February Review

Two months of 2009 gone already. Where does the time go? A sixth of the year completed, but what has been happening on the blog this month?

This is now the 37th posting, most definitely the busiest February thus far. In fact, I may even be on for the most blog posts in a year, if this keeps up.

This month there were several book reviews, on The Shack, The Reason for God, The "Fifty Nine" Revival, and Angels and Demons. I also thought about Lily Allen's song, The Fear, in a new feature reviewing the UK's Number One. Lily remained there throughout February, but will she continue through March?

In church, February was the month of Open House. I spoke twice, on How Can I Believe that God is good, and that being good won't get you to heaven? There were also some thoughts on Quiet Times and Quiet Days, both perhaps not quite as quiet as you would imagine. I also complained about the impatience of others, before seeing this reflected in myself. Point taken.

To close the month, we've had a special series on the 1859 revival, it's origins, the Anglican response, one parish's experience, the local experience, and the desire for a new awakening.

1859 - 2009: The Burden For Revival

As we bring this series of posts on the 1859 Revival to an end, where are we today in terms of revival? Can we expect a similar move of the Holy Spirit today? Or do we look on those times as just a history lesson, part of the golden age of the past?

What can we learn from 1859 and implement today? The origins of the revival came from sustained, faithful prayer rising up from the Lord's people. The prayer meeting in Kells met for almost two years before the work went outside the village. The Lord also blessed the advance of His word as it was read, preached, and applied to the sinful hearts of the people. The Lord blessed the united work of Presbyterians, Church of Ireland, Methodists, Congregationalists, Baptists and Independents as they came together in prayer meetings, setting denomination aside and joining under the one Lord.

So where do we go from here? Let's join in prayer for the mass conversion of men, women and children in this land, so that many are saved and the glory goes to God. One verse that is used by revivalists is this:

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Angels and Demons: Book Review

Following the success of The Da Vinci Code, Hollywood is turning to another of Dan Brown's novels for more conspiracy thriller movie moments. Having previously enjoyed reading Angels and Demons, I thought I would return to it before the movie is released.

The book is centred on the events of the Vatican Conclave of cardinals, when the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church gather to elect a new Pope. The last time I read the book was round about the time of the election of Cardinal Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI, which gave it even more topical interest. Having read it again, I notice that it's even more topical, with its descriptions of the CERN Large Hadron Collider, seeking the Big Bang 'God Particle' which provides the antimatter terror threat exploited by the Illuminati. The Illuminati are the successors of a bunch of scientists condemned by the Vatican who formed a secret society to plan the overthrow and destruction of the Catholic Church in revenge.

As with the Da Vinci Code, Brown sends his hero symbologist, Robert Langdon, on a high-speed chase across Rome seeking to save lives and follow the ancient Path of Illumination, as the seconds tick away on the antimatter hidden within the Vatican. Expect more conspiracy theories, secret societies, architectural gems, suspicious characters and the usual unexpected twists in the tale.

However, the central issue which is discussed time and again is that of science and religion. Are they complementary or contradictory? How do scientists have faith, or how do churchmen view science? Will the Roman Catholic Church continue to war against the advance of science, or will it make peace with the footsoldiers of atoms?

As usual, Dan Brown's theological view seems to be all over the place. Occasionally he says something worthwhile, but then it quickly descends into nonsense again. However, it might be useful for some Christians to re-read the book (or read it for the first time) before the film hits our cinemas in May 2009, to be able to discuss the issues. Certainly, it's a page-turner, and will provide discussion starters with those on the outside of the church.

1859: Dundonald

Continuing the series on the 1859 revival, I wanted to write about the experiences of the outpouring in the local area. Helpfully, Dr Paisley's book The "Fifty Nine" Revival has a lot of reports from areas across Ulster. Sadly, though, there's not much on Dundonald, so I'll quote it in full:

The revival in Belfast quickly spread to Carryduff, Dundonald and Castlereagh, adjacent districts in Co. Down. Eleven revival prayer meetings soon sprang up in Dundonald, and the number of converts increased rapidly.

If anyone has more information on what happened, then please do let me know.

Sunday School Musical

Yes, you read that right! The other day I was in Tesco, and noticed this on DVD. Buying into the huge High School Musical trend, Faith Films have produced a direct-to-DVD film called Sunday School Musical. Currently at the bargain price of £4 in Knocknagoney, perhaps because it hasn't been selling, since being released last October.

It's probably a good thing that Christians are getting in on the act, but surely many useful conversations could be had with kids who are into the HSM stuff rather than having a poor imitation coming from Christian media? Plus, I noticed that Sunday School Musical has a 15 certificate in the UK - which would surely limit or remove the very target audience they are seeking to reach - especially if Christian parents are more wary of certificate ratings and not exposing kids to unsuitable material?

I've found the trailer on Youtube if you want to have a look:

1859: Bumper Confirmation

An interesting section of Ian Paisley's book on 'The "Fifty Nine" Revival' is the descriptions of events in the counties of Ulster, and especially the city of Belfast. Some of the churches affected during the revival have now disappeared, presumably through the development of the city's infrastructure. So, for example, Great George's Street Presbyterian Church is now long gone, without a trace. Similarly, there are frequent references to Trinity Episcopal Church - a Church of Ireland parish which has now disappeared. It was off Clifton Street, but the Parish church was destroyed in an air raid in 1941. (Holy Trinity, Ballysillan was its replacement).

The Rector, Theophilus Campbell, writes this about his Confirmation service of 1859:

Perhaps I ought to state that at our annual confirmation this year my numbers were one hundred and sixty-one, while the average of former years may be stated at twenty. All of these, with perhaps half-a-dozen exceptions, have come to the Lord's table. During the confirmation many of the candidates were deeply affected, and could scarcely restrain their feelings. Of these one hundred and sixty-one, only sixteen were 'stricken cases'.

161 confirmands in one service! Truly revival struck that parish. Oh that we would see such scenes again. Lord, revive us again.

Have a Little Patience

Having complained about others with no patience, I learnt a little lesson myself this week. I had been visiting parishioners in hospital, and was retrieving my car from the car park. Wonderful - the car in front of mine had moved on, so I could drive straight through rather than reversing out of the space and negotiating the tight car park. It was then that I saw her. A dear old lady was trying to reverse her car out of a space opposite mine. So I waited.

And waited, until eventually she got out. Pause, as she put her seatbelt on. Then, she had seen a car about half a mile away from the far end of the car park coming, so she let it past before going on herself. Or rather, stalling, and stopping.

I could feel myself getting unduly annoyed, thinking that I could have been halfway home by now. Deep breath, and calm yourself. No point getting agitated - take your time.

The dear lady then drove up to the ticket barrier, but missed it by an arm's length. Which meant she couldn't reach the machine to put her ticket in. Had to take off her seatbelt again and climb up the side of her car door to get the ticket in. Drove past the barrier, stopped to put her seatbelt on again, and dithered before getting into the line of traffic queueing for the traffic light.

So why did I get annoyed? I still would have been sitting in the traffic light queue, and wouldn't have been any further forward. When I did get out of the hospital, I called into a local supermarket and had a pastoral contact that may not have happened if I had fumed and tried to get past the lady. Perhaps I need to take it easy sometimes. Take my time, and find that I am in God's time all along, all because of little old ladies!

* Yes, it's another musically themed posting title - this time the name of Take That's song, Patience. Behold, the video:

1859: The Church of Ireland

While the 1859 revival began and spread primarily within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, the other Protestant denominations also saw showers of blessing. However, there were mixed responses from the Church of Ireland bishops and clergy.

The Archdeacon of Derry, in an address to the clergy sanctioned by the Bishop, recommended that they should keep aloof inasmuch that the Church of England clergy* could not join other denominations except by sacrificing their principles. Whilst acknowledging that the revival was of God, he advocated the holding of separate meetings. Consequently, services were held in the Cathedral and in the church schools, but they were thinly attended and there were few results... This attitude of the episcopal clergy of Londonderry stood out in sharp contrast to the example of Dr Knox, the Bishop of Down and Connor (and Dromore), and the clergy of his diocese.

Dr Knox called a meeting of the clergy of the united Dioceses, and gave the revival his support and blessing. He then took part in the united weekly prayer meetings in the Music Hall, Belfast.

Throughout Paisley's book there are further incidents of revival striking Church of Ireland parishes including Magheralin, Lurgan (where an extra 500 seats in Shankill Parish Church had to be provided in the years after the revival because of the increased attendances), Portrush, Coleraine, Garvagh, and Monaghan. It seems that 'where brothers dwell together in unity' the blessing was particularly sweet, while in many places, the Church of Ireland clergy condemned or worked against the work of the Spirit.

May we in our day discern what God is doing, and not work against the Lord and his purposes.

* Church of England clergy - at this point the Church of England and the Church of Ireland were united in the Church of England and Ireland, which explains why the Archdeacon of Derry refers to Church of England clergy in his address.

It's Oh So Quiet

The idea of a Clergy Quiet Day might strike you as an odd concept. The thought that a bunch of ministers could come together and not talk is incredible! Yet that's what happened yesterday in Carryduff for the diocesan clergy. With Lent beginning tomorrow, Bishop Harold invited us along to take some time aside from the busy-ness of parish life to look at John chapter 1 with Ian Dickson of Belfast Bible College.

Throughout the day, after three talks, there were periods of silence to reflect on the issues of ministry raised in the life of John the Baptist. Yet also part of the day were three packed Prayer Book services, so alongside the quiet there was much singing and liturgy. To be fair, it wasn't what I was expecting - perhaps a quiet day would be better with less liturgy and more quiet?

Nevertheless, it was a useful time, and it provided us with a place to catch up with colleagues from across the diocese.

* Bonus points if you spotted the title of the Bjork song in the title of this posting - thought I would add the video for a blast from the past:



Björk: Iceland's finest!

1859: Origins

When considering the scale of the 1859 Revival, with over 100,000 people convicted and converted, you may well wonder how it came about. What happened to impact so many people? Given the way we try to organise things today, you might be tempted to imagine there was a committee which sat and planned for revival, with sub-committees and standing committees and sitting committees and such like.

Not a bit of it! To trace the origins of the 1859 outpouring, instead you must turn to a prayer meeting, in a schoolhouse in the tiny village of Kells, County Antrim. There four young men began to pray weekly on Friday nights, and it blossomed and spread, bringing the Holy Spirit's blessing on their endeavours, and awakened many to their utter sinfulness and need of salvation.

The four men were James McQuilkin, Jeremiah Meneely, Robert Carlisle and John Wallace.

Quoting from Ian Paisley's book: These four young converts were naturally closely allied in spirit and they mutually agreed for their own edification and the salvation of precious souls to meet weekly for prayer and Bible study... The place chosen for meetings was the Old Schoolhouse near Kells and the meetings commenced in September 1857. During the long winter of 1857-58 every Friday evening, these young men gathered an armful of peat each, and taking their Bibles made their way to the old schoolhouse. There they read and meditated upon the Scriptures of truth and with hearts aflame with a pure first love, poured out their prayers to the God of heaven. The peats made a fire in the schoolhouse grate and warmed their bodies from the winter's chill, but their prayers brought down unquenchable fire from heaven which set all Ulster ablaze for God, and warmed with saving rays at least 100,000 souls.

For three months, there was just the four of them, but then converts began to be added to their prayer group, so that by the beginning of 1859, there were 50 men gathering each week to pray.

As Jeremiah Meneely said years later: We did not allow the unsaved in the prayer meeting. It was a fellowship meeting of Christians met for the one great object of praying for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon ourselves and upon the surrounding country. This was the one great object and burden of our prayers. We held to the one thing and did not run off to anything else. The Presbyterian minister (Rev John H Moore) was favourable toward us all the time but many of the people ridiculed our praying for an outpouring of the Spirit, saying that He had already been poured out on the day of Pentecost. But we replied that the Lord know what we wanted and we kept right on praying until the power came.

Source: The "Fifty Nine" Revival by Ian R K Paisley.

1859: The Year of Revival

While some may be recalling 1859 for the installation of Big Ben in the Houses of Parliament, and the publication of The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin, here in Ulster, we recall with gladness the Revival that swept the province. For many years, I've had a copy of the book written by the Rev Dr Ian Paisley on the subject, The "Fifty Nine Revival", and so in this 150th anniversary year, I thought I should get around to eventually read it. Particularly since the Northern Ireland Assembly may be holding events to mark the occasion.

Starting from a prayer meeting of four converts in the Old Schoolhouse in Kells and Connor, County Antrim, it rapidly spread across the country, affecting over 100,000 people. God's grace and mercy were richly poured out on this land, and the Holy Spirit was mighty in operation. Over the coming days I'll post some quotations from the book, highlighting stories from local places, as well as lessons to learn.

How Can I Believe That Being Good Won't Get Me Into Heaven?

I wonder what you made of the theme question tonight. It’s a bit shocking, when you start to think about it. Being good won’t get me into heaven. It’s not what we expect to hear. Maybe especially for people in Northern Ireland, who have been brought up to think that heaven is for people who are good and who do good.

You see, some people genuinely believe that humans are good. All of us are good, and eventually we all become good, and God will let us into heaven because we tried to be good, at least sometimes. But it just doesn’t work like that. We quickly realise that we’re not good all the way through. We’re selfish and proud, and look out for ourselves.

For others, we think that it’s a matter of balance, like the scales of justice. We know that we do some bad things, but we hope that the good things we do outweigh the bad. So the good cancels out the bad, we’re in profit, and we get into heaven.

But again, as we’ll see, that doesn’t work. How could you ever be sure that your good was outweighing your bad? Life would turn into a constant guilt trip as you try to balance things, like a bad dieting phase where you have a chocolate bar one day and then starve yourself the rest of the week to make up for it.

Most of us perhaps fall into the relativity trap. It’s all relative, and while we recognise that we do bad things, well, at least we’re not as bad as yer man down the road – did you hear what he did last week? We’re all very skilled at making ourselves appear in a better light than others. So we compare ourselves to those who are worse offenders. It’s maybe even more of a temptation for you if you go to church every week – compared to the heathens who don’t come along.

You might even think of it in a scale like this: Right at the bottom, worst of the worst, someone like Hitler. Then coming up, not as bad but still bad you might put murderers, then robbers, then liars, and compared to all that bunch, you appear at the top of the class, gold star for you and a sure way into heaven – compared to all those bad people down the list…

But again, it just doesn’t work like that. You see, in trying to highlight the sins of others, you conveniently forget about the sins that you also commit. Now, you may not think them as important, or as scandalous or as wrong as others, but they are nonetheless still sins, and still wrong.

For a few minutes I want to share with you from Romans 3. As Paul outlines the good news of Jesus, he first has to knock down some barriers to the gospel. One of these major barriers was the thought that some Jews had about themselves. You see, they couldn’t see how they needed the salvation of Jesus, because they were God’s chosen people, and had God’s law (the Ten Commandments and all the rest), so surely they were all ok.

Paul takes some time and outlines first how the Gentiles, the non-Jews, were sinful, but then he extends what he is saying to the Jews as well. What about this for a comprehensive condemnation:

None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes. (Romans 3:10-18)

As Romans 3 later says, ‘All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.’ That falling short is the image of an arrow missing the target by not even making it to the target. Perhaps another way of thinking about it is the high jump bar. The bar is set so high that no one can make it. Everyone fails and falls.

The problem of sin is that the wages of sin is death. The proper result of our sin is death, and one day, each of us will die. So if sin is sin, then any sin is just as bad as any other – all are punished and end in death, so the comparisons with others fail. Similarly, the attempts to balance our good and bad just don’t wash. How do you make up for the wrong things you have already done, never mind trying to be good for the rest of your days?

Well, there are just two answers. We can try to save ourselves, or we can find that Jesus can save us. All those things that we talked about at the start – the balancing good and evil, the comparing ourselves with others – these are ways we try to justify ourselves. It can lead some people to try so very hard to be so very good, so that in the end, God has to say to them, yes you’re good enough.

As Tim Keller says, ‘Self-salvation through good works may produce a great deal of moral behaviour in your life, but inside you are miserable. You are always comparing yourself to other people, and you are never sure you are being good enough. You cannot therefore, deal with your hideousness and self-absorption through the moral law, by trying to be a good person through an act of the will. You need a complete transformation of the very motives of your heart.’ (The Reason For God, p. 177)

Being good won’t save us – expecting God to give us a pat on the back for our own achievements just doesn’t work, when we have rebelled against him the whole way.

But the good news is that Jesus can save us. Jesus is the one who can deal with our sin – who has dealt with our sin, and who offers full and free pardon. Jesus died the death that your sin deserved, in your place as your substitute, so that you don’t have to bear it yourself. That’s what Paul goes on to say: (Romans 3:23-25a)

We are justified by faith – as we trust in Jesus, then it is just as if I’d never sinned. As Jesus died on the cross, he took the punishment we deserved – this is what propitiation means – bearing God’s wrath on sin, and taking away that wrath. This is, then, the only way we can get to heaven – not by saving ourselves by our churchgoing or charity work or trying to be good. No, the only way to heaven is by trusting in Jesus, taking him as our Saviour, and sheltering under his cross, as the only ground of hope, and the only way to find peace.

It’s as if we have run up a huge debt on our credit cards – maxed them out, and can’t pay the bills. The debt I could not pay. Jesus comes, and takes the bill, and pays it himself so that we can go free. Or liked condemned people, we are in court, sentenced to death. Jesus comes, takes the sentence, and allows us to go free.

This talk was presented at Open House in Dundonald on Sunday 22nd February 2009.

Open House 4

Tonight in St E's we have our final Open House of February, looking at the theme of 'How can I believe that being good won't get me into heaven?' As we strip away the self-salvation schemes we try out, the glory of the only Saviour, the Lord Jesus, will become all the more clear. If you're in the area, then come along tonight - you will be made most welcome. 6.30 in St Elizabeth's Halls on Church Green, Dundonald.

This week, I'll be embarking on a short series of postings on the 1859 Revival. Watch this space for the daily updates.

Bondage to Decay

Have you noticed that things don't last too long. The oranges in the fruit bowl look delicious, but soon turn too soft and mouldy. The yoghurt and milk has turned, with the accompanying foul smell. The bread develops the colourful blue mould. Perishables go off, and have to be thrown out, if not used quickly enough. We're all too familiar with the Best Before Date and the Use By dates on food items. Ever wonder why this is? Why are things good for a little while, then all decays?

We might realise that it's all because of our sin. Originally, things were perfect, and were made to last. But that all changed. We thought that we could do a better job of running things.

Yet it might surprise you to learn that it was God who brought about the processes of decay and rotting. We read this in the letter to the Romans:

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. (Romans 8:19-22)

When we see things rotting and spoiling, it is to remind us of our sinfulness, and to point us to a better reality, an everlasting kingdom which is to come. Just as the creation groans - rocks, hills, trees, flowers, cows, milk, oranges - waiting for the restoration and renewal of all things in the new heavens and the new earth, so we are to look forward with the anticipation of hope. A good lesson to bear in mind when clearing the fridge and taking the rubbish out to the bin.

Zavvi Belfast: Going, Going, Gone

I've been following the story of Zavvi's demise since it went into administration just before Christmas. Now, it seems, the story in Northern Ireland, at least, is finally over. Following the initial relief that Northern Ireland would escape the first closures of 22 stores, it then emerged that four of the five stores in the province would close. Just Zavvi in Victoria Square remained. By tomorrow, however, the shutters will have come down for the last time as Zavvi ceases trading in Belfast.



It's sad to see it closing down, the with resultant job losses, and the decline in competition for music sales on the streets of Belfast. Even more so when we consider that it has all happened so quickly. The initial shop closures were on the 8th January, and Zavvi Belfast (Victoria Square) has had just one month of reprieve before the death sentence falls on it.

With the credit crunch crisis still hitting hard, it appears that people are cutting back on their consumption, which takes the cycle round again and threatens more jobs. Where will it end?

Faithful Midwives

The names Shiphrah and Puah may not mean much to you, but they were two remarkable women in their generation. You see, these two ladies were the Hebrew midwives when the king of Egypt told them to murder the sons born to the children of Israel. Imagine - the slaughter of innocents at birth - legislated and commanded by the state.

'But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.' (Exodus 1:17). The fear of Pharaoh meant nothing to them when their conscience was stricken with the fear of God. The king's command meant nothing compared to the command of the King of Kings. As the apostles declared before the Sanhedrin: "We must obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29).

Are there situations when we find ourselves in conflict between the laws of the state and the law of God? Let us find encouragement to follow the example of Shiphrah and Puah to take a stand for truth, when it truly is a matter of principle.

We find that God honours those who honour him (1 Samuel 2:30), to the extent that the midwives gave birth themselves. Those who were responsible for helping others give birth, were blessed with children themselves. (Exodus 1:21)

The Remembering God

Have you ever been afflicted with that thing, you know, that makes you forget things? What's it called? Oh yes, amnesia. It's not pleasant when you're telling a story and you forget someone's name, or what happened next. Or you were meant to go to the doctor's or ring someone and you completely forgot.

When you think of God, you wouldn't imagine He could suffer from amnesia. God is, after all, omniscient - all-knowing, so how could He forget? Yet a few times in Genesis, and again in Exodus, we read that 'God remembered'. Does that mean that God had forgotten and then it suddenly struck Him to recall someone?

After Joseph has brought his family to Egypt, and he and his generation have died out, a new king Pharaoh comes to the throne in Egypt, who doesn't know about Joseph. The Israelites are seen as fair game to be exploited and enslaved. Moses, who had been brought up by his mother then passed over to Pharaoh's daughter, has tried to save the Israelites by beating up and killing an Egyptian. But it has all backfired, and he's off in the desert of Midian.

During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel - and God knew. (Exodus 2:23-25)

God remembered! God always knew, but here is the decisive time to act - in God's timing He is seen to 'remember'. God's remembering is connected to His acting and saving. Just think of Noah, riding high on the waves in his ark. 'But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided.' (Genesis 8:1).

Or think of Lot, sojourning in sinful Sodom, as divine destruction threatens. 'So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived.' (Genesis 19:29)

God's remembrance is intimately linked with his saving acts. Little wonder, then, that he calls us to also remember his saving act on the cross with bread and wine.

Could You Live on £2 Per Day?

Back in the home parish (Dromore Cathedral), four parishioners were planning to go out to Sudan on a mission trip. However, due to the current situation, it was not possible for them to travel. One of the team, Lynn, has undertaken a poverty challenge this week, to put herself in their shoes, as well as raising money for the Sudan. What would it be like to live on £2 per day? Keep up with her experiences on the Dromore Cathedral website.

How To Talk To Girls

Having not blogged about Valentines Day at all, I felt I had to at least write about the latest relationships book to hit the market. You might need some help if you spent the 'day of love' alone, and if so, you could turn to How To Talk To Girls.

The surprising thing is that the author might seem slightly inexperienced, being just nine years old! Imagine, a dating book from a child! Alec Greven was talking to BBC's Newsbeat, and he said that "Your goal is to make sure she does most of the talking so then you can't mess up."

It seems he is planning a series of follow-up volumes on How to talk to moms, dads, and grandparents.

Economic Crisis, Egyptian Style

With the world banking system in crisis, and severe criticism of the big bonuses for bankers in rescued banks, you might wonder if we'll ever pass through the 'credit crunch'. Interest rates are at an all time low, and yet people still aren't spending money, with people fearful for their jobs and just what the future holds.

As I've been reading through Genesis, I came across a passage I can't remember reading before. Or maybe it never struck me as it did in the current climate. After Pharaoh's dreams of the fat cows and the skinny cows, the good ears of corn and the thin ears of corn, the land of Egypt had seven good years, then seven years of famine. During the good years, under the Premiership of Joseph, food was stored up in the barns of Egypt. When the famine struck, times were hard. All the grain was held by Pharaoh, and the people languished.

At the start, the people of Egypt could buy grain. But then the money ran out. A proper banking crisis, with famine conditions. So what to do? They went to Joseph and said, "Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? For our money is gone." (Genesis 47:15). The solution Joseph came up with was for them to exchange their animals for food, so that all the livestock came under the ownership of the state.

But that was just one year. There were still some more years to endure. Same famine. No money. No livestock. What to do? They went to Joseph and said, "We will not hide from my lord that our money is all spent. The herds of livestock are my lord's. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our land. Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? But us and our land for food, and we with our land will be servants to Pharaoh. And give us seed that we may live and not die, and that the land may not be desolate." (Genesis 47:18-19)

From then on, Pharaoh was to receive one fifth of the produce of the land, and the people were to keep four-fifths for food and sowing. Two tithes for the government by right.

So how did Joseph and Egypt deal with an economic crisis? Complete nationalisation, not just of industry, but also of livestock, land and people. Will such a solution rescue the United Kingdom today? No, I don't think so. In fact, I don't think government can save us. It's expecting too much. Yet it might just help to curb the greed of those who exploit others for their personal gain.