Truth Magazine

By Ferrell Jenkins

Days five, six and seven of our Eastern Turkey adventure were spent driving in order to reach Mount Ararat. Without the prospect of reaching the area associated with Noah and the ark, we might not have spent so much time driving. This does not mean, however, that the area was not interesting. It just means that Turkey is a big country and we would be entering a mountainous area.

The Tigris-Euphrates Basin

We drove east from Sanliurfa through the Mesopotamian plain between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. The plain of Harran was to the south, but to the north we could see mountains. A few miles further the terrain changed to rolling hills. All day we passed a number of tells (huvuk is the Turkish term; mounds burying the ruins of cities) indicating that the area was well populated in ancient times. In many instances the modern village is built on or adjacent to the tell. Most villages have a sheepfold made from branches, stones, mud bricks, or dung cakes. Fences for livestock are unknown in Turkey, making the job of a shepherd or herdsman important. Some of the villages in the area had a rock fence around the orchard and/or garden to keep the animals out. The green, likely irrigated, orchard was a beautiful contrast to the dry fields which surrounded them. I have seen similar gardens in the Sinai peninsula.

About 30 miles south of Viransehir, inside Syria, is Tel Halaf. The ruin is situated on the Habur River and is the site of ancient Gozan, the place where the Assyrians settled some of the exiled Israelites in 722 B.C. (2 Kings 17:6).

There is considerable evidence of past volcanic eruption throughout this region. In these areas the soil was much darker and in some villages the houses were made of the basalt stones. The temperature in the Tigris-Euphrates basin was in the low 90s, while in the mountains to the north at Erzurum it was in the mid-70s.

We continued on highway E90 past Kiziltepe for about 15 miles when we turned northwest toward Mardin. At this point we were about a mile from the Syrian border; we could see the fence separating the two countries. We were about 75 miles from the border of Iraq and less than 150 miles from Mosul, the site of ancient Nineveh. This was Assyrian territory in the ninth to seventh centuries B.C.

The Syrian Orthodox Monastery

Mardin is positioned high above the Tigris-Euphrates basin and along the northern edge of the Fertile Crescent. We stopped at the Syrian Orthodox monastery. Only two monks and a few children and workers live in the monastery. Much to our surprise, we met a monk who spoke excellent English and showed us the property.

The earliest part of the building had originally been dedicated to the sun god. A fifth century portion had served as a medical school. In the church, which dated to the fifth century A.D., we were shown an old Syriac Bible. The oldest Syriac manuscripts date to the fifth century A.D., but are kept at an-other place where the bishop lives. We saw two baptismal fonts where the Syrian Orthodox immerse infants. From the roof of the building we saw the caves in the mountain above the monastery where monks have lived in the past. We also had a magnificent view, looking toward Syria, of the plain below.

Christians of the third and fourth centuries conducted heated discussions concerning the nature of Jesus. The Council of Chalcedon, A.D. 451, stated that Christ had both a human and a divine nature. Many of those associated with the Syrian Orthodox church held that Jesus had only a di-vine nature, a view called Monophysitism.

The Tigris River: Was Eden Near?

We continued from Mardin to Diyarbakir which has a – position high above the Tigris flood plain. This city has seen the passing of successive kingdoms  Hurrians, Urartians, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Seleucids, Romans, et al. Not many towns can make such a claim. From a walled portion of the city we looked down on the Tigris river; the Turkish name is Dicle.

From the morning at Sanliurfa to the evening at Diyarbakir we saw a great difference in culture. Here, the city seems more like a typical American city  more activity, more life, the people seem much more active; their clothing is more western style. This city is the center of Kurdish activity and the police/military presence was much more evident. The road from Diyarbakir to Van is the northern boundary of the Kurdish rebels. Altogether on our trip we were stopped by the military about 30 times. Each time we showed our pass-ports, explained where we had been, where we were going and why we were there. We were always treated courteously and never sensed any danger. We did make it a point to do all of our driving during daylight hours. Along Lake Van the guns on several tanks were manned and pointed toward the mountains from which rebels might come.

The Tigris river is mentioned only twice in the Bible. The Bible says a river flowed out of Eden and then divided into four rivers. One of these rivers, the Tigris, is said to flow east of Assyria (Gen. 2:14). Could Eden have been situated in this region, rather than in southern Mesopotamia, we wondered. The only other reference to the Tigris is in Daniel 10:4. Daniel saw a vision on the banks of the river in the days of Cyrus the Persian king.

Van: Center of the Urartian Kingdom

and the Mountains of Ararat

On day six, after making pictures of the Tigris, we headed for Van. Passing rolling hills of beautiful fields of grain we began to see high, snow-capped mountains to the north. We crossed several small tributaries to the Tigris, saw many tells and some settlements of tent dwellers. In some areas the scenery was magnificent.

Lake Van is a large inland body of water of about 1400 square miles at an elevation of 5737 feet. The lake is fed by a number of rivers and is highly alkaline. It is said that folks sometimes wash their clothes in the lake. We drove along the south side of the lake where the elevation reaches 7324 feet at one point.

In Assyrian records this area was called Urartu. In the Bible it is called Ararat. The English term Ararat is a transliteration of the Hebrew term. The four references where the term appears are Genesis 8:4, 2 Kings 19:37, Isaiah 37:38, and Jeremiah 51:27. The King James version uses the term Armenia in 2 Kings 19:37 and Isaiah 37:38 be-cause that is what the territory was later called. The Septuagint uses Armenia only in Isaiah 37:38.

The ark of Noah is said to have “rested upon the mountains of Ararat” (Gen. 8:4). Note that it does not say “Mount Ararat” but the “mountains of Ararat.” The assassins of Sennacherib, after killing the king of Assyria at Nineveh in 681 B.C., escaped into “the land of Ararat” (2 Kings 19:37; Isa. 37:38). Jeremiah called upon the kingdom of Ararat to fight against Babylon (Jer. 51:27).

Paul Zimansky, in a recent article on Rusa II, the seventh century B.C. king of Urartu, describes the extent of the territory: “The kingdom that Rusa controlled in the second quarter of the seventh century BCE stretched across the mountainous terrain of eastern Anatolia approximately eight hundred miles from east to west and five hundred from north to south” (“An Urartian Ozymandias,” Biblical Archaeologist, June, 1995, 94). Dr. Oktay Belli says the name Urartu is not an ethnic term but a geographical one meaning “mountainous terrain” (The Capital of Urartu: Van, 20). Prior to the Urartians, this region was the home of the Hurrians.

At Van we stayed in a fairly new hotel called Hotel Urartu. The lobby was decorated with scenes reminiscent of the kingdom of Urartu. The people in Van were of a darker complexion than we had noted in other parts of Turkey and the dress was more typical of mountain attire.

On the seventh day we visited the museum. On display were many inscriptions in the cuneiform language which the Urartians borrowed from the Assyrians. There were several pieces of gold jewelry and works of bronze on exhibit. After having a leaky tire repaired, we drove around the castle or rock of Van.

Tushpa, the ancient city of the Urartians, was built on this rock, which provides a commanding view over the lake, and at the base of the rock. At the beginning of the 20th century the city of Van was built over the ancient ruins, but was destroyed by the Russians in 1916. The area now is nothing more than a grassy knoll. On the side of the rock and at the top there are inscriptions, the tombs of eighth and ninth century B.C. Urartian kings, and ruins of a temple. A short distance from Van is another site called Toprakkale which marks the Urartian fortress of Rusahinili.

We know that the Assyrians were a threat to the kingdoms of Israel and Judah for about two hundred years. It is impressive to know that they also maintained an active engagement with the kingdom of Urartu closer to home. One more part to the adventure.

This great Rock of Van” overlooks Lake Van in the ancient land of Uratu (Ararat). The Urartian king Rusa II ruled this area in the 7th century B.C. Ruins with cuneiform inscriptions can be seen near the top to the left of center. The minaret on the right is from an Ottoman mosque.

Guardian of Truth XL: 9 p. 16-17
May 2, 1996

By H.E. Phillips

Crime in all forms has been on the increase for more than twenty-five years. We will never solve the problem with legislation and police force. We can and should sup-press criminals by enforcing law and order, but the general picture will not be changed until we change the hearts of people. Jesus said, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashed hands defileth not a man” (Matt. 15:18-20). He also said to lay up treasure in heaven and not upon earth, “for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matt. 6:21). “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23). “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he . . .” (Prov. 23:7). “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directed his steps” (Prov. 16:9).

The increase in murders, rapes, riots, thefts, and destruction of property is because the hearts of the people involved are set upon this sort of life. Why? Because of the influences and impressions made upon their hearts by evil goals and influences. Most of them have never been shown the good way of the Lord. They know little or nothing of God’s word. Today nearly everything is framed in a setting of sex, usually leaving the impression of favoring illicit sex relations. Nudity, profane and vulgar language are seen and heard in nearly all areas of entertainment. Drunkenness, dope addiction, and wild hippie-type parties are shown through nearly all news media in a mildly approved setting, or at the best with indifference. Men and women in powerful and influential positions in government, education, entertainment, and even religion are caught cheating, stealing, lying, adultery, drunkenness, rioting, and even murder, and the average man just smiles and says, “Everybody does it; it could happen to anyone.”

A dark, pessimistic picture, you say? Yes, but it true. It is a very real problem in society today and no one can deny it. It is axiomatic that every effect has a cause. Until we know where the problem originates and begin to do some-thing about it, things will grow worse.

Since man’s conduct originates in his heart, it is obvious that his heart must be changed in order to really change his conduct. “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil, for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh” (Luke 6:45). Why do young men and women accept the lowest standards of morality and become criminals and heathen who act like wild animals? It is because of what they see, hear and read. Certain publishers are making millions on pornography, novels on sex orgies and crime. Movie producers are seducing millions of young people by actually showing nudity and adultery on the screen. Television is almost entirely sex oriented; comedy, drama, and personality shows are built around illicit sex and sin, and are shown in the most able favorable light.

The entertainment industry has decided that one of the greatest causes of violence in America is the impression left upon the young and old by television programs that show violence. They realize that what people see and hear they think and do. Why cannot they realize that immorality, broken marriages, unwed mothers, venereal diseases, dope addiction, and nudity are the results of the same impressions made upon the hearts of people?

Satan works through lust of the heart and those who follow their lusts are lost to God. “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves” (Rom. 1:24). They are “alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart” (Eph. 4:18). Persistent sin hardens the heart so that it is impenitent toward God (Rom. 2:5). The continual sin of Israel is pictured in these words: “By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: for this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them” (Matt. 13:14, 15).

The function of the heart is divided into three parts, not considering the conscience. The intellect is that part which thinks (Matt. 9:4), reasons (Mark 2:8), understands (Matt. 13:15), and believes (Rom. 10:9, 10). This function depends entirely upon evidence received through the senses. The strongest impressions are made through sight and hearing.

The process of thinking and reasoning acts upon the emotion. Desire is created by the thought process stimulated by impressions made upon the intellect. Love and hate, sorrow and rejoicing, are emotional actions of the heart that grow out of reasoning upon something seen or heard. The heart may be “pricked” by what one hears and believes. Those on Pentecost who heard Peter tell of Christ were “pricked in their heart” and this resulted in their cry: “What shall we do?” The emotion of “love” for sin results in “hate” for righteousness; the “love” for truth and righteousness will result in “hate” for every evil way. Whatever the emotional state of the heart, it is produced by hearing, seeing, understanding, reasoning, and believing.

The will is a function of the heart that normally grows out of our emotional state. One may “resist” (Matt. 28:27) because of his feelings (emotion) about a certain thing. Sin is a matter of will. Because of the pleasure and joy of sinful practices, many will not see, hear, and understand, lest they change their minds (will) and obey the truth (Matt. 15:17-19). The heart intends  plans, purposes  the conduct of life and the words of mouth (Heb. 4:12; 2 Cor. 9:7; Acts 11:23).

What one deliberately does, good or bad, he does by his own will. His will to do or not do a certain thing is the direct result of his “feelings” (emotion) regarding the matter. His love, desire and rejoicing will lead him to will to do that thing. His hate, condemnation and sorrow will lead him to will to oppose the thing. His “feelings” are created by the function of his intellectual powers which are brought into operation by what one sees, hears and reads.

The real cause of sin is the impression made upon the heart by the “god of this world” who blinds the minds of them which believe not (2 Cor. 4:4), “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2). Sin is pictured as a beautiful life of “freedom” and “happiness” that can never be realized by following the word of God. The heart of the person who accepts this will act in accord with his acceptance of right and wrong. The only way to change his life is to change his heart. The only power in this world to change the heart from sin is the living word of God; not a part of it, not a perverted version, but all of it and nothing more.

The good and honest heart seeks for truth. When he finds it he will accept it and enjoy a life never before realized. The heart is purified by faith (Acts 15:9), by obeying the truth (1 Pet. 1:22), by fleeing youthful lusts and following righteousness (2 Tim. 2:22).

Do you really believe a normal young man or woman can sincerely abhor the emphasis on sinful sex indulgence, despise the nudity and vulgarity so common today, the unlawful rioting and rebellion of many today, and the immoral conduct of people in high places? Well, they can! Thou-sands do. The reason is that they have been taught what is good and right. They have received this into the “good and honest heart” and out of love for good, and the desire to serve God, they “flee also youthful lusts” and “follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Tim. 2:22).

If you are one who considers this person who follows the will of God “a square” you are right! He is just as square as the word of God. He is just square enough to make this world a little better because he has passed this way. He is just square enough to save some soul from eternal hell. He is just square enough to reject this philosophy of life that is “80 round, 80 firm, so fully packed” with sin and iniquity!

My brother and friend, the best contribution you can make to society today to make this a better world in which to live, and to make life healthier and happier, and to save millions from an untimely death and hell is to feed the hearts of as many as possible with the word of God. Give your children something to read besides filthy magazines. Provide your-self with reading material that will make you think in clean and right channels. Offer your relatives, friends and neighbors something to read that will expose the filthy trash upon which their hearts are fed through most avenues of communication, and give them something righteous to think about.

Guardian of Truth XL: 9 p. 14-15
May 2, 1996

By Robert F. Turner

The fat is in the sun  and, we may add, “in the fire” for all who question the various stages of undress seen in the stores and on the streets these days. The more angular and misshapen the woman, or the more knobby-kneed the man, the less propriety and modesty is shown. And no one blushes!

Jeremiah prophesied against Jerusalem saying, “Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? Nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush …” (Jer. 6:15a).

They could not blush. It is a terrible thing when a people can no longer blush. It means there is no sense of shame  the conscience is seared. They have so lowered their standards that “abominations” appear acceptable. Self-respect has been destroyed, and there is no personal pride to urge them to better, higher, more noble attainments. Their moral “slip shows” and they “couldn’t care less.”

Further, they frequently compound their degradation by a blasé smugness, as though their calloused hearts were marks of high honor. He who blushes (should one remain) is a “square,” or maybe a “cube.”

Once my wife and I visited a woman whose attire was almost non-existent. We were so embarrassed for her that we sought to excuse ourselves; but apparently she thought her clothing (?) perfectly adequate. She sat, chatting gaily, until her three-year-old, wearing training panties, walked into the room. Then she rushed the child away with a “spat” saying, “You know better than to come in here undressed like that!” I suppose psychology has some explanation for it.

Paul commends “shamefastness”  a word meaning “bound, or controlled by a sense of shame  modesty.” As a bedfast person is “bound” to the bed by physical disability, so a shame-fast person has a built in sense of right or propriety that “binds” and forbids appearing in public carelessly or improperly clothed (1 Tim. 2:8-10).

When a friend a mine commented on the gross immodesty that prevailed in a western resort city, he was told, “After awhile you’ll get used to it.” My friend replied that he hoped not.

“Getting used to” something that degrades character and lowers moral standards is no inducement to one who can still blush and is proud of it (Reprint from Stuff About Things, p. 33, by permission).

(I recently had the pleasure and profit of reading brother Turner’s book, Stuff About Things. It was published in 1976 as a collection of articles which had appeared in the monthly bulletin he edited for many years for the Oaks-West Church of Christ in Burnet, Texas. After reading the book, I re-quested permission from. bother Turner to reprint some of my favorites, which he graciously granted. I appreciate his granting this permission, and trust our readers will find the same pleasure and profit which I have found. Ron Halbrook, 654 Gray Street, West Columbia, TX 77486)

Guardian of Truth XL: 9 p. 13
May 2, 1996

By Lewis Willis

Memorial Day and June 1 mark the beginning of vacation time in America. It is a special time when families lay aside normal responsibilities for a brief time spent in relaxation and enjoyment. Depending on the approach we make to our vacations, they can be either a blessing or a curse. It seems appropriate, since this time is near, to remind us all of the pitfalls before us.

There Is No Such Thing as a Vacation From God

It is not uncommon for some members of the church to abandon God in the summertime. These are the folks who are too busy with other things to even assemble for worship. The church must get along without them until vacation time is over. I read a bulletin from a Christian Church in our city which dismissed Bible classes for the summer. A large liberal Church of Christ (?) in our city has made other plans and will discontinue evening worship for the summer. These are examples of accommodations denominations make because their members are busy with other things and have taken a vacation from God. The season is a curse to people who conduct themselves in this way.

Some Take a Vacation From Worship

With a Faithful Church

Christians would never think of missing worship on Sunday. However, they frequently take a vacation from worship with a faithful church. This is a strange thing about vacation planning for many church members. They are very careful to select a vacation destination that has beautiful sightseeing, good fishing/golfing, etc., good restaurants, and good motel/camping facilities. These are essentials to a good vacation. However, many of these families never ask, “Is there a faithful church nearby where we can worship?” Brethren, it says something about us when we are more interested in good food and a bed to sleep in than we are in a place to worship. Did we just forget, or was that the last thing on our minds? In either case, it manifests a serious spiritual problem.

Many think it’s alright to attend liberal churches, if there is not a faithful church nearby. Where did we get the idea that this is acceptable with God? Brethren, if it is accept-able on vacation, it is acceptable the rest of the time as well! I have heard members say, “If you didn’t know it was liberal, you would not notice any difference.” There really isn’t much difference. They just participated with the Devil in the division of the Body of Christ. These liberal churches support human institutions and participate in unscriptural cooperation or have sympathy for such. Most of them have fellowship halls in which the members play and eat. Do those who visit these liberal churches never hear the announcements promoting these sins? All of these things are still violations of the Scriptures. So, there isn’t much difference, is there? I have often wondered how brethren can overlook such obvious violations of God’s Word, simply because they are on vacation.

I do not see why the same reasoning would not work with the Christian Church. If it were not for instrumental music, most would see no difference. They still observe the Lord’s supper, give, pray, and teach that baptism is necessary to salvation. I suppose there is some similarity between the Lord’s church and the average Catholic church. They both have front doors and pews. I guess it would be alright to worship with the Catholics also, provided, of course, you are on vacation. Right?

Many members overlook a Bible truth. It goes like this: “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Eph. 5:11). When we attend a denomination (even one which has “Church of Christ” written over the door), we are violating this passage! We are committing a sin in the sight of God. We are having fellowship with them, and because we are on vacation does not change that fact. We are told in God’s Word to “abhor” evil (Rom. 12:9) and “eschew” or avoid it (1 Pet. 3:11). I would like someone to explain to me how one can abhor and avoid the evil in liberal churches, and still worship with them while on vacation. I would like to see the evidence of the Scripture they would use to justify the practice. What passages teach that the practice is acceptable with God? Keep in mind that Paul said we are to prove that the Lord accepts the practice (Eph. 5:10; 1 Thess. 5:21). Brethren, if you are going to attend liberal churches while you are on vacation, you had better get ready with an answer that God will accept at the Judgment!

Others wonder what to do, then, if there is no faithful church nearby. May I suggest that a good thing to do would be to select another vacation destination? Would it not be better to miss seeing some wonder of the world than to miss heaven? Is it worth seeing if it means you will spend eternity in hell, because you had worship fellowship with evil?

Some Take a Vacation from Modesty

All the rest of the year they are careful to adorn themselves in modest apparel (1 Tim. 2:9). Why is it acceptable to wear immodest clothing like bathing suits and shorts, simply because you are on vacation? (Some parents permit their children to go swimming in public while on vacation.) And, if you regard such apparel to be modest, would it be alright if everyone wore such to worship? Are we to dress modestly only for worship? Brethren, stop and think! Support of the work and worship of the church. Also, the financial obligations of the church continue, even if we are out-of-town for a couple of weeks. Make sure you are carrying your part of the responsibility.

Because so many are out-of-town during this time of year, it is important that we all put forth our best effort in

It’s Vacation Time!

It is my prayer that all will enjoy and be strengthened by the few days of relaxation. But, let’s not forget the truths discussed here. No one wants to lose his soul for a few moments of pleasure (Heb. 11:24-25).

Guardian of Truth XL: 9 p. 12-13
May 2, 1996