Author –

1962

IT WOULD BE RECKLESS, rather than bold, to venture on any prediction as to what 1962 holds in store for the world. Even when writing only a few weeks ahead of publication there is the risk that commen…

John Heading

1962 Volume 13 Issue 1

Editorial

Apostasy and Its End

The Link with Revelation 13. In just the same way as the book of Daniel traces the end times in several different ways, so too does the book of Revelation. We have already stated that chapters 6-11 sh…

John Heading

Survey of Prophecy

1977 Volume 28 Issue 6

Exposition

Are you a Trustee?

The Task of a Trustee is a very important work, and is supported by a legal document known, for example, as a Trust Deed. The trustees may be responsible for money, for a building such as a Gospel Hal…

John Heading

1992 Volume 43 Issue 2

Contemporary Issues

As Unknown and yet Well Known

The blessed request of the lord to ‘feed my sheep’ continues to be heard by all those called by Him to ‘feed the church of God’. As the risen Lord, He calls and equips many to serve in this field; in …

John Heading

1962 Volume 13 Issue 4

Exposition

Asaph

The study of a character in Holy Scripture can be very rewarding, since New Testament principles are thereby clothed with illustrations of a practical nature. Lesser known characters often demand a de…

John Heading

1965 Volume 16 Issue 5

Study

Both Small and Great

It is the privilege of believers to engage in much varied spiritual activity according to the precept and example of the New Testament. But at what stage of their spiritual growth do believers start t…

John Heading

1967 Volume 18 Issue 6

Devotional

Communicating Spiritual Things by Spiritual Means

The First Epistle to the Corinthians presents a balanced fare for the Lord’s servants in a local assembly. Chapters 1-4 and 11-14 form the two great sections on service. The second section, chs. 11-14…

John Heading

1973 Volume 24 Issue 6

Exposition

Conversion, Baptism and Service

Outwardly, Peter might have had an advantage over Paul, since he had experienced directly the years of the Lord’s ministry on earth. From the parables in Matthew 13. 31-33, 39, Peter would learn that …

John Heading

1981 Volume 32 Issue 4

Exposition

Divine Assessment and Witness

Gospel initiative and zeal demand that the preacher, as well as presenting salvation, should also present the alternative, namely the final judgment at the great white throne. Nothing is hid that shal…

John Heading

1975 Volume 26 Issue 3

Exposition

Divine Involvement in Assembly Service

In the same way as a growing plant botanically and the solar system astro-nomically show structure, so also do the epistles. Hence from the broad out-lines down to the study of individual thoughts and…

John Heading

1979 Volume 30 Issue 2

Exposition

Do You Pray for the Lord’s Servants?

Do our prayers at home after the morning reading of Scripture, or dur-ing the assembly prayer meetings, tend to become formal without real exer-cise before the throne of grace? Having listened to othe…

John Heading

1981 Volume 32 Issue 2

Exposition

Epaphras, a Faithful Minister of Christ

The apostle Paul attracted around himself men of like outlook and character. Timothy and Silas had been deliberately chosen by the apostle, while others such as Apollos, Aquila and Priscilla chose to …

John Heading

1975 Volume 26 Issue 5

Exposition

Fruitfulness and Repentance

The King having entered His own city to be crucified, He now uses various opportunities to show the true state of the Jewish nation as a whole, and of the Gentiles who would be brought in under grace.…

John Heading

Exposition of Matthew 21

1968 Volume 19 Issue 6

Exposition

Genealogy of the Priests

A paper for detailed study The study of genealogies in the Bible is very rewarding. Such a study keeps us occupied with the Word in great detail, providing incentive for further study and profitable r…

John Heading

1967 Volume 18 Issue 3

Exposition

Giving and Keeping

When we give something to someone else, it does not usually fall upon us to guard that thing afterwards! However, with God things are different. In John 17. 23,24, the Lord Jesus speaks of the love th…

John Heading

1985 Volume 36 Issue 5

Exposition

Greater Than

To contemplate the greatness of the Lord is to recognize the exalted status of the Son of God, and to under-stand the lowly position that man occupies here on earth. Gabriel had announced to Mary that…

John Heading

1981 Volume 32 Issue 3

Exposition

Groupings Amongst Men

Introductory Remarks to the next Great Event. Having traced the greatfeatures of decline and restoration leading to ultimate rejection of Christ-endom by the Lord, a great decision must now be taken b…

John Heading

Survey of Prophecy

1977 Volume 28 Issue 2

Exposition

How Amiable Are Thy Tabernacles

It is good to thirst after nearness to the living God. The same exercise is found in Psalms 42, 63 and 84. “My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God”, 42. 2, said the psalmist, desiring to appear…

John Heading

1966 Volume 17 Issue 3

Study

How I was called to Salvation and Service – Introduction

Following the series of papers entitled “The Lord’s Servants and their Service” by K. T. C. Morris, we now propose to commence a series showing how many of these principles are worked out in practice.…

John Heading

How I was called to Salvation and Service

1978 Volume 29 Issue 3

Exposition

Letters of Commendation – Additional Notes

Second Corinthians not only contains a direct reference to “epistles of commendation”, 3.1, but two of its major sections are in themselves examples of letters of commendation. Paul was journeying to …

John Heading

1966 Volume 17 Issue 2

Study

Matthew 21 – The Context of the Chapter

I. THE CONTEXT OF THE CHAPTER The Gospel by Matthew, the book of the Acts, the Epistles to the Romans and the Hebrews, and the book of the Revelation are particularly rich in direct quotations from, a…

John Heading

Exposition of Matthew 21

1968 Volume 19 Issue 3

Exposition

Not of This World

To the apostle John, the world was a most unpleasant thing. In its moral, religious and political aspects the world can sap away the spiritual affections and energies of the saints, if they allow them…

John Heading

1984 Volume 35 Issue 1

Study

Olivet

The city of Jerusalem was built upon four hills, mount Zion lying towards the south-west and mount Moriah towards the east. Immediately on the east outside the city in the valley of Jehoshaphat, flowe…

John Heading

Mountains of Scripture

1964 Volume 15 Issue 1

Study

Parents and Children

There are good parents and bad parents, good children and bad children; obviously these can be combined in four ways, and examples can be given from the Scriptures that illustrate these four possible …

John Heading

1987 Volume 38 Issue 3

Exposition

Paul’s Charge to Timothy, The First Epistle to Timothy

The two Epistles to Timothy differ considerably in their objectives and subject matter. The first Epistle deals with the practical walk of believers in a local assembly, this walk being based on whole…

John Heading

1976 Volume 27 Issue 4

Exposition

Personal Relationships in the Family, 5. 21 to 6. 9

This section continues the practical part of the Epistle, and is spiritually consistent with the doctrinal part presented in earlier chapters. Here, Paul uses the highest spiritual concepts in order t…

John Heading

Truth in Ephesians

1987 Volume 38 Issue 1

Exposition

Position, Privilege, Peace, 2. 11-22

In those days, it may be difficult for us to appreciate the truth behind the message in these verses. Yet if we do understand it, we may not thrill in our souls as the early believers must have done. …

John Heading

Truth in Ephesians

1986 Volume 37 Issue 2

Exposition

Power, Protection, Prayer, 6. 10-24

Paul had considered the Christian’s warfare before, its nature not being after the flesh, and its weapons not being carnal, 2 Cor. 10. 1-5. This therefore eliminates the validity of the so-called Chri…

John Heading

Truth in Ephesians

1987 Volume 38 Issue 2

Exposition

Practical Conduct – Part 1: 4. 17-32

The daily life of a believer is not independent of the doctrine that he holds nor of the service that takes place in the local assembly. The conduct of a Christian should be quite distinct from that o…

John Heading

Truth in Ephesians

1986 Volume 37 Issue 5

Exposition

Practical Conduct – Part 2: 5. 1-20

In this section, Paul continues his description of practical conduct that is consistent with the doctrine previously expounded. The divine example of forgiveness occurs in 4. 32, followed by an exhort…

John Heading

Truth in Ephesians

1986 Volume 37 Issue 6

Exposition

Practical: Prophets, Pastors, Perfecting, 4. 1-16

The first three chapters, which deal more particularly with doctrine, cannot be separated from the practical repercussions of that doctrine. For faith is not only a matter of the heart and of knowledg…

John Heading

Truth in Ephesians

1986 Volume 37 Issue 4

Exposition

Prayer, Power, Plenitude, 1. 15 to 2. 10

Having dealt with the elevated truth of the counsel, purpose and will of God, stretching from the eternal past to the eternal future, Paul writes, “Wherefore”. Such truth must lead to the practical ex…

John Heading

Truth in Ephesians

1986 Volume 37 Issue 1

Exposition

Prisoner, Promise, Preaching, Prayer, Eph. 3. 1-21

In the previous three papers, we have considered the description of the mystery, 1. 1-14, the power of the mystery, 1. 15 to 2. 10, and lastly the basis of the mystery, 2. 11-22. In chapter 3, we now …

John Heading

Truth in Ephesians

1986 Volume 37 Issue 3

Exposition

Prophecy and the Present Age

In our previous papers diagram was included showing what we called “Prophetic Trajectories”. The reader should have this diagram available for reference as the present paper is read. Every verse of Sc…

John Heading

Survey of Prophecy

1977 Volume 28 Issue 1

Exposition

Prophetic Trajectories

Before considering our main subject, we shall discuss various important accessory features. 1. The Men who were Prophets Prophets were either called by God to speak forth His mind, or else they were f…

John Heading

Survey of Prophecy

1976 Volume 27 Issue 6

Exposition

Purpose, Predestination, Pleasure, Praise, 1. 1-14

We have seen that the great dis­ course given by Paul to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20. 18-35 partly forms the basis of the Epistle to the Ephe­sians, both regarding the counsels of God, and as perta…

John Heading

Truth in Ephesians

1985 Volume 36 Issue 6

Exposition

Service with Tears

Tears are a spontaneous outward emotion when the mind and soul experience grief and sorrow, and are the portion of both believer and unbeliever. The Lord’s human eyes experienced tears; He wept at the…

John Heading

1974 Volume 25 Issue 3

Exposition

Summary of Daniel and Revelation

In the final papers of this series, we shall concentrate on the two books of Daniel and Revelation. In order to see how the various predicted events fit together, it is necessary to have a panoramic v…

John Heading

Survey of Prophecy

1977 Volume 28 Issue 4

Exposition

Survey of Prophecy: Some Basic Considerations

In this series of nine articles, the author will present an overall survey of prophecy. The outlook adopted is that which is most surely believed amongst the saints, though any author on prophetical m…

John Heading

Survey of Prophecy

1976 Volume 27 Issue 5

Prophecy

The Beauty of the Assembly

In the beginning God created all things beautiful; the light shone upon a perfect scene revealing that all was good and that all now existed for His pleasure. But although this creation was soon darke…

John Heading

Papers on Assembly Subjects

1962 Volume 13 Issue 6

Exposition

The Breaking of Bread – Part 1

In the early days of the church in Jerusalem, the new converts must have listened intently to the teaching of the apostles. Their first love for Christ, placed in redeemed hearts by the Holy Spirit, w…

John Heading

1982 Volume 33 Issue 5

Exposition

The Breaking of Bread – Part 2

In our first paper, we considered the breaking of bread in relation to spiritual priorities in the activity of a local assembly. We examined the scriptural authority for the practice of breaking bread…

John Heading

1982 Volume 33 Issue 6

Exposition

The Four Kingdom Amongst Men

In this paper we consider the four kingdoms described under various symbols in Daniel chapters 2, 7 and 8. The period of time involved stretches from the Babylonian kingdom to the state on earth just …

John Heading

Survey of Prophecy

1977 Volume 28 Issue 5

Exposition

The Holy Assembly

The word holy and its various derivatives appear to enter the description of Old Testament ceremony many more times than other words. And whereas the material aspects of these types are translated int…

John Heading

Papers on Assembly Subjects

1963 Volume 14 Issue 2

Exposition

The King and the Multitudes

We now consider the first eleven verses of this chapter, verses that centre around two Old Testament quotations relating to the King and the multitudes. The Place, v. I. The Lord had previously said, …

John Heading

Exposition of Matthew 21

1968 Volume 19 Issue 4

Exposition

The Lord’s Prophetical Discourse in Luke 17

READ LUKE 17. 20-37 Matthew 24 is one composite prophetical passage, spoken to the apostles on the mount of Olives during the Lord’s last week on earth before His cross. Good truth is always worth rep…

John Heading

1980 Volume 31 Issue 1

Exposition

The Lord’s Titles

The names associated with the Lord during His sufferings must be noted. (i) The questions asked: “Art thou the Christ?” (the chief priests), Luke 22. 67. “Art thou then the Son of God?” (all His accus…

John Heading

1982 Volume 33 Issue 1

Devotional

The Lordship of Christ in the Local Assembly

The recognition of the sole sovereignty of the Lord over His people is evidently of great importance. Yet it is sadly true that this absolute Lordship has not always been recognized. In Isaiah’s day, …

John Heading

The Lordship of Christ in the Local Assembly

1981 Volume 32 Issue 5

Exposition

The Lordship of Christ in the Local Assembly (Part 2)

ACTS 11. 19-26; 13. 1-4 In our first paper, we considered three aspects of the subjection of the believers in Antioch to the Lordship of Christ. We now consider three further aspects. 4. To “cleave un…

John Heading

The Lordship of Christ in the Local Assembly

1981 Volume 32 Issue 6

Exposition

The Maturity of Writer and Readers

All the Epistles have their own distinctive messages. They contain strands of doctrine, correction and exhortation, each being relevant to the needs of the churches and individuals to whom they were w…

John Heading

Truth in Ephesians

1985 Volume 36 Issue 5

Exposition

The Merchants and the Children

In this paper, we consider verses 12 to 17 of this chapter, containing the third and fourth quotation from the Old Testament. The Temple, v. 12. As we trace the Lord entering the temple, we must reali…

John Heading

Exposition of Matthew 21

1968 Volume 19 Issue 5

Exposition

The Millennium and Eternal State

The Fifth Kingdom The intention of God throughout the ages is that His rule should be established on earth, with the Lord Jesus in control. The present declining situation in the world will never be r…

John Heading

Survey of Prophecy

1978 Volume 29 Issue 1

Prophecy

The Mount of Transfiguration

The knowledge of the coming kingdom and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ is not something known by the natural senses, for when these are operative the rational mind would conclude that ‘all things cont…

John Heading

Mountains of Scripture

1964 Volume 15 Issue 6

Study

The Parable of the Wedding Feast – Matthew 22. 1-14

6. PARABLE OF THE WEDDING FEAST Matthew 22. 1-14 Matthew 22. 1-14 forms the last of the three parables that we are considering. The self-righteous religious Jews thought that they were in the kingdom,…

John Heading

Exposition of Matthew 21

1969 Volume 20 Issue 2

Exposition

The Rapture and Subsequent Events

The Day of Resurrection of Believers. The commonly-held idea of a general resurrection is a doctrine not taught in Scripture. The Lord Him-self made a sharp distinction when He said, “all that are in …

John Heading

Survey of Prophecy

1977 Volume 28 Issue 3

Exposition

The Seven – Thousand Year Miracle (Part 1)

by tj us title, we do not intend to be too specific; we merely refer to the years often found printed at the top of pages of the Old Testament, to the years that have passed since the Lord Jesus was h…

John Heading

The Seven – Thousand Year Miracle

1989 Volume 40 Issue 3

Exposition

The Seven – Thousand Year Miracle (Part 2)

From Abraham to David As time went on, Abraham had no son, though he had the promise that God would make of him a great nation, and that all families of the earth would be blessed in him, Gen. 12. 3.…

John Heading

The Seven – Thousand Year Miracle

1989 Volume 40 Issue 4

Exposition

The Unity of the Godhead

Scriptures for Prayerful Meditation The Scriptures cannot define the Holy Trinity, yet they reveal many different phases of the unity of manifestation of the three Persons of the Godhead. The wide var…

John Heading

1965 Volume 16 Issue 3

Study

The Vineyard and the Stone

5. THE VINEYARD AND THE STONE The second parable of the trio, found in verses 33-46, shows the Lord seeking His Father’s fruit, and realising where this would ultimately be found. The parable provides…

John Heading

Exposition of Matthew 21

1969 Volume 20 Issue 1

Exposition

The Word “Temple”

When one Greek word is unnecessarily translated by two or more different English words (such as the pairs “right, just”, “Spirit, Ghost”, “to minister, to serve”), and when two different Greek words a…

John Heading

1983 Volume 34 Issue 2

Study

They Continued Steadfastly

The testimony of believers today should be no different from that recorded in the beginning in Acts 2. There, the ascended Lord had sent the Spirit for the formation of the assembly, so that individua…

John Heading

1966 Volume 17 Issue 6

Study

Twenty-One Years Ago

It is with thankfulness that we acknowledge the goodness of God in the production and distribution of Precious Seed over the past twenty-one years. To launch a new magazine in the difficult days immed…

John Heading

1966 Volume 17 Issue 5

Editorial

Zion

In our PREVIOUS paper, we firstly considered the theme of Zion as the place of God’s choice, similar in thought to the choice of the Assembly in Christ before its formation at Pentecost. Secondly, we …

John Heading

Mountains of Scripture

1963 Volume 14 Issue 5

Exposition