My dear readers,

Questions Posed at CPBPC’s Annual Church Camp (10-15 June 2019) – part 8

It is said that Pharaoh's hardened heart was in God's hand, what about Pharaoh's free will? Was he "forced" to sin against God?

Reply – The theological issue in the above question involves the doctrines of the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man. If God is sovereign then how can sinful man be responsible for his actions? If man is responsible then how can God be sovereign? Mixed into this is the meaning of the free will of man. 

Free will – What is free will? Is it absolute whereby man is completely free to make a choice in a state of neutrality and whereby he is neither a sinner nor a saint depending on what he chooses? This definition of absolute free will was experienced only by Adam and Eve. They were created perfect by God with no sin in them and with a temporary perfection. They had to pass the covenant of works before they could be rewarded with eternal perfection. Sadly they sinned and failed the test. When Adam sinned against God, all humanity fell into sin with him. In other words, from then on all humanity born of human father and mother are conceived and born in sin. 

In this sense, mankind is no longer absolutely free. All babies are born sinners. They are already sinners without committing any willful sin. When they reach the age of accountability (knowing right from wrong), they will be held responsible by God for their motives, thoughts, words and deeds even though they are not “absolutely free” like the first Adam and Eve. Human beings are in a state of condemnation the moment they are born into this world! In this state of condemnation, man, who will make millions of decisions throughout their three score years and ten lives, will be held accountable by God. For example, note what Jesus said about Judas Iscariot who later betrayed Him. Matthew 26:24 “The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.” Judas Iscariot was preordained to betray Christ before he actually betrayed Christ. When the time came, Judas on his own accord willfully went ahead and betrayed Him. He was condemned as a sinner for what he did against Christ. This was also true of Pharaoh. 

Hardening of Pharaoh’s heart – It is correct to say that the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Exodus 4:21 “And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.” And Exodus 7:3 “And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.” The above two verses tell us before the Ten Plagues began that the LORD would harden Pharaoh’s heart. What actually happened was that when the Plagues began, Pharaoh hardened his own heart up to Plague number 5. Then in Plague number 6, the Bible says that the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart (cf. Exodus 9:12). From the actual events we see that what the LORD meant in 4:21 and 7:3 was that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart but He did not specify at which plague He would do so. We know from Exodus 9:12 that it will be from Plague number 6 that Pharaoh would no longer be able to soften his heart to let Israel go unless the LORD made him. Judicial hardening had set in. Pharaoh was doomed even when the plagues increased in severity and intensity; Pharaoh refused to let Israel go. Finally after the 10th plague he was forced to do so. Then his heart was hardened again to pursue after the Israelites and he perished in the depths of the Red Sea together with his charioteers. 

The LORD prepared His servant Moses and all Israel by warning them that taking Israel out of Egypt would be a spiritual battle. Moses must persevere till Israel departed. This was the primary reason God revealed to Moses that He hardened Pharaoh's heart. Another main reason was to let Moses and Israel know that the LORD was in total control of the entire process of the exodus. The sovereignty of God and man’s responsibility do not conflict with each other but are like parallel lines that will not meet on earth but will meet before God's throne of grace on the day of judgement. 

The doctrine of the sovereignty of God is the most comforting and reassuring doctrine in the entire Bible to God's children in times of persecution and great trials. This doctrine assures us that no matter how out of control everything seems, our heavenly Father who is all powerful is always in total and absolute control. This means that every trial and adversity we go through comes from the hand of our loving heavenly Father! Conversely the doctrine of the sovereignty of God is a most fearsome doctrine to all unbelievers. They have no escape from His wrath to come except through Jesus Christ! Beware of judicial hardening! Man is responsible for hardening his heart and will be punished for it and at the same time God is sovereignly over his heart. Man is not God. He must know and acknowledge that he is just a man. Psalm 9:19-20 “Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight. 20 Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.” 

Is there a third temple before the millennium temple? What is the biblical basis? Some people believe you need a mandate to build the temple and there is none in the Bible.

Reply – Solomon’s Temple is considered as the first Temple. This was completely destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. The second Temple was rebuilt during the time of Zerubbabel after the Jews returned from 70 years of exile in Babylon. This was completed around 516 B.C. Later, this second Temple was greatly refurbished by King Herod and it was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. The third Temple is the Tribulation Temple because it will be built during the seven years of the Great Tribulation. There is no specific mention that a temple will be built like the first two times but there is a good indicator that there will be a Tribulation Temple before the Lord’s Second Coming with the church. Matthew 24:15 “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:).” The fact that in the prophecy of Christ’s return one of the things that will take place is the placing of the abomination of desolation in the holy place implies that there will be a Tribulation Temple. Otherwise how can there be a holy place for the Antichrist to put his abomination of desolation in? 

God will not give any mandate to Israel to build as He did for the first two Temples. The reason is that this Israel has rejected Christ’s First Coming. Israel of today is willful. They will do what is right in their own eyes. Rebuilding the Tribulation Temple during the Tribulation Period is one of those willful acts. 

Will there be any difference in the heavenly reward for those who have done many godly works (accumulating much gold, sliver and precious stones) and those who only have wood, hay and stubble?

Reply – The imagery of the “gold, silver, precious stones” and “wood, hay and stubble” is meant to describe every believer’s life. Every believer’s life of witness for Christ will be categorized into two types -- the type that will not be destroyed when tested by God’s fire and the type that will be destroyed. We are referring to the life of a true Christian and not a false one. The text in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 says, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” The person whose life is typed as wood, hay and stubble is saved by the “skin of his teeth.” 

An example of a gold, silver and precious stones life is Abraham’s life. An example of a wood, hay and stubble life is Lot’s life. Both of them were believers but Lot’s life was a bad witness for Christ whereas Abraham’s life was exemplary so much so that God cited him as the father of the faithful ones. Abraham’s life of obedience, faith and devotion to Christ is used as a standard to help all future believers match their faith against Abraham’s to determine whether it is real or false! 

Based upon the above revelation there will be a difference in the kind of heavenly reward. We do not know what these heavenly rewards are. A cautionary note to bear in mind is that the reward must not become the motive of the believer's life. If it is, then the believer’s good works will be classified as wood, hay and stubble. Believers must only be constrained by the love of Christ in all that they do. Faithful servants of God do not serve for rewards even though the rewards will be given by the all-knowing God. 

The Bible mentions books that are not canonized. Examples, books of Jasher, Nathan, Gad, Shemaiah, Jehu. Do we still have these books? Why were they not canonized if they still exist?

Reply – These books are mentioned in the Bible, but they are not to be understood as inspired. The fact that they are not preserved by the LORD is one good reason to believe that they were not inspired. These books are therefore not part of Canon. For example in Acts 17:28 Paul cited the writing of Aratus a Greek poet but that does not mean that this poet’s writing was inspired. Acts 17:28 “For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.” [Emphasis added] What are inspired Scriptures are the 66 books of the Bible.

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service

Rev Dr Quek Suan Yew, Pastor