Revelation is Real

Biblical Literacy: An Uphill Struggle

2012-02-01T23:40:00.002+08:00

I don't imagine my job or ministry as a Lecturer in New Testament to be easy. It is an uphill struggle to impart the vision and inspire students and future Christian leaders to love the Word of God, especially the New Testament. Since my appointment 4 years ago, I have been tasked to teach two Semesters of Introduction to the New Testament to first-year students. After that, unless they take up electives in New Testament studies, all they need to do is a third year paper in New Testament Theology. I can't imagine anyone gaining proficiency in the New Testament by pursuing only three Semesters of study with the first two (taught by me) being purely introductory. Thus far, since early 2010 until now I have offered New Testament books as electives but they are not compulsory and are optional for students.

It's an uphill struggle to get students literate in the Bible and hence, I don't imagine the problem of biblical illiteracy will go away any sooner.

In the past couple of days, I have been greatly challenged to do what I can to equip my students with the knowledge of the New Testament but I have a feeling that I am fighting a losing battle, since unless the students themselves take the initiative to read commentaries and equipped themselves with the biblical languages to do exegesis of the biblical texts, it is simply not possible to gain proficiency of the 27 books of the NT and the 39 books of OT.

To master the Bible or even gain a measure of proficiency in interpreting the Bible is no easy task. I feel it is getting harder by the year or by the Semester to enthuse students to learn Hebrew and Greek. Although I may be pessimistic (I admit to feeling melancholic at times), I doubt whether they will be many who will retain some proficiency in the languages after 12 months of leaving College. A ray of hope is that out of my 24 students in Greek 1, 20 students stayed on to do Greek 2. In terms of retention percentage, it is an encouraging sign because normally only about 2/3 of the Greek 1 students will continue with Greek 2.

I am glad that the interest in Hebrew is equally high and I have no doubt those who take the trouble to learn Hebrew will benefit greatly as well.

If not for anything, at least a proficiency in Hebrew and Greek will debunk some of dubious Hebrew/Greek word-study propagated by some prominent preachers in recent months. I am surprised to know that some of these Singaporean Churches that have a high percentage of tertiary-educated Christians, but yet these church goers can be so easily hood-winked by certain paddlers of God's Word using a sprinkle of Hebrew and Greek here and there for show. Check their credentials - there is no short cut to learning Hebrew and Greek. If anyone comes to you and say I know Hebrew or Greek but has never learned it for two years or more, it is very likely to be a false claim, made simply to impress the gullible. I know there are exceptions, those who have done self-study and have gained proficiency but the exception does not disprove the rule.

Hence, the problem of biblical illiteracy among Churches. The cycle is vicious - if the pastors themselves are not proficient in the Bible and are not skilled in dividing the Word of God in truth, all kinds of teachings or pseudo-doctrines can be plucked out of thin air - they are tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine and My people perish for a lack of knowledge.

An analogy that comes to mind is a trained specialist surgeon. How many years of training will he or she undergo before he becomes a specialist? After a 6-year first degree in medicine (MBBS), doctors go for 2 or 3 years of postgraduate study followed by at least 3 or 4 years of practical training under the watchful eye of an experienced specialist surgeon before he or she can be certified as a specialist doctor. The process takes about 12 years or more (I have two uncles who are specialist doctors, one is still working in Singapore).

As for theology, a 3-year Master of Divinity degree is only a basic theological degree, at best laying the foundations for pastoral ministry. The capability to preach well and expound the Word in depth will very much depend on the discipline of the graduate to grow in the knowledge of the Word of God and one way to do that is to upgrade theological training to a M.A. in Biblical Studies or a MTh in OT/NT as well as maintaining a certain proficiency in the biblical languages. I have this out-of-the-world vision that every pastor with an MDiv should do a MTh in Biblical Studies for personal and professional growth in the ministry of God's Word. They devoted themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word.

It's an uphill struggle for me, personally and professionally. The Word of God is clear; its demands on the prospective servant of God are stringent - he must be equipped or made proficient in the Scriptures for "All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." (2 Tim 3:16-17).

By the Grace of God

2012-02-01T15:09:00.000+08:00

I knew I needed the Sabbath rest in Sabah last week. It's only the third day back at College and I was deluged with work and more work. We completed Greek Participles yesterday and today I lectured on Galatians and started on 1 Corinthians in my Introduction to New Testament II. Then it was straight to Wednesday Chapel. The sermon was wonderfully presented but I was too tired to pay full attention after getting up before 6am and delivering 3-hour-long lectures. Yesterday straight after my Greek class, my Masters student came to my office and presented me with his 90-page draft MTh thesis. I had just approved one MTh thesis for examination before the Lunar New Year break and now another one awaits my attention. I worked late into the night and sent off my lecture notes on Revelation at 11:15pm for tomorrow's class at 7:15pm. For Greek 2, I have 20 students, 30 students in my NT 2 and 78 students in my elective on Revelation with 14 MDiv/BD.MTS students and one MTh student who has to do all the assignments plus one exegetical paper based on the Greek text of Revelation. It's by the grace of God that I can accomplish all the preparation for lectures, the delivery of lectures and the supervision of postgrad students. I am reminded by the text of 1 Corinthians today that the one who planted and the one who watered count for nothing but it is God who gives the growth. May my students grow into the likeness of the image of Jesus Christ with His Word and His Spirit illuminating us and transforming us from one degree of glory to another degree of glory for the glory of God the Father.

Dari Sabat ke Sabat di Sabah (On the Sabbaths in Sabah)

2012-01-31T16:47:00.000+08:00

Saya amat bersyukur kepada Allah Bapa dan Tuhan Yesus Kristus atas penyertaan-Nya semasa saya bercuti di Sabah baru-baru ini. Tahun Baru Cina kali ini agak berlainan berbanding tahun-tahun yang lalu. Saya tidak mengambil apa-apa pelayanan khutbah di Gereja, cuma berehat dan bersantai di rumah bersama isteri kekasih dan berkunjung ke rumah saudara-mara. Saya tidak terlepas menghadiri kebaktian pada hari minggu lepas sebelum berangkat pulang ke Singapura. Banyak pengalaman yang saya tempuhi sewaktu saya berada di Sabah selama satu minggu.

Untuk kali kedua dalam enam tahun seluruh keluarga besar saya mengunjungi saya di rumah pada hari pertama Tahun Baru Cina. Adalah penting sekali merayakan Tahun baru menurut tradisi kaum Cina yang mengutamakan hubungan kasih-mesra di antara semua ahli keluarga. Isteri saya menghabiskan banyak waktu menyediakan makanan dengan pelbagai hidangan lauk-pauk.

Pada hari kedua Pengerusi dan Penatua Gereja menjemput saya dan isteri makan tengahari di Pizza Hut dan kami bercerita tentang pelayanan Tuhan dan tafsiran beberapa teks Firman Tuhan.

Hari yang ketiga, kami mengunjung sahabat karib saya, seorang peguam yang saya kenali sejak tahun 1988.

Pada malam harinya seorang teman sepelayanan datang mengunjungi kami di rumah bersama keluarganya. Dia adalah pastor penyelaras PMM dan merupakan pelajar saya sewaktu saya baru masuk dalam pelayanan penuh masa di MTS Melangkap, Kota Belud pada tahun 1994. Kami banyak bercerita tentang perkembangan pelajar lain angkatan tersebut, majoritinya masih bertekun dalam pelayanan di ladang Tuhan. Namun saya tidak terlepas dari kesedihan kerana beberapa pelajar seangkatan tidak lagi melayani atas sebab-sebab tertentu.

Pada hari keempat, kami dijemput makan "steam boat", cara buffet dengan kos RM25.00 seorang. Saya kira dengan kadar inflasi yang tinggi di Sabah dini hari, harga tersebut bukan mahal malah adalah berpatutan memandangkan kami makan sampai kenyang dengan alas mulut dan aiskrim.

Pada hari kelima, kami dikunjungi oleh seorang pemimpin Gereja bersama keluarganya. Dia adalah seorang Pengetua Sekolah Menengah dan memang kawan baik dalam pelayanan sejak 23 tahun yang lalu sewaktu saya menjadi anggota Gereja di KK.

Pada hari keenam, saya dan isteri makan bersama seorang missionari dan isterinya di restauran. Dia juga merupakan kawan baik saya dan saya agak sedih kerana tempoh pelayanannya akan tamat dan dia akan kembali ke negara asalnya pada bulan April ini. Namun, saya yakin kami tidak akan dipisahkan lama kerana sekarang adalah dunia global di mana kommunikasi secara serta-merta melalui internet begitu mudah sekali.

Pada hari Ahad, saya dan isteri menghadiri kebaktian di sebuah Gereja SIB yang baru didirikan berdekatan rumah kami. Saya sekali lagi diberi penghormatan selaku pastor yang telah ditahbis untuk mengucapkan doa pemberkatan di dalam nama Tuhan Yesus Kristus - Biarlah kasih Allah dan anugerah Tuhan Yesus Kristus dan persekutuan dari Roh Kudus menyertai kalian, umat yang percaya. Amin.

Sabbath in Sabah

2012-01-22T17:23:00.000+08:00

I slept much more than I usually did yesterday and it was good to taste the first home-cooked meal for the first time in 3 weeks. It was my sabbath in Sabah and while doing some last-minute shopping for Lunar New Year I listened to the progress of the football match between my homestate, Sabah and my adopted State, Singapore's Lions XII, the first time a Singaporean team played in the Malaysian league for 17 years. Sabah lost to Singapore 0-1.

Today's church was amazingly refreshing because worship was with friends and not with strangers as most weeks in Singapore where I preached from church to church and remained a visitor and a stranger. I was touched by the simplicity of faith. This was a daughter church my homechurch planted near my house. When I was pastor I took several deacons and visited the families of the housing estate over 3 months and we formed home groups. And now they are in the process of becoming an independent church with consistently more than 100 people attending every Sunday. They rented the shop lot next door and the church is expanding after just one year. I wept for joy at the presence of the Lord and in my spirit I saw in a vision, chests of treasures and precious stones and the Lord saying, "Did I not choose the poor to be rich in faith?" I saw widows dancing for joy, those whom I have helped and young people making it good and leading songs in worship. The Deputy Chairman honoured me by asking me to give the benediction at the end of service. I went to the front in my sports shoes; I did not bring my leather shoes with me back to Sabah. One deacon, a close friend told me that I should let them know when I would be in KK so that they could roster me as preacher but I told them that my time in Sabah is for rest and not for preaching. In fact, I was resting my voice as my speaking and teaching took its toll in the past couple of weeks.

An elder preached one of the most witty and humorous sermons I ever heard from Eccle 7:1-8:1. I am thrilled that one of things that I did when I was pastor remains to be practised - preaching through biblical books and themes. This elder joined the church recently but was an old friend since my time as Treasurer, some 17 years ago. Has it been that long?? When I was listening to his sermon, I thought to myself unless one has gone through much in life and seasoned in the hard-knocks of real life experience, no matter how good one's Hebrew or exegetical skills are one cannot preach a sermon on wisdom without first gaining wisdom. The only verse he demurred was one of my favourite - "Do not be overly wise or righteous why would you destroy yourself? I know this truly and surely. I have refrained from speaking even the truth when the other party is simply not ready to listen. I have refrained from speaking what is right and good when people are simply not ready to accept the wisdom of one who is poor and a foreigner.

At the end of service, the deacon wished everyone a happy Chinese New Year and the greetings were especially extended to me - "Pastor Tony is Chinese", he added. It was one of the strangest things I have ever heard. I never thought of myself as a Chinese in the midst of the indigenous peoples of Borneo. They are like my flesh and blood, my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ. But the fact of the matter is that I am and still is the only Chinese pastor who worships in an indigenous congregation with Malay as our language of worship. It brings home to me this fact: how my life has been and still is - a foreigner in the midst of God's people in Sabah and in Singapore.

Teaching the New Testament

2012-01-18T18:39:00.000+08:00

After two weeks of looking into the life of Paul and the background into Paul's letters, we started NT 2 with the study of 1 & 2 Thes. I am privileged and honoured to be able to continue teaching New Testament to first-year MDiv/BD students. This cohort is responsive and today's class was exceptional especially when we discussed the doctrine of pre-tribulation rapture from 1 Thes 4 and 2 Thes 2. I talked about how this doctrine came about, so much so now it is a view held by many churches. Rapture is clearly taught in 1 Thes 4 and no one is denying that but the question is its timing. Nowhere in 1 Thes 4 or anywhere else in the New Testament that the rapture is said to take place before the tribulation. In fact, 2 Thes 2 teaches exactly the opposite. Paul writes to the church to correct possible misunderstanding on the timing and nature of the coming of the Lord. Paul says there will be two signs, first the apostasy and second, the man of lawlessness will be revealed before the day of the Lord and our assembling to meet Him. No where in 2 Thes that the rapture or being caught up in the air to meet the Lord is said to happen before the tribulation. As the coming of the Antichrist (man of lawlessness) takes place before the coming of the Lord and that the saints will be still on earth when the Antichrist comes, the Thessalonians text suggests that believers will go through the period of the tribulation when Antichrist appears. Why else would Paul tell the Thessalonians to watch out for the revelation of the man of lawlessness if they are caught up or raptured away before the tribulation?

Time 4 Rest? Or time 4 Work?

2012-01-15T22:11:00.000+08:00

There is a time for everything - there is a time for work and there is a time from desisting from working. There is a time for rest. As for me, now is the time for work. I have a non-stop 14-day fortnight without rest. From 1st January I was working on a Seminar on "OT & NT: Interpretation & Issues" and then non-stop classes at College. Last Sunday after church I was back in office twice to get ready for a Seminar I conducted yesterday. It was something unexpected, going to a new church but the encouraging response was stimulating.

A total of 120 people attended the seminar on a Saturday afternoon from 1:30pm to 6pm. I left home before 12 noon but I was caught in the Saturday noon traffic that I missed lunch and headed straight to the church. I had the unusual experience of being guided by a 50-year woman with a veil. She not only showed me the direction to the church but led me all the way, some 150 metres and then she turned back and went her way. My faith in Singapore was restored by her kind act, what grace and kindness by a Malay woman.

In the church, I met with an attentive audience. They asked questions throughout and were totally engaged. A few people talked with me over tea break at 3:30pm (that was my lunch) but I remember one gentleman as I was leaving; he went back to look for me and asked me what made me go into full-time ministry. I talked with him for another 10 minutes and I shared with him my conversion experience and my calling into the ministry at 18 years of age. The Lord is good and He is good all the time. Lord, if you should mark iniquity who could stand? But with You is mercy so that men may fear You. I want to thank You Lord for calling me to work for You. There is no greater honour, no greater privilege to be in Your employment - to serve the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. It is time for work!

The Temple Menorah in Revelation

2012-01-10T21:17:00.000+08:00

I shall be giving a series of lectures next Thursday on the Structure of Revelation based on the 7-branched Temple Menorah, a symbol used by John to denote the local church in Rev 1-3.

Thanks to Dr Jim Davila's blog, I read about the discovery of a Temple Menorah stamp (dated 600 C.E.) found near Akko, Israel (see here; see also Jerusalem Post here).

Between Singapore & Malaysia

2012-01-08T21:19:00.000+08:00

Now that I call Singapore home, Malaysia and Malaysian churches have never been far from my heart and mind. I had two wonderful opportunities to serve in Sabah during Christmas and another in KL on the 2nd January. I did not plan to preach on Christmas. My son and I were back in Singapore and when invited to preach in a church in Sabah I almost declined.

But the church was insistent and offered to pay for my return airfare home. When I saw the love gift after the Christmas service, I think they not only paid for my fare but my son's fare as well. Malaysian churches are generous and SIB churches (at least those among whom I have ministered) are especially generous. Not that I wished for anything from them except that their faith be strengthened but as apostle Paul said of the Macedonian churches though they were poor but they were generous in their giving.

Back in Sabah I preached two sermons in Malay. Initially I had some fears that my Malay would not be so fluent since I had hardly preached in Malay in the past 2 years. But the Lord was good and the messages were well received. I preached for 50 minutes from 10pm to 10:50pm during Christmas Eve service but most of the congregation stayed behind for a while. I guess they expected the service to end at midnight and that the sermon would last for at least 1 hour. The next day, on Christmas I did not disappoint and preached for 65 minutes with the unction of the Holy Spirit. I would not go beyond 40 minutes (most of my sermons in Singapore are about that length or less) unless the congregation is absolutely open and hungering for more of God's Word. This was what I found in Sipitang, a small town some 3 hours' drive from KK. The organizing Chairman went from Sipitang to my house in KK to fetch me and drove me back after the 2 services. I was heartened for such kind and wonderful hospitality. I was welcomed by a group of 30 Lundayeh brothers and sisters in Christ all dressed in uniform and playing their traditional musical instruments as we arrived in Church at 4:30pm on 24th Dec.

On New Year's Day I took a flight to KL and my pastor friend met me at the airport and we enjoyed durians after dinner. The Lord answered my prayers. I said in my heart I must have durians in Malaysia and suddenly my friend stopped over on the road side and bought some durians. The next day, I conducted a 6-hour seminar on the topic "The Relationship between the OT and the NT". Yes, all in Malay. When I flew back to Singapore around midnight as the plane was descending into Changi Airport, my soul felt at rest and I praised the Lord,: "Lord, Singapore is now my place of ministry". I saw many familiar places from the air and the bright lights of Singapore harbour never failed to impress me. But home is where the saints are, whether they are in Singapore or Malaysia for they are my delightful ones.

Commentaries on Daniel

2012-01-07T09:51:00.002+08:00

The books of Zechariah and Daniel are probably the most influential books for John in his writing of the Apocalypse. For that in my 2nd lecture on Revelation (next Thursday), I will spend one hour on Daniel, the second hour on Zechariah and the third on other Jewish Apocalypses.

I can't emphasize more the need for personal study and research for the successful completion of this Revelation course. The books of Daniel and Zechariah will take several years of study if one should study them carefully with the help of scholarly commentaries and the original languages. Further, the book of Daniel is written in Hebrew and Aramaic and the Greek translation has two versions, the Old Greek (OG/LXX) and the other Theodotion (Theod).

There are many commentaries on Daniel out there, but I will recommend these for my students:
1) John Collins, Daniel (Hermeneia Series; Fortress Press, 1993)
2) Andre LaCocque, Daniel in His Time (University of South Carolina Press, 1988).
3) Tim Meadowcroft, The Book of Daniel (Asia Theological Association, 2004).

The last one is highly recommended despite being relatively unknown. Tim was my second doctoral supervisor and he is an expert in the book of Daniel in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. Tim published Aramaic Daniel and Greek Daniel (Continuum, 1995).

Lecture 1 (Revelation)

2012-01-06T08:46:00.002+08:00

70 students attended the first class on Revelation: End-time Events last night. The first lectures went well despite some technical problems getting my wireless mike to work in good order. As the reading requirements for this course are substantial, I am not sure whether all 70 students will persevere and stay the course. Studying the book of Revelation needs a healthy dose of perseverance and humility.

We looked at Revelation 11 for a start and discussed the various interpretive possibilities and the general complexity of the text.

1) Is the temple of God literal in 11:1-2?
2) How do we understand the" measuring" of the temple, the altar and those worshipping in it?
3) What about the time period of 1,260 days? Literal or symbolic or both?
4) Who are the two witnesses?
5) What is John trying to do when he identifies them as "the two olive trees and the two lampstands"?
6) Which OT texts are alluded to? Is it Zech 4's vision with the two olive trees standing beside the lampstand?
7) What is the significance of "two" lampstands of Rev 11:4 instead of one in Zechariah 4?
8) How do we understand the powers of these two witnesses?
9) Are they Moses and Elijah or persons like them?
10) What is the great city of Rev 11:8?
11) Why is it called "Sodom and Egypt"?
12) Is Revelation 11 prophetic and the events described therein seen to take place in the future?

See my blogpost on "Great City called Sodom and Egypt: http://cherubim77.blogspot.com/2009/01/great-city-called-sodom-and-egypt-rev.html

I discussed the several views taken by scholars in the interpretation of the book of Revelation - the historicist/preterist (see Wikipedia here), idealist and futurist views. I noted that if we take the book of Revelation to speak only of events of the late 1st century C.E (the preterist view), how then can we interpret Rev 11? No scholar or commentator has ever shown proof or evidence that events described in Rev 11:1-13 has happened in history or in the late 1st century C.E. In fact, no historical evidence comes close to the events narrated by John to happen within the 1,260 days or 42 months? I suggest that Rev 11 must be seen as prophetic and that these events are to take place in the future and specifically within the last three and a half years before the dawn of the kingdom of God on earth (Rev 11:15).

For next week, we will look at John's use of the OT especially, Daniel and Zechariah. The readings for next week are as follows:

1) Portier-Young, Anathea E., “Daniel”, ch. 7 of Apocalypse Against Empire: Theologies ofResistance in Early Judaism (Eerdmans, 2011), pp. 223-279.

2) Stephen Cook, Prophecy & Apocalypticism: The Post-exilic Social Setting (FortressPress, 1995), pp. 19-54, “The Sociologyof Apocalyptic Groups”; “Zechariah 1-8”, pp. 123-165.

3) Finitis, Antonios, “Restoration Eschatology and MessianicPresence” in Visions and Eschatology: ASocio-Historical Analysis of Zechariah 1-6 (T & T Clark, 2011), pp.102-36.

Reading good commentaries on Daniel and Zechariah will do just as well. The TTC library is open from Monday to Friday (8:30am to 5:30pm) with Tuesdays until (9pm) and Thursdays until 7:30pm. Saturday opening hours are from 8:30am to 1pm. All the books in the Course Reader are on Reserve except Frilingos' book (on order).

Revelation is Now

2012-01-05T09:33:00.000+08:00

I am posting the Course Outline for Revelation: End-Time Events starting tonight at 7:30pm, Multi-Purpose Hall (MPH), TTC (Enrol online here).

The Book of Revelation:End-Time Events(MDiv/BD/MTS/CDCM)

Tony Siew

Course Description:

Recent years have witnessed events of great portents –global warming, financial crises, rise in food prices, plagues, greatearthquakes, wars and volcanic eruptions are becoming almost daily fare in thenews. Are these signs or events predicted by the book of Revelation to occur atthe end of time? Does Revelation provide a blueprint of history leading to theend of the world?

This course will seek to answer these questions. It will takea historical-critical perspective of the text as a product of the late firstcentury C.E. of the Greco-Roman world, but yet seeks to be faithful to John’sstated purpose of writing a prophetic book (Rev 1:3; 22:7, 9, 18), which thingsare said to unfold in the future. It focuses on the literary-structuralanalysis of the book with special attention to John’s schema of a triple seriesof sevens – the 7 Seals, the 7 Trumpets and the 7 Bowls (Rev 6-16). The eventsof the Great Tribulation of the last three-and-a half years will be highlightedwhere the two beasts are said to war against the two witnesses (Rev 11-13).While there will be discussion as to the differing interpretive lenses throughwhich the Church in history and modern scholars have read the book, we willconcentrate primarily on the text in question whereby the final denouement ofhistory is seen in the coming of Christ and the establishment of the kingdom ofGod on earth. This course seeks to investigate the book of Revelation from ahistorical-critical perspective in the light of its historical, cultural,social, religious and political milieu of the late first century C.E. We willpay close attention to the book’s literary and structural texture and the useof the Old Testament that permeates the whole book.

Textbooks & References:

1) Reddish, Mitchell G., Revelation(Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary; Macon, Georgia: Smyth & HelwysPublishing, 2001).

2) Witherington, Ben, Revelation& End-Times (Abingdon Press, 2010).

3) Boxall, Ian, Revelationof Saint John (Black’s New Testament Commentary; Hendrickson, 2006).

4) Siew, Tony, The Warbetween the Two Beasts and the Two Witnesses: A Chiastic Reading of Revelation11:1-14:5 (LSNT 283; New York & London: T & T Clark, 2005).

5) Frilingos, Chris, Spectaclesof Empire: Monsters, Martyrs, and the Book of Revelation (Philadelphia:University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004).

6) Mitchell G. Reddish, ed. Apocalyptic Literature: A Reader. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1990.

7) Leonard L. Thompson. Revelation.Abingdon New Testament Commentaries. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998.

8) J. Ramsey Michaels. Interpretingthe Book of Revelation. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1992.

Course Outcomes:

At the successful completion ofthe course students should have

1) a knowledge of the political,religious and geographical background of the seven Asia Minor churches ofRevelation and the Roman Empire in general.

2) a knowledge of the structureand major divisions of Revelation and the content of each section.

3) an acquaintance with thevarious principles of interpreting the book of Revelation.

4) a knowledge of currentpolitical, economic and environmental issues in relation to the book ofRevelation

Course Reader:

MDiv/BD students are required to read all the articles andwill write a 2-page report at the end of the Semester. CDCM students are strongly encouraged to readthe recommended readings for this course.

1) Portier-Young, Anathea E., “Daniel”, ch. 7 of Apocalypse Against Empire: Theologies ofResistance in Early Judaism (Eerdmans, 2011), pp. 223-279.

2) Heyman, George, “Roman Imperial Cult”, in The Power of Sacrifice: Roman and ChristianDiscourse in Conflict (Catholic University of America Press, 2007), pp.45-93.

3) Humphrey, Edith, “Revelation 12”, For I Turned to See the Voice: the Rhetoric of Vision in the New Testament” (BakerAcademic, 2007).

4) Carter, Warren, ‘Accommodating “Jezebel” andWithdrawing John: Negotiating Empire in

Revelation Then and Now’, Interpretation pp. 32-47.

5) Tan Kim Huat, “The Number of the Beast: Countingthe Options”, Trinity Theological JournalVol. 19 (2011), pp. 1-38.

6) Siew, Tony, TheWar between the Two Beasts and the Two Witnesses: A Chiastic Reading ofRevelation 11:1-14:5 (LSNT 283; New York & London: T & T Clark,2005), pp. 28-64.

7) Bauckham, Richard, “Eschatological Earthquake”,in Climax of Prophecy (T & TClark, 1993), pp. 199-209.

8) Kraybill, J. Nelson, “The Merchants have GrownRich”, in Imperial Cult and Commerce inJohn’s Apocalypse (Sheffield Academic Press, 1994), pp. 102-141.

Assessment (MDiv/BD):

1) Reading Requirements (20% plus Bonus 5% for book orarticle review: 1,000-1,200 words)

2) Major Essay: 40% (max. 3,500 words including footnotes):Essay Due (26th April 2012)

3) Final Exams: 40%,40 Questions (20% & 1 Essay question: 20%)

Assessment (CDCM):

1) FinalExams, 100% (40 Questions)

Course Schedule:

5th Jan: CourseOverview

Russell, D.S., Prophecyand the Apocalyptic Dream: Protest and Promise pp. 12-43.

“Revelation as a Critique against Empire”, in Interpretation Vol 63 No 1. January 2009

12th Jan: Apocalyptic Literature in the OT and NT corpus(Isaiah 24-27; Zech 1-6; 9-14; Daniel 2, 7-12; Joel; Hab 3; Mal 3); LittleApocalypses, Jesus’ eschatological sayings

Reading:

1) Portier-Young, Anathea E., “Daniel”, ch. 7 of Apocalypse Against Empire: Theologies ofResistance in Early Judaism (Eerdmans, 2011), pp. 223-279.

2) Stephen Cook, Prophecy & Apocalypticism: The Post-exilic Social Setting (FortressPress, 1995), pp. 19-54, “The Sociologyof Apocalyptic Groups”; “Zechariah 1-8”, pp. 123-165.

3) Finitis, Antonios, “Restoration Eschatology and MessianicPresence” in Visions and Eschatology: ASocio-Historical Analysis of Zechariah 1-6 (T & T Clark, 2011), pp.102-36.

19th Jan:

Structure of Apocalyptic Literature & JewishApocalyptic Literature (War Scroll, DSS; 1 Enoch; 3 Baruch; 4 Ezra);Symbolism in Revelation (Numbers, Temple, Angels)

Reading:

1) Fiorenza,Elizabeth, “Composition and Structure of the Book of Revelation,” CBQ 39 (1977), pp. 344-66.

2) Bauckham,Richard, “Structure and Composition” in Climaxof Prophecy (1993), pp. 1-37.

2nd Feb:

The 7 Churches (Rev 1-3) & Dating of Revelation(Does it matter?); Who are the 7 angels of the 7 churches?

Reading:

1) Carter, Warren, ‘Accommodating “Jezebel” and WithdrawingJohn: Negotiating Empire in

Revelation Then and Now’, Interpretation, pp. 32-47.

2) Thompson, Leonard, “Pronouncements to the SevenChurches”, pp. 62-88.

9th Feb:

7 Churches &Two Powers in Heaven (cf. 1 Enoch) [Rev 4-5]

16th Feb:

The Four Horsemen& the 6 Seals [Rev 6] (A Comparison with the Little Apocalypses of theGospels)

23rd Feb:

First Interlude & 7 Trumpets (Rev 8-9)

1st March:

3.5 Years (2 Witnesses & the Temple of God &Jerusalem) [Rev 11-13]

Reading:

1) Siew,“The Identity of the Two Witnesses and the Two Beasts”, pp. 214-278.

2) Tan KimHuat, “The Number of the Beast: Counting the Options”, Trinity Theological Journal Vol. 19 (2011), pp. 1-38.

3) Humphrey,Edith, “Firing the Imagination: Visions with Embedded Propositions”, in For I Turned to See the Voice: the Rhetoric of Vision in the New Testament (BakerAcademic, 2007), pp. 151-194.

22nd March:

The Two Beasts

Reading:

1) Heyman,George, “Roman Imperial Cult”, in ThePower of Sacrifice: Roman and Christian Discourse in Conflict (CatholicUniversity of America Press, 2007), pp. 45-93.

2) Price,S., Rituals and Power: The Roman ImperialCult in Asia Minor (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1984).

29th March:

Three Visions of Chapter 14 & Seven Bowls (Rev14-16)

12th April:

Mystery Babylon (Rev 17-18)

19th April:

Second Coming, Millennium & the New Jerusalem(Rev 19-22)

26th April:

Summary & Revision

Exams: 3rd May CDCM(8-9:30pm); MDiv/BD (8-10pm)

Opened Doors 2012

2012-01-01T14:25:00.001+08:00

Happy New Year to all my readers and friends! I trust in the Lord that the year 2012 will be a year of opened doors for you as it will be for me. The Lord will open many doors of ministry for those who trust in Him and rely on His strength.

There will be many surprises in 2012 as we trust in the Lord's leading. At least for me the first week is about settled, God willing. I shall be making a short trip to KL tonight for a Seminar at Klang Valley tomorrow and then return to Singapore the same night. Then it will be the start of the new Semester with Greek on Tuesday, NT 2 on Wednesday, Revelation on Thursday, meeting postgrad students on Friday and preparation for a seminar at an independent church, Singapore for the following Saturday.

I wait in anticipation the coming of the Year of the Dragon in the Lunar New Year. It is my year, a cycle of 12 times 4 for me. Another 12 years in next Year of the Dragon, I shall be truly on the verge of retirement. 2012 begins my second last cycle of 12 years of fruitful service in the Lord, and perhaps the last cycle where my strength permits me to travel and preach in as many places as the Lord shall lead.

Blogging Highlights 2011

2011-12-31T09:23:00.000+08:00

It's the last day of 2011. There are only 15 hours before New Year 2012. It's been an amazing year as far as blogging is concerned. In a recent seminar, I mentioned that as a blogger I have taken a stance on many issues, some have proved to be an encouragement to many but not a few have also caused consternation and contention. It's in the nature of blogging to speak (write) forthrightly but always with respect to all concerned.

After my self-imposed exile from blogging with Revelation is Real from April to July this year, I have decided to continue for several reasons (see my blogpost on 10 reasons for Blogging). Not least of all, blogging is global. Now we live in a globalized world and if one should wish to influence affairs in the world, one needs to find a voice and blogging is an incredibly effective medium for doing just that.

One thing that gives me great pleasure in blogging is the extent of reach, not just numerically but the breath and width of readership around the world. My readers used to concentrate in three countries - USA, Singapore and Malaysia but in recent months, I have noticed that a significant proportion of readers come from Russia, Germany, France and elsewhere.

I told my close friends who take interest in my blogging this: "I won't travel to many of these countries in my lifetime but their citizens read my blog". I have not been to America but since July 2010, there are 26,000 pageviews from the States alone. I may still make it to USA one day (2012's resolutions??) but blogging reaches to every corner of the world that is connected and God's Word runs even into the ends of the earth.

Jerusalem Seal in the Late 2nd Temple Period

2011-12-30T20:14:00.001+08:00

Thanks to Dr Jim West and others, I have been following the reports of an amazing discovery of a Jerusalem Seal ("Pure to Yahweh") dated in the late 2nd Temple period, probably around 100 BC to the time of Christ. Professor Ronny Reich of Haifa University, Israel has a fascinating explanation of the find. Discovered 4 days ago, coinciding with the Festival of Hanukkah (around the time of Christmas), it serves as a historical glimpse of what went on in the administration of the Temple complex.

Is Baptism Essential for Salvation?

2011-12-29T15:11:00.004+08:00

A proliferation of blogs, Facebook entries, smart phones and new media is no guarantee that biblical knowledge is increasing. In fact, the reverse is true even among so-called evangelical Christians. I read from New Jerusalem Bible that in Psalm 119, David said that he had more subtlety of God's Word because he meditated on it day and night. So often we think we know how to interpret Scripture but we lack the subtlety required for correct and accurate reading.

For example, whether water baptism is essential to salvation has been framed as an absolute, either you are baptized and saved or you are not baptized and therefore damned. The Word of God is not as simple as that. Often we read Scripture simplistically - Scripture can be simple but never simplistic.

Water baptism is tied to forgiveness of sins in Acts 2:38 and various other Scriptures beside. No one who knows Scripture will deny that baptism is important and in fact the first commandment or twin command together with "repent" after belief. Unless one believes, one will not repent nor one submits to water baptism. But to frame the question whether baptism is essential to salvation or can a non-baptized person be saved is to ask the wrong sets of questions. If you read Romans 10, it is clear there that once a person believes he/she is saved. There is no two-way about it. In your heart you believe and with your mouth you confess that Jesus is Christ, you shall be saved. In this famous passage, water baptism does not come into the equation. Once a person believes he is saved as apostle Paul asserts. God knows the hearts of men and women and He saves those who put their faith in Him.

Having said above, genuine faith is borne out by the fruits of repentance. The act of repentance is completed or is sealed by water baptism whereby one's sins are forgiven and washed away by the waters of baptism even as one puts his faith in the blood of Christ. In reality, it is faith in the efficacy of Christ's blood that saves a person but water baptism when it is taught aright and conducted with genuine faith is the outward sign of salvation, the inward sign is the heart that believes. Once God who sees the heart and knows that a person truly believes He pours out His Holy Spirit on him/her as evidenced in Acts (2, 8, 10, 19). As in the case of Cornelius, he was not yet baptized when the Holy Spirit came upon him. Thus, we cannot say that Cornelius was not saved just because he was not baptized because God had already given him the gift of the Holy Spirit. As Luke makes clear, Cornelius and those who believed and received the Holy Spirit were baptized forthwith.

The case of Simon the magician in Acts 8 also tells us that it is not water baptism that saves. Simon the magician was baptized with the rest of the Samaritans but apparently he did not receive the Holy Spirit when Peter and John laid their hands on the Samaritan who believed in the preaching of Philip. Here, we have a clear case that baptism does not save, in fact anyone can go through baptism without genuine faith and thus whatever baptism the person has gone through is but a sham.

I have just given one example of the subtlety of interpreting Scripture for those who are truly mature, knowing the full breath of Scripture. We do well to remember Jesus' rebuke to the Sadducees that they erred because they knew not the Scriptures nor the power of God (Matt 22:29).

Creation Groans & Subjected to Decay and Futility (Romans 8:20)

2011-12-27T11:44:00.000+08:00

In the text of Romans 8:20 the apostle Paul says that the creation has been subjected to futility by the Creator. Creation groans then and it groans now. God's first Creation, although it was good but it was not meant to be perfect. Hence, natural disasters and earthquakes happen and how countries sitting on the Ring of Fire are more susceptible to earthquakes.

Earthquakes happen by the natural order of things because God's creation is not perfect and is decaying. But it was not without hope that creating is subject to futility because God has designed it so in order that His people will look to a better creation, a new creation where perfect righteousness dwells. Thus, there is a need to be cautious in saying that natural disasters happen in the world as a result of its inhabitants' sins and wickedness. If that is so, the world will be destroyed in a moment because all the world lies in wickedness and no one is righteous before God. As creation is on its way to decay, God has shown by his sovereignty and mystery that nature (his creation) will make its fury known in storms, hurricanes, earthquakes and the like. Moreover with climate change (mainly man-made), the increase of all these "natural" disasters is inevitable.

As much as it is the nature of things or natural order of things to have earthquakes, it is equally evident that God can judge the wickedness of a people or city by earthquakes. Read Isaiah 24 where the prophet Isaiah says that the earth will be twisted and torn asunder on account of the people's transgressing God's laws and not abiding by God's eternal covenant. Read Jeremiah 23 and you will see that the land mourns because of the adultery of its people. The natural order of things in the world is somewhat linked in some inscrutable way to human behaviour. And God has ordained it so.

Read 2 Peter and Jude where the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah is highlighted as the occasion of God's swift and decisive judgement. And the warning in the these two NT texts is that if we do the same things as Sodom and Gomorrah God could judge just as decisively and just as suddenly.

Christchurch Earthquake Again & Again

2011-12-23T11:14:00.002+08:00

Yesterday I thought I should write a wrap-up for 2011 but I thought otherwise: "Things could still happen in the next 8 or 9 days before the New Year." Christchurch has been hit with another earthquake of 5.8 Richter followed by another 5.3 Richter aftershock and another at 6 Richter at 3.18pm NZ time. The city was hit with a 7.1 Richter earthquake in Sept 2010 with two strong earthquakes in Dec 2010 and June 2011 that killed nearly 200 people and now this triple whammy.

If this is not a sign that things cannot be business as usual I do not know what. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines here and there....(Lk 21:11). There is new outbreak of H5N1 in Hong Kong reported in the news yesterday (The movie "Contagion" comes to mind" when pandemic hits). The earth is shaken literally and metaphorically in these last days. Things will never be the same. We will see worse things in 2012. The year 2011 is the most turbulent yet in recent decades in terms of natural disasters, governments fell in Europe and Middle East and North Africa, financial crises, global-warming-induced disasters and hyper inflation.

The only way to avoid the coming judgment on earth is by way of righteousness. The prophet Ezekiel prophesied that when these difficult times come, only Noah and Daniel and Job would escape and no one else. Not their family members. Not their relatives. Not their country-men. Just Noah, Daniel and Job. They are rescued for their righteousness. These 3 great men of God give us an example of how we should live our lives and we need to learn what makes them acceptable to God. Daniel the prophet has said that as knowledge increases in the last days so will evil and human wickedness (Dan 12:4, Theod/LXX).

Sodom and Gomorrah, the twin cities were destroyed by fire and brimstone for their wickedness - homosexual practices, lack of hospitality towards strangers, pride, greed and luxury - cities that commit such acts or condone them will likewise suffer divine punishment. Human pride exalts itself and blasphemes against God and His laws. Human philosophy and so-called human rights in upholding same-sex marriages contravene divine laws. Human beings may build a new tower of Babel in their folly but God laughs in heaven and human hubris will be judged for God will not be mocked.

Pew Forum on Global Christianity 2010

2011-12-22T19:07:00.002+08:00

For those who are interested, here is the link to a recent report by the Pew Forum on Global Christianity. The Asia-Pacific region is said to have just over 13% of world's total Christian population of more than 2.1 billion people who consider themselves Christians.

Morning Devotions & Seeing the Face of God

2011-12-20T12:32:00.000+08:00

There is nothing more important in a Christian life than having morning devotions. Early in the morning You shall hear my voice, O Lord. I can testify that my life's success and fruitfulness (no matter whether the world deems it a success or not is no issue with me) is dependent first and foremost on my morning devotions unto the Lord. From them, I derive spiritual nourishment, strength, guidance, wisdom and courage to live out day by day my Christian testimony in this ever changing and challenging world.

One thing unchangeable is God's faithfulness, for Jesus Christ is the same today yesterday and forever. If you draw nigh to Him, He will draw nigh unto you.

For the past week, I have been enjoying delightful morning communion with the Lord. The Psalms are heaven-sent, as if in them the voice of the Lord speaks so ever clearly. I read Psalms 37 and I learned that one must not fret when evil reigns but that one should wait patiently for the Lord. For though the wicked spreads out like a tree and seems overwhelming, soon you will seek him and he is no more. I learned from Psalm 17, a psalm I read last Sunday morning that one's greatest desire is to see the face of God, when I awake I will see Your face, O Lord. What a beatific vision, the cry of all mankind is to behold God's righteousness in His splendour.

When I worshipped at church, I felt like prophesying and shouting out, "The way is open for you to enter into His presence." I saw the Lord descending and ascending on angels from heaven to earth and from earth to heaven and to bring with Him into the heavenlies those who have eyes to see and faith to perceive the beauty of the Lord. The Lord waits for His children to come to Him with open outstretched arms for every thing is done for us in Christ who has paid the price of our sins and now by His grace we have peace with God. Yes, peace with God. Not fearful or doubtful but with an open face and uplifted heart, we look up to worship the Father of love.

Then yesterday I read Psalm 112:1-2 of how blessed is the one who takes delight greatly in God's commandments. I remember speaking clearly at the End-time Seminar 10 days ago that if I know any God's commandment and understood it clearly, no matter how unpopular or how costly it is to stand on the Word of God, my conscience is bound and I can't do otherwise. God's promise is that when we delight in His commandments, our seed shall be mighty on earth and the generation of the upright shall be blessed (Ps 112:2).

This morning I read the prophets after one week of feasting on the Psalms. I read how Ephraim makes many altars (Hosea) and commit great apostasy while trying to worship Yhwh at the same time. It is futile to come to God if our hearts are full of idols. Some make altars of traditions and cultural practices that are pagan and demonic and some make altars of hedonism and narcissism. Whatever feels right is a god to them. Some making a show of religion but denying the power thereof. Have nothing to do with them, says the Lord.

Ready 4 Revelation

2011-12-19T09:57:00.000+08:00

In just over 2 weeks, I shall be teaching the book of Revelation as an evening elective for MDiv/BD as well as CDCM students (Centre for the Development of Christian Ministry). In the beginning, we were a bit hesitant even to offer such a thing as a night course over 14 weeks.

We thought that it would be difficult to get students enrol in a night course taught over 14 weeks, 3 hours each week. First, we aim for 10 students. Then, we thought since it is on the book of Revelation, we may get a few more students, so we set our target at between 20-30 students. The good news is that at the last count we have far exceeded our expectations and I believe in the Lord that we will have a very good group of students for the first ever night course over a Semester at the present TTC campus.

I am ready for Revelation as I could ever be. It is almost 10 years ago that I completed my postgrad study on Revelation and more than 6 years ago since I published my revised thesis. After teaching in an intensive 30-hour course in 2007 and conducting several End-time seminars in East and West Malaysia over the years and recently in Singapore I can't wait to start this new journey with my students in unraveling the mystery of the revelation of Jesus Christ.

The Number of the Beast: Counting the Options

2011-12-12T11:20:00.001+08:00

Revelation 13:18 This calls for wisdom: let him who has understanding reckon the number of the beast, for it is a human number, its number is six hundred and sixty-six.

TTC's Chen Su Lan Professor of New Testament, Dr Tan Kim Huat has written an excellent paper on "The Number of the Beast: Counting the Options" in the recently published Trinity Theological Journal Vol. 19 (2011), 1-38.

It is one of the most comprehensive expositions on Rev 13:18 that I have come across. I have no hesitation in recommending all serious students of Revelation to purchase a copy of the TTJ. It is available at the Reception, Level 2. Professor Tan's article (with his kind permission) is one of the required readings for the elective on the book of Revelation commencing 5th January 2012.

Living in the End-Times (Seminar)

2011-12-09T13:41:00.001+08:00

I shall be conducting an End-Time seminar at St Hilda's Anglican Church, Ceylon Road tonight and whole day Saturday. See the St. Hilda's announcement here.

"You don't even know what tomorrow will bring" (James 4:14)

2011-12-03T21:19:00.001+08:00

"If you do not even know what tomorrow will bring - what your life will be!" (James 4:14 HSCB), much less can we know what 18 years in the future will bring. I have come to see human mortality for what it is - we are mortal and soon we will meet our Maker. Reading Steve Jobs' biography a couple of months ago brought it home for me.

This side of eternity is not home, our dwelling place is not here on this earth but one day everything will be renewed - new heavens and new earth (Rev 21:1-2) when mortality will put on immortality.
Steve Jobs was driven to do something significant with his life, especially in the last 5 or 6 years of his life. He did not settle for mediocrity or settle for less. If we Christians who claim to know the truth and the Word of God is with us, how can we stay complacent and contented as if our lives go on forever?

If we are mortals - Ezekiel is called "the son of man" as was Jesus, a description of humanity's humanness and mortality, then what are we to do when breath is still found in our nostrils? One year ticks by quickly. A decade is like yesterday. 30 years ago is still fresh in our memory. But it remains just memory. Time passes without return. We are older as the seconds tick by. The tent of our body wears out a bit more every week, every month. We are indeed clay and soon we will return to dust.

With no knowledge of the future assured to us, there are some practical steps in our daily lives. Not that we do not plan for the future, but our plans must be tentative. We commit all our plans into the hands of the Almighty God. As for me - I have learned not to commit myself beyond 6 or 7 months.

As such, I live day by day trusting the Lord even as our Lord has taught - "Therefore, don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matt 6:34).

Are We Totally Dependent on God?

2011-12-02T19:47:00.001+08:00

I have entered my 18th year in full-time ministry yesterday. May the Lord grant me another 18 years of service in His kingdom. I am not thinking of retirement just yet. At 65 years old, Moses had not started the deliverance of God's people in Egypt; he was still tending sheep in the wilderness of Midian. It's not for another 15 years before he saw the burning bush that launched his career 2.0. Moses' 40 years in waiting in the wilderness served God's purpose in perfecting whatever faults Moses might have had in his younger days.
Moses lost all his self-confidence when God confronted him in the burning bush - a sign that Moses' character transformation is complete. If we are self-reliant or self-confident in a way that dims the glory of God in our lives, we could be in for a wilderness period like Moses.

Often there are simply too many outward things that cause us to think we are ready or qualified for ministry. Some go for higher degrees in theology. It is good if the aim is to discover truth but many have lost their way in their search of something novel or original and fall into heresies or spend many wasteful years on things insignificant. Knowledge puffs up but love edifies. But often when we don't look to God and God alone for the success of our ministry, then we are not glorifying God because we are still not totally dependent on God and our adequacy is not from Him alone. What makes us competent ministers of the new covenant? Is it not the anointing of the Holy Spirit which comes from God, the Spirit that gives life and whenever things or people are enlivened by the Spirit through our ministrations, the Son of God is glorified in the Father and the Father in the Son.

Preacher's Power to Preach - 3Ps

2011-11-28T13:21:00.001+08:00

I have been following the new publications about Dr John Sung avidly in recent months. There is this interesting article reported in the Christian Post on Sung's secret in successful preaching (see here). Even if one is gifted in preaching, there are three non-negotiable qualities in a preacher for powerful and effective preaching.

First, personal holiness. Dr. Sung spoke about his constant repentance. I used to say, "I repent everyday:" When I read God's Word, I let it critique my life and allow the light of God's Word to shine into the dark recesses of my heart and soul. If there is any sin, secret sin or sin consciously done, I confess to the Lord in contrition. He does not despise the prayer of His afflicted ones.

Second, personal prayers. The more I pray the more power and unction from on high. This principle is usually true though one must not press this too far because there are places in the Bible that show that God's servants can do mighty deeds while leading immoral or non-prayerful lives. The example of Samson comes to mind as well as the Matt 7:21ff passage where there will come one day those who can prophesy, cast out demons in Jesus; names, do all kinds of miracles but yet Jesus will tell them, "I never knew you." Quite frightening really for the truly-called preachers who like apostle Paul cautioned that one should keep his bodily desires in check lest after he has preached to others he himself is cast away. The Preacher must walk the talk and live according to what He preaches.

Third, personal study. I still find it incredible that all too often sermons are preached with little attention to detail, exegesis and application of the text in question. Preachers who tend to simply talk and go on and on telling stories or personal testimonies betray this one lack - personal study and appropriation of Scripture. Ezra set his heart to do research or search out the law of God, obey it and then teach it in Israel (Ez 7:10).

If we preachers hold on to these 3 qualities of personal holiness, personal prayer and personal study, our preaching prowess will certainly increase.

Serving the Family & Loving Jesus

2011-11-27T14:27:00.001+08:00

There are many hard texts about Family and Discipleship in the synoptic Gospels. In fact, John's Gospel has the unique passage that even Jesus' own brothers did not believe in Him (John 7). For more than a quarter of a century, I have tried to navigate the tension between pleasing my family and heeding Christ's call to follow Him. Sometimes I got the balance wrong. I go from one extreme to the other.

As I sensed the call to full-time ministry when I was 18 years old, my relationship with my parents and my siblings suffered for the next 15 years. It was only after I entered into ministry for several years that familial relations were restored. I guess my parents and my brothers realized that they had no choice but to accept that one of their own had become a pastor. To make matters worse in the beginning I chose to serve in a church that could hardly pay their full-time workers a decent salary. I know this first hand because I later became its Treasurer-General. But God makes everything beautiful in its time. Now my relationships with my parents and my brothers are as good as it could be, only that they remain non-Christians. Nevertheless, my own immediate family got the taste of one's husband and one's father pursuing its calling and the costs that it entailed. It is the price that one pays to follow Christ. It is not as if we abandon our families or neglect them as the world outside may think or judge it, but following Christ comes with its costs: Count the cost whether he can finish the building for if not he will be put to shame having started but not able to complete what he has begun, Likewise, unless you are prepared to give up everything you are not worthy to be my disciples (Luke 14).

Even so, in the past 10 days I have done nothing except to serve my family. The very next day after reaching home, I visited my 93-year grandmother. Then I took my mother for dim-sum breakfast. Then I took my son for shopping, renewing his passport, buying his return tickets to NZ, booking transit hotel and many other things beside which any earthly father will do for his son - If you earthly fathers are evil but give good things to your children when they ask, how much more your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask of Him.

Serving your family does not mean we neglect the one needful thing - to be with Jesus and sit at His feet listening to his words. I spent 3 hours doing just that this morning before I went to a 10 am service and tasted the goodness of the Lord. Twice on consecutive Sundays I wept for joy tinged with sadness during worship, asking myself this question - How come not many feel His presence near? It is as if worship is going through the motion for some - for they honour Me with their lips but their hearts are far from Me, saith the Lord.

The Signs of an Apostle

2011-11-26T09:48:00.001+08:00

C.K. Barrett's Signs of an Apostle Cato Lecture1969 in Australia remains one of my favourite books on apostles and apostolic ministry. It is one of those treasured old books I have on my book shelves in Sabah and it remains just as new in terms of insights and vivid writing on this most important topic. Almost all books on apostles start with the concept that a man's agent is as it were himself. An apostle of Christ is one who is personally sent by Him and in personal contact with Him. The sending is for a purpose or mission and usually it is the proclamation of a message. As Christ's personal representative, the apostle's authority is not so much of himself but his Sender's whom the apostle represents. Anyone who welcomes you welcomes Me and anyone who welcomes Me welcomes the One who Sent Me. Uniquely, an apostle of Christ shares not only Christ's authority but also shares in the sufferings of Christ. It is in such a vein that the apostle Paul could say, "God has appointed in the church, first apostles" (1 Cor 12:28) on one hand but on the other hand, "I think God has set us apostles as last in the show" (1 Cor 4:9). Since Jesus Christ in the days of his flesh was poor, His apostles of old and of today likewise share in the poverty of the Lord.

Register 4 Revelation Online

2011-11-17T10:40:00.001+08:00

You can now register on-line for my Revelation course starting January 5th 2012 :

http://www.ttc.edu.sg/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=209&Itemid=194

"The Son of Man Must be Lifted Up" (John 12:20-34)

2011-11-16T11:23:00.001+08:00

Here is the sermon I preached last Sunday. Only the testimonies are not included. Often I am told that the stories are the best parts of the sermon - you be the judge. Indeed, though our outward bodies are perishing, our inward man is renewed day by day - we die daily so that the life of Jesus is manifested in us.

Celebrating the End & End-Time Seminars

2011-11-11T13:02:00.001+08:00

It's 1.11 pm on the 11.11.11. It's my lunch break. We just celebrated our Closing Communion Service. At 11am I released the Greek 1 results to my students and a flurry of emails followed. One student is going to Yale University for exchange and I thought I should release the graded scripts early. A few are thinking whether they want to continue Greek 2 next Semester and knowing their grades earlier will help them along the process. As for me, it is time for celebration.

Celebrating the end of the Semester, my 7th Semester. My 3.5 years is up and the Principal preached about end-time this morning from Matt 25:1-13 passage. The number 7 is a perfect number. The number 7 is the end of a series, 8th begins a new series, even as the 8th day begins a new week. For me, next Semester will be a new beginning of sorts. I am teaching about End-time over 13 weeks on the book of Revelation. It will be the first time I am teaching Revelation for a full Semester after completing my doctoral study on Revelation 10 years ago. And for the first time, I will conducting End-time Seminars in Singapore beginning this December and later in West Malaysia. Although I have done so twice before in KL (early this year) and in JB (early 2010) but for the first time I will not be asking the churches to wait for 1 or 2 years before accepting their invitations: "For the time is fulfilled. The kingdom of God has drawn near". There are violent earthquakes across the globes, even in those places that rarely suffer from earthquakes. Perhaps we are nearing the signs of birth-pangs as never before. Famines, plagues and wars in various places. But the end is not yet. Just as Noah took decades to build the ark before the Flood came, it will take time for the Lord to warn the world of the impending judgement through his prophets before the End shall come.

1,200th blogpost: "Walk while you have the Light" (John 12:35)

2011-11-08T21:00:00.001+08:00

This is my 1,200th blogpost. In a week's time, I would have been blogging for 5 years and 6 months. It's time for celebration and rejoicing. With much thanksgiving unto the Lord. What matters most in blogging is that there are still faithful readers out there who read and comment. Any blogger will tell you that one is encouraged when readers show appreciation of what one writes. This morning I was surprised by an email from a friend in Melbourne who has followed this blog for several years now. Thank you!

John 12:35 Jesus said to them, "The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, lest the darkness overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."

The theme of light is one of the most important motifs in the Gospel of John. It's right there in the prologue, and in chapters 3, 5, 8, 9, 11 and 12.

I thank the Lord that indeed I see a fulfilment of what the Lord has spoken in my own ministry. "Walk while there is still light." The Lord has opened many doors of ministry for me in the past couple of years. But this light of opportunity may not last forever. In another place, Jesus says, John 9:4-5, We must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

The night is coming and no one can work. The night is the hour of darkness, and darkness is a metaphor for evil. When night comes means when evil reigns or when evil rears its ugly head it will be more and more difficult to serve the Lord. Jesus served God for three short years and his mission was completed.
After a couple of weeks of melancholy, deep reflection and gloom, I have seen the light. I feel at peace and joyful in my heart. Yes, Lord I am serving You where You are for You say, "where I am, there my servant shall be" (John 12:26) and that will be the topic of my sermon this Sunday.

Joy of Serving the Lord & the Leadership Challenge

2011-11-07T10:35:00.000+08:00

I must have written several posts of a similar title, "Joy of serving the Lord." Last night I experienced such joy in overflowing measure. I gave a lecture to some 15 Filipino students on the NT canon: A brief history of the canonization process of the NT" at an Extension Class of the International Baptist Church. This is the first time in 3 and a half years that I ministered at a Baptist church in Singapore and hopefully the Lord will open doors of ministry among Baptists since I am a Baptist at heart (I wrote a post to the effect several years ago). Despite changing class-room at the last minute, I managed to give a lecture lasting 1 hour 5 minutes and another 15 mins of Q & A at the end of the session. I found my Filipino hosts (the pastor and wife) and the students very friendly and appreciative of the lecture and we continued our fellowship over dinner at a restaurant nearby.

It was indeed joyful in serving the Lord. Reading this post "Joy of Serving the Lord" written more than 5 years ago reminded me of the challenges I faced in my former ministry of pastor and senior leader of the Kota Kinabalu SIB District with more than 22 churches under my oversight. Now, I do not have the burden of leadership. My main ministry is to deliver my courses at College, supervise a few students and preach whenever and wherever I am invited to go. Not that I miss the leadership responsibility, but I have learned that things get done or got moving due to good leadership. In every area of ministry, in every church, in every organization we need good and effective leaders manning the positions of responsibility.

I lectured on Leadership this past Semester and we covered the whole book of Nehemiah. What makes Nehemiah such a great leader? He had vision and burden to see to the well-being of God's people. He was effective in mobilising almost everyone in Jerusalem to participate in the building of the wall. For that he had to appoint the right people taking charge of different responsibilities until the wall was done. Nehemiah had to overcome much opposition, external and internal. Nehemiah had to confront his own nobles and Jewish leaders when they were wrong and hindered the building of the wall. Any weakness on the part of Nehemiah's leadership would mean the walls remained uncompleted and mission unaccomplished. But Nehemiah showed great leadership and if there is any book or any person who exemplifies this saying, "Everything rises and falls with leadership" it is the book of Nehemiah and Nehemiah, the leader. We certainly need more Nehemiahs in our midst today.

Revelation Updates

2011-11-05T10:35:00.002+08:00

I have received several queries from churches in recent days and I thought it would be good for me to highlight that the information on the course has been updated at the TTC website (see here). I thank my colleagues and admin staff at TTC, especially Dr Daniel Koh, Director of CDCM (Centre for the Development of Christian Ministry) for making sure everything is in order. I look forward to teaching the course on the 5th January 2012, first Thursday of the year, exactly 2 months from now. "Come, See and Enrol".

Updates: If you want to order my book on amazon.com, see here.

Europe (Euro) without Greece

2011-11-02T20:38:00.002+08:00

Euro without Greece? Unthinkable. Greece is the cradle of European civilization. The Gospel reached Europe via Greece with the Macedonian vision (Acts 16). Greece gave the world democracy and the Olympics. Western (European) civilization is unrecognisable without the contribution of Hellenistic language, literature and culture. The whole of the New Testament with a total of 27 books was written in Greek.

Although Greece has long ceded its glory days to the three big powers of modern Europe, it is simply unthinkable that Europe can pursue its dream of union or federalization without Greek participation. President Sarkozy might be correct to say that Greece's finances were not in the pink of health when it took on the euro more than a decade ago but Sarkozy disregarded the historic significance of Greece in European history by criticizing Greece openly. France is not without her own problems. UK is not part of euro as Cameron has a tough time in convincing his conservative MPs that UK's place is still within European Union. Only Germany remains the powerhouse within the union. Before euro took off in 1999, many economists already questioned whether monetary union was sustainable without fiscal union. It is just about not the currency and interest rates, but taxation and other fiscal policies must be uniform to make the euro project sustainable in the long term. If fiscal union takes place, it will be a step closer to the formation of a Federation of European States. Political union at the end of the day is inevitable if you take the vision all the way. If fiscal and political union takes place we will have like the USA, a United States of Europe with an executive President. European Union economy amounts to $US17 trillion p.a. three trillion more than America's GDP. A united Europe will be the next superpower overshadowing USA perhaps in 20 or 30 years' time. What we are seeing now is the birthpangs of a future united Europe. The Euro and the European Union dream will survive even if some European countries are cast by the way side in the process.

Books and Readers in the Early Church

2011-11-02T13:59:00.000+08:00

This is one book that all New Testament students and budding NT scholars must read. I first read it when I was in Dunedin in 1998. Since then I have read again and now reading it for the third time (I think only Calvin's Institutes and Augustine's Confessions are books that I have read three times or more).

Harry Y. Gamble has also written an excellent introduction on NT canonization, The New Testament Canon: Its Making and Meaning (Fortress, 1985).

Books and Preaching come in 4s

2011-10-31T21:21:00.001+08:00

I am not talking about iPhone 4s. I am talking about when I get to buy books, they come in 4s. I just bought four books for reading a couple of days ago. A couple of months ago I bought 4 books at Borders before it closed down. After finishing Steve Jobs' biography, I came across four more books in Plaza Singapore for $8 dollars each. I have started reading all four over the weekend. The fourth book I read this evening was Rob Bell's Love Wins. The first chapter is full of caricatures, half truths and platitudes.

Humanly speaking, some of Bell's arguments seem to make sense but tested in the light of Scripture, they fall into the category of human philosophy so-called and not based on Christ. Bell would probably ask me, "Which Christ?" "Which Jesus", something he asked repeatedly in the first few pages. Bell does not like the idea of "personal relationship with Jesus". Bell said, "personal relationship" is a phrase not found in Bible. I find Bell's assertion shallow. Yes, the words, "personal relationship" are not in the Bible, but these are words used to describe those who know God and Jesus Christ, the very definition and essence of eternal life (John 17:3). When you really know someone, you are in a personal relationship with that person. Let me read the whole book first and God willing, I will give a more comprehensive review.

Preaching assignments also come in fours. I have finished a series of four seminars from mid-Sept to mid-October and I have been preaching in the past two weeks with two more weeks to go. This Sunday I will lecture on "The Canonization of the New Testament" in a Baptist Church for the first time in their extension study programme. And the fourth and final week I will be back at Covenant Presbyterian. I thank the senior pastor who is on sabbatical (returning next week) and asked me to mentor the pastoral staff in their preaching. I wish I had more time for this. I thank the elders and deacons who have shown and extended their friendship and fellowship to me. And I have been asked to speak for several more Sundays in 2012 but I had to turn down some sessions to focus on my Revelation course.

I had this unusual experience in KL recently. I went into a church and the PIC (pastor-in-charge) was speaking. Before that, one lay leader has spent about 15 minutes giving a long list of advertisements. When the pastor came up to preach, I could not wait to hear the Word of God. But he gave more announcements before getting started in his sermon. I was totally switched off. I regret to say that much of preaching does not excite me at all. Whenever I feel I should rest and listen to others preach, more often than not, I come away disappointed. Don't get me wrong. I am not being critical or wanting to be judgemental. I don't preach great every time. It's the grace of God and His anointing that makes the difference. The fact of the matter is a lot of preaching in churches today does not measure up. So I thought to myself I might as well preach and be a blessing to God's people. Since it is my calling and God's gift, I can't help but use it to the maximum despite wearying myself out in the process.

"Sweet & Sharp": Preaching from John's Gospel

2011-10-30T22:43:00.000+08:00

I want to thank the Lord for granting me strength to preach twice this morning. It's not of me or by me but solely by the grace of God. Only God knows what I have gone through in the past three days. Last night I hardly slept. My mind was assailed by self-doubt and self-accusation. "I spoke and I was afflicted." Times are evil and the prudent keeps silence. I was in turmoil throughout the night. All night I wrestled with the Lord, How can I preach your Word when my own heart is in turmoil and my life is turned upside down?

Even when I got up at 6:15am, my mind had no rest...until I went to the sanctuary and saw the end of the wicked. As I worshipped with God's people, my mind was put at ease. I sensed God's presence strong. Then the Lord spoke in my spirit...Just as the voice of the Lord ended in my heart, the song leader started to prophesy and the Lord said the same thing in almost the exact words through him. I bow to You, O Lord because You have not left your servant in darkness but allow me to see the light for in Your light we see light. By the time I went up the pulpit I was back to my normal self - the preacher's persona took over - I was a new man because God had consoled me and He had spoken. How can we speak in the name of God when we have not heard Him speak to our souls first? Even as Jesus said, "The words I speak are not from me but from the Father who sent Me".

I shared four things from John 11 with the sermon titled, "Believe and you will see the glory of the Lord."

First, why Jesus allows sickness for those whom He loves (Lazarus whom You love is ill). I shared from John 5 and John 9 and said that not everyone will be healed by the Lord. Neither is sickness necessarily caused by our sin or the sins of our parents but it is for the glory of God that the Son of God might be glorified by the means of it.

Second, Jesus waited two days before he set out to Judea. My times are in Your hands, O Lord. Jesus is never too late nor too early. He never reacts in haste. I talked about how human beings are prone to react to things either in haste on one hand but on the other hand could be too slow to respond to God's call - "Do not say there are yet four months before harvest. Lift up your eyes and see..."

Third, I spoke about the "the twelve hours in the day" to serve God while we still see light in the day for when night comes no one can work. Jesus is the light of the world. If Jesus dwells in us, we have the light in us and we will not stumble. This is our inner intuition, a light within us that guides us in the paths of the Lord.

Fourth, I shared about how Jesus led Martha and Mary to a greater understanding of Himself. Death will not have the final say. Jesus has power over death. He called Lazarus out from the tomb, from darkness to see the light of day as the Light of the world who is the Light of men has shone in darkness, overcomes it and commands life out of death.

If you are able, please log on to the Covenant Presbyterian's website for the 9am service's sermon. I think my sermon will be uploaded in the next few days. May you be blessed as you listen and come to know Jesus in a real way. No situation is too hopeless for the Lord. No sin is too dark for the Lord to shine His light in us. Death will never overpower us for He is the resurrection and the life. If you believe, you will see the glory of the Lord.

Teaching the Gospels & Acts

2011-10-27T13:48:00.000+08:00

Today I have completed my task of teaching the four Gospel and Acts over the course of 14 weeks. I have 30 students in my class and this new cohort is a group of students that I truly appreciate. We had much fun (I hope for most) during the Semester. Who says theological education is boring, dry or purely academic?

There were many questions asked today. We discussed further the salvific process in Acts - "Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). We discussed whether infant baptism was biblical and why churches practised infant baptism. I can't avoid tough questions especially when students asked and these questions are relevant in the context of the passage or NT book that we are studying. I gave them a handout from Didache which tells of how the church conducted water baptism in the early 2nd century.

Finally, we talked about the nature of the church (ecclesiology) where I first explained the word, ekklesia from the Hebrew OT and LXX (OG). The church is the people and never a building or organization. It is living because members of the church are living human beings. The word, "assembly" may be a better word than church since the latter has filtered through to us over a period of 2,000 years with many layered meanings. Many Christians now say, "Go to church" which is an anomaly because we can't go to church because we are the church! We can go to worship God or participate in an assembly of the saints. Thus, building is irrelevant whether a church exists or not. The early church met in homes or what we called "house churches". There could be 15 or 150 people gathered in a house and that would be church, ekklesia. Further, in the NT over 80% where the word, "church" is used, it is referring to the local congregation or the church in a particular place or location and only less than 20% refers to the universal church in the world.

We also discussed how we do "church" now and examined Acts 2:42 in detail. What is meant by "apostles' teaching", etc? Why is "the prayers" in the plural as one student noted that the NIV translated it in the singular? We even had time to discuss how long pastors/preachers should preach and whether the gift of preaching is necessary for a person who feels called to be a pastor. At the end of the class, I was given a round of applause (I don't get that often) but I felt it was quite a genuine show of appreciation (and affection, I think) and all glory be to God for giving me this privilege to teach the Gospels and Acts to a wonderful group of students this year.

Deadly Sports

2011-10-24T21:05:00.001+08:00

I missed the World Cup Rugby Final match yesterday which New Zealand's All Blacks won by the narrowest of margins (8-7). I was too tired after returning home from preaching twice at an Anglican church near Lavender. When All Blacks won the first World Cup in 1987 I was in Christchurch working as a Law Tutor and finishing my professional exams for admission to the Bar. The 1987 Rugby World Cup was a non-event (I don't remember much of it though I have been a huge fan of the All Blacks since 1983), everyone sort of expected New Zealand to win and there was hardly any fanfare then as compared to yesterday's nerve-wrecking Final for the ABs and 4.5 million Kiwis.

Even though Rugby is a contact sport where men tackle one another full-on and there are few broken bones and much blood gushing out when noses are broken, ears torn, eyes cut and foreheads gashed with knocks here and there. But rugby is nothing compared to some deadly sports like motor-racing. An Indy Car driver died last week and yesterday at Malaysian MotoGP, another driver was killed. As much as I am a sports fan, I think sports bodies and governments must consider banning sports that are life-threatening. Sports like boxing have claimed lives and disabled many able-bodied boxers. Fast cars kill on the roads, yet on the race-track cars speed up to 300 kph and motor cycles go for more than 250 kph. Speed kills and it has claimed two lives within a week. But I don't think there is a chance that anything will be done to ban these deadly sports. We are enamoured by some of these blood-lust sports, very much like gladiators fighting for their lives in a Roman Colosseum in the first 4 or 5 hundred years AD. Augustine in his Confessions chastised his friend for watching these bloody sports where spectators were often caught in the frenzy of the mob, braying for blood and clamouring for death of the defeated. Perhaps modern sports that kill, like fast cars and bikes and boxing cannot be likened to those gladiatorial battles in the past, but a life is still a life. Sports should promote healthy living, not injure or maim, let alone take life. A single life lost unnecessarily or foolishly in the name of sports is not worth all the excitement and entertainment dollar that it spins.

"Salvation is from the Jews" (John 4:22)

2011-10-22T11:18:00.002+08:00

In one of the most enigmatic sayings in John's Gospel, Jesus told the Samaritan woman that salvation is from the Jews (John 4:22). This verse is debated among scholars whether Jesus is being affirmative of the place of the Jews in salvation history or whether Jesus is being ironic, in fact countering and reversing the idea that salvation could be from the Jews, seeing that most of the Jews rejected Jesus and his message.

The Gospel of John has 71 references to "the Jews" and most times it is used negatively by John to denote Jesus' opponents. Yet, we must exercise caution to conclude that John must have used the term, "Jews" to mean something negative every time the term is used. I will argue that John is careful in his use of terminology throughout his Gospel. The Jews are not entirely seen in a pejorative manner. First, in the prologue, it is said that "[Jesus] came to his own [the Jews] but his own did not receive him" (1:11). Then, at the end of chapter 1 where a total of 7 Christological titles are enunciated by John in Jesus' call of his first disciples, Nathanael confessed Jesus as "the Son of God, the king of Israel." (1:49). In Johannine understanding, Jesus is the rightly king of Israel whether the Jews acknowledged him or not. At the end of Jesus' life, a sign was written and nailed to Jesus' cross - "Jesus of Nazareth, The King of the Jews" (19:19) in three languages. Jesus might have died a criminal but the irony of it is that he was truly the King of the Jews. From the prologue to the end of John's Gospel, John has held out the hope that the Jews would eventually believe in Jesus as the Messiah (cf. 20:31), if not in Jesus' lifetime but perhaps prophetically, John puts forth the eschatological hope that one day the Jews will turn to Jesus as Messiah and the rightful King.

Admittedly, all the above may not solve the conundrum of John 4:22. It's best to look at the immediate context within which the term, "Jews" is used. Jesus was conversing with a Samaritan woman about "true worship." In reply to the Samaritan woman's assertion that they (the Samaritans) worship on this mountain (Gerizim) but you Jews worship in Jerusalem, Jesus answered that the Samaritans do not know who/what they worship, but we, "the Jews" know who/what we worship because (hoti) salvation is from the Jews. Jesus' affirmation of the truthfulness or validity of the Jewish form of worship is predicated upon the election of the Jews as God's chosen people and all that it entails. God reveals Himself to his own (1:11) in the past and in the present and through his chosen people the Jews, God reveals Himself to the world. The Law was given through Moses and grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (1:17). Jesus is not rejecting Moses or the Law as it was through the Law of Moses that worship was instituted in Israel. But the Law points to Jesus (cf. Moses wrote of me, John 5:46) or in Paul's language what the Law could not do for it was weakened by the flesh and had no power to inspire obedience, it is now accomplished in Christ (Rom 8:3-4). Hence, the Johnanine emphasis on grace (very much like Paul), that through Jesus Christ, grace and truth came into being. And it is from the fullness of Jesus Christ, his followers receive grace on top of grace (John 1:16).

Thus, I submit that "salvation is from the Jews" is to be understood as affirming the role of the Jews as God's elect and its continuity with salvation history. Nonetheless, Jesus goes on to say that, "But (alla) the hour is coming and now is, when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth (4:23). The strong adversative conjunction, alla contrasts what has gone on before - "Jews know who/what they worship that is centred in Jerusalem" with eschatological worship, not understood solely as taking place in the future but is now. Jesus, the Giver of the Spirit (4:10, 14) through whom worship will be offered to the Father, now brings worshippers into the presence of the Father even as Jesus, the Son of Man is the ladder upon which angels of God ascends and descends to opened heaven (1:51). Hence, from now in the presence of Jesus, worship is no longer confined to place nor restricted by ethnicity. It is universalized by Jesus who is the Saviour of the world, represented by the Samaritans as first fruits, a bride taken from the Gentiles. Yes, salvation is of or from the Jews because Jesus was and still is the Jewish Messiah, but now in Jesus the Jew salvation is no longer confined to the Jews since Jesus, the King of Israel is also the Saviour of the World.

Visions, Dreams and Tongues in Acts

2011-10-20T22:11:00.001+08:00

It's by the grace of God that we labour for Jesus' sake. This morning I was awakened at 5:15am and actually wanting to get back to sleep. But by the mercies of our Lord I stayed up and prepared for my NT lectures which were due to start at 8:30am. At first I did not realize why I needed so long just to calm myself, collect my thoughts, prayed and read several passages of Acts afresh before I went into the lecture hall at 8:25am and forthwith gave an 2-hour-and-45 minutes lecture with a short break in between.

Today we learned from the Acts of the Apostles. I started by discussing 7 major issues in modern scholarship including ancient historiography, the question whether the Lukan Paul was consistent with Paul in his letters or whether there were Lukan embellishments. I also talked about how we interpret Acts for today's church, one of the chief issues being whether Acts presents a didactic/prescriptive account or merely descriptive of the early church and therefore no longer normative for today's church.

These issues could take several lectures to address but I took about 20 minutes before going through a survey of Acts from Acts 1 onwards. But I got stuck at Acts 19, however much I tried to avoid certain issues that were bound to come up in the discussion on Acts, namely the issue of the Spirit's baptism and how we perceived tongues or speaking in tongues as "evidence" or just as one of the manifestations of the filling of the Spirit experienced by the first century believers. That discussion took us a good 20 minutes.

And before that we talked about the role of visions in the expansion of the church, especially in the two major thrusts into new territories and new people groups, first a vision to Peter to evangelize Cornelius in Caesarea (Acts 10) and Paul's Macedonian vision to go over to Europe from Asia Minor (Acts 16). I was most reluctant to share my personal experience of visions but in a class where most are training for ministry and Christian leadership in one form or another, I felt compelled to share one of my visions by the grace of God has led me to stay in Sabah in early 1995 despite receiving an award to return to Auckland University to take up a Masters Scholarship. How God opened wide the doors of ministry among the indigenous peoples of Borneo where in three short years I had preached to tens of thousands in 29 Districts of SIB's 34 Districts in the interior of Sabah and witnessed mini-revivals throughout including a couple of instances where believers received the gift of the Holy Spirit for the first time with speaking in tongues.

One Israeli Soldier for 1,000 Palestinians

2011-10-20T07:38:00.001+08:00

I wanted to comment on several current issues in the past week, but have been kept busy in College with only copy and paste blogposts in recent days. When I first heard over the news about 3 days ago that the Israeli soldier captured by HAMAS would be released, I yelled out to my wife. "Well, it is going to be 1 for 100 Palestinian prisoners." Then I added, "Or perhaps 1 Israeli for 200 or 300 Palestinians." As the news began to fully unravel, it began to dawn on me that it would be just one Israeli for more than 1,000 Palestinians with 300 Palestinians freed among those who have committed murder against Israeli citizens or terrorism against the State of Israel. I did not know what to think at that moment.

I have time to reflect on the Mid-East crisis in the last few days. First, the joy of one soul saved and freed even if it meant an exchange of hundreds of other lives. No one would not feel for the soldier, barely our of his teens when he was first caught (now 25). No one would not rejoice with Shalit's family for the release of their son and loved one. Everyone in Israel would certainly feel that it's time to bring him back after 5 years in captivity despite a heavy price. But at what cost? Even in the parable of the lost sheep, we know that Jesus would have left the 99 behind and gone out to find the one lost sheep. It's pertinent that Jesus mentioned 99, not 999 sheep of those who are left behind for that one lost sheep. Second, is justice truly served, especially for the families whose members had been killed by the prisoners now released in the exchange? Third, the principle that we cannot abandon one of our own must be tempered by the fact the soldiers who fight wars are bound to make the ultimate sacrifice and if need be die for their country. Being captured, imprisoned, tortured and killed by the enemy is just part of the risk of war. It's price to be paid when one serves as a soldier of the State. War is a nasty business and there should be no war unless it is the last resort in the defence of one's country.

Israel cannot go soft. I pray for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. But the enemy (Hamas) has sworn for Israel's destruction. There will be future loss of lives and soldiers on both sides will be killed. It's not a good precedent to think that they can get away with 1,000 men for the exchange of one soldier.

Revelation in January 2012

2011-10-19T10:24:00.002+08:00

This excerpt will be forthcoming in our Trumpet's December edition and also in our TTC website soon. I thought I post it here for those who are interested in enrolling for the course and perhaps purchasing the recommended text books. All enquiries are to be directed to those provided below:

The Book of Revelation

Asannounced in Trumpet, August 2011, Dr Tony Siew will be teaching an eveningcourse on the Book of Revelation: End-Time Events from January – April,2012. This course should be of interestto Christians who wondered whether the calamitous events such as earthquakesand tsunamis; economic crises and social unrests in our world today might bepointing to signs or events predicted in the book of Revelation.

Dr TonySiew teaches New Testament at Trinity Theological College (TTC). He will offer the course on theBook of Revelation, looking at it from a historical-critical perspective aswell as focusing on the literary-structural analysis of the book. This is a 3credit-hour course for those who have registered with TTC for the BD., M.Div. or MTSprogramme.

It is alsooffered concurrently as an extended 2-module CDCM course for Christians who maychoose either to audit the course or include the 2 modules as part of therequirement for CDCM’s Certificate/Licentiate in Ministry.

Entry Requirement

As thiscourse will take a more in-depth approach than regular CDCM course, registration is open tothose who have at least an “A” level qualification or its equivalence.

Tentative Course Fees:

BD/MDiv/MTS: S$416.80

CDCM: $160

Assessment:

BD/MDiv/MTS- Final exam plus one essay of 3,500 words (due date, 26th April 2012).

CDCM - One Final exam (90 minutes - 50 questions; short answers)

Books:

ForBD/MDiv/MTS - Mitchell Reddish, Revelation (Helwys & Smyths Commentaries Series; 2001)

CDCM - Ben Witherington, Revelationand the End Times: UnravelingGod’s Message of Hope (Abingdon Press, 2010).

Studentswho can afford to buy both should do so.

There willbe a Course Reader of about 10 to 12 articles. It should be ready by theend of October.

Time and Course Duration

Please takenote that the course will be held from January to April, on Thursday eveningsat Trinity Theological College, 7.30pm to 10.30pm.

For moreinformation please contact Miss Ian Ming at cdcm@ttc.edu.sg.Or check out our website www.ttc.edu.sgfor more information.

12 Factors in Career/Ministry Satisfaction

2011-10-18T15:11:00.000+08:00

I thought I post this for the benefit of my readers about these 12 Crucial Factors in Career Satisfaction. Some of my friends have asked me about online courses in general and online theology in particular. I received a request from Emma Taylor of accreditedonlinecolleges.org to post this in my blog. I am not receiving any financial remuneration for recommending this to my readers and readers will read at their own risk and with discernment. Rarely have I acceded to requests of this kind but I thought these 12 factors are all so true and they apply equally to those in full-time Christian ministry either in the pastorate or teaching in Christian Colleges.

3rd Day of Sukkot: Welcoming the Aliens

2011-10-15T10:18:00.000+08:00

There is this interesting commentary by Jewish commentator about how one should keep the Festival of Booths, not just rejoicing with one's personal family but welcoming and inviting strangers, the poor, the aliens, orphans and widows to participate in the festivities and into one's booth/dwelling. See the essay, "Age and Beauty" by Shlomo Riskin from Jerusalem Post (here).

Eschatological Feast: 2nd Day of Sukkot (16th Tishri)

2011-10-14T09:38:00.001+08:00

It is with joy mixed with frustration that I teach my New Testament class on the Gospels this Semester. Joy, because I feel that I am the most privileged of all people to teach God's holy Words and the Gospel of Jesus Christ and getting paid for it! Frustration, because I only have 2 weeks for each Gospel (and 2 weeks for Acts) and yesterday we looked at part of John 7 dealing with Jesus' teachings at the Feast of Tabernacles and "worship and mission" in John 4. Frustration, because I needed more time to explain the OT contexts of the NT texts.

If I had lectured on the all the four passages dealing with the major Feasts of Israel (Exod 23; Lev 23; Num 29; Deut 16) it would have taken me at least 2 full weeks instead of just 20 minutes which I gave to the topic yesterday. In fact, Deut 31 has another wonderful passage on the Feast of Tabernacles:

Deuteronomy 31:10-13 And Moses commanded them, "At the end of every seven years, at the set time of the year of release, at the feast of booths, when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place which he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 12 Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, 13 and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land which you are going over the Jordan to possess."

My brothers and sisters, as we celebrate this Feast in Christ, let's us spend more time in the study of God's holy laws in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Feast of Tabernacles is not just a Feast in the past or so taught in the Old covenant, but it is an eschatological Feast pointing to the future coming of God's kingdom on earth: Zechariah 14:16 Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.

For some photos on the Feast of Tabernacles, see Todd Bolen's Bible Places blog (here)

Blessed Sukkot: The Feast of Tabernacles

2011-10-13T18:59:00.002+08:00

Today is the 15th day of Tishri, the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles that will last for 8 days (Exod 23; Lev 23; Num 29; Deut 16). I took the opportunity to lecture on John 7 in my New Testament class today:

John 7:37-39 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, "If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, `Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.'"Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."

I spoke about the OT background to the Feast of Tabernacles and Zechariah 14 and Ezekiel 47 as two possible OT sources referred to by Jesus as Scripture in John 7:38.

Updates: see Wayne Stiles's article on Sukkot in Jerusalem Post (here).

Journey of the Johannine Jesus (John 14:2)

2011-10-10T21:01:00.001+08:00

John 14:2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you

We are on our way home. We are on our way home to our Father. Jesus, our elder brother has prepared a place for us for in His Father's house, there are many rooms. The Johannine Jesus is the most domesticated of all the Gospels. The word, "dwell" (meno) is a homely word. Our homes are our dwelling places. Jesus dwells in us and we dwell in Jesus. Jesus is our home; His Father is our home. When we love Him and keep His commandments, Jesus and His Father will come and dwell with us. We don't have to wait until we reach heaven. God dwells with us now through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is another advocate after Jesus our advocate has gone to the Father. "I will not leave you orphans; I will return to you." Jesus returns in the person of the Holy Spirit. In John, Jesus is the giver of the Spirit (John 4; 20). In giving the Spirit, Jesus gives of Himself. In the giving of the Son, the Father gives Himself for the Father dwells in the Son and the Son dwells in the Father. The Father makes His home with us and in us when we abide and dwell in Jesus.

Yet, the present dwelling is not perfected until we journey home to the Father as Jesus did. "I am going to the Father" says Jesus and in his going our journey to the Father has begun. He is leading us back to His Father until such time that together with Jesus we will forever dwell with the Father.

Jesus' journey to the Father is through death. He goes to the Father or ascends to Him by dying or descending to the depths of the earth. Unless the seed dies it will remain alone, but if it dies it will bear fruits and much fruits. Jesus, the seed and Son of God has died for us. We are now born of the seed of God and we are His fruits, sowed in His death and raised in His resurrection.

Do you want to journey to the Father if you know that you will die like Jesus? Our journey with Jesus begins when we die to ourselves, to our agendas and live for the will of God. Like Jesus, our food is to do the will of the Father and finish His work. As we journey we work. When we complete our work our journey will end. But it is only the beginning for at death, we reach home to the Father and to the Son and we will remain in the Father's house forever. While we are still alive on earth, we journey with the assurance that surely goodness and mercy shall follow us and we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 23).

Circling in Circle(-line)

2011-10-09T15:06:00.001+08:00

I thought of visiting a church in the city this morning so I took a bus about 8am hoping to reach there by 9:15am. It was a long bus ride but as usual I have armed myself with a book (my book) and I started reading from ch. 2 (p. 67). But I could not locate the church and after walking in circles I went down the Outram Park MRT to Dhobi Ghaut Circle Line MRT that was opened yesterday. When I reached Dhobi Ghaut I thought of going to another church nearby but decided to try out the new Circle Line. So from Dhobi Ghaut to Farrer Rd Circle Line I rode for another 45 minutes. By the time I alighted at Farrer Road I have reached page 98 (some 31 pages in about 100 minutes).

I am endeavouring to read my book again in preparation for my Revelation course in Jan 2012. I am reading all the footnotes carefully totalling 53,000 words and the main text amounts to 101,000 words. When I reached the Baptist Church near Farrer Rd MRT, the pastor happened to preach on Rev 8-9 on the Seven Trumpets. I was very tempted to give him or lend him my book that focuses on Rev 10-14:5. But I thought otherwise - not wanting to be presumptuous nor being seen as knowing more or worse "know it all". No one has monopoly on God's truth. Those who love God are known by Him and His secret is with them who fear Him (Psa 25:14).

But my time on the Circle-Line and 2 long bus rides calmed my soul after a Saturday which I recovered from my hang-over over a turbulent week. Yesterday's mood was reflective calm - I tried to discern, out of all the activities what God was saying. At the end I concluded apart from teaching my NT and Greek classes, the only other meaningful thing was the sermon by the President of TRAC (Trinity Annual Conference) during the Thanksgiving Service. He spoke about the need to "Lift up your Eyes" (John 4:34). To look away from our immediate surroundings, to look afar (have a global world-view) and most importantly, to look upward and discern what God is doing in the midst of all the events unfolding before us. It was a great message just like at today's church, God spoke through His Word. I discerned that from all the noise and music, choir and clamour, it is God's voice that matters - My sheep hears my voice, they do not listen to the voices of strangers. There are many voices out there but only one voice matters- God's voice - My words are life and spirit - the flesh profits nothing. Alas, how often our speaking or chatting or blogging are of the flesh - no spiritual significance whatsoever.

Like the people of Israel, they circled around Kadesh-Barnea for 38 years, we can go around circles, going nowhere because we do not heed God's voice - His commandments through Moses. When we hear His Word and obey His commandments, our blessings are assured. We have peace. Today, my soul waited patiently for the Lord and He restores my soul and leads me beside still waters. By the time I reached home I have reached pg. 105 of my book, still another 10 pages or so before finishing just one chapter (ch. 2). I may just take the Circle-line again next Sunday, perhaps I can get another chapter read and hear the voice of the Lord speaking to my soul.

High Sabbath: Busy 4 What?

2011-10-08T16:34:00.001+08:00

Today is Yom Kippur, 10th of Tishri, the holiest day in the Hebrew calendar when the High Priest entered into the most holy place in the Temple of Jerusalem once a year carrying with him the blood of a young bull and a ram: Leviticus 16:3 But thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. I am remembering Yom Kippur that has been fulfilled by the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ, The Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29) by changing the background of my blog's template into red, the colour of blood for without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. Even as we drink from the cup of the vine - red symbolizes the blood of Christ that has been shed for the forgiveness of our sins.

As today is High Sabbath, Yom Kippur falling on a Sabbath day (Saturday), I am reflecting on my week that has just ended last night. It's been one of the busiest weeks in the Semester. From Monday I had classes, tutorials, teaching in a Church, dinner with a Professor from Oxford University, attending talks, Thanksgiving service and lunch, Faculty Colloquium and anniversary's dinner.

But are we busy for busyness sake? It's easy and it is tempting for us to want others to see us as being busy and always in the buzz of activity. Some may even thrive on adrenalin all day. Whether we are busy or not is totally immaterial in the light of eternity (Sabbath is a sign of eternity that we will enjoy with God). The question is whether in our activities, we are doing the will of God. Activity or event per se is neutral and there are many activities during a day that every human being on earth will go through and is occupied with. Is our busyness in the service of God or are we walking according to the world, no matter how hard we try to dress up our activities as "Christian" or "holy" activities? More often than not, it is hot air, noise and constant chatter. We are no closer to enlightenment, discernment, and koinonia with God and the things of God.

Often we talk like the world without sincerity and integrity. We are far from the counsel of Paul the apostle and neither can we boast like Paul could when he said, For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God (2 Cor 1:12).

Collection of Essays on Revelation?

2011-10-05T18:22:00.001+08:00

I am thinking about putting all my essays/blogposts on Revelation together and publishing it as a Collection of Essays on Revelation. I must have written at least 50 blogposts on Revelation over 5 years and 5 months since I started blogging. If each blogpost is about 500 words, then the total amount of words will be 25,000, equivalent to a Master of Theology thesis at TTC.

In book form it will come up to be 90 or so pages, just small enough to be readable within 2 or 3 sittings, but big enough to be considered a "book". Revelation speaks much about "book" (biblion). John, the author, is commanded to write what he sees in a book (Rev 1:11). Perhaps it is time for my second book on Revelation. But what will the title be? "Blogging on Revelation: a collection of essays and reflections on John's Apocalypse". What do you think?

What is the New Testament? Why was it Written?

2011-10-02T18:02:00.002+08:00

The NT is a collection of documents which are theological, religious, pastoral, evangelistic and missional in nature.

The NT is firstly a theological document whereby it presents a narrative of the God of Israel as revealed by Jesus of Nazareth in his life, ministry and teaching culminating in his death and resurrection and the early church’s response to Jesus Christ. It is a theological document as it tells of God in Christ revealing Himself to humankind and humankind’s response to God. The NT proclaims that the kingdom of God has broken into the world through Jesus Christ and the consummation of all things and the establishment of the kingdom at Christ’s coming again (second coming) to earth. The NT is a religious document because it promotes the view that belief in and relationship with the God it seeks to proclaim provides the answer to all ultimate questions of life and death on earth, the general resurrection, future rewards, final judgment and eternal life.

The NT corpus is primarily a pastoral document intending to address pastoral issues concerning the life of the local church or the Christian community at large living in this present age while waiting for the dawn of the new age or the kingdom to come. Even the Gospels are not mere biographies of Jesus of Nazareth giving information or facts about the figure, Jesus but they are also pastoral communiqués that seek to provide guidance, counsel, advice and warning to the churches on the basis of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ with Christ’s teachings providing the foundational rule and ground for belief and practice. Thus the authors of the NT corpus write from a pastoral perspective as pastors seeking to guide the church as the flock of God with Jesus Christ as the Chief Shepherd.

The NT is evangelistic because it proclaims the coming of a Saviour into the world through whom the whole world will be saved and judged. It is evangelistic as it teaches that Jesus Christ is the Way to God the Father and the only Name by which all people on earth and under heaven might be saved. The NT is evangelistic because it promotes evangelism as the church’s primary activity as the church seeks to become the channel of God’s salvation to the nations.

The NT is missional as many of its writings state the church’s role as salt of the earth and light of the world, in declaring a God of love by loving its neighbour and doing good works. Mission is not just evangelism but showing the world the love of Christ through practical deeds of charity and compassion especially towards one’s neighbours and the poor.

The Future of Scripture

2011-10-01T18:34:00.001+08:00

I read a most interesting article by Richard Hays, "The Future of Scripture" in Wesleyan Theological Journal 46.1 (2011) 24-38. Prof Hays shared how in his "Introduction to the New Testament" course, he got his students to take a 3x5 card and tape it on their bathroom mirrors, and write, "It's about God, stupid!" This is probably slightly irreverent but it catches the gist of what the New Testament is all about. It's about God! My first lectures on my "Introduction to the New Testament" begin with telling what the NT is by using five main adjectives - The New Testament is a theological, religious, evangelistic, pastoral and missional document. Hays cites Brevard Childs' remark that, "the Bible must deal with the theological reality to which Scripture bears witness." (p. 28). Often if these main characteristics or attributes of the Bible are not given their due significance and prominence, readers can miss the woods for the trees.

I would like to add two things about the "The Future of Scripture" as Hays sees it. First, the need for obedience if we truly wish to engage with Scripture and allow Scripture to mould our lives and shape our thinking in all areas of faith and practice. Ezra, the scribe in the Law of Moses did not only study the Scriptures diligently but he obeyed it and taught it to the people of Israel (Ezra 7:10).

Second, the need for teachers who will interpret the Scripture aright. Living in the last days like in the days of Elijah the prophet, there will be more false prophets and teachers as there are true prophets and teachers. Readers must beware who teaches them. The ratio in Elijah's time was 450:1 (450 false prophets to 1 true prophet) and today's situation is no different. There is a need for discernment. Hays does recognize this as he puts it: "We are taught how to read Scripture by people who exemplify, in holiness and dedication of their lives, the meaning of the scriptural witness." (p. 32). Yes, John Wesley would certainly approve!

Test for Biblical Scholars

2011-09-30T10:45:00.000+08:00

Tishri is the sacred month in the Hebrew calendar. Three, in fact four High Holy days fall within this month. The first, the tenth, fifteenth, and the twenty-second Day. I wonder how many biblical scholars and graduate students of the Bible (OT/NT) can cite all the months in the Jewish calendar. Now try name them one by one. Tishri,...

Rosh Hashana, 1 Tishri 5772

2011-09-29T17:09:00.001+08:00

I want to wish all my Christian readers, Jewish or Gentiles (we are all one in Christ) a blessed Rosh Hashana, Happy New Year, the first day of Tishri, the seventh month in the Jewish Calendar. Today is 1 Tishri 5772. For that I reposting my blogpost on "Rosh Hashana" written on Rosh Hashana 2009. I read this moving story today in the Jerusalem Post about a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust praying on Rosh Hashana 1944, "Prayers on a Paper Sack."

110th Anniversary of John Sung's Birth

2011-09-28T11:07:00.000+08:00

Yesterday I attended the 110th anniversary thanksgiving service in memory of Dr John Sung (1901-1944) who preached in Singapore several times and once at the Teluk Ayer Chinese Methodist Church (see photo). It was something to be remembered though I could not understand half the time as the service was conducted in Mandarin without English translation. But the Lord helped me and I understood about 1/3 of what was going on and it was enough for me to know a little bit more about this great man of God, trained in America (earned PhD) but preached largely in China and South East Asia. The most interesting part of the service was a testimony of an elderly lady of 92 years old who listened to John Sung preached twice when she was 13 and 15 years old.

It was a powerful testimony, full of spirit and conviction. I could sense through her words what impact John Sung must have had on his audiences whenever he preached. Sung was a dramatist like George Whitefield. Sung would preach two hours in each service for three sessions a day! He normally held Bible study classes when he was not preaching his revival messages and the Bible study was another 2 hours' sessions, 3 times a day. A friend commented to me that no wonder Sung died young (a month short of his 43rd birthday). I nodded and thought to myself that I lectured for 9 hours a week with 2 hours of Bible study on a Tuesday night and on occasions preached twice on a Sunday which totals up to about 13 hours of speaking within a week. No wonder my lips are dry and cracked. But I am no John Sung. His example inspires me, no doubt. Nonetheless, I rely on the same Spirit who anointed Sung and the Holy Spirit who will anoint anyone who puts his trust in Jesus and desire to serve Him unreservedly. My eyes are open to those who hearts are fully committed to Me, says the Lord.

Schubert, a colleague of John Sung wrote I Remember John Sung and he shared how Sung would pray for hours for those he had ministered, often carrying in his briefcase names given to him during his revival meetings. I am challenged to do the same as often after the meetings I am concerned to look ahead at my next speaking engagement and pray for that. I need to pray for those I have ministered to and above all my colleagues and students at TTC, my ministry base. Schubert mentioned that Sung had the gift of intercession that very few people have. When I was baptized on 10th May 1982 the pastor who conducted the baptism prophesied over me and said, "You are called to be an intercessor".

What Readers are Reading

2011-09-27T15:43:00.000+08:00

I did not realize that I have written so many blogposts on "Sabbath" until I checked what my readers were reading right at this hour. And on "My Sabbath is Over", my preaching in Singapore started on the 5th October 2008. If I were not mistaken my first sermon was on "The Cure for Anxiety" (Oct 2008), a response to the STI stock market crash from 3,100 to 1,500 pts within weeks.

And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth (Mic 5:4). Indeed preaching is God's grace simpliciter. It's only by God's mercy and power that weak and frail human beings can preach his holy Words to fellow human beings. Let him who boasts boasts in the Lord. Praise and glory be to God.

It's Sabbath

Aug 6, 2011

2 Pageviews

The Great Multitude in Heaven (Rev 7)

Aug 8, 2006, 6 comments

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Primary Role(s) of a Prophet

Jun 16, 2009

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Sabbath-Rest for the Land: 2 Chronicles 36:21

Nov 13, 2007, 2 comments

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From Sabbath to Sabbath

Sep 24, 2011

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Sabbath Rest: Time & Eternity

Aug 22, 2009, 2 comments

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The Cure for Anxiety

Oct 11, 2008, 5 comments

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Creation & Sabbath

Aug 23, 2009, 1 comment

1 Pageview

My Sabbath is Over

Oct 6, 2008, 2 comments

1 Pageview

Working Sabbath

Apr 25, 2009

1 Pageview

From Sabbath to Sabbath

2011-09-24T19:31:00.006+08:00

I thought of naming this blogpost from Sermon to Sermon. It's the story of my week thus far. I thank the Lord for opening doors of ministry beyond my wildest imagination. As I preached twice last Sunday, tomorrow I am preaching once in Woodlands. At TTC, rarely you will find a lecturer idle during the week-ends for too long. We are expected to serve our partner Churches, the mainline denominations of Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian and Lutheran churches. I am privileged and honoured to able to preach in various churches in the last 3 years.

I have finished a series of 5 sermons on John's Gospel at a city Presbyterian church. It has been challenging to say the least. John, known as the apostle of love has many hard things to say. The Johannine Jesus is a lonely and rejected figure. He came to his own and his own received him not (John 1). Even his brothers did not believe in him (John 7). Twice John's Jesus says that he is not alone but the Father is always with me. Jesus seems to encourage himself in God when everything else beside him looks bleak. After the long discourse in John 6, many disciples left Jesus for his teaching was too hard. Alas how many though physically may still be in churches have left and departed from Jesus because they find Jesus' teachings too hard. Jesus even needed to say to his closest disciples, "Are you going to leave me too?"

On Monday I taught my Leadership module based on Nehemiah. What a book. Everything rises and falls on leadership. I know this full well as for many years I have served in senior leadership positions. Leaders are achievers. They make things work and succeed. They lead their organizations to greater heights. They lead their churches to grow numerically as well as in maturity and spirituality. Finances should grow when more members come in. I have seen it all happened. Things succeeded because as leader I made it happened. Or more accurately God made it happened through me. It was Christ in me doing the works so that I could bear much fruits and thereby glorify the Father. But alas leadership is wanting in many churches and Christian institutions today.

On Tuesday I taught 3 hours of Greek. There are many hurdles to overcome in learning Greek. But I can see a majority of students put much effort and many hours in learning it.

On Tuesday night I took a long bus ride to Barker Road Methodist Church. The organizer was surprised that I did not drive. "There is ample carpark at the church", she told me. I am a preacher without wheels. I identify with common people, about 70% of Singaporeans do not own cars but take public transport. I taught on John's Gospel. Although I have countless files/notes/slides on John with me I wrote new notes for BRMC. Every seminar and every church is different. Different churches have different needs. I don't repeat my sermons or seminars. I prayed and asked the Lord for wisdom and planned to speak as I felt the Spirit's leading.

On Wednesday I read my doctoral student's 10 page proposal. It was not just reading or else that would take 15 minutes but correcting and commenting and that took 2 hours before I met with her later in the morning. In the afternoon, I studied my notes on Luke's Gospel for my NT 1 class. Again I don't repeat the notes I taught last year. We had a great time on Thursday and the class was lively. It's one of the best classes I taught in 4 years, almost as good as my first batch of students in 2008. How I missed my first-fruits. Only 2 or 3 stayed in touch but one wrote to me since leaving College. And he is an American student from Yale University who studied one Semester here. God bless his heart.

Thursday is always a busy day. Straight after class, I had a Family Group meeting. We enjoyed wonderful worship with another American student who loves to sing and plays the guitar leading worship. The sharing was uplifting about Prayers, Preparation and Preaching. We prayed for one another's needs. I felt strengthened by it all. I asked for prayers. "Pray that I may have the wisdom to accept or decline speaking invitations". I am determined that I will not be speaking as frequently as I have been in the last 2 years. Straight away I felt the courage to decline to an invitation from one of the biggest Methodist churches.

On Friday I had a more relaxed morning and read the minutes for the Faculty meeting later in the day. It was a long meeting. But since we only have two Faculty meetings in a Semester, there are many things to discuss. As usual I spoke up. I did not feel I contributed much. I felt drained coming out of the meeting. I spoke up because I loved the College and wanted the best for it. But as junior Faculty I know my place. It will be my seniors who will have to take the leadership and the College to greater heights.

On my way back to my office, I opened my mail-box. Three chapters of my MTh student's thesis awaited me. Alas am I going to work on Sabbath? It's my preparation for preaching. Another week has gone by. Praise be the Lord for gainful employment. Lord may the labours of my hands be acceptable to You and may You bless the works of Your hands.

"Zeal for Your House Will Consume Me" (John 2:17)

2011-09-24T12:45:00.000+08:00

The fate of Jesus was sealed when he cast out the traders and money changers from the Temple. Only John records the fact that Jesus said, "Zeal for your house will consume me" (John 2:17). Jesus cared for what went on in God's house. The priestly authorities have turned it into a place of trade and it has become a den of thieves (cf. Luke). This is a condemnation of the house of God where God said He would dwell and put His Name there. The House of God is now the Church (Hebrews 3:6; 1 Cor 3:16-17), made up of those who believe in Him. Yet often times we can turn the house of God into a place of commerce. Witness the recent happenings in some mega-churches where the leaders are more interested in pursuing business and making a profit. A Korean mega-Church is under the spotlight a couple of days ago (reported in Straits Times) where it is alleged that the founding pastor misused the church's money to pay for his son's failed stock investments.

When a church begins to have worldly business concerns, it loses direction and ultimately ceases to become the church of God. The house of God is a place of prayer for all nations and not a place of selling and buying or profit-making. The church is a house of Worship and Word. Note the critical difference in the English words, "Word" and "World". It is only one letter, "L" that separates the two terms and how easy for us to allow the World into the church instead of making sure the church is the place where the Word and not the world has its primacy. We are not of the world as Jesus is not of the world. The world will hate us because we keep Jesus' word (John 17:14): "I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world."

Jesus spoke up and took action because He cared for the purity of the house of the Lord. He made a whip out of cords and drove them out of the Temple, those who defile God's house and abuse its sanctity (John 2:15). He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. It was a decisive act. It was dramatic. It would have caused the traders to scramble and flee. We may ask, "Was it excessive? Wasn't it violent?". But the wicked abominations in the house of God aroused anger in the heart of Jesus and moved him to action.

Often times even now when we cared for the purity of the church and the purity of the truth of God's Word, we will face much opposition and ridicule. When we speak out, we are thought of as out of our minds or enthusiasts or fundamentalists. Even so the prophets of old were thought of as "mad men" and kings and priests of the day despised them. When we cared for the purity of God's Word we are laughed at and ridiculed. We are accused of becoming "evangelicals", "conservatives", "Bible thumping believers" and all sorts of stereotypes and caricatures are thrown at us. But we fear not. We, who are of God hear God's Words but as Jesus says, "you do not hear God's words because you are not of God." (John 8:47).

John Piper: From Professor to Pastor

2011-09-22T16:38:00.000+08:00

Thanks to Unsettled Christianity blog I came across a riveting Christianity Today's article on John Piper on racism and inter-racial harmony. Excellent read. I very much admire John Piper as a preacher and also his stance on many issues. Piper's testimony about how he left his Seminary Professor's job of 6 years to become a Pastor is of great interest to me.
I was a pastor for more than 5 years but now I am a Lecturer in New Testament. But who knows one day I may return to the pastorate as the Lord leads. The following section is taken from the said article:

"From suburban classroom tourban parish

Itook my degree from the University of Munich inthe summer of 1974 and for the next six years taught biblical studies at Bethel College in asuburb of the Twin Cities of Minnesota.They were good years, but God's call to the pastorate became irresistible inlate 1979. One of the impulses was the sense that my classrooms were toodistant from the front lines of seeing the gospel change different kinds ofpeople. The students represented a very small slice of humanity.

Thisis not a criticism. College education is necessarily self-selecting in manyways. Mostly the students will be between eighteen and twenty-two and welleducated. I thank God for teachers who are called to give their lives to thetask. I am deeply thankful for my own college days at a school much like Bethel."

John Sung's Sermons

2011-09-22T08:20:00.001+08:00

I found this treasure troves of Dr John Sung's sermons yesterday and I have read 3 sermons last night. Wow! It's amazing. Indeed, though dead still speaks to us today. When I reflected on Sung's sermons I felt the voice of the Lord speaking and like the bones of Elisha that could give life. A corpse was resurrected when it touched the dead bones of Elisha and I know that if you read these sermons in the right spirit they will do the same to you, reviving dry and dead souls.

The Life of Dr John Sung

2011-09-21T10:34:00.003+08:00

It's perhaps by divine appointment as I waited at the Bus-stop last night and a Chinese student came and chatted with me. We talked about the influence of the evangelist Dr. John Sung (1901-1944) on Singapore. I was told that John Sung visited Singapore 5 times over a period of several years in the late 1930s. In those days travelling was by boat and it could take weeks from China to sail to South East Asia.

When I learned of that my spirits lifted because I thought perhaps I was working a little too hard and feeling a little jaded. From preaching twice on Sunday, then Monday morning's lectures on Leadership, yesterday on Greek in the morning and at night I taught at Barker Road Methodist Church.

The impact of John Sung is still felt today. There are people in their 90s in Singapore today who had heard Sung preached at the Teluk Ayer Methodist Church, the venue of the thanksgiving and dedication service next week at 11am on 27th Sept 2011 in celebration of the 110th anniversary of John Sung's birth. I regret that the Conference is conducted in Chinese without English translation.

Dr John Sung was a brilliant chemist who completed his PhD in less than 2 years in America. After his doctoral study he entered Union Theological Seminary in New York for theological study but his life changed when he was baptized with the Holy Spirit (1927) and started to preach to his fellow students and Professors. For that Sung was thought to be out of his mind and was committed to a mental asylum for 193 days where he read his Bible from from cover to cover 40 times. For Sung, the seminary was a cemetery (his Professor's name, Coffin added to his predicament) and found liberal theology dead and deadening. On his return to China, he gave up his dreams of University's positions and served God by preaching the Gospel in China and South East Asia for a period of 15 years before his death in 1944. Sung preached repentance of sins and living a holy life as proof of repentance. An estimation of the converts John Sung won for Christ numbered in the hundreds of thousands. Lord, may You raise men like John Sung in our generation!

7 Myths about Revelation

2011-09-20T11:31:00.000+08:00

While we are on the book of Revelation, I thought I re-post my blogpost which I wrote two years ago on the myths concerning Revelation:

1. It's all about the first century C.E.
2. It's all about the future last days just before Jesus Christ's secondcoming.
3. There is no need for study as all the mysteries will be made known to us bythe Holy Spirit through revelation.
4. There's much Greco-Roman mythology behind John's symbolism in Revelation.
5. There is no need to know much about Revelation since we are going to beraptured before terrible things happen on earth.
6. The vision is still for a distant future, so why the urgency?
7. There are so many different interpretations about Revelation, so I am justtoo confused and it's better to leave the book alone.

Another PhD dissertation on Revelation

2011-09-17T21:53:00.000+08:00

It's good to know that doctoral research into the book of Revelation has gone unabated. This is another thesis that I would love to read when it is published:
The identity and function of the Seven Spirits in the book of Revelation
By Ingo Willy Sorke, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (2009; see here at Google Book)

Reading Prophetic Narratives

2011-09-16T12:11:00.004+08:00

Another book that I would like to recommend is Uriel Simon's Reading Prophetic Narratives (Indiana University Press, 1997). It has a number of chapters on the call of boy Samuel and "Elijah's Fight against Baal Worship". Originally written in Hebrew, Simon conducts a close reading of the text noting the Hebraic rhetorical devices like the inclusio, parallelism and repetition of key words and juxtaposition of seemingly unrelated episodes like Elijah's battles with the prophets of Baal and Jezebel in 1 Kings 17-19.

PhD Theses on Revelation

2011-09-16T09:35:00.000+08:00

One sure way of looking up latest references and citations is through Google Scholar. A few weeks ago I came across two unpublished PhD dissertations from Auckland University (my alma mater) and University of Edinburgh respectively. The latter thesis is authored by Ms Leong who is now a Lecturer at TCA College in Singapore.

KB de Waal, Trumpeting God's Mercy: A Socio-rhetorical Interpretation of the Seven Trumpets of Revelation
SN Leong, Windows to the polemics against the so-called Jews and Jezebel in Revelation: insights from historical and co (n) textual analysis

Both theses are available in pdf format (see here).

Book on Revelation Cited in NTS

2011-09-15T15:44:00.001+08:00

It's always gratifying to know that articles and monographs on the book of Revelation cite and interact with one's publication. I came across Andras David Pataki's "A Non-combat Myth in Revelation 12" in New Testament Studies 57 (2011), pp. 258-272 where Pataki at p. 270. n. 39 cited my book,
The War between the Two Beasts and the Two Witnesses: A Chiastic Reading of Revelation 11:1-14:5: "The dragon, as powerful as he is depicted in Rev. 12-13, is only an angel. He meets his match in his encounter with Michael, an angel." (p. 166). Pataki agreeing with what I proposed in my book thought that Christ did not engage in combat with the dragon/devil, only an angel Michael did, hence the title of his article, "the Non-Combat Myth..."

And also this article appears online some years back, one of the most interesting articles written concerning whether the time periods in Rev 11-13 are contemporaneous (as I argued) or consecutive in that the Beast comes and rules for another 42 months after the 2 witnesses have prophesied for 1260 days. I want to thank the author of the article who had published his findings in Revue Biblique in 2007, again interacting with my book. John Ben-Daniel was the first person who read my book and I got his Christmas greetings on Christmas Day 2005 just weeks after my book was published by T & T Clark. It was poignant that he read my book in Jerusalem, a city that I wrote much about at The Library of the Ecole Biblique et Archéologique Française de Jérusalem. I hope to address these issues one day.

Great Crises - Great Prophets

2011-09-15T11:22:00.001+08:00

My blogpost on "The Ideal Student of Revelation" may have put off some prospective students from enrolling in the forthcoming offering on the book of Revelation. The demands seem great and expectations of readiness/preparedness even to study the book are high. But help is on the way. I will introduce my readers (prospective students of Revelation) some excellent literature, first on the Prophets and then on the book of Revelation in the coming weeks/months.

The best introduction to the Prophets in my view is John Eaton's Mysterious Messengers: A Course on Hebrew Prophecy from Amos Onwards (Eerdmans, 1997). In his second chapter, Eaton has this wonderful title - "Great Crises - Great Prophets". What Eaton meant is that whenever Israel faces a crisis, Yhwh will send a prophet/prophets. The greater the crises, the greater the prophets. In the End-time, there will not be a greater crisis - never before and never will be - this period called the Great Tribulation, the most severe of persecutions since the world began that will befall the Church, the people of God. In these trying times, God will send His great prophets in the spirit of Moses and Elijah, the two witnesses-prophets (Rev 11).

The Ideal Student of Revelation

2011-09-14T10:17:00.000+08:00

Who is the ideal student for the book of Revelation? I would say that person is someone like Daniel, the scholar-prophet of the Old Testament. One mistaken view is that since the book of Revelation speaks of revelation all that is needed is someone who is receptive to revelation. It is way too subjective an assessment of a student of Revelation.
On the other extreme is the view that we must be objective and scientific and exercise all the historical-critical skills available to make sense of the text. Well and good but if one's heart is not right then you won't access the mystery of God for the secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him (Psalm 25:14). More than any book of the Bible, Revelation demands that our heart and mind must be in the right place. Daniel is one such person. No wonder he is called by Jewish and Christian exegetes over centuries as the prophet par excellence. Jesus himself calls Daniel a prophet and that is enough for me (Matt 24:15).

Daniel is scholarly and spiritual. This combination of scholar-spiritual is rare in the academia today. Daniel is learned in all the knowledge and literatures of the Chaldeans including the Chaldean language, the imperial and international language of the day. It is like English today. Any nation that is behind in mastering English is behind in knowledge-based economy and social-political progress. Daniel beats the scholars of his day in their game. He was just as good, in fact 10 times better than the wise-men of Nebuchadnezzar's Court.

But more than all his scholarly credentials, Daniel was a scribe of the Law of God. He was meticulous in keeping the Law to its minutest detail - even the dietary laws. He was a man of prayer making sure he prayed 3 times a day facing Jerusalem. He refused to stop his prayer habit just for one day to please the King because Daniel knew he served a greater King in heaven. Daniel was a scribe because he pored over the Jeremiah's writings and other books (Dan 9:2) and perceived in them the end of exile after 70 years. He did not just wait for direct revelation but studied the Scriptures.

Revelation comes through meditation of the written works of the former prophets. As much as this is true in Daniel, it is more so of John in the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation is not written just because John received direct revelations. Yes, he did receive revelations and saw visions. Yes, John was caught up in heaven and saw marvellous things. What he saw, he meditated on and with the words and images of the biblical prophets, John wrote down the book of Revelation. There are at least 400 OT allusions and echoes in the book of Revelation. Some scholars put the number as high as 800 OT allusions. John has referred to 30 out of 39 books of the OT. Like Daniel, John was a scribe of the Law of God. John knew his Bible well. He was a master of the Hebrew Scriptures (what we call today the Christian Old Testament). In John's day, the Bible was the 39 books of the OT.

There is this question whether John referred to the Hebrew MT or the Old Greek (LXX). I believe he referred to both. John was bilingual. He knew his Hebrew and Greek. Greek may not be John's first language as solecisms and some ungrammatical structures of his Greek show in the book of Revelation. But he knew Greek well enough to write in Greek, though unpolished grammatically but the end result is a majestic and lofty piece of literature.

John might not have been a scholar in the mould of Daniel. But John certainly knew his Bible well. How many of us today, even PhD holders can say that we know all the 39 books of the OT intimately? Have we read commentaries on each of the 39 books? Don't you tell me that you understand Job without the help of several commentaries. Even the first five books of Moses require constant study. Robert Alter's 5 books of Moses is an excellent translation cum commentary. If you want to be the ideal student of Revelation, start reading OT commentaries one by one, from Genesis to Malachi, especially the prophets. Live with the Prophets, then come study Revelation.

Background to Revelation (Part 1)

2011-09-13T21:19:00.001+08:00

I wait with trepidation my forthcoming offering on the book of Revelation. I have received a number of queries and some thought it would be easy for me to teach it since Revelation is the subject of my doctoral research. As I am preparing for the course it is difficult to decide what to include and what to exclude though this will be the first time that I have about 40 hours of lectures to make my case.
The book of Revelation did not come in a vacumn as if it is the only apocalypse of the late 1st century C.E. There are numerous apocalypses written in the Intertestamental period or Second Temple Judaism until the 2nd century C.E. What makes Revelation unique is that it is the only Apocalypse received as canonical by the Church and also the only NT book that falls under this particular apocalyptic genre. In the Hebrew Scriptures (OT), apocalypses come in several fashions. You have large parts of Zechariah and Daniel that can be categorized as apocalyptic. You have Isaiah 24-28 popularly known as the Isaianic Apocalypse and much of second part of Isaiah (40-66) can be seen as apocalyptic or at least prophetic-apocalyptic. Likewise in Ezekiel 33-48, Joel, Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Malachi and several other minor prophets are heavily apocalyptic in outlook. Not forgetting a large number of Psalms, especially the Zion and Royal Psalms are apocalyptic. I remember telling my students in a sermon some two years ago that they need to master at least five OT books before even thinking of studying the book of Revelation. In order of importance, my list is first Zechariah, then Daniel and Ezekiel, Isaiah and the Psalms of David. Other extra-biblical apocalypses that are important are Apocalypse of Baruch, 4th Ezra, and 1 Enoch.

The Book of Revelation in 2012

2011-09-13T12:54:00.002+08:00

I shall be offering an elective on the Book of Revelation: End-Time Events in January 2012 Semester. The course will be taught over 13 weeks in the evenings. For further information, see the TTC's Trumpet at p. 11. The required text for this course is Mitchell G. Reddish, Revelation (2001) in the Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentaries Series.

John Sung: "Burning Out for God"

2011-09-12T21:44:00.001+08:00

Whenever I feel weary in the Lord's service, the Lord knows how to encourage and revive me. I read the chapter on John Sung's life this evening with the title, "Burning Out for God." John Sung did not live long. He was only 42 years old when he died in 1944. But what a life dedicated to God's service. In 1938, John Sung travelled to Singapore, KL and Ipoh. For those interested in John Sung's ministry, Trinity Theological College is organizing a Conference (in Mandarin) from the 27th-28th Sept (see here). In conjunction with the Conference, there will be two evenings of lectures in English on Revivals (26th-27th Sept) by Bishop Dr Robert Solomon (see here). John Sung is one of the few men of God in the 20th century whose life is still a great inspiration for all believers. His motto: "I count not my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the Gospel of the grace of God".

Interview with Walter Brueggemann

2011-09-07T16:51:00.000+08:00

Thanks to Celucien Joseph's blog, I come across this Interview with Prof Walter Brueggemann. It's brilliant and a must watch interview. I listened to it from start to finish, for 1 hour and 2 minutes while reading Brueggemann's Prophetic Imagination.

Books @ Borders

2011-09-07T14:25:00.004+08:00

Last Saturday I spent two hours travelling to the Borders Sale at Expo and another hour queuing up just to pay for my books. But my energy level was replenished with Espresso coffee from Coffee Beans (my card balance is only $8.00). I bought Barry Norman's The Bumper Book of Cricket for S$14.00 and three others books -
Barry Strauss' The Trojan War (one of the best introductions to the Trojan War and a companion to Homer's Iliad), Niall Ferguson's The Life and Times of Seigmund Warburg: High Financier (2010), and another book on early Greco-Roman history, all for $58.00. What a bargain! I am sad to see Borders closing in Singapore. When one is getting older, one gets a bit nostalgic. So when I saw the picture of Jeff Thomson bowling and Dennis Lillee, two of the greatest Australian fast bowlers, the price of the book seemed small, just the cost of two or three cups of Coffee Latte which I am happy to forego.

10 hours on a Sunday

2011-09-06T11:01:00.000+08:00

How do you spend your Sunday? In the past six weeks, I have preached 4 times in the same church and every Sunday took about 10 hours of my time from the time I got up and returned home. Last Sunday, I felt the Lord's strength in my preaching. Preaching 40 minutes with the style of preaching I am used to is straining every nerve and sinew. But I felt like it was only 10 minutes.

Some elders noted and thought I should be given more time. There is a real hunger for God's Word in this church. Even the youths paid attention and hardly anyone moved throughout the 40-minute sermon. I got up at 6:30am a bit later than usual (on a Sunday when I am preaching it is quite normal for me to get up real early) and by the time I took a taxi back home it was 3 pm. If I had taken bus/MRT I would have reached home only by 4pm. On a normal Sunday, the second service ends at 1pm and after another half an hour of fellowship I walk to Little India MRT and take the train to Dhoby Ghaut station where I have lunch at Plaza Singapura. By the time I finish lunch, it is about 2:45pm and I make my way to the nearest Bus-Stop to take the 171 Bus home.

10 hours on a Sunday. Where else better to spend it if not in the Church of God? I rather dwell in the House of God than in the tents of the Wicked. Yet, it takes enormous time and energy to preach twice in the morning. But the Lord is good. I am under no obligation to accept invitations. I preach when I want to and where I want to. I take it as ministry for the Lord. Love gift or honourarium does not come into the equation. I would have earned the same amount writing a legal letter of demand in 30 minutes, let alone 10 hours on a Sunday and another 10 or 15 hours in preparing for the sermons. It's a labour of love for the Lord and for the Church. If you love Me feed my lambs. Lord, you know the work I am doing for Your glory.

Transforming Higher (Theological) Education

2011-09-05T18:35:00.002+08:00

In Academically Adrift: Limited learning on College Campuses (2011), Arum and Roksa argued for transforming higher education (p. 125) and listed several issues involved in the process of transformation. First, Student Preparation (p. 126) - the intensity and quality of one's secondary school. As far as theological education is concerned, the intensity, quality and relevance of one's first degree or "A" level is of great importance. If there is insufficient grounding in the humanities and arts, students are ill-prepared for theological study - writing long essays, critical thinking, complex reasoning, etc all come into it. The authors argue that the chief mission of a school is to develop "a love of learning for learning's sake." (p. 127). I can't agree more.

Second, higher education leadership (p. 127). Presidents, Principals, and Deans must set the vision and give the requisite leadership in all aspects of theological education.

Third, Improving Curriculum and instruction. (p. 129). Curriculum must be revised every 3 or 5 years to ensure it is relevant and serving the present needs of students whose profiles change every few years in this fast-changing world. More and more theological students entering College are not aiming to enter ordained ministry or the pastorate and curriculum must reflect that. With the advance of technology one must take advantage of all pedagogical tools available to make instruction more interesting and exciting for students.

Fourth, Facilitating learning, not just persistence (p. 135). Every College must emphasize academic rigour of the courses since we are awarding degrees, e.g. MDiv as well as postgraduate degrees. We have no wish to become degree mills, churning out degrees or graduates who are ill-equipped to serve the needs of the churches in the 21st century. It's important that ample time is given for personal study and any other activity that hinders academic pursuits must be curtailed. Students require at least 6 or 7 hours a week outside of class-time to keep up with Greek/Hebrew (I spent 20 hours a week studying both Hebrew and Greek in my first year) and they are also taking 4 other subjects beside. If students do not spend at least 40 hours a week in study, one is hard-pressed to make the case that they can achieve a level of competency over 3 years pursuing 32 courses for the award of a Master of Divinity degree. I always tell my first year students to cut down on ministry and hobbies if they want to do well in their studies. There is a time for everything. The time in College is a time for study. The time for ministry will come. I have never regretted the time I spent on study. It bore much fruits in ministry subsequently, having been adequately prepared.

And finally, institutional transparency and accountability. (p. 136). Arum and Roksa argue that faculty and leaders of higher-education enterprises are in unique position to shape the future of the enterprise and they need to be accountable and transparent. I can't agree more. Unfortunately, this aspect of theological education is not given much thought in practice. Theological Colleges can operate very much on their own without much accountability and transparency. Better systems need to be put in place to maintain standard for all courses (quality control) where better reporting and evaluation of all faculty could be effected. As far as theological educators are concerned, the Board or some independent body must monitor and evaluate whether a theological institution is performing to its core purpose of providing top-quality courses that are relevant to modern-day ministry in the Churches, Mission, and the Market-place.

New Testament in Hebrew

2011-09-05T15:19:00.003+08:00

I have been thinking about how to keep up with my Hebrew over the last couple of months. I have Hebrew grammars lining my shelf but I read them occasionally, at most one chapter at a time.
But this morning while browsing in the library I came across the New Testament in Hebrew with English translation. I am loving every minute of it, reading from Mark's Gospel and the book of Revelation (see the pdf NT in Hebrew here).

Who is my Family?

2011-09-02T15:31:00.000+08:00

Mark 3:21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for people were saying, "He is beside himself."...And a crowd was sitting about him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you." 33 And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" 34 And looking around on those who sat about him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother."

I know how Jesus must have felt. Sometimes one's spiritual family is closer than one's natural family. More so if one is called to be a prophet like Jesus: "A prophet is not without honour, except in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house." (Mark 6:4). Jesus despite his busy schedule must have visited his family from time to time as the Markan and Johannine accounts testify.
During one of the major Feasts of Israel, Jesus' brothers told Jesus to show himself to the world if he wants acclamation and popularity. But again Jesus' natural family fails to understand him. It must be a bitter pill for the Lord to swallow: For even his brothers did not believe in him (John 7:5).

But was Jesus looking for popular acclaim? Did he want to seek cheap publicity? Already in John 6 when Jesus multiplied the loaves of bread the crowds wanted to seize him and compelled him to be their king. Jesus did not cater for their pursuits (after food which perishes) but hid himself from them. Jesus did not need anyone's vote or show of support. He is certain of God's calling and will not hurry unless it is time for him. Often in John, it is said that his time is not yet. For the world their time is always ready. They can do what they want. They can decide to go to the Feast or stay at home. But Jesus's steps are determined by God. It is to God's tune that He plays and dances and to no one else. Not his family's nor his disciples' and certainly not to the clamour of the crowds.

Today I too have a sense of true family. When I pray for Trinity Theological College, I say TTC family. They are my family in the true sense of the word. When my Family Group serves, we serve as one family. Today we served at Chapel. It was not perfect but I was extremely proud of the whole team. One member had a sore knee but he came from his house just to show support. We sang together, "I will go to the ends of the earth". Despite the pressures faced by students, on the last day of term before the Semester break, they did their parts admirably for the glory of God.

Teachers Sent by God

2011-09-01T15:31:00.004+08:00

Isaiah 30:20 And though the Lord gives you The bread of adversity and the water of affliction, Yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, But your eyes shall see your teachers.

The prophet Isaiah prophesied of a time when God would restore Israel to her land and one of the great promises was that they would see godly teachers who would teach them the way of the Lord.

It's not easy to be a teacher in the 21st century. Once a year, Singapore celebrates Teachers' Day on the 1st Sept. No rest for me though as I taught 3 hours of New Testament on "Literary Dependence of the Gospels". But with the rest of the Faculty I received a Coffee Bean Card with some $28.00 credit (about 4 cups of coffee). Wow! It was a heavenly gift since I am a coffee drinker but Coffee Beans and Starbucks coffee have always been too expensive for me. As I was praying for South Sudan (the newest nation in the world, 9th July 2011), 90% of the population live on less than US$1.00 a day which means one cup of Coffee Bean coffee can feed 4 or 5 adults in South Sudan. We are so blessed in this land of the plenty and I am thankful for what the Lord has done for me here in Singapore. But I can't help identifying with the poor (the Gospel is preached to the poor), the poorest of the poor who has nothing much to live on while many of us live in luxury. So as much as it is possible I will be thrifty and do all things in moderation. I walk and take MRT/Bus and not taxis if I can help it. Buying a car is a luxury so that's not in the pipeline. Only recently a friend commented how small my flat was but I am more than contented to have a roof over my head when the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. It's my prayer that the Church will see the emergence of Teachers who will walk the talk and practise what they preach. Lord, our eyes long to see You, our Teacher and Teachers whom You will send to bless the Church.

Fellowship & Hospitality among the Saints

2011-08-30T11:38:00.003+08:00

2 John 1:4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children following the truth, just as we have been commanded by the Father.

It was a great joy to enjoy fellowship with the saints in a Christian home last night. For the second time in as many months I was invited to a home group dinner fellowship. This was a follow-up invitation after I ministered in their Church's Retreat last June.

As expected the results of the recently concluded Presidential Election became the hot topic for discussion. If not for any other reason my love for politics is simply the need to know the people whom I serve. Since I live in Singapore, a sound knowledge of the country's history, culture and politics comes handy whenever I converse with a Singaporean. We even debated whether the first-past-the post system was good for Singapore. The youths chipped in with online polls that they read predicting victory for the different candidates. I told them that the social media is probably limited to a 1/3 of the voters, especially among the young and even that probably a majority of those who read the blogs and Facebook are still not of voting age. The bottom-line is that we can't read too much into views expressed in the social media though this medium is becoming increasing influential and will be vital in future elections.

We had some pleasant fellowship and I was introduced to some new comers to the group. Just before the meeting ended, one member who attended the Church Retreat told me, "We put into practice what you preached about hospitality." I answered casually, "I am pleased to hear that" but my heart leapt for the joy of hearing that the children of God were following the truth which pleased the Father's heart.

I shall want to maintain contact with this home group and it's likely I will be joining the fellowship once a month when I am not too busy at College or preaching on Sundays. I thank the Lord that this being my 4th year in Singapore things are looking up. I have prayed to the Lord that I wanted to find and settle in a local church and find a home group with whom I can fellowship with, as among the saints for "How good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters dwell together in unity" (Psalm 133).