A letter from Tom Hallas.
Tom Hallas has long been one of our most senior and influential elders in Asia. He is known for his huge “father’s heart” for everyone he meets. He is also a deep thinker. The message that follows, with its horrific opening scene, will provoke any reader to think, reflect, and to wonder at the power of the Truth.
Dear Ones,
Enclosed is a short paper that I wrote to give expression to some of my thoughts after I fell into the ditch in Africa. Waiting for a procedure to open my artery I had some thinking time.
I’m giving you this as I have another paper by another author to send you that more adequately expresses where I have travelled in my thinking to date. This has been a 20 year journey and I am a little more settled now than I was at the beginning with Certificates and Sacrifices.
If you’re interested, I would like to hear from you. Nevertheless, I will pass on to you the other paper in a few weeks.
Love and Blessings
Tom Hallas.
Wow! Very thought-provoking!
Beautifully written.
Thank You Tom!
Loved the written thoughts! Yes, Thanks Tom!
Powerful thoughts Tom and unfortunately realities today still.
One set of criteria for the “fullness of time” for Jesus to come:
(Most of this info. comes from Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters in a World that Rejects the Bible by J. Warner Wallace, Zondervan, 2021)
1. Writing system, writing materials, & language
pictographs – later cuneiforms – then phonograms
– in clay tablets, so fragile
then papyrus, so written material could travel safely
The Phoenician alphabet was well established by 1050 BC, but most people in the world did not use it.
By 800 BC, the Greek alphabet had 27 letters, including vowels, eliminating the confusion between very different words that had identical consonants.
About 700 BC, the Etruscans modified the Greek alphabet which became the alphabet of the Roman empire when the Romans conquered the Etruscans, and the Latin alphabet came from that. As the Romans conquered peoples and expanded the Roman empire, they taught people to read and write with the Latin alphabet.
The Romans also spread the Greek language, and Koine Greek (in which the New Testament was written) became the lingua franca for commerce and trade. The Jews also learned Greek, and the Old Testament was translated into Greek (the Septuagint) as early as the 3rd century BC.
For the Gospel to spread quickly over a large area, Jesus could not come before 100 BC.
2. Size of the Roman Empire
For much early history, various countries and people groups were at war, but were eventually united under Roman rule. By 29 BC, the Roman Empire included most of Europe, Asia Minor, the Balkans, the Middle East, the coast of North Africa, Egypt, the Mediterranean, and the Black Sea.
3. Transportation
Vehicles: Two-wheeled carts, then four-wheeled carts, then spoke-wheeled chariots
Roads: Persians built significant roads. Then, as the Roman conquest spread, so they could move their military equipment they built long, fairly straight roads, as well as bridges, tunnels, and viaducts. Travel was both easier and safer. By 100 BC, they had built many secondary roads, and had a network of roads from Britain to Syria.
4. Postal System: Some limited postal systems were developed by ancient Egyptians, Persians, Chinese, and Greeks, but each system was confined to their limited regions.
From 30 to 25 BC, Caesar Augustus created the most advanced postal system in the world.. Augustus and his successors also built nearly 47,000 miles of new roads. Along with the good roads, they built forts and stations, each a distance of one day’s ride from the last one. So, information could spread quickly throughout the entire Roman empire.
4. Religious toleration
Most nations forced their religions on nations they conquered. Rome, however, allowed people groups to keep their “gods” and traditions. In fact, Rome often incorporated the new “gods” into their own pantheon. They only insisted the subjugated people also make offerings to the Roman gods. The Romans made an exception for the Jews who were monotheists and would not worship other gods. They also tolerated the early Christians, considering them a branch of Judaism.
From the death of Jesus to the reign of Nero, Christians had 30 peaceful years to spread the Gospel, and Christianity flourished in all areas of the Roman Empire.
(I will submit an additional set of criteria for the fullness of time later, as I am able.)