the south dislocating from the north and moving eastward.

Europe will have to make some choices in the coming years as to her alignment and into that the UK will need to make choices.

Prior to Brexit, some months prior, a person we highly respect and love, LA, had a vision and in it a hand took the UK out of Europe, the result being that the colour drained out of Europe down into the earth somewhere located in the Pyrenees. Later a hand put the UK back in. Against all expectations the UK left the EU; our response was to travel with a number of others (our ‘tribe’?) to the Pyrenees to pray. Now the UK – partly catalysed by the issue of the Ukraine – is having to determine her relationship to Europe. Coming back in (not necessarily to the EU) on a military and trade basis would be totally insufficient, but we watch and wait. We call for something more.

Biblical signs

They serve two purposes. They point to what they are signing and they draw to themselves the reality of what they signify.

Spain seems to carry a ‘gifting’ of being the canary in the mine (a recently published history book used this analogy to interpret Spain in the context of Europe). Something happens to the canary and it provides a warning of what is to come. I have been convinced for some time that with we saw in the Pandemic is one of a number of chaos-producing events to come. (I have no idea on timing but I have seen that we will face something catastrophic where the global population will be reduced significantly…)

Europe

Europe has to find a new unity and learn how to travel in the flawed Chinese / far east vehicle. We were privileged to have 3 Chinese people with us when we came to the session on Europe and their presence kept us reminded of the direction for our future. (I say the ‘flawed’ Chinese vehicle – the European and Western vehicle has some terminal issues that we have learnt how to patch over – time to abandon it!).

LA some years back sent us an old map of Europe showing Europe as a queen (Europa Regina) with the head being Spain, the neck being the Pyrenees. The map comes from an era to illustrate a unity and a euro-centric view of the world. (The Queen is standing up – the head is ‘hispania’ and our maps of course would have the head to the west. The heart is Bohemia.)

Europe as we have it today:

  • was laid by the Greeks
  • strengthened by the Romans
  • stabilised by Christianity
  • reformed and modernised by the Renaissance and the Reformation (15th abd 16th centuries)
  • globalised by successive European empires (16th and subsequent centuries).

(Source: https://europaregina.eu/creative/name/)

We prayed… or rather focused on the map at two levels – this was a past scenario, though currently pulling on this past power flow, and this was a projection, so simply rolled it up from the feet to the head, rolling it up in Spain.

The power outage – and it will be months before anything definitive is released as to the cause – almost certainly took place at the ‘neck’ of the ‘queen’, at the Pyrenees, the connecting point of the Iberian peninsula to Europe. (And connecting with the Brexit vision.)

Other aspects

In this recent period of time a major earthquake in Turkey with tectonic plates shifting. Turkey is the meeting point of East and West (and the context for much of the book of Revelation in terms of the seven churches).

Pope Francis has passed away. With regard to his appointment and the previous one I was very agitated and pulled heavily for an African pope and was disappointed that a conservative one was appointed – Pope Benedict. Pope Francis has come in and has to a significant level emptied the seat of power (marked by many staunch Catholic politicians refusing to give him the title of ‘pope’!). I have no agitation over this appointment at all – whoever comes in is coming to a seat where the power has gone.

These events mark a significant break from the past and we have entered a time of ‘silence’ waiting for what is to come. The power outage marks this period. We wait (not a passive word… in many languages wait and expect/actively hope are the same word).

Back to Europe

  • A new unity
  • A new alignment where the far east has to figure
  • A new generation in the foundation (not standing on the foundation) as a new foundation is being laid
  • This latter point is important – the language of ‘again’; books on my shelf eulogising over Europe’s ‘Christian’ past as being the guide to the future are (my opinion) seriously misguided.
  • The path to the future is a new one… there is a movement from ‘church’ through ‘church in the city / region’ to a grain of wheat falling in the ground and transformation rising… rising as something comes down from above and something from below comes down.

Jerusalem, Rome and Far East

There is a NT movement that seems very clear. Jesus dies in Jerusalem and declares that no prophet can die outside Jerusalem. That death in Jerusalem has been understood (righty) for our sins – though not in a penal substitutionary transactional way; but that death carries so much more into the grave – kingship, hierarchy, all human / societal categorisational divides etc… That death was essential to take place in Jerusalem (the ‘religious’ centre) where religious power pulled on political imperial power in order to kill the incarnation of the divine. This releases Paul to go to the ends of the earth – to the oikoumene of the Imperial (and one-world government) of the then world. Constantine and Christendom is then where political power pulled on religious power to – as noted above – to stabilise (turn the world upside down… NOT) imperial rule. This is why the emphasis on ‘rolling up the Roman road’ from the early 2000s was so important.

Jerusalem to Rome – for me so clear in the NT. Founded on the Abrahamic vision of his seed being promised the world (hence I do not see a ‘promised land’ in Scripture, although it is present in some texts)… now we enter a new stage. Where is China / Far East within this? There equally was an Imperial (different order) in China in the time of the NT even though Jesus came at the ‘fullness of time’. Now we are arriving there. Uncharted territory. The Gospel cannot be altered but the application and expression of it will be.

Babylon’s peace

There is a major piece of instruction from Jeremiah to pray for the peace of Babylon (using the Hebrew word shalom). There is an old order being disrupted. Jerusalem is destined to have peace and reconciliation, but not through domination. In Jerusalem all that went into the grave… The new Jerusalem that is coming down that John saw was nothing other than the transformation of the whole world order. He did not see a temple with a city (the Temple occupied around 20% of the entire city of Jerusalem) but he saw a city without a temple. Babylon is in view, not Christendom. A challenge to all that has been the focus.

Big days are here!!!

Power gives way to presence

For some months I have been focused on a shift I see. The charismatic / pentecostal paradigm has been power with the ‘we will demonstrate the power of God to convince’. Of course that is present in Scripture, but I have been seeing a deeper call to live the presence of God. I am not reducing this to a style of worship where we ‘feel’ the presence, but something far beyond that. It is moving from activity ‘to’ someone / a situation and beyond something ‘for’ someone / a situation to being ‘with’ and ‘in’ the situation / circumstances. Then miracles happen for that is the incarnational presence. As I wrote above religious and political power combined to kill the incarnational presence of the divine.

There are new foci for us all. Realignements on the global scale are imminent, and deeply pressing at the personal level.

As one world order dies so another comes to life… I wholeheartedly believe we have a ‘vote’ on what comes. ‘Embracing tomorrow’ has always been the response of the prophetic and since Pentecost it is not simply the priesthood of all believers but the prophethood of all believers.

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History repeats / rhymes

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Prophetic Perspectives

There are various quotes about history repeating itself. Here are two such quotes:

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. (George Santayana).
Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. (Winston Churchill).

And Mark Twain added a nice little nuance:

History does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes.

Not sure where this post will go but here are a few background elements that provoked me to write this morning.

  • I have been agitated over the various ‘again’ messages these past few years. ‘Again’ that looks back is not based in the eschatological vision of the New Testament. ‘I press on’ was one of my readings this very morning. Hence my seeking to understand how to align (chronological) time with heaven’s (‘kairotic’) time.
  • Late 1990s / early 2000s a major emphasis was the rolling up of the Roman way which culminated in Steve Lowton initiating a walk from Whitby (UK, where the Celtic church effectively submitted to the pattern and teaching of Rome in 664 AD/CE) to St Peter’s Square, Rome to bring that focus to a conclusion.
  • The strong belief that the Gospel is not from this world but is for this world. It is not political in the sense of ‘capitalism vs socialism’, or any other such supposed polarities but is deeply and essentially political with the language used being both explicitly and implicitly political.
  • Jesus was offered to become the Caesar of the then Roman world – he was offered the oikoumene, the term that was used of the Imperial territory.
  • Paul’s great desire, and understanding of ‘the gospel to the nations and then the end shall come’ was that of the Gospel from Jerusalem to Spain.
  • And of course my understanding of the book that shapes us is that we do not have within it ‘history written in advance’ (popularised as ‘the bible predicts…’) but as a provocative call to shape the future through our actions, relationships, prayer in the power of the Spirit.

There are other aspects I might wish to add, but the above will give a something of a window into any bias I carry!

I do not find it a great surprise that in our historical setting we have conflict within the Western world currently, as the conflict area is over the ‘offer of the oikoumene‘ – the offer to shape the territory that can express the Roman order with a ‘God-order’. Hence I respect those who are writing about how Judeo-Christian values are what has shaped European / Western culture but the conclusive appeal is normally that we need to revert to Christendom. ‘My kingdom is not of this world….’ The sword does not belong in that kingdom but as Paul points out (with great irony) in Romans 13 to the world of Imperial authority. Today the Italian PM (Giorgia Meloni) heads to Washington to represent the EU… I am not suggesting this is sinister but I do read it as a sign. Will the West be held together as ‘Christianised’ or will there be a division that will allow space for the radical followers of Jesus who are to be like the wind to manifest? (I have said for decades that the strength of Islamic ‘sharia’ law is that of Christendom. The very thing that is thought needs to be brought in place to hold the ground is the very thing that tills the ground for all levels of terrorism.)

At this critical point of history, in the shift from the West to the East, we have much work to do if we are going to find an increase of pace in the right direction. Jesus died in Jerusalem so that the Gospel could go West and bring down the Roman order – surely it is significant that Paul’s Gospel is best outlined in some detail in the letter to the ‘Romans’? – but there is nothing in the NT about the work to the East. Unfinished work.

I am no great student of history but the shift from Republic to Empire in Rome seems to carry a lens through which we can see what is happening currently. Rome was effectively an Empire before it became an Empire, but the shift came in a defined way through Julius Caesar and solidified with Augustus (in power 27BC/BCE – 14AD/CE). Jesus appeared at the ‘fullness of times’ into that era, hence what was happening in the world at that time is highly significant.

Augustus… The early signs in his reign was of the Senate allowing him to bend the rules without pushing back; of he introducing unelected people (including those of his own family) into decision-making roles, and the move was made effective through the support of the ultra-rich of Rome. (A simplified summary but one that can be expanded on should one choose to read a history on Rome.)

Through his actions Rome became what it always was – an empire in disguise. Honour was given to the god of peace (Pax) with the phrase the Pax Romana being held up as something awesome, but visit Rome and you would have seen that the temple to Pax was built on Mars field (Mars the god of war).

History repeats / rhymes.

We are in this critical period. My prayer is ‘Europe do not concede’, or better… come on those of you born from above and act like the wind. No one really knowing where you came from, or where you are going but influencing the future through helping to hold a shape for all kinds of wholesome aspects to come through.

My reading this morning was in Philippians… a city that Rome had named as being Imperial. Those who lived there were to work to make sure that Rome’s values prevailed. Into that Paul wrote that their citizenship was in heaven (nothing to do with going to heaven when we die) and therefore in that context to ‘stand firm’ in a way that was consistent with those who were waiting for a Saviour to come from heaven to earth.

Many aspects are converging. Global crises. History rhymes. Fullness of times. West and East. Christendom or Jesus.

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This time next year

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Prophetic Perspectives

During Passover for the Jews of the Diaspora there would be a toast ‘next year Jerusalem’. What about us in a year’s time? Tough decisions are made by politicians and from the arm chair they can be easy to critique. My focus (and not necessarily one for everyone) is of a new Europe that might point a way toward the future. We await a Saviour from heaven (not we wait to go to heaven!) and not till then will there be the end of death, destruction, sin etc; not till then will the powers (sin, death and mammon?) be finally defeated but as we align ourselves with that eschaton we pray, work and hope (give an answer for the hope that is in you) for manifestations in the here and now of what will take place universally then. I don’t think I am being melodramatic to suggest that we are seeing an increase in pace of a new global matrix.

Around 2 years ago I was praying, looking at a map of the world and suddenly the American southern hemisphere (what we term ‘Latin America’) moved eastward and was located under Europe replacing where Africa is currently, and at the same time the African continent moved east and relocated under China. India did not move. All three aspects struck me and I suspect that in some way we are about to see re-alignments play out over the next – who knows – 2-3 years.

There is a move to the East with some kind of new world order coming into play. All the attempts to ‘go back’ or to redefine our futures simply along the ‘Christianity got us here’ so we must resist all change does not carry the weight to bring in a good future… reason being is it is more dependent on Christianity than on Christ.

Understanding ‘trade wars’ is beyond me, but for sure trade is no small theme in Scripture so I am not surprised that for now conflict over trade is central.

So what are you looking for? We have got to see way beyond ‘my investments are decreasing’. Please!!! John said he ‘saw a new heaven and a new earth’; Martin Luther King said ‘I have a dream’. Both spoke into situations that were not looking too promising. One locked up on the Island of Patmos; the other soon to be assassinated. But eyes that saw. The powers were not in agreement with them – how things were was going to be what was maintained… but those two saw.

As those Jews outside the land raised their glass at Passover with ‘Next year Jerusalem’ we are about to come to our ‘Passover’ where we focus on proclaiming his death (victory over all powers that resist the future) until he comes.

The hope that is within me is so key. Not a hope that is outside but within, that cannot be squashed.

This is why I am focusing on ‘reconciliation’ in every aspect of life. And if we focus on life for sure Jesus will be present at some level. His death is probably better understood from the ‘other side’ – it is a presentation of a perfect human life to heaven… representative life, for me, for you, for the world.

In this time of global flux and resultant change we learn not to simply hold on to what has brought us thus far (and probably served us well) but to embrace uncertainty of what we hold / held firm to (what not who). I know since the beginning of this year Gayle and I have been raising many issues as we know transition is here. ‘Next year…’ might be a change of location, maybe not, but each year we proclaim ‘next year more of the kingdom of heaven’ not a greater meeting but greater shalom in our streets.

Seek the shalom of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its shalom you will find your shalom.

Next year then is not ‘next year Jerusalem’ but ‘next year here’.

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Saviours – do we recognise one

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Prophetic Perspectives

He who saves his country does not violate any law.

So wrote on social media one world leader who had 80% of the vote from the evangelical population. Yes it is obvious who I am writing about but my concern is not primarily for that geography but closer to home, as there is a mirror for here.

The clear danger signs are there in the post: ‘saves’, and the inference ‘above the law’. However quite some god-like qualities – or NOT! God saves and in the eyes of many is above any law, hence genocide, a commitment to back up violence to ensure that the land is ‘forever’ in the hands of those who are Jews. I wrote yesterday about the Canaanite woman and her child and Matthew’s deliberate (wrong) use of the term Canaanite to show Jesus response to those who were to be wiped out!

Jesus turns everything upside down, including some portions of Scripture. And he turns our view of God upside down… God is under the law of love – other than it is not a law for God, for GOD IS LOVE. And Jesus revealed how far that love was to go – love one’s enemies, for while we were yet sinners God sent Jesus to die.

Whether we think we have the right person in the White House, #10, Moncloa, Kiev, Moscow etc. the biggest issue for us to get straight on is who God is. All the time we see God able to act in ways we are not ‘allowed’ to we will turn a blind eye to all kinds of atrocities, and fearfully acts often done in the name of our God. (One time I think I should write on the sarcastic element in Romans 13 in Paul when he writes about the authorities being appointed by God… Paul writing while Nero, the madman, is in charge!)

The quote at the beginning is the final piece in the Imperial descent, with the implicit or explicit claim to divine authority. The Emperors of Rome were the ‘saviours’, they proclaimed themselves as bringing peace – with the temple to Peace (Pax) built on the field dedicated to war (Mars). (Again the sarcasm in Paul about the sword I do not think would have been missed by his readers.) The final piece was always the divination of the Emperor.

By all means we have to vote according to what we think is best. We might currently be divided over Zelensky’s appeal for a European army – without it what will Russia annex next (and sadly there is talk of annexing in other quarters too)… and with such an army where do we go? Not easy decisions, but there is no salvation of the human race and creation that would ever come from a violent god (small ‘g’), and there certainly is no salvation coming without aligning at some level to the image of God.

God made humanity in his/her image and we have ever since been making God in our image – hence the appeal of those who look like the (our) image of God.

Jesus is the one lens through which we see God, and see the image of the divine in true form.

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