Credo 3
`As soon as you hear the sounds of marching in the tops of the trees . . move quickly'
The title of this Credo comes from 2 Samuel 5:24 where the narrative has followed on from the anointing of David by all the elders of Israel. You may recall that this was the third anointing of David: First the anointing by Samuel, followed by the anointing by `the men of Judah', and now the third anointing by `all the elders of Israel'. David knew his calling and was sure of his kingship, but as a man after God's own heart he had to wait for the final third anointing before he was free to declare: (5:12)

". . . that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel. " But even with this knowledge David did not seek to fully extend his kingdom until he knew the LORD's timing, and as we read through chapter 5 we see this is continuously laid before us . . . `So David enquired of the LORD' - which leads us to the title of this Credo. `So once more David enquired of the LORD' and heard the releasing words enabling him to `move quickly because . . . the LORD has set out in front of you to strike the Philistine army'. For David, as for David's Greater Son, the Messiah of Israel, their knowledge of the LORD enabled them both to wait for His time, certain of victory!

So we come to our present time with the ever-increasing certainty of the Lord's anointing on His people to release them into service to announce the coming King Who will fully establish His Kingdom. We need therefore to be as David was . . to enquire of the Lord and to be sure of His timing. One of our many expressions come to mind, that of being in a place of `aggressive security' - surely a contradiction in terms of secular understanding. It speaks of a people who are in a permanent state of enquiry, secure in the knowledge of the Lord's anointing, although to be more Scriptural perhaps we should merely say, `Blessed are they who long for His appearing'! Such a time for the Lord's people came in the late 1970's when disciples of the Lord in Ireland, on both sides of the Border, after many long months of meeting in prayer asking the Lord to break the circle of sectarian violence in that beautiful island, felt that the Lord's timing had come. From that understanding came a song which readers may recall: `I hear the sound of the rustling of the leaves in the trees, the Spirit of the Lord has come down on the earth . . '. They, like David, had enquired of the Lord, and being certain of a move of the Spirit they waited for `the sound of marching in the tops of the trees'. It would be many years later before they saw the answer to their enquiry but `hope is being certain' of the faithfulness of God to their cries. Their hope was not in vain, and as we wait with the same certain hope we surely do not wait in vain.

In our last Credo we stated our understanding that the Lord's anointing on a new generation was imminent as we approach the end of a 40 year Probation Period. If this is so, then it surely behoves us who wait expectantly to enquire of the Lord what kind of world the Lord's anointed people will be called into. As may be remembered, we have often said that the world we live in `does not exist' - in the sense that we live in a time that was formed through the efforts of a past generation together with the political and social life of today, bringing forth a `new world' of tomorrow. Unfortunately most people live their lives with a vague understanding of `what is, has always been'. Not so, for we live in a changing world which we can unthinkingly drift into, and disciples of the Lord Jesus need to hold to a firm Scriptural foundation which does not change so that we can be ready for when we hear `the sound of the rustling of leaves . . ' and move quickly!

In reality we live in a world `which was, which is and which is to come', but overlapping State Systems can so easily confuse our understanding, and, therefore, our Scriptural perspective. We use the expression `State Systems' with intent for it is the governing elite of countries which determine the State boundaries of those countries - whether it be an imperial system, reaching ever outwards to extend its authority, or a narrow nationalistic State, with fixed territorial borders. Historians, in order to identify and explain, will attach labels to these State Systems, giving rise to the age of the `Kingly State', or territorial `State Nation', or our recent period of the `Nation State'. Using such titles gives us the framework for that which we have just called `what was, what is and what is to come' - and it is the `what is to come' which concerns us in this Credo.

Readers will no doubt recall that we set out in general terms the emergence of these State Systems in our Newswatch No. 31 `Is not my house right with God?' In summary form we wrote:

" State systems wax and wane but the social and patriotic ethos of particular times are set within those times. A change of State System of government will always be brought about through violent wars leading to a `Peace' through the victory of a particular ideology, legitimised by the victors into a Constitution to be accepted as the new State System by the prevailing `International Community - as it is now called. At which point a New World Order begins to be formed as the `victors and vanguished' seek change which culminates in further wars. And so the onward quest goes on for what Emmanuel Kant (a philosopher of the Enlightenment Period) called `Perpetual Peace' which, he expounded, could only be achieved through changing or introducing political institutions or systems. "

As we have said, it is the overlapping of changing State Systems that causes Christians in particular to focus on `what is to come' with cries of alarm at the sighting of a `New World Order' - now seen in the emerging European Union - that so limits their perspective. To overcome the enlarged, and still enlarging European Union, such people point to the original ten member States and link them to the `ten horns' of Daniel 7. Upon such narrow perspective is many a religious conspiracy formed - indeed a founding member of the original European Union, Jean Monnet, in trying to overcome such problems, gave vent to the expression `when you have a problem you cannot solve, enlarge the context'! So, in the sense of narrow religious conspiritorial cycles, enlarge the context beyond the European Union to where `the Lord sits enthroned', for a fixation on the `dots' will not enable us to see the `Picture' in all its fulness and glory!

Here may we briefly look at `what was, was is and what is forming' so as to enlarge the context of our understanding that we may catch a glimpse of the Lord's Picture and be ready to `move quickly'. The State Nation (that `which was') had failed, it had led to a calamitous European Great War, which at the end of it had swept away three great Dynastic Houses of Government. The continuation of it led into the second Great European War which spilled over into a wider global conflagration, shaking the old European Imperial State Nations, and so from this 30 Year War came the Nation State System (that `which is'). The State Nation sought to engage the resources of the country to maintaining the State. This can be seen in wartime posters of a stern faced General Haigh pointing to the people saying, `The country needs you'. Later the patriotic call was encapsulated in popular culture in books and magazines and films such as `The Four Feathers', `Beau Geste' or `The 39 Steps'. In more elitest circles the same patriotic ethos can be seen in the Great War poetry of Wilfred Owen, Siegfred Sassoon, and in the even more well-known Rupert Brooks - the golden headed boy-men laying down their lives for the nation. The emerging Nation State, facing global warfare and needing the entire population to be engaged in its defense, had no alternative but to promise that once the conflict was ended the resources of the country would be directed towards the people, from which sprang our National Health Service, Universal Education, State Benefits and Pensions.

That cycle of European State systems came to an end in 1991 when the formal Peace of Paris was enacted, legally bringing to an end the conflict of the past decades. It could not happen in 1945 as the European Continent went into a deep freeze known as The Cold War, which was but a continuation of the two Great Wars of earlier years, which had lasted for 30 years. At that point the formation of a new State System began to take form and the search for Kant's Perpetual Peace began its journey once again with `wars and rumours of wars' announcing its journey. The overlapping of these various State Systems ensures that the edges would be blurred, unless we are prepared to `enlarge the context' and look beyond the narrow, blinkered, nationalistic sentiment that demands a return to our `Judaeo-Christian heritage' embedded in a secular everchanging State System, a form of which entered the World Stage for a brief time in what we call `history'. We need not `enlarge the context' beyond the arena of Western Europe, for that has long been the cockpit for continuous wars between the `Merovingian and Carolingian tribes' - each battling for supremacy of Europe. (For those who are puzzled by that expression, we would remind readers that we set out in general terms the formation of our present-day European nations which spring from battles fought in earlier times between two Frankish tribes in our booklet Winds of Change No. 1 entitled `Beyond the Storm . . a Ripened Harvest' which is freely available on our website.)

It could be said that our vision is too narrow as what lies ahead is a global conflagration, but Scripture clearly indicates that it is in this cockpit of Western Europe that `a man of intrigue' will arise and lead the world into total conflict for a short time. We would suggest that this clash between the Merovingian and Carolingian Dynasties has yet to run its course as we see emerging State Systems once again being determined by these two `tribes'! The signing of the Paris Peace Treaty in 1991 not only brought to an end the conflict of the 30 year Great Wars but it also brought to an end the `Balance of Power' system of maintaining `peace' in Europe. Over past centuries peace was maintained in Europe through alliances, through marriage, through formal State Agreements - all readily broken when it suited the countries involved! Short, sharp wars brought ambitious Kings and Princes into line as the hegemonic powers of the day were roused from their `imperial sleep'. Prior to 1649 and the Peace of Westphalian Treaty this hegemonic power was centered on the Pope who reigned over Christendom and kept the warring factons in line. From 1648 the concept of `Europe' began to emerge, and pushing aside Christendom it fragmented into Kingdom States enforcing a State religion on its subjects to give legitimacy to its claims of independent States. At the heart of this system of States has been the Merovingian (French) Dynasty seeking to re-establish its supremacy over the usurping Carolingian (German) Dynasty, and this has been the source of the conflicts over the past 300 years of European history.

Since The Peace of Paris in 1991 the State System of independent nations has been challenged, and through political will it has begun to be pulled down, for in the hearts of powerful men is the dream of universal power - last seen in Papal Christendom. Herein lies a paradox, for man's dream of universal power through empire leads invariably to inertia, corruption, indolence and finally collapse as all the empire's efforts are directed to maintaining the status quo, whereas individualism leads to instability and opens the way for a strong man to emerge. We need only to mention the great Empires of popular history, for from the Roman to the Ottoman to the French and to the British, the end results of the quest for world domination are plain to see. The powerhouse of the world, its economic and political strength, for the past 300 years has been the invention of the European State System with `peace' - such as it is - maintained through a system of `balance of power' being maintained through wars and treaties. Herein lies another paradox: Will the Western European powers (`that which was' . . the old Papal Christendom of universal power) give way to `that which is' (the independent State System, undergirded by its national religion) or `that which is to come' (a United States of Europe, legitimized by a form of Christianity which will once again bring an end to man's dream of universal power). The hubris of powerful men seldom accepts historical lessons!

The present-day political conflict is therefore between `that which is' and `that which is to come'. National identity is firmly fixed in people's minds and national identity is firmly embedded in territorial boundaries. The recent referendum over further integration into Europe reveals the intensity of feelings which politicians are now seeking to change. However, `that which is to come' will eventually emerge as significant changes have occurred in political mindsets. The former `tribal wars' of old Europe are no longer thought of . . . it is inconceivable that Germany would invade France again or that Great Britain would seek hegemonic power on the European Continent . . . no longer do State Systems seek to extend their power through the conquest of neighbouring States . . . Europe no longer wants to fight, seen most recently in footdragging over becoming involved in America's excursion into the Middle East. Force as a means to national prestige is no longer an option, no longer a political concept. Force has given way to the law - seen in the seemingly endless flow of European legislation streaming into the various member States of the EU. When a problem occurs it is no longer a matter of bombastic sabre rattling with the threat of war. It is talk, talk and even more talk and nit-picking over what constitutes a sausage! What to us seems to be `Brussels Babel Land' is the emerging State System `which is to come'. No amount of sticking labels on envelopes of Christian or secular pressure groups in new nationalist political parties will stop its final emergence, for a significant change has entered the political will of the `tribal dynasties' which form western Europe.

Clearly the European Union has not reached the end of its journey, nor even the real beginning, for as the EU extends its membership new State Systems are seeking admission for reasons other than those of the founding State Nations. Those now joining, or seeking to join, are looking for the pot of gold at the end of the European Rainbow and have little understanding, or desire to understand, the powerful forces of change that forged the concept of the European Union whose members no longer had any political or military desire to seek national prestige through territorial gain. The strong base of the European Union was the dismantling of the desire for hegemonic power in Europe between France and Germany, but already there are new signs of the age-old animoisity rearing up as the Merovingian and the Carolingian national spirits collide - one of them will once again emerge and with a power base well established in Europe will seek world domination. Power and destruction, the Fourth Beast that so terrified Daniel in his vision, will stride the world stage for a short time. However, to stop at this point is but to enter the arena of popular conspiritorial sensationalism and will take our thoughts and eyes off the fact that the times and boundaries of nations are set by God, and it is with His Purpose that we need to align ourselves!

We mentioned earlier in this Credo that as the various State Systems `wax and wane' there will be the inevitable blurring of the edges so that clarity of understanding can be impared. Much is spoken today of the problem that the policy of multiculturalism has caused by undermining the country's National Identity. Multiculturalism has been a very effective tool to deliberately break down a national identity to prepare the way for a European Identity, and the present talk of integration instead of multiculturalism is but one example of the blurring of the edges of change as politicians see their power ebbing away to the new corridors of power in Brussels. Education has always been a political part of social engineering, and whilst many may wonder why national history is no longer fully taught in our schools such social engineering leads a new generation into acceptance of `that which is to come'. The much talked-about `clash of civilizations', scorned by some and accepted by others, occupies much of media talk, but clearly as the European Union, with its deeply embedded, although often denied, `Judeao-Christian Heritage', reaches out and seeks to draw in other nations with an alien and deeply embedded Islamic heritage, a `clash of civilizations' cannot be avoided for such a `heritage' forms no part of the `tribal dynasties' of the European Union.

We would bring in a third confusing element to assist further the `blurring of the edges' of the emerging State System. The people of the western European nations, long fed on a diet of their needs to be supplied by the Nation State, have grown wealthy beyond anyone's dreams of earlier State Systems and have become uninterested in national identity - obesity (of the flesh) may well be engaging the minds of the political elite but obesity of the mind is more difficult to eradicate for the emerging State System centered in Europe has increasingly overridden national hubris in favour of the individual's rights without the responsibilities of a national community. What is clearly emerging is a developing conflict within and without, which in the immediate past gave rise to extremist right-wing groups taking power and causing unrest, mayhem and death. Western `Christianity', as seen in the emerging European Union, is on a path of conflict with Eastern Islam, and once that clash occurs `that which is to come' - the New World Order - will be clearly seen. It is not only politicians who are alarmed at the rise of `militant' Islam within the Western State System for many Christian leaders speak openly of it - and the spirit of appeasement is in the air. Indeed, one respected Bible teacher sought to defuse this problem by talking of separating philosophical Islam from militant Islam!

A quick look at our trusty dictionary shows that `philosophy is the seeking of a higher wisdom as a way of life' - showing such comments to be in direct conflict with what is unfolding in `the changing scenes of life'. Philosophy, which is a search for a higher way of life, must inevitably inspire others to live that higher way of life, and its path leads to fundamentalism - which is but an outworking of the fundamental `truth' that the philosophist pointed to. In the past such teaching led to the emergence of the Jacobins, leading the way into the terror of the French Revolution . . Karl Marx into the terror of Communism . . Mein Kampf into the terror of `Nazism'! The Jacobins are ever with us, picking up the droppings of philosophy in their search for a higher truth leading to a new way of life and so into a New World Order. We suggested in our last Credo that into such a world there will rise up a `new generation' anointed by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Kingdom of God and salvation in none other than Jesus Christ - indeed a `clash of civilizations' as we proclaim the only Path and Way! With that we would turn the closing words of this Credo to Scripture to show that for which we have been brought into the Kingdom of God to proclaim - if indeed we have truly heard ` the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees'.

Our Scripture opens up in the Book of Daniel in the closing chapter 12. Daniel, long in captivity in Babylon, wanted to know the time of the restoration of his people Israel - as shown in the opening words of chapter 9: (v 2-3)

" I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. So I turned to the LORD God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. "

In response to his pleading Daniel heard heavenly things, and in some elation and some distress - yet not fully comprehending what he saw - he faithfully recorded what he had heard concerning the restoration of the people in Israel, in Jerusalem. His elation was in the certainty of that restoration, his distress was in understanding that it would occur when `the power of the holy people has been finally broken'. The time of this restoration is clearly set as being in the last three and a half years of the last `week' of `the seventy weeks of Daniel' - as recorded in chapter 9 - a time which is called `The Great Tribulation'. The closing words of chapter 12 are very poignant. Faithful Daniel, no doubt by this time very old, was told by the man clothed in linen:

" As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance. "

So we turn our closing thoughts to those `times, times and half a times' or 1260 days, when as the KJV records: `and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people all these things shall be finished'. Distressed, but still not fully comprehending what the man clothed in linen was saying, Daniel asked again but was told: `Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end'. Daniel heard clearly that beyond the end of the 1260 days of the `time, times and half a times' there was a period of 30 days where there would be even more distress, but beyond that was the exhortation that there would be a blessing for those who waited for and reached the end of 1335 days. So we have three clear dates to turn our thoughts to. 1260 days during which there will be a terrible time for `the holy people'; a further 30 days during which there will be further trouble, yet connected to perfection and being made spotless; and a further 45 days when for those who wait and reach the end of the 1335 days there will be a time of blessing - a total of 75 days of distress, perfection and blessing.

Although it is sometimes difficult for a Gentile mind to comprehend, those faithful Jewish scribes lived Scripture with their knowledge of God, of His Promises, His Covenants revealed through the Patriarchs, the Law given to Moses, the anointing of kings to rule over the land given by the LORD under a Covenant Promise. The very strangeness of these additional days would have turned their thoughts back to their Scriptures in order to hear the Voice of the LORD speaking through the Law given by Moses, their reverred Torah. Their knowledge of the LORD would lead them to seek the Voice of the LORD, as spoken through the Five Books of Psalms, for although not at that time broken by numbers the Psalms were divided by inscriptions into distinct parts - the inscriptions drawing their attention to a change in the voice of the LORD. And so we first turn to Psalm 30, set in the First Book of Psalms (the `Genesis or Beginning' Book of Psalms) where the LORD has revealed His set Purpose. In the Hebrew Scriptures the separation in the narration in this Psalm is now caused by the inscription `A Psalm (or Song) at the dedication of the House of David'. The Hebraic meaning of a Psalm (or Mizmor) joined by a Song (a Shir) tells us that what follows is a meditation to be sung with joy at what is revealed as `the dedication of the House of David'. Some translations would have it recorded as `the Temple of David' but the words need to be understood in the context of the royal House of David - as in our own history, there is the House of Windsor or the House of Hanover - speaking of a kingly line who would rule seated upon a throne set in the capital city of his kingdom.

Within the Kingdom of Israel the only place where a throne was established was in the Temple in Jerusalem, and we have set out in our study booklet `The Temple of the LORD' how once the Temple was built the Kings of Israel would at certain set times in the religious calendar of the Feasts sit upon the ` Chariot Throne of God above the cherubim over the Mercy Seat and rule as the King'. Clearly no King of Israel would sit upon `the Chariot Throne of God' in a Temple in which was `the abomination which causes desolation', which leaves us with the understanding that those Hebrew scribes would have come to see that those 30 additional days at the end of the Great Tribulation are speaking of a cleansing, a purifying of the Temple to enable the Dedication of the House of David's Greater Son, the Messiah of Israel to take place! A reading of Psalm 30 clearly reveals that the cleansing, purifying time is at last at an end: (verses 11-12)

"Your turned my wailing into dancing;
You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.
that my heart may sing to You and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give You thanks for ever. "
Now Daniel is told that `blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1335 days', which takes us on from the dedication of the House of David by a further 45 days.

Once again in order to hear the Voice of God the scribes would have been led to Psalm 45 (as we know it). This Psalm is set in the `Exodus' Book of Psalms and speaks its own message of restoration through deliverance, and the inscription which breaks into the flow of the Second Book of Psalms gives us an understanding of the Blessing which awaits `those who wait for and reach 1335 days'. It is inscribed as `For the Sons of Korah', the offspring of those who were destroyed in the great rebellion of Korah, now receiving God's Grace and Mercy in His Blessing! It is a Maschil - an instruction - and a Shir - a Song of Loves, as the KJV records - and always it is seen as the Wedding Song of King Hezekiah and his bride Hephzibah, yet pointing forward to a time when, as Isaiah records: " You shall no longer be termed `Forsaken', neither shall your land any more be termed `Desolate', but you shall be called Hephzibah and your land Beulah, for the LORD delights in you and your land shall be married. " (Isaiah 62:4 KJV)

Psalm 45:6-15 (in part) KJV
"Your Throne, O God, is for ever and ever;
the sceptre of Your Kingdom is a right sceptre.
You love righteousness and hate wickedness,
therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
with the oil of gladness above Your fellows . . .
The King's daughter is all glorious within,
her clothing is of wrought gold.
She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needlework,
the virgins her companions that follow her
shall be brought unto You.
With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought,
they shall enter the King's palace. "
Blessed indeed are those who wait for and reach 1335 days! The Psalm concludes with the prophetic instruction that it be entrusted to the Chief Musician, and to remind us again of the LORD's Grace it is for `The Sons of Korah upon Alamoth'. This word has a meaning of `maidens in attendance' - indeed there will be much surprise and rejoicing at the sight of those who are blessed at this Wedding Feast!

Yet there is one other number to consider: The 30 days for the cleansing and purifying of the Temple joined to the 45 days and to the great Wedding Feast leads us to Psalm 75. Set in the `Levitical' Book of Psalms it speaks of God's Anointed Son in the Temple Sanctuary when He rules with equity and justice in that glorious Millenium Kingdom. Psalm 75, a Mizmor joined to Shir - a meditation to be sung with joy - is the fourth of the 12 Psalms of Asaph, who was appointed by David (an eminent musician himself) to preside over the Temple music. It gives us an understanding of the Glory of the LORD upon His Anointed King seated enthroned in the Temple Sanctuary: (Verses 1-2 KJV)

"Unto You, O God, do we give thanks;
Unto You do we give thanks,
for that Your Name is near Your wondrous works declare.
When I shall receive the congregation
I will judge uprightly. "
Once again entrusted to the Chief Musician for a time yet to come, it finishes with the triumphant words `upon Neginoth', which has a meaning of `to smite . . to bring down in judgement all the wicked who sought to thwart the Will and Purpose of God: `As for you, Daniel, go your way till the end. You will rest and then at the end of days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance'.

To bring this Credo to a close . . what then have we set out? An interesting journey through history coupled with an interesting Bible study? Daniel did not think this way for he asked the LORD for understanding of the times concerning the end of Israel's captivity. The elation and distress he experienced culminated in a glorious Wedding Feast. Israel's restoration . . married to her king . . ruling and reigning with Him in a Land . . in the Sanctuary of the Temple where He reigns as a Righteous Judge. Those anointed by the Holy Spirit for the days to come will have that same distress and elation in their hearts as they are brought forth to announce the Coming King and His Kingdom of Righteousness.

May we be ready to hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees . . and move quickly!

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