by Douglas S. Winnail, Ph.D., M.P.H.

In March 1957, delegates from six Western European countries signed the Treaty of Rome, which brought the European Economic Community into existence—laying the foundation for the powerful European Union we see today. It is truly remarkable how far things have progressed.

Now, incredible events are occurring in Europe! The geopolitical changes that have rearranged the map of the continent in recent years continue. Forces are building in Europe that are destined to shake human civilization to its foundation. Many nations—especially the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia—are going to experience the shocking impact of the thunderclouds gathering over Europe. We will all be affected. So we can't afford to be ignorant of what is happening. We need to watch! We need to understand where these crucial events in Europe are leading.

Surprise Reunion!

The 80s ended and the 90s began with a series of sudden. jolting, totally unexpected events. In November 1989 the infamous Berlin Wall crumbled. The line that divided Germany for more than 40 years had disappeared almost overnight. By August 1990, East and West Germany had been reunited. In a matter of weeks, the once-powerful Soviet Union had begun to be dismantled. Suddenly, a dozen satellite nations in Eastern Europe were free.

All told, in less than 24 months the map of Europe—unchanged for more than 40 years—had been radically redrawn. These seemingly isolated events are actually part of a much bigger, more significant picture. Author David Marsh observes, "When the Wall disappeared, Europe reappeared" (Germany and Europe, 1994, p. 132). With the crumbling of the Berlin Wall, the uniting of Germany, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the heart of Europe began beating again! The shocking abruptness of these events took the whole world by surprise! For Germans, the unification of their divided nation was a dream come true. For their neighbors, who had felt the fury of German military adventurism twice in one century, old fears resurfaced.

Just what caused this swift and dramatic turn of events? One German news, paper stated, "Just a year ago, no German politician was pursuing this goal, and no foreign politician wanted it. So no human being can take credit for having brought Germany together—it was God's work. God has forgiven us our guilt for the murder of six million Jews" (Peter Schneider, The German Comedy, 1991, p. ix).

While the modern secular mind may scoff at such reasoning, the Bible tells us that God does intervene in history at specific times and in dramatic ways! The prophet Daniel told a very surprised Babylonian king, "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His.... He removes kings and raises up kings" (Dan. 2:20-21). God has His own timetable! When Daniel inquired as to when the visions he saw would come to pass he was told, "The words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end" ( 12:9). Jesus explained to His disciples that when they saw a specific series of prophesied events, they would know that the return of Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of God was near—even "at the very doors"! (Matt. 24:33). As we will see in this article, we appear to be living in very momentous times—the very times Christ was speaking of!

The euphoria of the early 90s didn't last long. The unification of Germany has not erased the deep divisions between East and West—both in values and expectations. Strains have developed, and disillusionment has set in. In Eastern Europe, as the ice of the Cold War melted, old rivalries and antagonism suddenly reappeared. Frozen hatred burst into flames. Nations patched together by politicians began to break apart—such as Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. Modern Europe suddenly began to resemble medieval Europe!

So now, the big question facing Europeans and the rest of the world is: What lies ahead? Will Europe unite as a solid, peaceful pillar of democracy—or will its internal problems once again bring the world to the brink of chaos and ruin?

Missing Keys

In our modern, fast-paced, progressive age, we keep up with world events through radio, TV and newspapers. We feel informed. Yet we are often surprised and shocked by how swiftly events can unfold. But we needn't be unsettled. Not if we keep in mind two vitally important perspectives—an understanding of the continuity of history and a knowledge of Bible prophecy. Each of these dimensions has a vital contribution to make toward understanding where current events are heading. One draws lessons from the past. The other provides key insights for the future.

But so many people think history is boring! It's something that already happened—"yesterday's news." How could it possibly relate to our lives today? This notion overlooks what we can learn from the continuity of history—the fact that ideas, habits and cultural tendencies of a particular people persist over time. They may be masked for decades or even centuries, only to reemerge and reestablish old patterns. Knowledge of the past, then, is an important key in sensing where current events may lead.

This is especially true regarding events in Europe. The roots of European problems are found in the Middle Ages and even earlier. From a distance, the continuity of history in Europe is plain to see. From this broader vantage, what we have come to accept as "normal" in Europe for the last 40 years appears to be only an aberration in the continuing flow of history. The "real" Europe is awakening from its prolonged slumber and is starting to break free from the shackles imposed by Allied politicians and military leaders. The future we're heading toward seems much like the past!

In like manner, while many in our modern, secular society view the Bible as a source of solace and comfort, they fail to see its relevance to world affairs. Yet prophecy is literally the record of selected world affairs written in advance! And as such, it is one of the proofs of the divine inspiration of Scripture (cf. Is. 41:21-24). And this advance source of current affairs doesn't neglect the political changes that have swept through Europe.

Significance of Europe

For the last 40 years Europe has lived in the shadow of two superpowers—the United States and the Soviet Union. Europeans have to some extent "watched from the sidelines" while others shaped the modern world. However, this is a recent development totally contrary to historic trends. Europeans have, for thousands of years, been the trendsetters for human civilization in science, art, economics, government, diplomacy and warfare. Moreover, Europe is the seat of a powerful, organized world religion—Roman Catholicism—that has had a profound influence on Western civilization.

This continent is also the birthplace of empires—Greek, Roman, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German and Austro-Hungarian. These are the empires that have influenced, ruled and colonized the globe. "The memory of Europe's glorious centuries, when it dominated the world" has never been forgotten (Luigi Barzini, The Europeans, 1983, p. 259). The "ancient desire to see Europe pacified and merged into one political unit" is a dream that still lives in the hearts of the people (p. 12).

However, European nations have struggled for centuries with rival ambitions that have divided the continent with intrigue and ravaged it with armed conflict. Twice in this century Europe's internal strife has erupted into World War! Given its turbulent history and uncertain future, it appears that "the destiny of the whole world hinges on events in Europe" (Flora Lewis, Europe: A Tapestry of Nations, 1987, p. 22). Bible prophecy indicates both how and why!

The Beast Awakens

The prophetic visions recorded in Daniel and Revelation offer a panoramic view of world history from the distant past to the return of Jesus Christ. (These incredible prophecies are explained in our booklet, The Beast of Revelation, which is free upon request.) Daniel saw a great image of a man symbolizing four empires that would rule the Middle East and the Mediterranean world. The fourth empire was represented by legs of iron (a conquering military power) and feet mixed with iron and clay (2:33, 40). The two legs imply that this empire would be divided into two parts. The feet depict the final manifestation of this empire at the time of Christ's return, characterized by an inherently weak coalition of ten kings—the ten toes (vv. 42-43; Rev. 17:12).

Daniel later received another vision in which the fourth empire had ten horns (7:7) representing .ten resurrections (or revivals) of this empire over time (v. 24). The last seven revivals would be dominated by a mysterious "little horn" (v. 8). Other prophecies indicate the world will be shocked by the reemergence of this fourth empire in its tenth, and final, revival as a political, military and economic entity—the Beast! (Rev. 13:3-4).

Like the image in Daniel, the Roman Empire divided into eastern and western portions. The Western Roman Empire, which fell in A.D. 476, experienced a series of revivals—such as that of the Frankish kingdom of Charlemagne, as well as the Holy Roman Empire of the Middle Ages with its succession of German kings. Charlemagne's crowning by Pope Leo III at Rome on Christmas Day in A.D. 800 is generally recognized as the "revival of the Roman Empire" in the West and a "rebirth of the ancient pagan Roman empire in the guise and shape of a new Latin-Christian one which was for all practical purposes identical with the notion of Europe" (Allen Brown, The Origins of Modem Europe, 1972, p. 52).

The idea of a Europe united economically, politically and militarily is nothing new in the continuous flow of European history. The roots of these powerful traditions are found in the Roman Empire. It is to these deeply ingrained traditions that French statesman Jean Monnet and other visionaries have looked in their quest to unite Europe and restore its lost grandeur. The current drive to create a European Union is based on the old dream of a larger-than-national identity to remedy the "plague of nationalism which had all but destroyed Europe" in the past (Lewis, p. 29).

In fact, referring to the 1957 Treaty of Rome, "Henri Spaak, the former secretary-general of NATO admitted in a BBC documentary on the European Union that ‘we felt like Romans on that day.... We were consciously recreating the Roman Empire once more"' (Grant R. Jeffrey, The Signature of God, 1996, pp. 190-191). Thus, we appear to be witnessing today the reemergence of a powerful European empire—just another chapter in a well-documented historical theme. And yet, not "just another chapter." For this will be the final revival of the Roman Empire. The "Beast" is awakening for the last time! And this revival will be aided by an unsuspected source...:

The Mysterious Lady

One of the major features in the European historical thread is religion—specifically, Roman Catholicism. Journalist Flora Lewis comments, "It was the spread of [Roman] Christianity and the medieval Holy Roman Empire (under mostly Germanic kings) which gave the peoples of this land a first sense of European identity" (p. 22). Historian W.R. Southern states, "It is not absurd to say that the Roman Empire achieved its fullest development in the thirteenth century" under the German kings and the papacy—which was the "ghost of the Roman Empire sitting crowned on the grave thereof” (quoted by Brown, p. 19).

The Roman Catholic Church played a central role in the development and preservation of European civilization—especially in the face of a common enemy. When the Roman Empire collapsed under the invasion of pagan Germanic tribes, "the Christian faith in general and the Roman Church in particular, stood as the one stable and wholly desirable element in a disintegrating world" (p. 64). When the people of Europe were threatened by the invasion of an alien culture (Muslim) in the eighth century, their common religious heritage "created a bond of community among the quarrelsome Europeans" (Lewis, p. 23).

The deeply intertwined relationship of the Roman Church and the Frankish and German kings is one of the historical constants of the Western world. Popes begged protection from powerful enemies, kings sought legitimacy from the Roman Church and they wrestled with one another for power and dominance. And it was to be expected. For it is exactly the picture that emerges from Bible prophecy!

As we have already seen, Daniel describes a "little horn" that will dominate the final seven revivals of the Roman Empire (Dan. 7:8, 24-25). Indeed, the Roman papacy has already dominated six different manifestations of this empire in recorded history—while one yet remains! (cf. Rev. 17:10). And what do we know about this remaining revival? John saw a woman (a church) dressed in purple and scarlet "with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication"—sitting on the final revival of the Roman Empire (vv. 2-6). The Bible indicates that religion will once again be a decisive factor in rearranging the face of Europe. But who will lead this final revival?

A German Heart

The Roman Empire conquered the Mediterranean world. And all of its revivals took place in Europe. Germany is at the very "heart" of Europe—geographically, economically and politically. "Its central position in Europe is indeed the great constant of German history" (Renata Fritsch-Bournazel, Europe and German Unification, 1992, p. 124). After the demise of Charlemagne's Frankish Empire, "the German kingdom was in fact the first and most powerful monarchy to emerge on the mainland of Europe from the chaos of the ninth and tenth centuries." Because of German preeminence, "the future of Latin Christendom lay in the hands of the rulers and people of the German-speaking lands" (Brown, p. 155). As we have seen, the Holy Roman Empire of the Middle Ages "under mostly Germanic kings" gave Europe its greatest and most enduring sense of unity and identity.

The Holy Roman Empire of medieval times from Otto the Great (A.D. 962) to Frederick the Great (A.D. 1197) "was in reality a German Empire" (p. 161). Under Frederick the Great, the crusading Order of the Teutonic Knights spread "German power and militant Christianity" eastward into Prussia and what is now modern Poland (p. 168). From 1438 to 1806, the Hapsburgs, also a Germanic family, sat on the throne of another revival of the Holy Roman Empire. Thus, the central role Germany has played in successive revivals of the Roman Empire has become a historical theme. And history suggests that the final revival will also involve Germany—as does Bible prophecy. (For more on this, please write for our free brochure, America and Britain in Prophecy.)

Signs of Revival?

It is widely recognized today that Europe stands at a critical juncture. Ominous signs are appearing on the continent that could result in a calamitous disruption of world events! The dream of a United Europe is linked to the drive to create a common currency. Bernard Connolly, a widely regarded economist who has served in a senior post on the European Commission, says that Europe will be "created via a currency or not at all" (The Rotten Heart of Europe, 1995, p. xviii). However, this could spark a disaster. Connolly asserts that a Europe built simply on its money "would be a Europe sitting atop the fault lines of an earthquake zone" (p. 378).

Numerous observers sense that the real danger in any attempt to forge a European Union is the continuing, age-old rivalry for power between France and Germany. Connolly reports that high-stakes European monetary games are actually a "battle for control of the European superstate, in which French technocrats confront German Federalists, both sides claiming to fight under the banner of Charlemagne" (p. xvi). The French elite want to dominate both Europe and Germany by controlling fiscal policy. The Germans will be tempted to make concessions on monetary policy in order to pursue their diplomatic goals (especially in Eastern Europe) under cover of a German-dominated European Union (pp. 4-7; cf. George Bailey, Germans, 1972, p. 440).

But can a common currency recreate the empire of Charlemagne? The idea of "trying to lock countries like France and Germany together via currencies does not forge a nation; instead it turns domestic monetary questions into international political conflict" (Connolly, p. 392). Connolly sees real danger in "the growing divergence... between France and Germany that now threatens the whole future of the European Community" (p. xvii). The "monetary union so fervently wished for by the French elite will not restore legitimacy in France. Instead it would be the one thing most likely to reawaken `old demons' in Germany" (p. 390).

Those "demons" are already stirring! The newly united Germany is seriously divided both against itself and against the outside world. Unemployment has risen to pre-World War II levels—thus paralleling one of the economic factors that helped bring Hitler to power (Arizona Republic, Feb. 11, 1997). The influx of immigrants from Eastern Europe has rekindled a resentment of foreigners and a "Germany-for-Germans" movement—again reminiscent of a pre-Hitler Germany! Neo-Nazis march in the streets (Arizona Republic, March 3, 1997). An economic crisis could swing Germany sharply to the political right. Faced with these perplexing developments, many fear that "Germany will be pushed back into the continuity of German history," which spells trouble for Europe and the world! (Arnulf Baring, Germany's New Position in Europe, 1994, pp. 10-11). Journalist Mark Fisher concludes, "Fifty years after the defeat of Hitler and five years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Germany stands as the most conflicted, powerful, promising and dangerous country in Europe" (After the Wall, 1995).

History has repeatedly demonstrated the critical role of a "common enemy" in forging a union between rival European nations. Today, America and Japan are being cast in that role—as villains leading an alien cultural and economic invasion that threatens to obliterate national identities and deprive Europe of its share of a world market. Italian journalist Luigi Barzini has noted, "The Nazis were the first to identify the United States as the Enemy, the destroyer of the legends, the myths, and the archaic soul of Europe" (p. 112).

There is also a growing feeling in Germany and Europe that materialism has failed. People are adrift without a compass or direction. Morality has plummeted to disturbing levels and observers predict there will be a "reaction" (National Review Feb. 6, 1995, pp. 25-26). Something will fill the spiritual void created by the head-long pursuit of material goods. Historically, the Roman Catholic faith has been the glue that held Europe together. And as we approach the end of this millennium, it is perhaps not surprising that the Roman pontiff, John Paul II, has repeatedly urged Europeans to "discover their roots"—the unifying bond of their common religious heritage. Bible prophecy indicates they will—at least for a while.

One of the key events of this final decade of the 20th century has been the "reassembly of Europe " (Marsh, p. vii). Quite unexpectedly, the "heart" of Europe has begun beating again!

While the world at large wonders where this revival in central Europe will lead, both the continuity of history and Bible prophecy provide insight and understanding. Germany will once again dominate a loosely knit United Europe, albeit only for a short time. This "iron-and-clay" union will be held together once again by the glue of the Roman faith. And the coming final revival of the Roman Empire—thought to be "long dead"—will shock the world and spell trouble for Israelite nations.

The revival in the heart of Europe that is currently underway will lead both Europe and the world once again to the brink of destruction. But beyond the coming troubles there is an exciting World Ahead. We need to watch! We need to be prepared! We are living in momentous times!

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World Ahead  May - June 1997
page 16

Pastine and Israel

Two Nations—One Land

by Raymond F. McNair

World Ahead  May -June 1997
page 21

Questions & Answers

A. This refers, of course, to Genesis 6: "Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.

A. Yes—and no. Sunday is called the "Lord's Day" by the mainstream Christian world. In the Council of Laodicea (c. 363), the Roman Catholic Church ruled, "Christians must not Judaize [follow Jewish example] by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honoring the Lord's Day, resting then as Christians" (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, vol. 14, p.148). And one reason Catholics give for keeping Sunday is that "the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea transferred the solemnity from Saturday [the Sabbath] to Sunday" (The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, 3rd ed., p. 50).

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by John H. Ogwyn

In early March, an announcement from Scotland reverberated around the world. A sheep named Dolly had been successfully cloned from an adult female. Immediately, leading figures from the fields of science, government and religion began debating what man's ability to produce clones might portend. Astounding advances in genetic engineering and test-tube fertilization had already raised fears of many far-reaching implications concerning humanity's future. Now, cloning human beings has moved from the realm of science fiction to an all-too-likely reality looming just over the horizon.

Is the society postulated more than 65 years ago in Aldous Huxley's satirical novel, Brave New World, finally on the verge of becoming reality? This noted British author and philosopher described a world in which test-tube babies and genetic engineering enable scientific masterminds to create their version of "utopia." Mood-altering drugs ensure universal contentment: And government experts oversee the training and education of youth by providing "conditioning" in politically correct responses from infancy on. Parents are therefore totally obsolete, their responsibilities having been completely taken over by the state.

Such a concept of replacing the role of the family with a state-controlled apparatus directed by "experts" is nothing new to utopian thinkers. About 400 years before Christ, the Greek philosopher, Plato, envisioned such a system in his famous work, The Republic. He believed that the abolition of 'the family and state-run parenting was necessary to the creation of his new utopian world.

Many centuries later, Lenin and his revolutionary comrades sought to apply similar ideas in the wake of Russia's 1917 Communist Revolution. The new Marriage Law of 1918 made wedlock a simple matter of civil registration. Divorce was obtained by one party notifying the other of termination. Abortions were legalized in 1920 and, by the 30s, outnumbered live births by 50%. Women were pushed out of the home into the work force under the guise of “equal opportunity.” Beginning in 1922, a system of state-run nurseries and kindergartens was developed to take over what had formerly been the role of parents.

The school system functioned as a propaganda machine for the Soviet state. “It emphasized the teaching of social relationships and reduced emphasis on mastery of facts and methods” (William Kirchner, History of Russia, p. 255).

In reality, this social experiment, far from bringing about utopia, wrought havoc in Russian society. It became so bad that, by the mid-30s, Joseph Stalin sought to swing the pendulum back toward more traditional values. He greatly tightened laws regarding easy divorces and abortions. Unfortunately, Stalin was not motivated by moral outrage. He was simply a pragmatist who saw the need to regain some social stability.

Despite the failure of the great Soviet experiment to replace the traditional family, social engineers and utopian thinkers haven’t given up. What the Soviet Union was unable to accomplish by coercion in the 20s and 30s, it seems the United States is doing through the enticement of materialism and convenience in the 80s and 90s. Increasingly, the state is usurping the roles of the family. The question is, what will be the consequences of such a move? Has the traditional family with Dad as the provider and Mom as the homemaker become an anachronism? Will society in general (and our children in particular) be better off if the state replaces the family in the rearing and training of children?

Decline of the Traditional Household

Divorce has skyrocketed in Western society with no end in sight. “In 1915 one out of every ten marriages ended in divorce. In 1983 five out of every ten marriages ended in divorce” (Harold Lindsell, The New Paganism, p. 146). In his syndicated column, noted psychologist John Rosemond reports, “For the past 30 years, the American family has been ‘changing,’ or so the media inform us. The subliminal impression created is that some natural, inexorable evolutionary process is behind the steady increase in single-parent and two income-earner families…. Here’s the truth: For more than a generation, the American family has been in a steady state of decline, precipitated by social experiments and forces which are fundamentally at odds with a general state of family health. Here’s another undeniable truth: The American family worked better when there was a parent in the home during the day” (The Advocate, March 15, 1993).

In the United States today, more than two-thirds of all mothers work outside the home and 40% of children live apart from their biological fathers. In addition, about one out of every four children born in this country is illegitimate. How did this state of affairs come to be? Actually, it has been a convergence of several contributing factors. One has certainly been the tinkering of social engineers and feminist ideologues who would like to see the state supersede the family as the basic unit of society. In addition, there has been the powerful lure of materialism and personal comfort. The most crucial component; however, has been the pursuit of instant gratification coupled with the collapse of moral restraints in a society in which God is increasingly unreal. This has further fueled the entire process.

What are the results of this collapse of the traditional family? Has it set us on the brink of entering a “brave new world” of personal fulfillment and happiness? Are our children better adjusted and better equipped to deal with life than generations past?

Frankly, the human cost brought about by the downfall of the traditional family is horrific. As U.S. News & World Report explained, “an epidemic of violence is killing America's inner cities one child at a time. The number of killings by kids younger than 18 increased 125 percent between 1984 and 1994, and last year the nation’s juvenile-justice system spent $20 billion to arrest and jail children, only to see 70 percent commit new crimes. In Chicago alone last year, 213 children under the age of 17 were arrested on murder charges” (Feb. 278, 1995, p. 50).

All of the government-funded nurseries and daycare centers, all of the Head Start programs and the entire gamut of K-through-12 public education have not, and will not, solve these problems. No government program or educational professional can take the place of a healthy, functioning family whose approach to life derives from the timeless values of the Creator.

How Important Is Mom?

“He has a face that only a mother could love,” the old saying goes. The point is that mothers are special. They love you no matter what! From the moment a baby makes his traumatic exit from the womb, mother is there to nurture and comfort. Designed by God to provide the environment where a tiny, fertilized cell can grow into a fully functioning human being, mothers are intimately connected with their offspring. They provide nourishment and comfort to this miniature person. But most of all, they provide love.

Love and respect should be the underlying values by which people relate to one another in society. A child first learns to love by being loved. Honoring parents is the first of God's commandments that a child can understand and obey. Learning respect in the home sets the stage for showing respect to others in the community.

Of course, a mother is there not merely to comfort her infant, but also to encourage and teach as the baby grows. Seeing that her child has proper clothing to wear and nourishing food to eat is important. However, a wise mother is not only concerned that her child be fed good food to build a healthy body. She is also concerned that his mind be fed the things that lead to moral and spiritual health.

The example and teaching of a godly mother is one of the greatest blessings that any child could have. It is of far greater value than the most expensive toy or educational “gadget.” It has far more long-term, proven benefit than any “program” dreamed up by the “experts.” My mother’s greatest gift to me was herself. There can be no greater legacy for your children.

What About Dad?

Dad's role in the family is different from Mom's, but certainly no less important! One of the most demonstrable causes of escalating of violence in the inner cities is the almost total lack of fathers raising their children. Psychologist Christopher Bacorn, writing in Newsweek, gives this analysis. "I have come to believe that most adolescent boys can't make use of professional counseling. What a boy can use, and all too often doesn't have, is the fellowship of men—at least one man who pays attention to him, who spends time with him, who admires him A boy needs a man he can look up to.... As a nation, we are racked by youth violence, overrun by gangs, guns and drugs. The great majority of youthful offenders are male, most without fathers involved in their lives in any useful way. Many have never even met their fathers" (Dec. 7, 1992).

Not only does an involved and loving father have a crucial impact on the social development of his sons, but he has just as great a role to play in the rearing of his daughters. A good relationship with her father is an important key to a young woman developing a proper relationship with her own husband. An absent father, on the other hand, is one of the factors that lead many girls into hasty, ill-considered marriages.

A father should provide leadership, loyalty and love to his family. Taking responsibility to be the breadwinner for the family is a vitally important role—but by no means is this to be the sum total of Dad’s contributions. His interest and active leadership will make a big difference in the family. When a father is detached and aloof there is a vacuum. On the other hand, an abusive, tyrannical father can discourage every member of the family and sow seeds of resentment that will yield bitter fruit for years to come.

Realizing the tremendous responsibility that children and a family entail, a right-thinking man is not going to be prowling the streets looking for "conquests." The last thing he would want is to father children he won't be there to raise. By cherishing and honoring their mother, Dad sets the proper family example for his children. This plays a crucial role in preparing them to relate to their own mates in the future. The honor that my father accorded my mother was a priceless example for my brother and me.

What's the Future of the Family?

There is no adequate substitute for the family—neither professionals nor the latest government program can replace loving parents. Despite the ideas of utopian dreamers past and present, the family is here to stay. But right now it seems that many of our families in the Western world, particularly in America, are, if not already broken, at least seriously bent. And make no mistake, the farther our society drifts away from the traditional family, the deeper it sinks into a mire of devastating social consequences.

But that’s not the end of the story! The Bible reveals what lies ahead for our world and its families. It describes a "brave new world," but one quite different from that envisioned by Aldous Huxley. It is a world where elderly men and women will watch little children play in the streets (Zech. 8:4-5). It is a world where families will dwell safely and have nothing to fear (Micah 4:4). This is the future of the family in the World Ahead that will be established after the return of Jesus Christ in power and glory.

But what about between now and then? Though there is truly a new world coming, we still have to live in this old one-which is increasingly retreating from right and sane values. Even so, it is still possible to have healthy, happy families despite our mixed-up world. Our Creator provided mankind with an instruction book that reveals the keys to successful living. The values taught in it aren't out of date or old-fashioned. They're based on timeless and eternal truths. In reality, they are the values upon which all society will be based after the return of Jesus Christ as King of kings. And those who embrace these values today have a head start on real joy and fulfillment.

Two of the Ten Commandments directly set the tone for the family. Israel set the tone for the family. Israel’s God, the Creator of heaven and earth, thundered from Mount Sinai, “Honor your father and your mother” and “You shall not commit adultery” (Ex. 20:12, 14). Morality guards the sanctity of marriage, and marriage is the basis of home and family. When children learn to show honor and deference to their parents in the home, it sets the tone for a society based upon mutual respect. Such a society will long endure and prosper, as the latter part of the fifth commandment implies (v. 12; cf. Eph 6:1-3).

During the .course of leading His people out of Egypt and into their inheritance in the Promised Land, God inspired Moses to record some very clear warnings and admonitions. Both the Egyptians and the Canaanites practiced abominable customs, many of which were directly associated with their pagan religion (Lev. 18:3). Incest, homosexuality and even bestiality were specifically mentioned and condemned by God. These horrible practices had defiled the land (v. 27) and resulted in the inhabitants being “vomited out" (v 28). Frankly, our modern, English speaking nations are headed down the same path. And rest assured, they will suffer the same judgment of God for all of their perversions and immorality.

But we need not suffer with the rest of society. Following God's instructions to be chaste and faithful will produce strong marriages and protect innocent children from the horrors of sexual abuse. A stable, loving home becomes the place where instruction and discipline can direct a child’s energy into constructive outlets. Sadly, the society in which most of us live no longer reinforces right values, as was more often the case as recently as 30 or 40 years ago. Through music, television, movies and often even the public school system, society offers strong enticements to lead children and adolescents into a maelstrom of corruption, decadence and rebellion.

To succeed against such prevalent forces, today’s parents must be more vigilant than ever. It takes drawing close to God for His help and blessing. It takes building your marriage as well as being careful and consistent in teaching your children. It also demands appropriate action on the part of parents to minimize the corrupting enticements of their children’s environment.

Is the traditional family obsolete? Not on your life! Its role in shaping the next generation has been shown, time and again, to be irreplaceable. Learn and develop strong family values now and you’ll not only reap benefits in this age, but you can also be part of pioneering a new age to come.

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This is definitely a lawless age. Television news and newspaper headlines daily scream at us about the horrifying stories of more murders, rapes, robberies—and of the continuing breakdown of law and order in America and, to a large extent, Canada and Britain as well. Writing for the Scripps Howard News Service, Michael Hodges recently stated that, according to a new study, "the number of riots across America increased to nearly one a month last year, and the nation should expect more frequent flashes of violence as the number of youths in inner cities rises and respect for authority erodes" (The San Diego Union-Tribune, Dec. 4, 1996).

Former U.S. Supreme Court nominee, Judge Robert H. Bork, writes: "We are accustomed to lamentations about American crime rates, the devastation wrought by drugs, rising illegitimacy, the decline of civility, and the increasing vulgarity of popular entertainment. But the manifestations of American cultural decline are even more widespread, ranging across virtually the entire society, from the violent underclass of the inner cities to our cultural and political elites, from rap music to literary studies, from pornography to law, from journalism to scholarship, from union halls to universities. Wherever one looks, the traditional virtues of this culture are being lost, its vices multiplied, its values degraded—in short, the culture itself is unraveling.

"These can hardly be random or isolated developments. A degeneration so universal, afflicting so many seemingly disparate areas, must proceed from common causes” (Union-Tribune, Dec. 1; 1996):

What are the "common causes" of our massive moral decline? Certainly, a basic lack of respect for authority as Michael Hodges indicated. Yet we should ask, "For whose authority? And how did this lack of respect begin?" The real answer is that men have come to the place—even in organized "Christianity"—where they no longer feel obligated to obey the basic LAW our Creator gave to all mankind, the Ten Commandments. Sometimes directly, but more often indirectly, they are taught that the Ten Commandments are "done away." Or that they have been replaced by the "new" commandments of Jesus.

But did Jesus Christ replace His Father's great spiritual law with some "new" commandments? What are these commandments, anyway? Do they really replace the Ten Commandments? Since all of us have our human opinions veering this way and that, we should ask ourselves, "What does the Bible actually say on this vital subject?" For God reveals His will in the Holy Bible (2 Tim. 3:16-17). And human viewpoints are completely worthless if they contradict the inspired Word of Almighty God.

What Jesus Actually Taught

First of all, let us notice one of the all-important purposes for Jesus Christ coming to this earth as a flesh-and-blood human being. Isaiah prophesied of the Messiah, "He will magnify the law and make it honorable" (Is: 42.21). Here we find that Christ came not to abolish the law, but to magnify its meaning. "Magnify" is the direct opposite of "diminish." And it's totally incompatible with "abolish." To magnify something means to reveal it in minute detail—to enlarge upon it. Certainly the life and teachings of Jesus do just that with the Father's law.

Jesus said, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill" (Matt. 5.17). And He did just what these words imply. Both in His life and teaching, Christ fulfilled the law. He magnified it by His perfect example. He filled it to the full, passing beyond the mere letter of certain commandments to observe even the minutest spiritual intent and purpose of His Father's perfect law.

Those who knew Jesus as a teacher could never have charged Him with substituting the traditions of men for the commandments of God. He magnified God's law by His perfect example. He OBEYED the Ten Commandments in word and in deed. He taught and lived them as the perfect way of life.

And He further said, "Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven" (v. 19).

How to Gain Eternal Life

When a young man came to Him asking the way to eternal life, Jesus said, "If you will enter into life, keep the commandments” ( 19: 17). The young man asked, "Which?" And Jesus answered, "You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery..." (v. 18) and proceeded to list a number of the Ten Commandments. Jesus Christ knew the way to salvation! According to Him, that way was obedience to the law of God the Father and surrender to His will.

Jesus declared, "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (7:21). Far from abolishing the Ten Commandments, Jesus obeyed them (John 15:10). He was the "light" that God sent into the world to show men HOW to live.

After His death and resurrection, Christ sent His apostles out with this command: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you" (Matt. 28: 19-20).

The apostles had been there when Christ told the young man to "keep the commandments." They had heard Him magnify the commandments of God in what is called the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). They had witnessed His obedience to the Ten Commandments—and knew that His was the perfect example. Therefore, when Jesus Christ sent them out to every nation with the order to teach all things He had commanded them, there could be no possible doubt in their minds but that this included the Ten Commandments of God. Obedience to the Ten Commandments, then, was the very basis of the teaching of Christ and His original apostles.

But what about the "new" commandments of Jesus? Did they alter or abolish the necessity for literally keeping the Ten Commandments that were revealed in the Old Testament?

A "New" Commandment?

Actually, in spite of what many think, there is only one place in all the Bible where Jesus said He was giving a "new" commandment: "A new commandment I give

to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34-35). The other references—by the Apostle John—are to the exact same principle, as we shall see.

Jesus gave this new commandment the last night of His physical life on earth. But was it really "new"? He had—by teaching and example—already shown the disciples that keeping God's commandments was simply an expression of love.

Christ had already summarized God's law into two great principles: "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.... [and] you shall love your neighbor as yourself “ (Matt. 22:37-39). In fact, both of these principles are taken from the Old Testament—the first being a close paraphrase and the second a direct quote (Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18).

What, then, was new about Jesus' command to love our neighbors? The answer is plain. The principle of loving our neighbors was not new, but Jesus' magnification of that principle in His own perfect life shed a completely new light on the spiritual intent and depth of this commandment.

Remember Jesus' emphasis: "Love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another." His own perfect example of love and service was the greatest and most meaningful magnification of love for one's neighbor that there has ever been! Jesus demonstrated how that love actually functions in day-to-day life.

How to Love Your Neighbor

On more than one occasion, a voice from heaven announced God's satisfaction with the life of Jesus (Matt 3 17, 17:5). Even Roman Procurator Pontius Pilate declared, "I find no fault in Him" (John 19 4).

This was because Jesus led a life of giving to others. Whether in His constant teaching of the multitudes, His healing of the sick, His feeding of the hungry crowds or acts of humility such as washing the disciples’ feet, He was always giving of Himself.

But this same Jesus also sharply rebuked the Pharisees, saying, “Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?” Matt. 23:33). Are these strange words from this man of love? No. Rather, they are a manifestation of how perfect love sometimes says and does things for the good of others, even though they may not appreciate them at the time.

Jesus loved these Pharisees! It was in love that He thundered these words to wake them up from a life of religious hypocrisy and perversity that was damning them to the Lake of Fire. Remember, it was also for these same Pharisees that Jesus died, since Jesus died for each and every man and woman who has ever lived! (cf. Rom. 5:18). It was for these men and others like them that Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34).

It was in that perfect, understanding love that Jesus withdrew Himself occasionally from the multitude to rest, to meditate, to pray. For He knew that only by keeping close to the Father and being an instrument in His hands could His human presence and teaching enrich the lives of others.

Jesus did not just act as though He loved others. He did love them—with a perfect love. Through God's Holy Spirit within Him, He desired in love from the heart to serve His fellow human beings for their highest good.

Paul quoted Christ as having said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). And Jesus literally LIVED these words! In this way, His directive that men love one another even "as I have loved you," certainly does become a "new" and all-encompassing command in governing human relationships.

Did Jesus Literally Obey the Ten Commandments?

Many religious people think that Jesus had a sentimental type of "love" in His heart, but that he didn't really obey God's commandments literally.

'The truth is that Jesus Christ kept and obeyed every one of the, Ten Commandments in the letter and in the Spirit. Just as His followers today should do. As we have already seen, He declared that He had obeyed His Father's commandments (John 15:10).

To make it perfectly clear, Jesus Christ never had another" god before the true God. He never committed idolatry or took His Father's name in vain. Jesus kept holy the Sabbath that God had made holy and worshiped in the synagogue on that day as was His custom (Luke 4 16).

Jesus honored His parents, and He never killed, committed adultery, stole, lied or coveted. He set us an EXAMPLE that we should follow m His steps ( 1 Peter 2:21 ).

Today, a true Christian is one so surrendered to God that Christ is actually living His life in that person through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. For the Apostle Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20 KJV).

A true Christian should not only have faith in Christ, but should live by the very faith of Christ—built within him by the Holy Spirit. Christ—through the Spirit—should be LIVING in the true c. And remember, Christ will live the same life in you today that He did almost 2,000 years ago—setting the same example. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 12:8).

Jesus, in the flesh, "was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15). Yet in His fleshly life He obeyed the Ten Commandments. Dwelling now in His servants by the Holy Spirit, He will keep the same commandments through them.

It is Christ's love and power IN us that enables us to keep the spiritual law of God. For Jesus Christ was, and is, obedient to God the Father.

Did John Give a "New" Commandment?

In the first epistle of the Apostle John—the apostle Jesus loved—we also find reference to a "new" commandment: "Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now" (2:7-9).

Here the apostle refers the Church first of all to the "word" of God that they had from the beginning. Which beginning? John further wrote; "For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother" (3:11-12). So this message goes back to the beginning of the Old Testament! But John does mention a "new" thing—the deep spiritual love that brethren in Christ should have for one another. There is simply no room in this love for hate, envy or malice.

Does this Christian love, however, "do away"' with or change the Ten Commandments of God? Of course not! It only emphasizes and magnifies the personal love that Christians must have toward their fellow man. This love goes far beyond the letter of. the Ten Commandments—but by no means replaces them!

Again John wrote in his second epistle, "And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning that we love one another. This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it" (vv. 5 6, cf. 1 John 5:3).

Here John defines Christian LOVE as keeping the commandments! 

We are not just to love the persons of God and Christ. We are to love their way—their very character—which is expressed in the Ten Commandments. Christ not only taught obedience to the commandments, He lived them! And so John adds, "Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son" (2 John 9).

When we examine the positive side of the new commandments, we find that they simply reinforce and make more binding the old! They outline a way of love—of giving, of serving—that can only be attained through Christ Himself living in us. In perfect unselfishness, we are to learn to love our fellow man as Jesus loved us.

That is New Testament doctrine! It is FAR MORE BINDING than the letter of the commandments stated in the Old Testament. But it does not replace them! Rather, it magnifies them to their full spiritual intent. And these new commandments themselves refer to the perfect magnification demonstrated by the life of Jesus. Christ obeyed the Ten Commandments in spirit as well. He is to be our "light"—our example.

Describing the principle of how we should love our neighbor, the Apostle Paul stated, "Love is the fulfillment of the law" (Rom. 13:10). For God's spiritual love flows down the riverbed, or channel, expressed in the Ten Commandments.

In perfectly obeying the Ten Commandments—in their every phase and facet—Jesus' entire life was a radiant expression of love itself. And love is the fulfillment of the law. The new commandment He gave called attention to His perfect example of obedience to the Father, and of kindness and service to all men.

Far from "doing away" with God's law, Jesus' life and teachings show us that all ten of God's commandments should be practiced in the life of every one of us. Though modern man has strayed very far from God, this is what true Christianity is all about!

This is the basis of the CHARACTER God wants to build in you before He grants you eternal life. Do you deeply want to live forever in His soon-coming Kingdom? Then never forget Jesus' own directions to reach that goal: "If you will enter into life, keep the commandments." Be a true Christian! Surrender to God and let Christ FULLY live in you the same obedient life He lived on this earth almost 2,000 years ago.

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