A new member letter was written and will be sent out early next week. A copy of the letter can be found at: https://www.eternalgod.org/lit/letters/brethren-20040521.pdf.
A new StandingWatch program, titled, “Wrong Obedience,” has been posted on the Web.
Several have asked this question, especially in light of inconsistent teachings of the Church of God in the past on this matter. First of all, let us try to determine who the Pharaoh of the Exodus was. Some believe that the Exodus took place around 1290 B.C. and have concluded that Ramses the Great was the Pharaoh who resisted Moses. However, Ramses ruled a full century and a half later than the Exodus occurred.
Quoting from a Good News article of the March-April 1988 edition:
“A careful consideration of all biblical and extra-biblical evidence reveals that the Exodus occurred in the middle of the 15th century B.C. — specifically, in the year 1443, during the reign of Amenhotep II, whose tomb Loret excavated. He was the pharaoh who ruled… when the Egyptians would not let Israel go. This year — 1443 — was 430 years after the covenant with Abraham, made in the spring of 1873 B.C. (Genesis 17:1, Exodus 12:40-41, Galatians 3:17). And it was in the 480th year before the laying of the foundation of the Temple in Solomon’s fourth year (964 B.C.), as required by I Kings 6:1… Moses (born in 1523) was brought up as a prince of this ruling family [of Dynasty XVIII, inaugurated by Pharaoh Ahmose about 1570 B.C. Amenhotep II — a descendant of Ahmose — was the sixth pharaoh of this dynasty.] The ‘daughter of Pharaoh’ (Exodus 2:5) [was] Hatshepsut. She was the daughter of Pharaoh Thutmose I, a son-in-law of Ahmose… Thutmose — perhaps the greatest of the pharaohs of ancient Egypt — would therefore be the biblical ‘pharaoh of the oppression.’ In 1483 B.C., Moses was exiled from Egypt by this Thutmose upon the death of Hatshepsut, Moses’ foster mother and protector… Upon the death of Thutmose in 1450, Amenhotep II assumed the sole leadership of the country.”
According to the Good News article, it was Amenhotep II who was the Pharaoh of the Exodus. It was stated that Egyptian history reveals that he himself was not a firstborn. Likewise, his son and successor, Thutmose IV, was not Amenhotep’s firstborn son, either.
The Good News article continued: “Contrary to the common notion about the Pharaoh of the Exodus, Amenhotep II did not drown in the Red Sea with his army. Read carefully Exodus 14:23-32. Ancient records reveal that Amenhotep II’s reign lasted no less than into his 26th year… Sixteen of those 26 years followed the Exodus. Upon Amenhotep’s death in 1425, he was interred like his ancestors in the Valley of the Kings. There he lay undisturbed until Loret’s discovery in 1898.”
The concept that the Pharaoh of the Exodus did not drown is in conflict with the Church of God’s earlier teaching. In the original “The Bible Story,” published in 1962 by the Radio Church of God, it is stated in Volume 2, on page 86, that Pharaoh perished in the Red Sea. It was stated that he shouted a command to his soldiers “from the floor of the Red Sea,” which “was one of the last sentences Pharaoh uttered.” On page 87, it is stated that “This was the abrupt end of the man who had planned to wipe out the people God had chosen for a special task in His plan for things to come.” We note that in the revised version of “The Bible Story,” published in 1982 by the Worldwide Church of God, all these statements were omitted, and the statement of the “abrupt end of the man” had been altered, as follows: “Thus was the sudden end of the army of the man who had schemed to wipe out a people God had chosen for a special task in His plan for the future” (Vol. 1, p. 171).
Upon a careful examination of the Good News article, which had been published in 1988, we must conclude that it does not stand up to Biblical scrutiny. If we just look at Exodus 14, it is true that it is not stated expressly that Pharaoh drowned. We read that God “will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen” (verse 18); that God looked down on “the army of the Egyptians,” and that He “troubled the army of the Egyptians” (verse 24); that the LORD “overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea (verse 27); and that “the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained” (verse 28).
Although the implication is certainly conveyed in Exodus 14, that Pharaoh drowned with his army, the passage does not say so expressly. However, there are additional Scriptures to consider. We read, for example, in Psalm 136:13-15: “To Him who divided the Red Sea in two, For His mercy endures forever; And made Israel pass through the midst of it, For His mercy endures forever; But overthrew PHARAOH AND HIS ARMY [not just Pharaoh’s army] in the Red Sea, For His mercy endures forever.”
Some claim that the Hebrew word for “overthrew” (“naar”) means “shook off” and that, therefore, it does not prove that Pharaoh actually drowned. This observation is without merit. The same word is used in Exodus 14:27, where we read, “So the Lord overthrew (in Hebrew, “naar”) the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.” As the Egyptians in the midst of the sea clearly drowned, when God overthrew them, and “none of them remained” (verse 28), it is illogical to say that somehow Pharaoh did not drown when God overthrew him. Please note, too, that Psalm 136:15 states that God overthrew Pharaoh AND HIS ARMY in the Red Sea — so, to make a distinction here between Pharaoh and his army is just a human attempt to reinterpret Scripture. The word “naar” is an unusual word and conveys the analogy of “a contemptuous rejection of a reptile” (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, “Commentary on the Whole Bible,” comment on Psalm 136:15).
The clear intent of Psalm 136:15 has also been understood by many other translators. For instance, the New International Version says: “…but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.” (Similar the Revised English Bible and the New American Bible). The New Jerusalem Bible states: “And drowned Pharaoh and all his army.” Moffat puts it this way: “and drowned the Pharaoh and his host.” Virtually all German translations clearly convey the meaning that God killed or drowned Pharaoh and his army, by throwing them into the Red Sea (Luther; Elberfelder; Menge; Zuecher; Pattloch). Any honest reading of this passage will have to agree with this. The Broadman Bible commentary says: “He is the one who cleaved the Red Sea in two, brought Israel through it, then pushed Pharaoh and his army into it.”
Psalm 136:15 does not give any room for the assumption that the Pharaoh of the Exodus did not drown.
IF, therefore, the conclusion is correct that Amenhotep II WAS the Pharaoh of the Exodus, we are faced with the question why his tomb could be discovered in the Valley of the Kings. The answer to that question is rather easy. We read in Exodus 14:30: “Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashores.” Based on this observation, we could conclude that Pharaoh’s dead body was washed to the seashore and that Egyptians buried him in the Valley of the Kings.
Another question is raised by the statement that Amenhotep II ruled for another 16 years after the Exodus, before he died. However, the Scriptures cannot be broken, that is, we cannot use “historical records,” that are in apparent contradiction with God’s Word, to reinterpret or change God’s Word, to make it fit with those records. The Bible is clear that the Pharaoh of the Exodus drowned. This means that, either, Amenhotep II was NOT the Pharaoh of the Exodus, OR, that he did NOT continue to rule for 16 years AFTER the Exodus. The Good News article, quoted above, only states, without giving any source material, that “ancient records reveal that Amenhotep II’s reign lasted no less than into his 26th year (This has been corroborated by a wine jar docket dated in his 26th year that was discovered in Egypt near the beginning of this century.).”
We are not told what those ancient records are, and whether they are precise in their dating, and whether this dating corresponds with the years, as we would count them today. Further, the accuracy of a precise dating of a jar docket must also be questioned. Recent discoveries have established, for example, that the methods used for dating, are many times rather imprecise, and cannot possibly be considered as absolutely accurate, when talking about a 20 year time span of more than 3,400 years ago.
In conclusion, the Biblical record establishes that the Pharaoh of the Exodus drowned in the Red Sea.
On Saturday, May 22, 2004, Edwin Pope will be giving the sermon, titled, “The Truth – Part II”.
The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.
Our booklet on Healing has reached the final review stage.
A new booklet on Jesus Christ is being written.
In the context of Matthew 17, Peter, James and John accompany Jesus to a high mountain, and then, in verse 9, Jesus says, “‘Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.'” In this vision they witness Jesus being transfigured and appearing in His glorified state. Along with Jesus, Moses and Elijah also appear. In the parallel account of Mark 9, these disciples wonder at the instruction from Jesus when He spoke of His resurrection: “So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant” (verse 10).
Their curiosity led to the question we find recorded in Matthew 17:10: “And His disciples asked Him, saying, ‘Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?'” The scribes, along with the rest of the religious leadership of that time, did not understand how the Messiah would first appear. Not understanding the scriptures, they were only looking for the establishment of Israel’s kingdom and the destruction of their enemies. Following the resurrection of Jesus, even His disciples asked: “‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel'” (Acts 1:6)?
Not unlike some people today, the scribes of Jesus’ day narrowly focused on the prophecy found in Malachi 4. The last two verses of this chapter state: “‘Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD, And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse'” (verses 5 and 6).
This sweeping prophecy will culminate in the establishing of the Kingdom of God on the earth. However, God has been preparing for this event through His carefully prepared plan–a great master plan that was established even before the creation itself (Compare 1 Corinthians 2:7 and Titus 1:2).
Continuing in Matthew 17, Jesus explained, “‘but I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.’ Then the disciples understood that He spoke of John the Baptist” (verses 12-13).
John the Baptist was uniquely commissioned in this Elijah-like role: “Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying…” (Luke 1:67); Then, in verse 76, John’s father makes this statement: “‘And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways.'”
During his short ministry, John the Baptist drew the attention of the Jews and they sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to question him. John 1:19 records their question: “…’Who are you?'” John answered that he was not the Christ, nor Elijah nor the Prophet. What he emphasized is recorded verse 23: “He said: ‘I am The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.'”
Is what John said in contradiction with what Jesus said of him, that “Elijah has come already?” Not at all. John knew who he was and the work he was to do. He knew that he was not the Messiah nor the Prophet. He also knew that he was not Elijah. Perhaps what he did not understand was that his work was an Elijah-like commission–in the manner that Malachi chapter 4 speaks of. However, Jesus Christ did know this and revealed it to His disciples as recorded in Matthew 17. Also note what an angel of God testified to Zacharias concerning John the Baptist: “He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:17). The angel did not say that John would be Elijah, but that he would have that kind of role to fulfill.
Even John did not know who the Messiah was until he baptized Jesus: “‘I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God'” (John 1:33-34). What John did know and do was to fulfill the work that God gave to him. Jesus said of John: “‘Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist'” (Matthew 11:11).
John the Baptist preached repentance from sins, and he and his disciples baptized many. However, Jesus’ disciples baptized more than John (see John 4:1-2). Indeed, John’s work prepared the way for what Jesus accomplished. Yet the greater work was done by Jesus in ways far beyond preaching and baptizing.
Clearly, the Bible speaks of a future time when some will come “in the spirit and power of Elijah.” The most direct prophecy of that event is found in Malachi 4. Note the time setting depicted in verse 5: “‘Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.'” The specific work to be done then will be much the same as what John the Baptist did. “‘And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse [utter destruction]'” (Malachi 4:6). The way in which this will be done is for both fathers and children to turn to the law of God (see verse 4).
We also find this description of what Jesus Christ did as Peter preached at Jerusalem: “‘To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities’ ” (Acts 3:26). In verse 24 of this same chapter in Acts, Peter says: “‘Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days.'” Peter had already shown that Moses had, as well, spoken of God raising up a Prophet like him (verse 22).
Acts 3:21 speaks of Jesus Christ in this way: “‘whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.'” This was not an exclusive message from either Elijah or John the Baptist. Rather, the message of restoration of all things points to the establishment of God’s Kingdom on this earth. This is the same message that Jesus commissioned the Church to proclaim: “‘And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come'”(Matthew 24:14). What will end is the corrupt rule of Satan’s government. What will be restored is God’s government.
Since the time of John the Baptist, the Church of God has been carrying out an Elijah-like role in teaching the way of life that God instructs all to follow. Beyond that first generation of the Church, only in recent times has the work of the Church arisen to such a level that it impacted people all over the earth. That occurred during the lifetime of Herbert W. Armstrong as God empowered him to preach the gospel powerfully through the mass media of print, radio and television. Indeed, many heard that message and–like what happened in the time of John the Baptist–they repented and turned their hearts to obeying God.
Not unlike the first generation of the Church of God, the Worldwide Church of God (founded by Mr. Armstrong) has been overthrown through deceptive teachings from false ministers. As a consequence, we now find the people of God straying from the truth that they once believed. However, some have remained faithful to their calling to carry on the work of the Church.
Scripture shows that at the time of the end, there must yet arise a powerful witness of warning to both the modern nations of Israel and Judah, as well as to the entire world (This will be before the work of the two witnesses!). That work will have dramatic impact in the coming years. Note what Jesus said in this regard: “‘Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake'” (Matthew 24:9). Jesus gave this answer as a direct response to His disciples. He was speaking prophetically about His future disciples! Much like John the Baptist was called upon to do, the Church of God will face the task of proclaiming the intervention of One Who will bring peace–this time forcibly! The Elijah message at the beginning centered on this thought: “‘If the LORD is God, follow Him'” (1 Kings 18:21). That is what Malachi prophesied, it is what John the Baptist proclaimed, it is what Jesus taught and commissioned His followers to teach–it is the message that will carry on being proclaimed into the Kingdom of God!
Revelation 11 shows that two prophets will arise just before Christ returns. They will be imbued with power from God, much like Moses and Aaron, to work powerful signs before the whole world. It is interesting to note that in the vision seen by Peter, James and John, it was Moses and Elijah who appeared (Compare Matthew 17). They are dead and buried, but the two witnesses of God are different individuals–they will prophesy during the time when modern Israel and Judah will be punished, and many of them who escape death will become captives scattered and sold all over the world. These two people will contend with the great false religious leader then alive as well as the government leaders of the revived Roman Empire. Not only will they proclaim God’s soon coming punishment of the earth, but they will have power from God to bring about awesome miracles to withstand Satan’s evil influence and to wake up any who might repent. Verse 7 indicates that they will “finish their testimony.” Exactly what that testimony is can be understood from the prophecies found in Zechariah 4. In verse 14, the two olive trees mentioned earlier in the chapter are identified as “‘These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.'” In verse 7, we find the message that will be proclaimed: “‘And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!””
That “capstone” is Jesus Christ. He is the stone that the builders rejected (Compare Luke 20:17; Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:6-8) Jesus Christ is the One Who will restore the earth (Compare Isaiah 49:8). That restoration will involve this physical world which will have come to the brink of extinction. That restoration will also be the establishment of God’s Kingdom and the teaching of God’s ways in order that mankind may truly become the sons and daughters of God and inherent eternal life and peace forever more (Compare Romans 8:18-22).
Elijah will be with Jesus Christ and the others who attain the first resurrection. Elijah, like all the faithful men and women living in past generations, is in the grave–he is dead. But Jesus Christ has already led the way for us. He has been resurrected and He is alive and at the right hand of God. He has promised to return to this earth. Then and only then will we see the restoration of all things as the great master plan of God continues to its completion. Finally, as Revelation chapters 21 and 22 show, the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, will dwell in the midst of their family. “‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away'” (Revelation 21:4).
Whom is God trying to save? Is it just the Christians and not the Muslims, Hindus, or Buddhists? Is it the people of the United States and not those of Iraq? Is it the intelligent?
Many will be happy to know that God wants everyone to be saved, ultimately. God wants everyone to be in the Kingdom of God. That’s what His whole plan of salvation is about. On the other hand, we understand that today, God has only called very few to salvation, while the rest of the world will be called by God at a later time — after Christ’s return (compare John 6:44; 1 John 5:19; Romans 11:7, 25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:22-24). For those whom God has called in this day and age, God has set this wonderful plan in motion and it is God working in us and with us:
“For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13); and “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). There is nothing that would make Him more joyous than to see everyone there.
God has already started making a place for you (John 14:2)! He is not waiting until we get there; He has put the plans in motion already because He is expecting you. God wants to give you the keys to the Kingdom! So much emphasis has been put on us WANTING to be there, but we need to realize that God WANTS us to be there even more.
GOD HAS GIVEN us quite a bit to accomplish this: His Son, His Holy Spirit and His Word, our talents, His ministry, the fellowship with brethren of like mind, etc. He even lets us know when we are off the narrow path. God wants us to succeed and He has given us the means by which we can do this if we avail ourselves of these tools and build righteous character as the result.
God is planning on us being successful …are we?
Recently Mel Gibson released one of the most controversial films of all time. The amount of publicity surrounding the movie “The Passion of Christ” has rarely been equalled if at all. One of the main issues being addressed, is that the movie will provoke anti-Semitism. This is due to the fact that the Jews are seen by many to be the ones that put Christ to death.
The Bible does indeed show that the Jews used a myriad of unjust methods to insure that Christ was put to death. From the beginning the Jews planned to use deceit (Mat 26:3-4) to bring down Jesus. They violated their own laws and procedures at every turn (for a good sermon on this very subject, listen to “The Trial of Jesus” at www.eternalgod.org/audio).
In the end the Jews caused an innocent Christ to be put to death at the hands of the Romans, one who could not be convicted by their laws or the law of God, because He was without sin. All this being said, does this make the Jews responsible for the death of Christ?
Christ had to die that we may live (Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 3:16; 4:9-10). Christ HAD to die to pay for OUR sins… the sins of humanity. Christ had to die for each one of us individually, because we all have sinned (Romans 3:23).
The Jews were used as an instrument in the death of Christ. BUT as we approach Passover and the beginning of God’s Holy Day season, we need to be humbled by the realization that each one of us is personally responsible for the death of Jesus Christ while at the same time we take comfort and encouragement that we can have life everlasting through His resurrection.
On Saturday, March 13, 2004, Norbert Link will be giving the sermon, titled, “How To Observe God’s Holy Days.”
The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on “Connect to Live Stream.”
The short answer is that there will not be any physical people after the time period called “the Great White Throne Judgment,” which is described in Revelation 20:11-15.
We read in Revelation 21:4 that after that time, there will be no more death. We also read in Revelation 20:14 that “Death” was cast into the lake of fire. This means, that whatever physical human being existed, they will, by that time, either have been burned up and destroyed in the lake of fire (thereby ceasing to exist forever), or they will have been changed into immortal spirit beings, unable to die. Physical people die. One cannot keep a physical human being alive forever. Therefore, since there will be no more death, there cannot exist physical people for all eternity at that future time.
We also read that we cannot enter the kingdom of God, unless we are spirit beings. Since God is not a respecter of persons, what He is offering us now He will offer to all of mankind later — during the Great White Throne Judgment. If He were only to offer eternal life to us today, but not later to the rest of mankind (not being called today), God would arbitrarily discriminate against all of mankind — as we are called today by grace, not by our works so that no one should boast in God’s sight.
A few Scriptures may at first sight perhaps imply that there will still be physical people around, after the Great White Throne Judgment. However, those Scriptures do not teach that.
For instance, Isaiah 25: 6-9; 65:17-20; 66:22-23; Ezekiel 48:30-35 and the book of Joel speak of the time of the Millennium and the Great White Throne Judgment, not after that time (For more information on the Millennium and the Great White Throne Judgment, please read our free booklet, “God’s Commanded Holy Days”).
It is correct that Revelation 21:24-26; 22:2 speaks, indeed, of the time after the Great White Throne Judgment. These Scriptures do not state, however, that at that time, physical humans will still exist. Rather, God the Father will dwell on earth and those on earth will see His face (Revelation 22:4) — and no human can look at God the Father in His glory and live. The fact that these Scriptures speak of “nations” or “kings of the earth” does not allow us to reach a different conclusion.
Please note, first, that Christ, a Spirit being, is still referred to in Scripture as “the MAN,” even in His glorified state (1 Timothy 2:5). One may read that Scripture and misconstrue it to mean that Christ is still a physical Man today. We know, of course, that He is not. With that same rationale, we might look at the passages in Revelation 21:24-26 and 22:2, speaking of “kings” and “nations,” and conclude that these passages speak of physical human beings. They might, however, only refer to those spirit beings who WERE, during their physical state of existence, kings or subjects. The point being made in Revelation 21 and 22 would be then, that regardless of what they had been in their physical life (“kings” or “nations” or “subjects”), they all will enter Jerusalem to worship God. Everyone will come to bring glory and honor to Jerusalem. Even though all of us, as spirit beings, will be members of the God Family and “sons” of God the Father (Revelation 21:7), we will always remain UNDER God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ — we will always remain His servants (Revelation 22:3), but we will be spirit beings, of course, no more flesh and bone.
In addition, there may be another reason why the Bible talks about “kings” and “the nations of them which are saved” (Revelation 21:24). The Lamsa translation says: “And the people who have been saved…” Why is there still a differentiation made between kings, and nations or people?
It is possible that these passages speak of former human beings who will by that time make up the nations of spirit beings, who will have qualified for different levels of rulership. If so, the spirit beings would then be grouped or organized as “nations” and “kings” after the Great White Throne Judgment. That is, the “kings” would be ruling over other spirit beings (“the nations” or “people that have been saved”). We are being rewarded according to our works. Some will rule over more than others. In the end, though, we all will rule forever and ever (Revelation 22:5).
Some feel that Revelation 22:2 proves that there will still be physical human beings in existence after the Great White Throne Judgment. Revelation 22:2 speaks of healing of the nations, but this is not talking about physical healing, but spiritual healing or refreshment. As spirit beings, we still have emotions. God can feel joy or anger, depending on what we do. It says that when God had ended His recreation work of the earth, He was refreshed (compare Exodus 31:17).
Taking all the Scriptures together, it is clear that there will be no human physical life in existence after the Great White Throne Judgment, when God will create everything new (Revelation 21:5). For more information regarding that “new” world, please read our free booklet, “God Is A Family.”
On Saturday, February 28, 2004, Edwin Pope will be presenting the sermon, titled, “Blessed Are the Merciful.”
The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on “Connect to Live Stream.”
