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Series Code: AFBA
Program Code: AFBA022214S
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00:00 (lively/ cheerful music)
00:03 [Announcer] It is the best-selling book in history. 00:05 No volume ever written has been more loved and quoted. 00:09 And its words, sometimes simple and sometimes mysterious, 00:13 should always be studied carefully. 00:16 It is the Bible, the Word of God. 00:19 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live," 00:22 providing accurate and practical answers 00:25 to all your Bible questions. 00:28 This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. 00:31 To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned 00:34 in this broadcast, call 800-835-6747. 00:39 Once again, that's 800-835-6747. 00:44 Now, here's your host 00:46 from Amazing Facts International, Pastor Doug Batchelor. 00:50 - Hello, friends, would you like to hear an amazing fact? 00:55 Roy Cleveland Sullivan was a US park ranger 00:57 in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. 01:00 Between 1942 and 1977, 01:03 Sullivan was struck by lightning 01:05 on seven different occasions, 01:08 incredibly surviving all of them. 01:11 For this reason, he gained the nickname, 01:13 the Human Lightning Rod. 01:15 After his wife was struck by lightning 01:17 while he was helping her hang out laundry, 01:19 she also survived, 01:20 people began to avoid him thinking he might be bad luck, 01:23 and they might get zapped. 01:25 Sullivan is recognized by the Guinness World Records 01:27 as having survived more lightning strikes 01:30 than any other human being. 01:32 According to the BBC, 01:34 the odds of being struck by lightning 01:35 are about one in 300,000. 01:38 With 24,000 people struck and killed by lightning each year, 01:42 the chances of being hit by lightning seven times 01:44 and surviving are absolutely astounding! 01:49 Pastor Ross, this just amazed me. 01:51 And I think they may have seen at one point, 01:52 it showed a picture of Roy. 01:55 His park ranger hat had a burned spot on top. 01:59 One time, after being struck several times by lightning, 02:01 he saw a storm came into the hills, 02:03 and he drove out of the mountains, 02:04 tried to outrun the storm. 02:06 When he thought he was at a safe distance, 02:08 he jumped out of his truck to look 02:10 and lightning hit him again. 02:11 And he used to think, "Is God mad at me?" 02:13 But then he thought, 02:14 "Well, maybe God's saving me 02:16 'cause he's got something left for me to do." 02:18 - Right, what are the chances 02:20 of surviving just one lightning strike, let alone seven? 02:24 So, (chuckles) it's just amazing how, yeah, 02:27 he'd go through something like that. 02:28 - I know a sailor that was struck twice and survived, 02:31 and that's very, very unusual. 02:34 But it makes me think about, 02:36 when you think about fire coming down from Heaven, 02:38 the Bible often calls it fire. 02:40 Like one of the plagues of Egypt that says, 02:42 "fire came down," it was usually lightning. 02:45 And when it says 02:46 "fire came down and killed the sons of Aaron," 02:49 they went into the temple drunk... probably lightning. 02:53 And then you read in Revelation 13:13, 02:58 speaking of the beast power, 03:00 and this is the second beast in Revelation 13, 03:04 "He performs great signs, 03:06 so that he even makes fire come down 03:08 from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of men. 03:11 And he deceives those who dwell on the Earth 03:14 by those signs which he was granted to do 03:16 in the sight of the beast, 03:17 telling those who dwell on the Earth 03:19 to make an image to the beast 03:21 who was wounded by the sword and lived." 03:25 - So here you have two beasts, Pastor Doug, in chapter 13. 03:27 The first beast, we've identified, 03:29 if you look at the various clues given in the verse, 03:32 it's very clear that the first beast of Revelation 03:34 is really the papal power. 03:36 The second beast, however, 03:38 is described as coming up from the earth, 03:40 two horns like a lamb, but it speaks like a dragon, 03:43 is really describing the United States. 03:45 And how's the United States, as the world's superpower, 03:48 gonna get everyone in the world to eventually acknowledge 03:52 or receive the Mark of the Beast? 03:54 Well, one of the ways there's fire coming down from Heaven. 03:57 Now, in the Bible, fire coming down from Heaven, 03:59 as you said, it could be judgment, 04:01 for example, Sodom and Gomorrah. 04:03 But it can also be God's approval, 04:06 of symbolizing the Holy Spirit. 04:07 For example, the fire that came down 04:09 and consumed the sacrifice of Elijah on Mount Carmel. 04:12 You have fire coming down from Heaven 04:14 resting on the heads of the disciples 04:16 in the upper room at Pentecost. 04:18 So, here you have this power described in Revelation 13 04:21 that brings fire down from Heaven. 04:23 It's almost a counterfeit revival that takes place 04:26 that galvanizes the world to give their support 04:29 to the first beast power of Revelation 13. 04:32 - Yeah, it's like an imitation 04:33 of the great miracle of Elijah 04:36 where they're trying to decide who is the real God. 04:38 They say, "Well, I'm gonna ultimately prove the real God 04:41 is the God that answers by fire," 04:43 well the beast is gonna play off that in the last days 04:45 and try and say, "Well, we're the real power, 04:47 because look, we can bring fire down." 04:49 - Right. 04:50 Well, we have a study guide 04:51 that talks about the United States in Bible prophecy, 04:53 and we will send this out to anyone for free. 04:55 All you'll have to do is just call and ask. 04:58 The number to call is 800-835-6747. 05:02 And you can ask for free offer, number 181, 05:05 or just ask by name, "The United States in Bible Prophecy." 05:09 Pastor Doug, we have a magazine, 05:11 in addition to the study guide that we have, 05:12 we also have a magazine 05:14 called "The United States in Prophecy." 05:16 And it's one of our more popular magazines. 05:18 People call, and they want it, 05:20 and they wanna share it with others. 05:21 Because look at what's happening in the world today, 05:23 the leadership role that the United States is playing, 05:26 how does that fit into Bible prophecy? 05:28 Well, this study guide goes into that in detail. 05:30 So again, we wanna encourage you to call for that, 05:32 800-835-6747. 05:35 And again, just ask for the study guide 05:36 called "The United States," or "The USA in Bible Prophecy." 05:40 If you have a Bible question, 05:41 our phone line here to the studio is 800-463-7297. 05:47 That's 800-463-7297. 05:50 We wanna greet those who are listening on satellite radio, 05:53 also on land-based radio stations, 05:55 and also those who are watching on "Amazing Facts TV." 05:58 I know we have a number of folks also joining us 06:00 on "Good News TV" as well as on the internet, social media. 06:03 So welcome. Thank you for being a part of the program. 06:06 Well, Pastor Doug, before we go to the phone lines, 06:08 let's start with a word of prayer. 06:09 - Amen. 06:10 - Dear Father, we thank You for Your Word. 06:11 We thank You for the opportunity to study the Bible. 06:14 And Lord, we ask Your blessing. 06:15 We ask Your blessing as we open up Your book, 06:18 that Your spirit would guide us. 06:19 Be with those who are listening, 06:21 wherever they might be, in their car or at home. 06:23 And, Lord, lead us into a clearer understanding 06:25 of the Bible, for we ask this in Jesus' name. 06:27 Amen. 06:28 - Amen. 06:29 Well, I think we really go to the phone lines, Pastor Doug. 06:31 Our first caller this evening is Anthony 06:33 listening in New York. 06:35 Anthony, welcome to the program! 06:38 - [Anthony] Hello, good evening, Pastors. 06:40 - Evening. Thanks. 06:42 - [Anthony] My wife and I, 06:43 we actually had a question where we wanted to know, 06:48 why did God wait seven days 06:50 after He closed the door of the ark 06:53 before He started the flood? 06:54 And then we asked this 06:56 because we know that God has a purpose for everything. 06:59 And we know that seven is a significant number, 07:01 so we just wanted to know 07:03 if there was something behind that. 07:05 And then, also, is there a connection 07:07 to the last days, probation closing 07:10 and the last days as well? 07:12 - Yeah, very good question. 07:14 So, there's evidently, there's seven days 07:16 after God has Noah and the animals come in the ark, 07:18 and it tells us that the Lord shut the door. 07:21 And whether seven complete days had gone by 07:23 or at the beginning of the seventh day anyway, 07:26 which I think is more likely 07:28 just because it was after six days 07:30 of marching around Jericho, 07:31 on the seventh day, on the seventh time, 07:34 then the city fell, and this is sort of similar. 07:40 The deliverance came for Noah and his family. 07:42 You might say they were lifted up above the world, 07:44 at that point. 07:45 The rain began to fall on the seventh day. 07:48 For one thing, I sometimes during times of delay, 07:52 God is testing the faithfulness of His people. 07:55 When the parable of the 10 virgins, it says, 07:57 "And while the bridegroom tarried," 08:00 and during that time their Holy Spirit is, 08:03 they're living on reserve, so to speak. 08:06 So God, sometimes, He makes an entrance, you might say, 08:10 and He has us wait and our-- and we're tested. 08:14 Moses delayed coming down the mountain, 08:16 and it was a time of testing for the children of Israel. 08:19 Samuel told Saul, 08:20 "Wait for me and after seven days I'll come," 08:22 but it seems like he was a little late, 08:24 and then he did come. 08:26 But it was a time of testing, 08:27 and Saul actually failed that test. 08:29 So, you got any thoughts, Pastor Ross? 08:31 Why the seven days? 08:32 - Definitely, a time of testing. 08:33 You mentioned something, they were in the ark, 08:36 probation closes. 08:37 You have the six days, on the seventh day, 08:39 it appears the rain begins to come, and the flood comes. 08:42 They are lifted up, 08:43 the Earth is inhabited for about 6,000 years. 08:47 And then, you have the Second Coming of Christ, 08:48 and the righteous are lifted up and their deliverance comes. 08:51 But at the same time, 08:52 you have judgment coming upon the wicked 08:54 that are gonna be destroyed 08:54 at the brightness 08:56 of Christ's coming. - Great illustration. 08:56 - So, you see a parallel in... 08:58 Matter of fact, Jesus said, "As it was in the days of Noah, 09:00 so also shall it be, and the Son of Man is revealed." 09:04 But then if you try and parallel that 09:05 with the close of probation at the end of time, 09:08 according to Revelation, 09:10 it's not that the plagues will come in... 09:13 Course after probation closes, 09:14 then you have the seven last plagues. 09:16 They don't occur in seven literal days. 09:18 There are seven literal plagues, 09:20 but the Bible seems to indicate 09:21 that the plagues will come in one year. 09:23 Because one prophetic day is equal to one literal year, 09:25 and it says, "Her plagues shall come in one day." 09:28 So after probation closes, you have about a year, 09:31 and then, the Second Coming of Christ. 09:32 - Yeah, but the world, 09:34 I don't think would survive very long 09:37 if you had seven years of those seven last plagues, 09:42 when you look at them. 09:43 Well, hope that helps a little bit, Anthony. 09:44 Thank you for your question, and we appreciate it. 09:48 - Next caller that we have is Fred 09:49 listening from Connecticut. 09:51 Fred, welcome to the program! 09:54 - [Fred] Yes. 09:55 When it comes to fasting, is that optional or mandatory? 10:01 - A good question. 10:03 Now, we are not saved by our works, 10:06 but if you say, is it mandatory to pray? 10:11 I think we would agree that all believers will pray 10:13 'cause even receiving Christ requires a prayer. 10:17 Speaking of fasting, 10:19 Jesus said we shouldn't fast like the hypocrites, 10:22 but He said, "When you fast," 10:23 and I dunno if you have that reference there... 10:25 - Matthew 6:17. 10:27 - Yeah. 10:28 So Jesus didn't say, "if you fast," 10:29 He said, "when you fast." 10:31 And then another time Jesus told the apostles in Mark 9, 10:34 speaking of a father 10:36 that wanted his son delivered from a demon. 10:38 and the disciples said, 10:39 "Why couldn't we cast the demon out?" 10:41 Jesus said, "This kind does not come forth 10:42 except by prayer and fasting." 10:45 And then you've got a number of examples in the Bible 10:49 where one time John the Baptist's disciples came to Jesus 10:53 and said, "How come you guys aren't fasting?" 10:57 like John the Baptist's disciples. 10:59 And Jesus said, "The children of the Bridegroom do not fast 11:02 while the Bridegroom is with them." 11:04 I mean, that's obviously a time of celebration, 11:07 "but the time will come when the Bridegroom is taken away, 11:09 then they will fast." 11:10 So Jesus said, "When I send to Heaven, 11:12 there'll be times for fasting and prayer." 11:15 - And I think, 11:16 especially as we see issues taking place in the world, 11:20 our faith is gonna be tried and tested, 11:22 and we wanna at that point, 11:24 or even now probably in preparation, 11:26 we wanna have that full commitment and focus on Christ, 11:29 and fasting is an important part of that. 11:32 Not that it earns merit with God, 11:33 but it does help to focus our mind on something else 11:36 than just temporal things. 11:37 - Yeah, and I think it's healthy for our souls 11:39 to sometimes deny our bodies. 11:40 It's good discipline. 11:42 So, hope that helps a little bit. 11:44 Appreciate your question, Fred. 11:46 - We've got Brittany listening in California. 11:48 Brittany, welcome to the program. 11:52 - [Brittany] Hey. (chuckling) 11:53 - Hi, thanks for calling. 11:56 - [Brittany] Yeah, sure. 11:57 My question was, 11:59 how is a Christian supposed to deal 12:01 with the temptation to leave the church 12:03 because of secular concerts? 12:06 - Okay, so you're, I guess, concerned 12:10 because the church, 12:12 it seems like they're bringing in worldly music, 12:14 and you're just discouraged by that 12:17 because you're wanting more holiness 12:18 and reverence in the church, 12:19 is that what you're saying? 12:21 - [Brittany] Well, it isn't that. 12:23 I have performances 12:27 through the community college I'm attending, 12:30 and one of them happens to be on a Sunday. 12:32 And I'm wondering 12:34 if that's part of the idea of the temptation 12:38 I'm dealing with to leave the church 12:40 because of the performance I have 12:43 that happens to be on a Sunday. 12:45 - Oh, I see, I think I understand, 12:48 that you see a secular concert, 12:51 it could be getting a way with your regular worship, 12:53 is that what you're asking? 12:57 I couldn't hear your answer. I'm sorry, Brittany. 13:00 - [Brittany] Yeah, that's it? 13:02 - Well, I think that's-- it's a good question, 13:04 but we should always seek first the kingdom of God, 13:07 and His righteousness. 13:09 And if we're asked to do something, 13:12 just like Nebuchadnezzer said, 13:14 "We're having a special program. 13:16 Everybody's gonna bow down to my statue," 13:18 and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego said, 13:20 "We cannot break the commandments of God 13:22 to keep the commandments of men." 13:24 And so, I think that you should always follow 13:27 your convictions about what the Word of God is. 13:31 We actually have a lesson-- you're talking about, 13:34 reverence on Sunday and going to church. 13:37 We've got a lesson that talks about, 13:39 How do you keep the Sabbath holy? 13:41 And we'll be happy to send you that 13:43 if you'd like a free copy. 13:44 Just go to the resource. 13:46 - If you'd like to receive that again, 13:47 you can just call and ask. 13:49 The number to call is 800-835-6747. 13:53 And Pastor Doug, I'm thinking of the exact wording of that. 13:55 Is it, "How to Keep the Sabbath Holy" 13:57 or is it "Forgotten Day in History"? 13:59 - No, that we have a booklet- 14:00 - We have one specific- 14:00 - Yeah. - Okay. 14:02 You can just call and ask for that, 14:02 and we'll send it to you, 14:03 "How to Keep the Sabbath Holy." 14:04 Again, the number is 800-835-6747. 14:09 Alright, thank you for your call, Brittany. 14:10 We got Ryan listening in California. 14:13 Ryan, welcome to the program. 14:16 - [Ryan] Hey, Pastors, thanks for taking my call. 14:19 - Yeah. 14:21 - [Ryan] My question is actually on Luke 7. 14:25 I believe it's also referenced in Matthew as well. 14:29 I'm wondering why John the Baptist sent his disciples 14:33 to ask Jesus if He's the expected one, 14:37 even though at that point he's already baptized Jesus 14:40 and even declared that He was the Lamb of God 14:44 who takes away the sin of the world. 14:46 - Yeah. Good. 14:47 So, John the Baptist, 14:49 God revealed through the Holy Spirit, 14:51 and you read this in the Gospel of John, 14:52 the Lord told him 14:54 that the one on whom you see the Holy Spirit descending, 14:56 He's the One. 14:57 And John knew, he said, "You come to me," 15:00 John said to Jesus, "You come to me for baptism. 15:03 You should be baptizing me." 15:05 And John declared on two occasions, 15:06 "Behold, the Lamb of God 15:08 that takes away the sin of the world." 15:09 And John said, "He must increase, I must decrease." 15:12 But then, John was thrown in jail, 15:14 and even John had different expectations 15:18 of the ministry of Jesus. 15:19 He thought that Jesus would use His supernatural power 15:23 to do something to overthrow the Roman oppression, 15:26 or just that he had some different expectations, 15:28 and when Jesus just continued to keep His head down, 15:31 and He was meek and lowly, and He would heal and feed, 15:35 and he thought, "Are You the One? 15:37 Or did I misunderstand? Are You just a great prophet? 15:40 Or are You the Messiah?" 15:42 And keep in mind, John is in prison. 15:44 He's discouraged. He's alone. 15:46 And he's wondering why Jesus is doing nothing 15:49 to deliver him. 15:50 He thinks, "Maybe He'll use His power to rescue me somehow," 15:54 so I think he was just struggling in his faith. 15:58 And he sent his messengers to say, 15:59 "Are You the One or do we look for another?" 16:02 And Jesus didn't answer him right away. 16:03 He had the messengers stand around and watch 16:06 as He cast out devils and, well, 16:08 you can read it here in Luke 7:22. 16:12 Jesus said, "Go tell John 16:13 the things that you've seen and heard. 16:15 the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, 16:18 the deaf hear, the dead are raised, 16:20 the poor have the Gospel preached to them. 16:23 And then He gives them a little encouragement. 16:25 He says, "Blessed is he who's not offended because of Me." 16:28 And of course the ministry of Christ that he describes here 16:31 goes along with what the prophet Isaiah says 16:34 about the Messiah, that He would open the eyes of the blind, 16:38 and the lame would leap and that they would have the Gospel. 16:43 So, John understood, "Yes, He is the One." 16:47 - And, of course, after the disciples of John were there, 16:50 and they leave, then Jesus turns to those who are with Him, 16:53 And He said, 16:54 "What did you go out into the wilderness to see, 16:55 a reed shaken by the wind? 16:57 Did you go out to see somebody dressed in fine apparel?" 17:00 And then He talks about John, and He says, 17:01 "Of all of them born unto woman, 17:03 there's not arisen one greater than John the Baptist." 17:05 So clearly, Jesus acknowledged the mission of John 17:09 and the faith of John. 17:10 And I think the testimony that came back to John 17:13 from his disciples, that settled the faith of John. 17:17 That strengthened him to face the final trial, 17:19 which was he's martyrdom for Christ. 17:21 - Absolutely. 17:23 So thank you very much, Ryan. 17:24 Hopefully, that helps a little bit. Very good question. 17:27 - Next caller that we have, 17:28 we've got Fanduca listening in Canada. 17:33 How do you say your name? 17:35 - [Facundo] It's Facundo. 17:36 - Facundo, yes. Welcome. 17:39 - [Facundo] Thank you. Good to talk to you guys. 17:42 My question today is on Acts 12:4. 17:46 And I found it a little confusing. 17:48 It was just interesting 17:50 because I tend to reference other versions of the Bible 17:53 to see full understanding, 17:56 and I noticed that in the King James Version, 17:59 it refers to Easter, 18:01 as every other version refers to the day after Passover, 18:05 so I was curious as to what you guys think 18:07 as to why they used Easter instead of Passover, 18:11 given that there was no such thing as Easter. 18:14 - Right. 18:15 Well, because the King James translators 18:18 were translating the Bible 18:19 into current contemporary English. 18:22 And in contemporary English, 18:24 they all called the Passover season, Easter. 18:27 They saw them as synonymous. 18:29 And so, of course, 18:32 the history for the word Easter is drawn from Ishtar, 18:39 'cause there was also a spring festival during that time 18:41 that came from pagan mythology. 18:43 But that was the word that they used for that time of year, 18:46 the Paschal celebration. 18:49 So yeah, just- 18:52 - Yeah, but there's no doubt in the original Greek 18:54 that it's talking about the Passover. 18:56 And that's why some of the, 18:57 even the New King James version actually refers to it, 19:00 the use of the word Passover, not the word Easter. 19:03 - [Facundo] And, I guess, my follow-up to that would be then 19:06 is Easter something that we as a church should celebrate? 19:11 I guess I was looking into it, 19:12 and I saw that it was in the Council of Nicaea, I believe, 19:16 with Constantine. 19:18 And I'm just wondering 19:19 if it's something that the church should celebrate, 19:21 or if it's like you guys are saying, 19:24 it's got its roots in paganism 19:27 or some sort of pagan holiday. 19:30 - Alright, good question. Let's talk about that. 19:33 Easter, the term Easter is drawn from a springtime festival, 19:39 'cause everything was bursting 19:40 in the Northern Hemisphere at springtime, 19:42 everything was bursting forth with new life. 19:44 And that's why, they had bunnies, 19:46 and they got eggs and everything 19:47 they kind of had to do with, and lilies, you know, 19:51 they had to do with new life. 19:53 'Cause a lot of these pagan religions, 19:55 they saw it as sort as a fertility festival. 19:58 Well, Constantine, made the most of that, 20:01 and they sort of melded what the Christians recognized 20:04 as the Passover with the resurrection of Christ. 20:08 And they were trying to win some of them, 20:10 they said, "Well, let's just celebrate these things together 20:12 and call it the Resurrection." 20:14 Now that said, 20:15 there's nothing wrong with-- there's no commandment to, 20:18 let me back up, 20:19 there's no commandment for us to make a holiday 20:22 of the Passover or the Resurrection, 20:25 a new Christian holiday. 20:27 But there's certainly nothing wrong with Christians 20:30 remembering and celebrating the Resurrection. 20:33 So, there's no moral dilemma there. 20:35 I would say the same thing I say about Christmas. 20:38 If you're gonna celebrate the time of Jesus' First Coming, 20:42 emphasize what the Scripture says about it. 20:44 You don't emphasize Santa Claus, and the tree, 20:48 or the Yule log, 20:50 or any of the traditions that have grown up around it. 20:52 You celebrate what the biblical truth is. 20:54 And if we're gonna celebrate the Passover season 20:58 and the Resurrection, 21:00 celebrate the biblical truth connected with that. 21:02 There's nothing wrong with that. 21:03 There's no command to do it, 21:05 but what's Paul saying in Romans, 21:07 "If you're gonna recognize the day, do it to the Lord. 21:09 If you're not gonna do it, don't do it." 21:12 - Okay, good answer. 21:13 Next caller that we have is Efrank listening from New York. 21:16 Efrank, welcome to the program. 21:19 - [Efrank] Yes, good evening, Pastor Doug and Pastor Ross. 21:22 I have a question for both of you this evening. 21:26 I did understand what Brittany said before. 21:29 It's very understandable what she was asking, 21:32 but what I'm trying to ask tonight is, 21:36 does it appear anywhere in the New Testament, 21:39 any form, as the call screener told me, 21:41 use the word "resource," not "record," 21:44 any resources that indicate 21:45 that there was any form of evidence 21:48 that indicated the events that led up to the crucifixion, 21:53 the day that Jesus died? 21:55 Is there any verse or scripture in the entire New Testament 21:59 that indicates that the Roman centurions made any notations 22:06 of other things that occurred within that time period, 22:08 that specific day, in the Mount of Olives? 22:13 I'm just curious. 22:15 - Alright, so if I understand correctly, 22:17 you're asking if there's other records in the New Testament 22:21 of events that happen on the day of the crucifixion, 22:25 is that right? - Yeah, 22:26 that's what I'm saying. 22:27 - Well, of course, it tells us about the trial of Christ, 22:31 and it says that after they put his robe back on, 22:34 and they led Him forth to be crucified. 22:37 And so it does say that, 22:38 and, of course, it tells us that as they were crucifying Him 22:42 along with the other two thieves, 22:46 they called 'em malefactors, I think, 22:48 He prayed for the forgiveness, saying, 22:50 "Father, forgive them. They know not what they were doing." 22:53 And so, there's several New Testament references to that. 22:56 It does talk about that the sky grew dark. 23:00 It tells us that there was an earthquake that day. 23:04 Now, if you want some extra biblical history, there are, 23:08 I think I can, off the top of my head, 23:09 think about three different references 23:11 that are even outside the Bible. 23:13 One would be from Flavius Josephus, who talked about Jesus, 23:18 and he specifically mentions that Pilate crucified him. 23:20 And then there are some Romans that wrote about it. 23:23 They were actually anti-Christian, they mocked Christianity. 23:26 And one of them is Pliny, 23:30 and then the other one was, I think, it's Tacitus, 23:34 that talked about the Christian sect 23:37 and that their leader was crucified, 23:39 and they claimed that he was raised. 23:40 So, I hope that answered your question Efrank. 23:43 But that's what we got in the Bible. 23:45 - Yeah, and then also just to add to that a little bit, 23:47 specifically, the Bible does tell us that Christ died 23:50 on the Day of Preparation or the Preparation Day. 23:53 We know that to be Friday. We also know it was a Passover. 23:56 It was a high Sabbath that next day. 23:59 So, there are some historical accounts in the Bible 24:03 that tell us a little bit 24:04 about what was happening in Israel at that time. 24:06 They were preparing for the Sabbath. 24:07 It was also gonna be the Passover. 24:09 - And when you look at the lunar cycle, 24:11 it all fits in with, I think, 31 A.D., 24:13 the Passover during 31 A.D. 24:16 would be the time of the crucifixion. 24:18 - Alright, thanks. 24:19 Next caller that we have is Jesus listening from Florida. 24:21 Jesus, welcome to the program. 24:23 - [Jesus] Hey Pastors, thank you for taking my call. 24:25 - Yeah. 24:28 - [Jesus] Okay, so my question had to do 24:30 around a verse over in Genesis, 24:34 specifically Genesis 6:2. 24:37 I remember hearing some, I guess, 24:39 you could say some references from another pastor, 24:42 Pastor Steven Bohr. 24:43 And he was talking about the fact 24:47 that the sons of God was actually not angels, 24:49 and it was the line of Seth. 24:50 I wanted to see if you guys had any biblical evidence 24:56 and/or resources that I could go and check out 24:59 that would give me more information 25:01 on like why is this becoming such a big thing, 25:04 I guess you could say, like how can I find the truth, 25:07 I guess you could say. 25:09 - Yeah, very good. 25:10 Well, first of all, let me tell you right out of the box 25:13 that we wrote a book on this 25:15 because so many people had questions on it, 25:17 and there's a lot of confusion. 25:19 Many people start reading their Bibles in January, 25:22 and we start getting calls early in January about Genesis 6 25:28 when the sons of God married the daughters of men, 25:31 then it says they had these giants, and people say, 25:34 "Who are the sons of God marrying the daughters of men?" 25:36 And we've heard everything from they're fallen angels, 25:40 they're aliens, they're demons, 25:42 and it's really not that complicated. 25:46 And we'll give you the book. 25:46 The book is called 25:48 "Aliens or Adopted, Who Are the Sons of God?" 25:52 And so, just for one thing, look at the book, 25:54 we have lots of references in the book, 25:57 but it's very clear that you read in 1 John 3, 26:03 "Behold, what manner of love the Father is bestowed on us, 26:05 that we should be called sons of God." 26:07 Isaiah talks about believers 26:09 as being sons and daughters of God. 26:11 And there is a place where it talks about the angels 26:15 when all the sons of God shouted for joy, 26:17 and it's maybe talking about angels, 26:19 but it's sort of a broad term. 26:21 But in the time of Adam and Eve, 26:23 when Cain walked away from the Lord marked, 26:28 and he's built a city, 26:30 and he was just living in rebellion to God. 26:33 And Seth, he was faithful. 26:36 And the line of Jesus comes through Seth. 26:39 They were called sons of God. They were offering sacrifice. 26:41 They believed in the Lord. 26:44 But when they began to intermarry, 26:46 that's when the wickedness filled the earth. 26:48 God did not want the sons of God, 26:49 the children of Seth intermarrying 26:51 with the daughters of Cain. 26:53 Just like he did not want Samson going to the Philistines. 26:56 He did not want Solomon taking many wives. 26:59 And that resulted in the great apostasy. 27:01 Ask for that free book called 27:04 "Aliens or Adopted, Who Are the Sons of God?" 27:06 Don't go away, friends. 27:07 We're gonna be back right after this break 27:08 with more questions. 27:10 (lively/ bright music) 27:13 - [Announcer 1] Stay tuned! 27:14 "Bible Answers Live" will return shortly. 27:16 (lively/ cheerful music continues) 27:20 - [Announcer 2] Doug Batchelor was the teenage son 27:22 of a millionaire father and show-business mother, 27:25 yet he was living in a cave. 27:27 He had everything money could buy, everything but happiness, 27:31 but all of the fun and excitement he enjoyed 27:33 left his life out of control. 27:35 (car zooming) 27:36 His search eventually led him to a cave above Palm Springs 27:39 that became his home. 27:41 While Doug scavenged for food in garbage bins, 27:44 his father owned a yacht, a Learjet, 27:46 and an airline. (airplane roaring) 27:47 But in his cave home, he discovered a dust-covered Bible. 27:51 As he began to read, 27:52 he soon learned of his true purpose in life. 27:56 "The Richest Caveman" 27:57 is the extraordinary true story of Doug Batchelor 28:00 that tells how a rebellious teenager 28:02 who once lived in a cave 28:04 became a tremendous soul winner for Jesus Christ. 28:07 It's a thrilling testimony 28:08 of the transforming power of God's Word. 28:11 To order your copy of "The Richest Caveman," 28:14 call 800-538-7275 or visit afbookstore.com. 28:20 In six days, God created the Heavens and the Earth. 28:24 For thousands of years, 28:26 man has worshiped God on the seventh day of the week. 28:29 Now, each week, millions of people worship on the first day. 28:34 What happened? Why did God create a day of rest? 28:37 Does it really matter what day we worship? 28:40 Who is behind this great shift? 28:42 Discover the truth behind God's law and how it was changed, 28:46 visit sabbathtruth.com. 28:51 Would you like to know God's plan for our troubled world 28:53 and solutions for your life's challenges? 28:56 Beautifully redesigned and updated, 28:58 Amazing Facts' 27 Bible study guides 29:00 provide straightforward Bible-based answers 29:02 that are enlightening, encouraging, and easy to understand, 29:05 giving you real relevant Bible answers to questions like, 29:08 "How can I have healthier relationships?" 29:10 "When will Jesus come?" and much more! 29:13 Order yours today by visiting afbookstore.com 29:16 or by calling 805-538-7275. 29:20 (lively/ bright music) 29:23 - [Announcer 1] You're listening to "Bible Answers Live," 29:26 where every question answered, 29:28 provides a clearer picture of God, and His plan to save you. 29:32 So, what are you waiting for? 29:34 Get practical answers about the Good Book 29:36 for a better life today! 29:38 (lively/ cheerful music continues) 29:40 This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. 29:44 If you'd like answers 29:45 to your Bible-related questions on the air, 29:47 please call us next Sunday 29:49 between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM Pacific Time. 29:52 To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned 29:55 in this evening's program, all 800-835-6747. 30:01 Once again, that's 800-835-6747. 30:07 Now, let's rejoin our host for more "Bible Answers Live." 30:12 - Welcome back, listening friends. 30:13 This is "Bible Answers Live," 30:15 and if you have joined us and tuned in along the way, 30:17 this is a live international, interactive Bible study, 30:19 and you are invited to call in with your Bible questions. 30:22 If you have a question, just give us a call at 800-GOD SAYS, 30:26 that's 800-462, sorry, 463-7297. 30:31 And we're also streaming this 30:33 on the Amazing Facts Facebook page, 30:36 as well as on Good News Network 30:40 and the Doug Batchelor Facebook page. 30:42 My name is Doug Batchelor. 30:44 - My name is Jean Ross. 30:45 And we've got Leigha listening from Colorado. 30:48 Leigha, welcome to the program. 30:50 - [Leigha] Good evening, Pastors. 30:51 - Evening. Thank you for your patience. 30:55 - [Leigha] Thank you for taking my call! 30:57 - How can we help you tonight? 31:00 - [Leigha] My question for you guys this evening is, 31:01 will we see the wicked thrown into the lake of fire 31:04 from within the New Jerusalem? 31:07 - Well, it seems like we will. 31:11 There's a verse in Psalm 91. 31:14 It says, "Only with your eyes will you see 31:17 and behold the punishment of the wicked." 31:20 And so, sometimes, 31:22 we actually see vengeance come on the wicked in this life. 31:25 In the end there, 31:27 I think that you have witnesses in a judgment, 31:31 and the witnesses often behold the sentencing. 31:34 I suppose if someone wants to turn away, we'll be free. 31:37 But that's gonna happen. They're in the presence. 31:39 - Yeah, Revelation 20:9, talking about the wicked. 31:42 They surround the New Jerusalem. 31:44 It says, "They went up on the breadth of the earth. 31:45 They surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. 31:48 And fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured them. 31:51 And the devil, who deceived them, 31:53 was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone 31:55 where the beast and the false prophet are. 31:57 And they'll be to tormented." 31:58 So, there you have the wicked surrounding the camp, 32:01 surrounding the New Jerusalem, 32:03 and fire coming and devouring them. 32:04 - Yeah, and it's in Psalm 91:8, 32:07 "Only with your eyes shall you look 32:09 and see the reward of the wicked." 32:11 So, it certainly, it's not that God's shielding us from it, 32:14 it doesn't seem. 32:15 And there'll be people out there 32:17 that have been very hard on God's people, 32:21 and there'll be some recompense in that. 32:22 Not that anyone would take pleasure in it, 32:25 but we're seeing justice fulfilled. 32:28 - Alright, we got Daymond listening from Oklahoma. 32:30 Daymond welcome to the program. 32:33 - [Daymond] Thank you, guys. Thanks, Pastors, for having me. 32:35 - Yeah. 32:36 - [Daymond] My question was about the Second Coming of Jesus 32:40 the Bible says that every eye will see Him 32:43 coming in the clouds, 32:44 but it also says that the wicked are destroyed 32:48 by the brightness of His coming. 32:50 So, I was wondering, 32:51 could you give a better explanation on how that might work 32:55 if every eye will see Him, 32:56 but the wicked are destroyed when He comes? 33:01 - Well, I don't think there's a conflict. 33:02 I think that, the way I picture it anyway, 33:05 is that when the Lord comes, 33:07 the wicked see Him coming, 33:10 and then it talks about they flee from His presence. 33:13 And you read in Revelation, it says, 33:15 "They call for the rocks and the mountains to fall upon them 33:17 and hide them from the presence of the Lord." 33:20 And ultimately, as the Lord approaches and gets closer, 33:23 I think they're destroyed by that brilliance of His coming. 33:27 I mean, I can see a fire far away, 33:28 and I see it very clearly, 33:30 but as the fire gets closer, 33:32 you start to suffer the effects of it. 33:34 - Yeah, Revelation 6 talks about the wicked 33:36 turning to the rocks and mountains and saying, 33:38 "Fall on us, 33:39 hide us from the face of Him who sits up on the throne 33:41 and from the wrath of the Lamb." 33:42 So, they do see, at least for a period of time, 33:45 they get to see Jesus coming. 33:46 And like you say, as He comes closer, 33:48 it seems as though the glory of Christ 33:50 is what eventually destroys the wicked. 33:53 - Ultimately, consumes them. 33:55 - And we got Matthew listening in Michigan. 33:57 Matthew, welcome to the program. 34:00 - [Matthew] Yeah, hi, how's it going? 34:01 - Good. 34:03 - My question is in 1 Samuel 25:43, 34:09 and that's when David marries both, 34:12 takes both of them as wives, 34:16 is there any symbolic meaning behind that 34:19 in taking both of them? 34:22 - When he married Abigail, and he took Ahinnoam of Jezreel? 34:28 - [Matthew] I don't wanna make something out of nothing, 34:30 but to me it sounds kind of like, 34:32 is this symbolizing salvation 34:36 to both the Jews and Gentiles, or...? 34:39 - You know, I'm looking at this right now with fresh eyes 34:42 just 'cause I never have thought of that 34:44 until you asked the question. 34:45 I'm sure there's meaning here 34:46 that I may not see on the surface. 34:49 Also, just looking at the Scripture as it's written, 34:52 it wasn't uncommon then for people that had the resources 34:56 to take more than one wife. 34:57 And sometimes, 34:58 their marriage would develop into an alliance. 35:02 Now, for one thing, Nabal had died. 35:05 Nabal was an extremely wealthy man, owned a lot of property. 35:09 He owned a lot of goods. 35:10 He died, I think the property then fell to Abigail. 35:14 There's no record that she had any children, 35:16 and David in marrying her, 35:19 he ended up getting all that was Nabal's. 35:22 And I think he married Ahinoam of Jezreel, 35:27 and they both became his wives. 35:29 And it talks about David's original wife, 35:32 Michal, that had been given by King Saul, 35:34 had been taken away from him 35:35 and given to someone else by the king. 35:37 So, they practiced polygamy, which was not God's plan. 35:43 And David started going down that road as did... 35:46 It tells us that not only did Saul have a wife, 35:48 it said later he had concubines. 35:50 And so a lot of the kings back then, that was the custom. 35:54 - Of course, David didn't stop with just two wives. 35:56 - He ended up with, I think, 10 wives 35:58 and some concubines as well. 35:59 (both chuckling) 36:00 - Alright, well, thanks for your call, Matthew. 36:02 We've got Joe listening in Florida. 36:04 Joe, welcome to the program. 36:08 - [Joe] How you doing, Pastors? 36:09 First of all, I appreciate both of y'all. 36:12 - Yeah, thanks for calling. 36:14 - [Joe] Brilliant program. 36:16 So, let me give you a quick foundation, 36:19 the reason I'm asking this question 36:20 is because I've always felt that it was taught 36:24 that in God's eye sin is sin. 36:28 So, let's just say, 36:29 I have a homosexual friend, he's a Christian, 36:33 and I heard this from a pastor, and I thought, 36:35 "That just don't sound right," 36:36 because in Hebrews, it says, 36:38 "I'll forgive your sins, your iniquities all, 36:40 remembering (crackling drowns out voice) 36:41 which makes me think, you know, 36:43 makes me know that our past and future sins are forgiven 36:46 as a Christian person. 36:48 So, if a homosexual stays a homosexual 36:53 and he calls himself a Christian, when he dies, 36:55 will he go to hell, or will he go to Heaven? 36:57 - Pastor Ross, rather than our commenting, 37:01 the verse you find there in, 37:02 I believe it's in Corinthians where it said, 37:05 "Do not be deceived." 37:07 - 1 Corinthians 6:9, where it says, 37:10 "Do not be deceived that unrighteousness will not inherit 37:12 the kingdom of God. 37:14 Do not be deceived." 37:15 - It says it twice- 37:16 "Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, 37:19 nor homosexuals, nor sodomites," 37:21 and then the list continues. 37:23 But it does end. 37:24 It talks about thieves, covetousness, 37:26 drunkenness, revelries. 37:28 And then verse 11 says, 37:29 "And such were some of you, but you were washed, 37:32 but you were sanctified, 37:34 but you were justified in the name of Jesus." 37:36 So in the church, there were some people 37:38 that had some pretty rough reputations or backgrounds, 37:42 but they came to Christ. 37:43 They repented of their sins. 37:44 And yet Paul says, "You're part of the family of God." 37:47 But there is a repentance involved. 37:49 They didn't just continue in their sin. 37:51 - Yeah, and just also notice in that verse, 37:54 specifically He says adulterers, 37:57 which would be heterosexual immorality. 38:01 And then He says homosexuals, 38:02 and that's homosexual immorality. 38:04 If a person's practicing immorality, 38:06 the Bible calls it a sin, 38:08 and you need to repent from and turn from your sins. 38:11 Now, there are some people 38:12 that are tempted with those tendencies, 38:15 but whatever your tendency of temptation is, 38:18 there some things that tempt you out there, 38:19 I have actually no interest in, 38:21 and you may have no interest in the things that trouble me, 38:23 but whatever your temptation is, 38:25 we can do all things through Christ. 38:27 God wants us to turn away. 38:28 Jesus calls us to be overcomers and live holy lives. 38:32 - Absolutely, Pastor Doug, 38:33 And the good news of the Gospel is Jesus said, 38:35 "If the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed." 38:39 Now, we know sometimes there's a struggle involved, 38:41 and the greatest battle that we have to fight 38:43 is the surrender of self, 38:45 but we need to make that commitment daily. 38:47 As the apostle Paul says, "I die daily." 38:49 We have a book that deals with all kinds of temptations, 38:52 'cause the principles are relevant 38:54 for every kind of temptation. 38:55 It's called "Tips for Resisting Temptation," 38:58 whether that's eating too much dessert, 39:00 or whether it's drunkenness, or smoking, 39:03 or some sexual addiction, 39:05 the Bible gives us ways in which we can resist. 39:08 And we'll be happy to send this 39:09 to anyone who calls and asks. 39:10 All you have to do is call the number 800-835-6747, 39:15 and you can ask for the book. 39:16 It's called "Tips for Resisting Temptation," 39:18 some good practical Bible principles 39:21 that you'd find a blessing. 39:23 Next caller that we have is Robert, 39:25 listening from Washington. 39:26 Robert, welcome to the program. 39:29 - [Robert] Hi, Pastor Ross. Hi, Pastor Batchelor. 39:31 - Hi Robert, thanks for calling. 39:34 - [Robert] You're welcome. 39:35 As you can see, it's a pretty simple question, 39:38 I was wondering if Moses had two wives simultaneously. 39:48 - There's no hard evidence that he did. 39:50 It appears, of course, first Moses marries Zipporah. 39:54 She is, I think, the eldest daughter of Jethro. 39:57 And later talks about Zipporah and Moses 39:59 going to Egypt together, 40:01 but she turns back into the wilderness. 40:03 And then, he is reunited with her, 40:05 father-in-law's there, so forth. 40:07 Then by the time you get to the Book of Numbers, 40:10 it tells us that Aaron and Miriam were upset 40:12 because of the Ethiopian that Moses had married. 40:15 Now, we don't know if Zipporah died, and he remarried, 40:19 and they're bothered by that. 40:21 Or if it's also calling Zipporah, 40:23 who's a Midianite, an Ethiopian. 40:26 Because Ethiopia was a very broad term 40:28 that was used not for the borders of the country today, 40:31 but Ethiopia could have been anyone 40:34 in the Northern part of Africa, 40:36 and the Midianites lived just across the Red Sea from that. 40:40 So, we don't know if it's saying 40:43 they were still upset about him marrying Zipporah, 40:45 or if she had died and he remarried. 40:47 You can't tell from the texts exactly what's going on there. 40:53 - [Pastor Ross] Yeah, that's the best- 40:55 - It never tells us 40:56 about Moses having two wives at the same time 40:57 that's mentioned in the Bible. 41:00 - Alright, thank you for your, Robert. 41:01 Next caller that we have. 41:02 Let's see, we've got Michael listening in Texas. 41:05 Michael, welcome to the program. 41:09 - [Michael] Oh, hello. 41:10 Hello, Pastor Doug and Pastor Ross. 41:14 I hope I'm saying this right. 41:16 I have a question for 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 41:22 about Peter saying that women should be quiet, 41:28 be silent in church? 41:29 And I'm just trying to understand that. 41:33 - Good. Let me read it for everyone who's listening. 41:36 We've got a lot of folks, of course, 41:37 they're driving or working. 41:38 And it says here, 1 Corinthians 14:34, 41:42 "Let your women keep silent in the church, 41:44 for they're not permitted to speak, 41:46 but they're to be submissive as the law also says. 41:48 And if they wanna learn something, 41:50 let them ask their own husbands at home, 41:52 for it's shameful for women to speak in church. 41:55 Or did the word of God come originally from you? 41:57 Or what was it that it reached? 41:59 If anyone thinks himself a prophet or spiritual, 42:02 let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you 42:05 are the commandments of the Lord." 42:07 So, is this a uniform statement 42:11 that a woman is never to speak in church, 42:13 or was he talking about a specific situation? 42:16 Well, let's step back. 42:17 And when you find a difficult verse like this, 42:19 you've gotta compare it with other Scripture, 42:21 compare Scripture with Scripture. 42:23 Do we have other examples of women 42:25 that are, with God's approval, speaking in church? 42:29 Well, when Jesus was born, 42:31 it talks about Anna the prophetess that came, 42:34 and she was speaking there in the church after Simon. 42:39 And you've got a number of women in the Bible 42:41 that were called prophets. 42:43 And you've got Hannah who is a praying in the church, 42:49 and when she speaks to Eli. 42:51 You've got Huldah, you've got Deborah. 42:57 And then you've got the daughters of Philip 42:58 in the New Testament. 43:00 It says he had four daughters that did prophesy. 43:02 Then it tells us 43:03 that in the New Testament you have Aquila and Priscilla, 43:07 husband and wife team that studied with Apollos. 43:10 I think it's hard to imagine 43:11 that none of those women were ever able 43:13 to open their mouths and speak in church. 43:15 Paul writes a lot to the Corinthian church 43:18 because their services were very much out of order. 43:21 Now, just you kind of gotta get the picture, 43:23 men and women did not always sit with each other 43:25 in these early Christian churches 43:28 just like in the Jewish churches. 43:29 They adopted that. 43:30 And women were probably calling over to their husbands 43:33 and telling their husbands what Paul really meant 43:35 or what the preacher meant or instructing them. 43:37 And it was kind of humbling for the husbands 43:39 to have their wives teaching them or chastising them. 43:43 Or there is some disruption going on, and Paul said, 43:46 "Let them keep silent. 43:47 If they wanna ask a question, ask at home." 43:50 So, I think he's talking about a specific issue there. 43:53 - And there were also a number of different cultures 43:56 and different languages that you read about 43:57 that was present in the church in Corinth. 44:00 Not only does Paul address this, 44:01 but he also says when somebody speaks, 44:03 make sure that they speak in a language 44:05 that people can understand. 44:06 Otherwise, you need to get a translation. 44:08 And you do it one at a time. 44:10 There needs to be order in the church. 44:12 So, I think this admonition from Paul 44:14 was to deal with the specific situation 44:16 that was occurring in that church. 44:18 - It talks in first Corinthians 14. 44:22 Yeah... 14. 44:24 It says, "If the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, 44:26 I'd rather speak five words with my understanding 44:28 that I might instruct others in 10,000 44:29 in an unknown tongue." 44:31 And there's just a lot of jammering and jabbering going on 44:34 with all those different slave groups 44:36 in the Roman Empire in Corinth. 44:38 They came from different countries, and Paul said, 44:41 "Look, ask your husbands when you get home, 44:44 tell the women to be quiet." (chuckles) 44:46 So yeah, I've seen some churches that say 44:49 that now women aren't to speak in church. 44:51 Well does that mean 44:52 a woman can't teach a Sabbath school class 44:53 or a Sunday school class? 44:55 Does God not give them those gifts? 44:57 So yeah, a difficult verse. 45:01 - Alright, thanks for your call. 45:02 We've got Carolle listening in New York. 45:03 Carolle, welcome to the program. 45:06 - Yes, hi, good evening - Good evening. 45:08 - Pastor Doug and Pastor Ross. 45:10 How are you? 45:11 - Blessed, thank you. 45:14 - [Carolle] Amen. Amen. 45:15 I was reading the Book of Judges. 45:19 I had finished reading Joshua, 45:23 and now who would Israel after Joshua had died? 45:28 'Cause I know Judges... 45:30 What was Judges about? 45:31 Like were they judging the people of Israel 45:34 and ruling them at the same time? 45:37 - That's a great question! 45:39 Now, by the time of Samuel, 45:41 the people said, 45:42 "We wanna be like the other nations, give us a king." 45:46 And God said, "I've been your King. 45:48 Why are you asking for a king now? 45:51 The Lord was their leader. 45:53 He would guide them through prophets, 45:55 and He would speak through judges. 45:56 And sometimes, the judges were... 45:58 yeah, they would judge difficult cases. 46:01 Bible says Samson was a judge, 46:03 but it never gives an account 46:04 of him sitting down at the judge's bench, 46:07 but he became a leader among the people. 46:09 - I think within the divisions within Israel, 46:11 there would be designated judges 46:14 where the local people would bring their concerns, 46:17 and they would look at the law of Moses that had been given, 46:20 and they would make a judgment based on these various cases. 46:23 And for a long time, that seemed to work 46:25 as you said up until the time of Samuel. 46:28 And then they wanted a king to judge over them, 46:30 and then the hard cases would go all the way up to the king, 46:32 and he would make the final decision. 46:34 But there was a period of time during the judges... 46:37 Also, there's an interesting verse talking about that time, 46:40 Pastor Doug, where it says, 46:41 "Every man did that which was right in his own eyes." 46:44 So there was apostasy prevalent in the country. 46:47 Some were worshiping even these pagan deities in the area, 46:50 so there was some trouble during this time too. 46:52 - Yep. 46:53 And so as you mentioned, during the time of the judges, 46:56 they did have Levites and priests in the country, 46:58 and they would probably handle the smaller cases. 47:01 But after Moses and Joshua died, they thought, 47:03 "Well, who is gonna be the Supreme Court 47:06 if there's differences, 47:08 and you can't appeal beyond the leader of your tribe 47:11 and the different judges? 47:13 And it talks about Ehud, and Deborah, and Othniel, 47:18 and Gideon, and Jephthah. 47:20 And so, there's several of them 47:21 that were sort of leaders of Israel, 47:23 more in a military sense than a king, really. 47:27 - Alright, thanks for your call. 47:28 We've got, let's see, Makail listening from Washington. 47:32 Makail, welcome to the program. 47:35 - [Mikhail] Hi, yeah, its Mikhail. 47:37 - Mikhail, welcome. 47:39 - [Mikhail] My question is, 47:41 kind of to do with the week of creation. 47:43 So far, I noticed that in religion, 47:45 it's becoming a bit of an idea 47:48 that each day in the seven-day week 47:54 was a certain hundred million years, 47:55 which is not true. 47:56 I just wanna know if you could give me some points 47:58 to kind of see from the Bible that, 48:02 okay, this says that it's literal days, 48:04 not millions of years. 48:05 - Yeah, if you're gonna believe the Bible, 48:08 you need to believe 48:09 that the world was created in six literal days. 48:13 'Cause Jesus said, "If you don't believe Moses, 48:14 then you don't believe Me." 48:16 And it's very clear. 48:18 It says the evening and the morning where the first day. 48:20 Everything in the language is telling us 48:23 that this is a regular 24-hour day, 48:27 talks about the sun and the moon, 48:30 it's the Earth's rotating one time on its axis. 48:33 The other thing is if these are long ages, 48:35 how can God make the vegetation on the third day 48:40 and not make the moon or the sun until the fourth day? 48:44 Now, plants will live a day without the sun, 48:46 but they're not gonna live a 1,000 years. 48:48 So, there's no way it works if you try and say 48:51 these are great epics that are thousands 48:54 or millions of years. 48:56 The Lord made these things in six literal days. 49:00 And Bible tells us even in the 10 commandments, 49:02 "For in six days, the Lord made the Heaven and the Earth 49:05 and sea... all that is in them." 49:07 And that's in the Sabbath command, so yeah. 49:10 - The Bible says, 49:11 "The evening and the morning was the first day, 49:13 the evening and the morning was the second day." 49:15 Well you only gonna have one morning and one evening 49:17 in a 24-hour time period. 49:19 You're not gonna have it over thousands of years. 49:21 - That's right. 49:22 - So the Bible's pretty clear it's one literal day there. 49:25 Okay, next caller that we have, 49:25 Ulises listening from Arizona. 49:28 Ulises, welcome to the program. 49:30 - [Ulises] Hello, Pastors, can you hear me? 49:32 - Loud and clear. 49:34 - [Ulises] Thank you. 49:36 My question was, well, I've been like following Christ, 49:42 basically, since like I was born, me and my brothers, 49:47 and sometimes, it just feels like each day 49:50 or there's like days 49:52 where it just feels like it's a little repetitive. 49:55 And I was just wondering 49:56 if there was like any Bible characters 50:00 that could help like a young person like me and many others 50:04 to help us like spiritually grow? 50:07 And so, we'd like- 50:09 - As some role models, maybe? 50:11 - [Ulises] Yes. 50:12 - Okay, in the New Testament, 50:14 one that comes to mind, and Pastor Ross may think of some, 50:16 is you have Timothy. 50:18 Paul says to Timothy, "Don't let anyone despise your youth 50:20 though you are a young man." 50:22 And he tells Timothy, "Flee youthful lusts." 50:25 Says, you know, 50:26 there's a lot of temptations young people go through, 50:28 especially when they go from being children to adults. 50:31 And they're assaulted with all these raging hormones, 50:36 and he tells 'em, "Live a pure life." 50:38 And then you've got Samuel. 50:40 Samuel starts out very young, 50:42 but he grows up in the temple, 50:43 and he's surrounded with some dishonesty and bad behavior, 50:47 but he stays faithful to God in spite of that. 50:50 - And you got Joseph who was a young man 50:52 taken captive to Egypt. 50:54 You got David who was a young man when he defeated Goliath. 50:58 You've got Esther. 51:00 That was a young girl when she was taken to the palace. 51:02 And then if you really wanna go even younger, 51:04 you got the little maid 51:06 that was taking care of Namaan's wife 51:08 and when Naaman, the leper. 51:10 So yeah, there's a lot of examples of young people 51:13 and even children in the Bible who stood up 51:15 for what was right. 51:16 - That's right, good point. 51:18 - Alright, thanks for your call. 51:19 We've got John listening from Illinois. 51:22 John, welcome to the program. 51:24 - [John] Hello, and thank you. 51:29 I'm gonna be doing a study 51:30 on the Book of James with my coworker, 51:32 and he is a non-Adventist. 51:35 He does know my beliefs, 51:38 but I have been cross-referencing different Bibles 51:41 to get a better understanding of what's written in James. 51:46 I was seeing if both of you had any suggestions 51:50 on how I could lead my first Bible study with a believer, 51:54 and potentially, two nonbelievers. 51:57 - Yeah, and the focus is on the Book of James? 52:01 Is that right? 52:02 - [John] Yes, correct. 52:04 - Oh, that's a great book, actually. 52:06 James is, you know, he was the older brother of Jesus, 52:09 probably the older half-brother of Jesus. 52:11 And he just talks about the basics of the Christian life. 52:15 I've got a friend, 52:16 one of the friends we play racketball with, 52:17 he's going through a men's Bible study in James, 52:19 and he just says, "Wow, this is eye-opening." 52:21 Fantastic! 52:23 James talks about, of course, faith without works is dead. 52:27 He talks about having faith that you live out in your life. 52:30 He talks about the practicality of Christians 52:32 in their speech. 52:33 Be careful what you say. 52:34 You can do a lot of good or a lot of harm with your words. 52:38 Yeah, James is just a fantastic book. 52:41 So, I don't know if there's any particular advice. 52:45 New King James Version is a great version 52:47 to study that from. 52:48 - And there's also some great commentaries 52:49 that one can look at that'll give you 52:50 some additional historical information about that 52:53 and help to give you some cross-references for the verses. 52:56 But to start in James 1:1, 52:58 and just start reading, and studying, and cross-referencing, 53:01 it is a great study. 53:03 - So yeah, Lord be with you. I think that it'll go well. 53:08 - Alright, last caller that we have tonight. 53:09 We've got Sherie listening from Montana. 53:11 Sherie, we have just about a minute or so. 53:16 - Just a question for you. 53:21 I gotta make it quick, I know. 53:25 My sister was murdered in the year 2000. 53:29 Her little girl was little, and Friday night, 53:34 and the girl, her daughter was 25, 53:38 and she committed suicide. 53:41 - Mm. 53:43 - [Sherie] And I was just wondering, 53:47 is there still possibilities that she's saved 53:50 even though she's committed suicide? 53:54 - Okay, that's a good question, 53:56 and it's a difficult question. 53:59 You know, the Bible tells us, first of all, 54:00 that God looks on the heart. 54:02 So, we don't know, 54:03 and you gotta be very careful about judging. 54:06 I've done the funeral for a young lady that took her life, 54:10 and she took the pills, and then she regretted it, 54:12 and she called and asked for help. 54:14 And you don't know what's going on in their mind. 54:17 We don't know sometimes the struggles and the heartache, 54:20 and God, He weighs all that. 54:22 And God is good, and God is just. 54:24 That said, if anyone's thinking about suicide, 54:28 the last thing you wanna do 54:30 is have the last act of your life in self-murder 54:33 'cause God says don't kill, 54:34 and that would include yourself. 54:36 So, you certainly don't wanna do that, 54:38 but I would be careful of saying 54:39 that anyone who's committed suicide that there's no hope 54:43 'cause God looks at the tenor of their life, 54:45 and the difficulties that they grappled with. 54:47 And just encourage the family, just know God is good, 54:50 and God is grieving along with everyone else. 54:52 Thank you for your question. 54:54 And for our listening friends, 54:55 we sort of sign off in two stages here. 54:57 We are coming back in just about a minute. 55:01 We're gonna do rapid-fire Bible questions. 55:03 We're signing off with our friends 55:05 listening on satellite radio. 55:06 But if you're listening on any other station, 55:08 just stay tuned. 55:10 We're gonna come back and take your internet Bible questions 55:12 that have come in. 55:13 (lively/ bright music) 55:16 - [Announcer 1] Thank you for listening 55:17 to today's broadcast. 55:18 We hope you understand your Bible even better than before. 55:22 "Bible Answers Live" is produced 55:24 by Amazing Facts International, 55:26 a faith-based ministry located in Granite Bay, California. 55:32 - Hello, friends, welcome back to "Bible Answers Live." 55:35 And we wanna thank you for your many Bible questions 55:37 that you've posted on social media or emailed 55:40 to Amazing Facts. 55:41 Pastor Doug, we're gonna try and get through 55:43 as many of these questions as we can 55:44 in the next couple of minutes. 55:46 So, here's the first one. 55:47 Is it really possible to keep the 10 commandments? 55:51 - Alright, the answer would be, 55:52 why would God ask us to do something that we can't do? 55:56 Wouldn't He be unjust? 55:57 And if a person is lying, are we gonna say, 55:59 "Well, no one can really tell the truth?" 56:02 Or if a person is stealing? 56:04 Or what wife would accept a husband saying, 56:07 "I can't really keep 56:08 that seventh commandment about adultery. 56:10 Sorry, I know you'll understand"? 56:11 Of course we can, Jesus came to save us not in our sins, 56:15 but from our sins. 56:16 And He said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." 56:19 Yes, you can. 56:20 - Okay, next question that we have, 56:22 "How do we know if we are walking in the Spirit?" 56:26 - Yeah, well, probably the best way 56:27 is you look at the example that it gives us in Galatians 5. 56:31 What are the fruits of the spirit? 56:34 Do we have that love, that joy, that peace, that goodness, 56:37 that long-suffering, that faith, 56:38 that meekness that is described? 56:41 If we're always losing our temper, 56:43 if we're thinking and talking selfish thoughts 56:44 and praying selfish prayers, 56:46 we're probably not being Spirit-led. 56:49 And so, we should be asking every day 56:51 for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. 56:52 The Lord wants to give that to us more 56:55 than earthly parents want to give good gifts 56:57 to their children. 56:58 - Okay, another question that we have. 56:59 "When the body dies, where does the spirit go?" 57:02 And the follow-up part is, "What is that spirit?" 57:05 - Alright, well, very quickly, 57:07 if you look in Ecclesiastes 12, 57:09 it says that "The living know they'll die, 57:11 the dead don't know anything, 57:12 but when a person dies," 57:14 it says, "the spirit returns to God who gave it." 57:17 And it's not just a person. 57:18 It says a spirit of a man and beast that returns to God. 57:21 That's because the word spirit there 57:23 is talking about that gift of life, 57:24 that breath of life returns to God. 57:27 So the word "spirit" is often interchangeable 57:30 in the New and Old Testament with the word "breath." 57:33 And God gives all creatures 57:35 the breath of life that returns to God. 57:37 It doesn't mean it's conscious until the Resurrection. 57:40 - Okay, well, here's another one, Pastor Doug. 57:42 "What type of locust did John the Baptist eat?" 57:46 - Well, we hope they were fresh locusts. 57:48 You wouldn't want to eat stale ones. 57:50 You know, locust was an insect that was declared clean 57:53 in Levitical laws, 57:55 but there's also a bean that was called locust, 57:58 and it's similar to the carob pod. 58:00 If you go to Israel, they call it St. John's bread. 58:03 We're hoping that he ate the locust bean and not the bugs, 58:08 but technically, it could have been the grasshoppers. 58:10 Hey, listening friends, running out of time, 58:12 but go to the Amazing Facts website, amazingfacts.org, 58:16 search the resources and tune in next week. 58:20 - [Announcer 1] "Bible Answers Live," 58:22 honest and accurate answers to your Bible questions! 58:27 (lively/ bright music) |
Revised 2022-07-30