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Series Code: AFBA
Program Code: AFBA202320S
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00:03 male 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," providing accurate 00:23 and practical answer to all your Bible questions. 00:28 This broadcast is a previously-recorded episode. 00:31 To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this 00:33 broadcast, call 800-835-6747. 00:38 Once again, that's 800-835-6747. 00:43 Now here's your host from Amazing Facts International, 00:47 Pastor Jean Ross. 00:50 Jean Ross: Hello, friends. 00:51 Pastor Doug is out this evening, but how about an amazing fact? 00:54 Astonishing and awe-inspiring, a dog's sense of smell is so 00:58 remarkable that they can detect scents at concentrations 01:01 as low as parts per trillion, making their sense of smell tens 01:05 of thousands of times more sensitive than ours. 01:09 To put this into perspective, a dog, for example, walking 01:12 into a kitchen hours after a meal was cooked, he's able, 01:16 if he chooses, to distinguish the individual ingredients, 01:19 the herbs, and even the spices that were 01:22 used in the preparation of multiple dishes. 01:25 Now, in the field of search and rescue, 01:28 dogs play a critical role in locating missing persons. 01:31 These dogs able to detect the faintest traces of human 01:33 scent even under the most challenging environments. 01:36 One incredible incidence occurred during the aftermath 01:39 of 9/11 attacks in New York City. 01:42 Trained dogs tirelessly worked, alongside their rescue teams, 01:45 sniffing through rubble and debris to locate survivors. 01:48 In one instance, a search-and-rescue dog, 01:51 named Tracker, located a survivor buried under 30 feet 01:55 of debris from the collapsed World Trade Center. 01:59 Another compelling example of the dog's sense of smell 02:02 involves the world of medical detection dogs. 02:06 These canine marvels have been trained to detect the scent of 02:09 specific diseases, including certain types 02:12 of cancers and diabetes. 02:14 Trained dogs are able to identify certain cancers 02:16 in patients by simply sniffing their breath 02:19 or a mole on their skin. 02:21 A dog's sense of smell is capable of feats that defy our 02:26 understanding, from locating survivors in disaster zones, 02:29 to detecting diseases with astonishing accuracy. 02:32 The dog's sense of smell serves as a constant reminder 02:35 of the marvels of a compassionate Creator God. 02:40 The Bible tells us, in Romans chapter 1, verse 20, speaking of 02:43 the marvels of God's creation, "For since the creation of the 02:47 world, His invisible attributes have been clearly seen, being 02:50 understood by the things that were made, even His eternal 02:53 power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse." 02:57 You know, Carlos, in the world around us, just the things that 03:00 God has made, we can see God's hand. 03:03 We stand in awe when we see what animals can do. 03:06 You think of sea turtles that are able to travel thousands of 03:10 miles from where they were born and then come back to the very 03:13 same beach to lay eggs. 03:15 All of the marvels of creation testify to us of a caring, 03:18 loving Creator. 03:20 Carlos Munoz: Amen, amen, that makes me think of the new 03:22 heavens and the new earth when we'll have 03:25 all our senses enlightened 03:26 Jean: That's right. 03:28 Carlos: Imagine what we'll be able to do too. 03:30 Jean: Absolutely. 03:31 Well, friends, if you'd like to learn more about the marvels of 03:34 God's creation, we've got a free book that we would like 03:36 to give you, one of the Amazing Facts books. 03:37 It's called "Wonders of Creation," 03:40 and how do people get that book? 03:42 Carlos: Well, they can call 1-800-835-6747, 03:46 or they can dial "#250," and when you dial "#250," 03:53 you say, "Bible Answers Live!" 03:55 and you'll be able to also get a copy. 03:58 It's free shipping in the USA-- USA and Canada territories only. 04:02 And, so, we also want to greet those that are tuning in on KDIA 04:07 in San Francisco, live, and Radio Jubilee in Tustin, 04:09 California, down in Southern California. 04:11 Jean: Absolutely. 04:13 We want to welcome those who are joining us, not only listening 04:15 on various land-based radio stations but also on satellite 04:19 radio station and those watching online on AFTV, and if you have 04:23 a Bible question, our phone line here to the studio 04:25 is 800-463-7297. 04:29 That's 800-463-7297. 04:32 That's with your Bible question. 04:34 And the other phone line that Pastor Carlos mentioned if you 04:37 have a--the free offer that we talk about, that's 800-835-6747. 04:42 Well, we have some callers on standby, ready to go. 04:45 Why don't you start with prayer, 04:46 and then we'll go to the phone lines. 04:48 Carlos: Let's pray. 04:49 Father, thank You for another beautiful day of life 04:51 and this opportunity to spend time in Your Word. 04:52 We just asked that Your Spirit guide us so that we can-- 04:55 found everything on it as it is written and that those that are 04:58 listening and joining us maybe rejoice in learning more as we 05:00 draw closer to You, and we ask this in Jesus's name, amen. 05:03 Jean: Amen. 05:06 Carlos: All right, so we have Debbie from Canada. 05:07 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live," Debbie. 05:09 You're on the air. 05:11 Debbie: Hi, how are you, pastors? 05:13 Jean: Doing well, thank you. 05:15 Debbie: Okay, I have a question. 05:17 I'm in the YouTube chat, and we were talking about Moses last 05:21 week in the chat, and I wanted to know, did God bury Moses, 05:27 or did he go straight to heaven? 05:28 And in Jude 1:9, when it says, "Michael the archangel," 05:33 we want to know if that's Jesus. 05:36 Jean: Sure, we'll take it in two parts. 05:39 First of all, was Moses buried? 05:41 Well, the Bible says he was. 05:43 It says he died, and God buried him. 05:45 And then, when you go to Jude and you read that story, 05:48 it talks about Michael the archangel and the devil 05:50 disputing over the body of Moses. 05:52 Now, the Bible doesn't say how long Moses was buried. 05:56 It is interesting, though, you know. 05:59 He says, as a type of Christ, he led the children 06:02 of Israel out of bondage. 06:04 He brought them to the Promised Land. 06:06 In one way, as a type, Moses symbolizes Christ. 06:09 Jesus is our deliverer. 06:11 He delivers us from sin. 06:13 And Jesus died. 06:14 He was buried, but then He rose, and He ascended to heaven. 06:18 Well, maybe we see in the experience of Moses. 06:19 So the Bible doesn't say. 06:21 Maybe it was three days. Who knows? 06:23 Three nights? 06:24 But Jude, where it talks about Michael the archangel, yes, we 06:28 believe that Michael is one of the prophetic names that we find 06:31 both in Revelation and Daniel with reference to Jesus. 06:35 We also find that in Jude. 06:36 We're not saying Jesus is an angel. 06:38 The word "archangel" simply means "the ruler of the angels" 06:42 or "the one above the angels." 06:44 Some translators put it as "the commander of the angelic host" 06:48 or "the commander of the angels." 06:49 So, when we talk about Michael, 06:51 we're not saying that Christ is an angel. 06:53 By any means, He's the ruler of the angels. 06:55 Now, there's a couple of ways we can help to identify this. 06:57 The Bible says that "when Jesus comes, He will have the voice 07:01 of the archangel," and the voice of the archangel 07:03 will raise the dead. 07:05 And Jesus said, speaking of His Second Coming, "They 07:08 shall hear the voice of the Son of Man and shall come forth." 07:10 So if Christ has the voice that raises the dead and, according 07:13 to Paul in Thessalonians, it's the voice of the archangel 07:16 that raises the dead, then just put two and two together: 07:19 Michael, then, is the prophetic name of Jesus. 07:22 And the word "Michael" means "who is like God." 07:24 So there's a number of parallels there. 07:26 We actually have a book called "Michael the Archangel," 07:28 and we'll be happy to send this to anyone who calls and asks. 07:30 What's that number, Carlos? 07:32 Carlos: Yes, that number is 1-800-835-6747, 07:36 or, if you're on your mobile device, you can dial "#250" 07:41 and say, "Bible Answers Live!" 07:43 and you can request it there. 07:44 Jean: Okay, very good. 07:46 Thank you, Debbie, for your call. 07:48 Carlos: Next, we have Jerry from Colorado. 07:50 Jerry, you're live on the air. 07:52 Jerry: Hey, thanks, guys, for answering my questions. 07:54 I just wanted to address something that you said at 07:56 the very beginning, but there's a book out there called 07:58 "The Story of Redemption," and chapter 3, 08:02 it gives a special glimpse of Eden. 08:05 My question tonight is, when the ark was restored to Jerusalem 08:14 after it spent a time--after that gentleman's house, after it 08:19 had been taken back from the Philistines, was that in a tent? 08:22 And was it an original sanctuary tent? 08:25 And did they have sanctuary services morning and evening? 08:29 That talks about that in 1 Chronicles 16. 08:33 Jean: Okay, good question. 08:35 Yeah, let's give a little bit of the background for those 08:36 who might be joining us. 08:38 So, when the children of Israel took possession of the Promised 08:40 Land, the place where the tabernacle was placed, which was 08:44 the tent where, of course, you had the Holy and the Most 08:47 Holy Place in the outer courtyard, was in a place called 08:49 a Shiloh, at first, and it was there that the temple was kept 08:53 before it was moved, at the time of Solomon, into--actually, 08:58 the temple, meaning, the tabernacle, the tent was moved 09:02 during the time of David, but the actual building 09:04 was built during the time of Solomon. 09:06 The Ark of the Covenant was taken by the Philistines 09:09 for a period of time and came back to Israel, 09:12 and it was placed back there at Shiloh where it was. 09:15 They did offer the services, the morning and the evening 09:18 sacrifices, as had been given during their wilderness 09:21 wanderings, even during the time of the exodus coming up 09:23 from Jerusalem. 09:25 The Levites were in charge of taking care of the different 09:28 things associated with the temple. 09:30 It was also during this time that you read about Samuel the 09:33 prophet, who was also a Levite and also served in the temple 09:36 around that time period. 09:38 So it was there until David, then it was transferred to 09:41 Jerusalem, and then, during the time of King Solomon, 09:43 it was actually placed in the temple that was actually 09:46 built of stone. 09:47 Carlos: Amen. 09:49 Jean: All right, who do we have next? 09:51 Carlos: Next, we have Gary from Illinois. 09:53 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 09:54 You're on the air. 09:56 Gary: Thank you. 09:57 We're seeing major climate events happening: Canadian 10:01 wildfires, sizeable hail, European heat waves, you know, 10:05 and fire, water temperatures above 100 degrees around the 10:07 Florida Keys, where our, you know, coral reefs are at. 10:12 And so these are the signs that Jesus says, in Matthew 24, 10:16 "When you see these signs, you know that time is near," but, at 10:18 the same time, I'm seeing diversions, you know, 10:21 congressional hearings on UFOs, where they got bodies. 10:24 They got spacecrafts and reporters interviewing AI, 10:28 you know, about their intentions towards humanity. 10:32 And so my question is, you know, yes, we need to be--we need to 10:37 keep ourselves focused on the signs that Jesus is talking 10:42 about, but do you think these diversions are, you know, 10:46 a coincidence, or do you think we're going to see regular, you 10:50 know, diversions that'll draw us away from these important signs 10:53 we see in Matthew 24 about, you know, plagues and pestilence, 10:58 wars, and rumors of wars, you know? 11:00 Jean: Yeah, let me add to that. 11:02 Good question. You know, first of all, 11:04 the devil is going to try and deceive. 11:06 The Bible says that, before Jesus comes, the devil will 11:07 deceive, if possible--this is in Matthew 24--even the very elect. 11:10 Now, that doesn't mean he's going to deceive the elect, but 11:13 his deceptions are going to be so powerful, so well crafted 11:16 that he'll try and deceive anyone and everyone. 11:19 So there's going to be some deception for just about every 11:23 person out there that doesn't know the truth of God's Word. 11:25 Whether it's going to be so-called alien visitations from 11:29 space or whether it's other conspiracy theories that might 11:33 arise or maybe advances with AI or whatever, whatever it might 11:37 be, the devil is going to try to use it to deceive people 11:41 in the last days. 11:42 Now, we do know that a changing world-- 11:44 the Bible does speak of earthquakes. 11:46 It talks of natural disasters and calamities; talks of "war, 11:49 and rumors of wars," all of these things Jesus gives you, 11:52 in Matthew 24, as signs of the coming of Christ, but I think 11:55 one of the most significant signs is He says, "As it was in 11:59 the days of Noah, so it'll also be before the Son of Man comes," 12:02 and He says, "As it was in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah, 12:05 so it'll be before Jesus comes." 12:07 We see the moral decay in society, and I think that's one 12:10 of the clearest evidences that we are living close 12:12 to the end of time. 12:13 We've been bombarded in just the last decade or so with some 12:17 of the strangest social ideas of what is marriage or what is 12:22 a man or what is a woman or what constitutes a family that, 12:28 you know, people prior to that probably would've never even 12:32 entertained, so we can see, just in the moral fabric of society, 12:34 things are just falling apart. 12:36 And, yes, Jesus does need to come, and I think the devil is 12:40 going to use everything he can to try and deceive, but we don't 12:42 have to be deceived as the Bible says, "If you know the truth, 12:45 the truth will set you free," and that's where our hope 12:48 needs to be. 12:49 Carlos: Amen, and I was just going to say that, also, I think 12:52 that we're not going to--we know these things. 12:54 We're not going to be focused on them. 12:55 Our focus is going to be on wanting to draw closer to God, 12:58 wanting to do God's will, wanting to reach others. 13:01 So even though we're aware of these things, our focus is not 13:03 on those things, per se, but our focus is going to be 13:05 on uplifting and serving God and as best we can? 13:09 Jean: Absolutely. 13:11 You know, we have a study guide, Pastor Carlos, that talks about 13:13 the Second Coming of Christ, and it's called "Ultimate 13:15 Deliverance," and that is really what the world needs. 13:18 That's going to be the ultimate solution to the problems 13:20 that we have here on this earth. 13:22 We'll be happy to send this to anyone who calls and asks. 13:25 Just call and ask for that study guide. 13:26 It's called "Ultimate Deliverance." 13:27 We'll be happy to send it to anyone here in North America. 13:30 If you're outside of North America, just go to the website, 13:32 just, AmazingFacts.org. 13:34 And what's the number to call? 13:35 Carlos: Offer is 1-800-835-6747, 13:38 or mobile devices, dial "#250," and say, "Bible Answers Live!" 13:43 and you'll be able to order that. 13:45 Jean: All right. 13:46 Carlos: All right, next, we have Patty from Oregon. 13:48 Patty, welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 13:50 Patty: Yes, a lot of people were asking me if women 13:55 should be pastors, ordained pastors. 13:59 Jean: Okay, all right, good question. 14:01 Well, you know, of course, what we want to do, especially 14:03 when it comes to this program, is we want to ask, 14:04 well, what does the Bible say? 14:06 Does the Bible give us an example of a woman that served 14:10 in the capacity of an apostle or as a priest? 14:14 And, to be honest, just with the Word, with the Bible, both 14:17 in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, we don't find 14:20 women serving in those roles as a priest or as an apostle. 14:24 Now, what we do find, which is very interesting, both in the 14:27 Old Testament and in the New Testament, we do find examples 14:29 of women that served in the role of a prophet, a prophetess. 14:33 We find that in the Old Testament--Deborah. 14:34 We also find in the New Testament. 14:36 So God has chosen different roles and different 14:38 responsibilities for people to serve. 14:41 That doesn't mean to say that a woman can't serve in ministry. 14:43 Matter of fact, they need to serve. 14:44 Everybody needs to be involved in ministry. 14:46 There are different areas of ministry, different 14:48 responsibilities that God has given, but when it comes to 14:52 pastoral ministry or the role of an elder, if you look at the 14:55 description that's given in the Bible, that's something that God 14:58 has chosen to really place on the shoulders of the man 15:01 as the leader in the home, as the leader in the church. 15:04 That's the role that God has given. 15:07 So there's a biblical answer. 15:09 You know, we do have a book called "Women in Ministry," 15:11 and we'll be happy to send that to anyone who calls 15:13 and asks if you'd like to study more about this. 15:15 The number for that is 800-835-6747, 15:20 and you can just call and ask for that book written 15:21 by Pastor Doug. 15:23 It's called "Women in Ministry." 15:24 Carlos: Amen. 15:26 Next, we have Junith from Nevada. 15:28 Junith, welcome. 15:30 You are on the air. 15:31 Junith: Hello. 15:33 Hello, hi. 15:35 Pastors, good evening, a blessed one to you. 15:38 Can you hear me well? 15:39 Jean: We can hear you, yes. 15:40 Junith: Yes. 15:42 Yes, Pastor, I have a question on--related to Isaiah chapter 15:46 14, verse 13, where God meets with the angels of the outermost 15:53 side of the north. 15:55 Just, this is a mystery for me to understand. 16:00 Is this where doxology happens? 16:02 Or at the same time, also, when our guardian angel went their 16:07 way to the High Priest, Jesus, to reveal our prayers, can you 16:14 tell us the biblical perspective of the congregation 16:17 of the north? 16:19 Thank you. 16:20 Jean: You're wondering about that specific phrase there 16:22 in verse 13? 16:23 Says, "On the farthest sides of the north," 16:25 where Lucifer wanted to have his throne? 16:26 Junith: Yes. Jean: Okay, good question. 16:28 Let me read the whole verse for those who might not have their 16:30 Bible in front of them. 16:32 Isaiah chapter 14, verse 13--and this is really talking about 16:33 this rebellious angel, called Lucifer, and what brought 16:38 about his rebellion against God. 16:40 It says, "For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into 16:43 heaven, I'll exalt my throne above the stars of God. 16:46 I will also sit on the mount of the congregation 16:49 on the farthest sides of the north.'" 16:51 Verse 14, "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, 16:54 I will be like the Most High." 16:56 So this is Lucifer there in heaven, and this part about 16:58 this war, you'll read about in Revelation chapter 12. 17:01 Now, what did it mean when he says, "On the farthest sides of 17:04 the north, I will sit on the mount of the congregation"? 17:06 "The farthest side of the north," it's interesting. 17:09 There is a historical application. 17:11 You read about this in Ezekiel 28, verse 16. 17:14 "The farthest side of the north" was a reference to Mount Zion. 17:17 Mount Zion, upon which Jerusalem was built and, 17:21 more specifically, the temple was built, serves as a type of 17:25 the heavenly throne room or where the heavenly temple is. 17:29 You'll find the Bible talking about a heavenly temple being 17:32 built in Hebrews. 17:34 And so the devil wanted a position in the very 17:36 presence--he wanted to take the throne of God. 17:38 He wanted to be in the temple, in the Most Holy Place. 17:41 Talk about the sides of the north, Mount Zion, he wanted to 17:44 actually receive the worship of the angels, and this brought 17:47 about this rebellion that we read about in Revelation 12. 17:50 Carlos: Yeah, Psalms 48, verses 1 and 2, clearly shows 17:53 that "sides of the north" is Mount Zion. 17:56 Jean: It's Mount Zion. Carlos: Yup. 17:58 Jean: Absolutely. Good. 17:59 We do have a study guide that talks about the origin of evil, 18:01 and it's called "Did God Create the Devil?" 18:04 Where did the devil come from? 18:05 We'll be happy to send it to anyone who calls and asks. 18:08 Carlos: 1-800-835-6747, or dial "#250" 18:12 and ask for "Bible Answers Live!" 18:14 Next, we have Jeffrey from Washington. 18:17 Jeffrey, welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 18:19 Jeffrey: Good evening, Pastor Jean, Pastor Carlos. 18:24 Thank you for taking my call. 18:25 Jean: You're welcome. 18:27 Thanks for calling, Jeffrey. 18:29 Jeffrey: I see in the Bible that it's fairly clear to me 18:32 that God is on trial, mentioned in Revelation, at least, 18:37 and Satan is doing the accusing, from what I understand, and 18:41 I hear people say that one of Satan's claims or accusations 18:46 is that it is impossible for humans to obey God or God's law. 18:52 Do you see anywhere in the Bible that suggests that Satan 18:56 is making that accusation? 18:58 I'm hoping you guys can help. 19:00 Jean: Okay, you know, one of the accusations that Satan 19:02 makes against God is that, you know, God is not fair. 19:04 God says He's a God of love, and if He's a God of love, 19:07 why does He require us to keep His Ten Commandments? 19:10 And, you know, probably you won't find anywhere in the Bible 19:14 where it says the devil is saying we can't keep God's 19:18 commandments, however, unfortunate it is, 19:21 there are many Christians that say that we can't 19:24 really keep God's commandments. 19:26 But, if you look at what the Bible says, the Bible is very 19:28 clear that, by the power of Christ, the Holy Spirit dwelling 19:31 within us, we can keep His commandments. 19:33 Matter of fact, Revelation chapter 12, verse 17, 19:36 describes God's people in the last days and says these are the 19:39 ones who keep the commandments of God, and they have 19:42 the testimony of Jesus. 19:43 Revelation 14:12, says they also have the faith of Jesus. 19:46 So when we have the faith of Jesus, 19:47 we're going to be able to keep the commandments of Jesus. 19:51 Why? 19:52 Because His law is written within our heart, 19:54 and that's the key. 19:56 An external obedience to the commandments based upon 19:59 our strength is an impossibility because Jesus said, 20:03 "Without Me, you can do nothing." 20:05 But with Him, He said all things are possible. 20:09 So there's no doubt that, with the Holy Spirit working within 20:11 us, if we are trusting in Him day by day, we can do those 20:14 things that, humanly speaking, on our own, trusting in our own 20:17 strength, we cannot do. 20:18 Are there examples of people in the Bible that kept 20:20 God's commandments? 20:22 Absolutely. 20:24 You've got examples of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 20:26 on the plain of Dura, who refused to bow down and worship 20:27 the golden image because it was a violation--one of the 20:30 commandments. 20:31 You got Daniel that went into the lion's den because 20:33 he refused to violate God's commandments. 20:35 You've got Joseph, you've got Esther, you've got many other 20:40 examples in the Bible and, even in New Testament times, people 20:41 who are willing to lay down their life rather than violate 20:45 one of God's commandments. 20:46 So there's plenty of examples in Scripture and also just 20:49 the power of God working in the life of a person. 20:52 Carlos: Yeah, I think it's inferred what he's asking, and 20:54 you mentioned Revelation 12. 20:56 It says, in Revelation 12:10, that the devil is 21:00 accusing us day and night. 21:01 Jean: "The accuser of the brethren." 21:02 Carlos: And then it says, in 11, "but they overcame him 21:04 by the blood of the Lamb." 21:05 So I think that it could be inferred because then you 21:07 mentioned Revelation 17, where it says and 21:08 there they are, right? 21:10 They're living in harmony with God's law. 21:11 Jean: They're keeping His commandments. 21:13 Carlos: Yeah. Jean: Absolutely. 21:14 We do have a study guide that talks about 21:16 the Ten Commandments, and, again, the point about 21:18 the Ten Commandments, if it's just an external list of do's 21:21 and don'ts, it's not going to help us, but if it's our desire 21:25 to keep the law of God because we trust Him, we love Him, 21:28 we have faith in Him, His law is written within our hearts. 21:31 That's the New Covenant promise. 21:32 We have a study guide called "Written in Stone," and it's 21:35 about the Ten Commandments, but more importantly, how can we 21:37 apply the Ten Commandments in a living, vibrant way in our life? 21:41 Carlos: Amen, amen. We have Emily. 21:43 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 21:44 You're on the air. 21:46 Emily: Hello, so, my question is where exactly were the fallen 21:50 angels cast to when they were cast out of heaven? 21:53 The verses I'm looking at are 2 Peter 2:4 and Revelation 12:9, 21:58 where Peter seems to say that they were cast to Tartarus 22:02 or the abyss, and then Revelation 22:05 says they were cast to the earth. 22:07 Jean: Okay, good question. 22:08 So, you know, we go back to Revelation chapter 12. 22:10 I think it's one of the clearest passages that talk 22:12 about this rebellion in heaven. 22:14 Says, "There was war in heaven. 22:15 Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, 22:17 and the dragon and his angels fought." 22:18 And then it tells us the dragon is Satan. 22:20 And then it says, "place was found no longer for them 22:24 in heaven," and they were cast out of heaven. 22:25 So it appears from the context, in Revelation chapter 12, that 22:29 this war in heaven occurred sometime before the creation 22:32 of earth this rebellion took place. 22:34 A third of the angels joined Lucifer, became the devil, 22:39 in his rebellion against God, and the reason we know a third 22:41 did is because it says the devil was able to swoop a third 22:44 of the stars of heaven, and "stars" symbolize angels. 22:47 So a third of the angels joined this rebellion. 22:48 They were cast out of heaven. 22:50 It appears for a period of time, they kind of wandered through 22:52 the universe, trying to locate a place where 22:54 they could establish their kingdom. 22:56 Right around this time, God goes about creating the earth, 23:00 and he warns Adam and Eve because it's the tree of 23:03 the knowledge of good and evil, so evil already existed. 23:05 He warned them about this evil being and--but you know 23:10 the story how Eve ate of the fruit and gave--well, she took 23:15 it, ate, gave to Adam, and, well, then the devil claims the 23:16 earth is his, and the earth, from then on, served as sort of 23:18 the headquarters of the devil's dominion, 23:21 his kingdom here on the earth. 23:22 Jesus seems to endorse this when He speaks of the devil as being 23:26 the prince of this earth, but when Jesus died, 23:28 no longer is the devil now the representative of earth, 23:31 but Christ is the second Adam. 23:34 He took the place of the first Adam, who fell. 23:36 He now is the second Adam. 23:38 And, ultimately, the earth is going to be restored and 23:40 redeemed after the 1,000 years, and the devil and the sinners 23:45 are no more. 23:46 God creates a new heavens and a new earth. 23:48 So, when it says here in 2 Peter chapter 2, verse 14--or, yeah, 23:52 verse 4, rather, that the devil and his angels--cast them down 23:56 to hell, it's just a dark abyss. 23:59 It's not a burning place of torment. 24:01 It's the same type of idea of the bottomless pit that you read 24:04 about in Revelation chapter 20. 24:06 It's an emptiness. 24:07 It's a darkness that we're looking for, a place to kind of 24:09 establish as their own, and eventually, the earth became 24:12 that place because of sin. 24:13 Carlos: Yeah, and in Revelation 12, it does. 24:15 As you mentioned, they did come here to earth, which is where 24:18 they were able to--he's able to put a foothold, but Christ took 24:22 it away from him. 24:23 Jean: That's right. 24:24 That's why one of the temptations that came to Jesus 24:26 was the devil said, "If you bow down and worship me, I'll give 24:28 You the kingdoms of this earth." 24:29 Now, we might think, "Well, why was that a temptation?" 24:31 Well, because the devil claimed them as his, and he was saying 24:34 to Jesus, "Instead of having to go through the cross, I'll just 24:37 give it to you now," because that was a temptation 24:40 that came to Christ. 24:41 Good question. Thank you, Emily. 24:43 Carlos: Next, we have Jimmy from Texas. 24:44 Welcome, Jimmy. You're live. 24:47 Jimmy: Yes, sir. Can you hear me? 24:48 Jean: Yep. 24:50 Jimmy: Okay, my question is this. 24:51 A pastor once told me this before I left his church because 24:55 he was making way too many predictions that weren't exactly 24:59 coming true at all, but my question is this. 25:02 He told me that also one of the signs that a person hasn't 25:05 committed the unpardonable sin is they have 25:08 a desire to serve God. 25:10 Is this true, or is this false? 25:12 Jean: No, I think it's true. 25:14 You know, I think if there's an earnest desire, that's evidence 25:17 that the Holy Spirit is convicting 25:18 and speaking to the heart. 25:20 Now, you know, remorse is not necessarily evidence of 25:24 the Holy Spirit speaking because even Judas felt remorse after he 25:29 betrayed Christ, and he threw the money down to the temple 25:32 and said, "I betrayed innocent blood," but then he went out, 25:34 and he hanged himself. 25:35 He was lost. 25:37 But Peter, on the other hand, when he realized what he had 25:38 done, he wept bitterly, and he was forgiven. 25:41 So, when the Holy Spirit is convicting us and we are 25:44 following that conviction, if we are turning to God in 25:46 repentance, that's evidence the Holy Spirit is working on us. 25:49 If there is a turning away from truth and a hardening of our 25:53 heart and we don't want to do those things or we're turning 25:57 away from or rejecting the promptings of the Holy Spirit, 26:00 that's dangerous ground. 26:01 We don't want to be on that ground for long. 26:03 There does come a point where, if we reject the Holy Spirit, 26:05 the Holy Spirit withdraws his convicting power, and it's the 26:09 goodness of God that leads us to repentance, the Bible says, 26:12 so without that convicting Spirit, we can reach that point 26:15 of repentance. 26:16 So the Bible says, "Repent." 26:19 You know, when you hear that voice, "Today is the day of your 26:21 salvation," don't wait another day for stronger impulses 26:24 or stronger feelings. 26:26 Today, if you hear the Holy Spirit, respond. 26:28 Friends, the program is not over. 26:30 We're just going to take our mid-program break, and we'll be 26:32 back in just a few moments with more of your Bible questions. 26:35 ♪♪♪ 26:38 announcer: Stay tuned. 26:40 "Bible Answers Live" will return shortly. 26:43 ♪♪♪ 26:46 announcer: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel 26:49 to every creature." 26:51 Through radio, television, print, evangelistic events, 26:54 and the internet, Amazing Facts International 26:57 is heeding the call of Jesus to go into all the world. 27:01 Millions of individuals in over 150 countries have been blessed 27:05 by the Word of God. 27:07 Amazing Facts has spawned new spheres of influence in India, 27:10 Africa, China, and Indonesia. 27:12 With each new country come hundreds of translated booklets, 27:16 study guides, and video presentations produced 27:18 in each region for the people of that region. 27:21 Armed with these precious truths, gospel workers 27:24 are empowered to spread bright rays of light 27:27 on every path they travel. 27:28 Please visit reachtheworld.amazingfacts.org, 27:32 to learn more about Amazing Facts International and how you 27:35 can participate in this exciting soul-winning ministry. 27:38 That website again is reachtheworld.amazingfacts.org. 27:43 Thank you for your support. 27:47 ♪♪♪ 27:52 announcer: A beast, a dragon, and a woman. 27:55 They sound like characters in a fairy tale, 27:57 but that couldn't be further from the truth. 28:00 These three symbolic end-time powers are actually found 28:03 in the book of Revelation, whose predictions 28:05 about the soon-coming crises on earth aren't a bedtime story. 28:09 "The Beast, the Dragon, and the Woman" is a daring 28:12 yet concise overview of the Bible's most compelling 28:15 and perplexing end-time players 28:17 and the struggle between truth and error. 28:20 You'll even find out the part America plays 28:23 in these last days. 28:24 If you want to be ready for the earthshaking events yet to come, 28:28 secure your copy of 28:29 "The Beast, the Dragon, and the Woman," today. 28:32 Don't be caught unprepared 28:33 for the final events of Bible prophecy. 28:35 To order your copy of 28:37 "The Beast, the Dragon, and the Woman," 28:38 call 800-538-7275, 28:42 or visit afbookstore.com. 28:46 ♪♪♪ 28:49 announcer: You're listening to "Bible Answers Live," 28:52 where every question answered provides a clearer picture 28:54 of God and His plan to save you. 28:57 So what are you waiting for? 28:59 Get practical answers about the Good Book 29:02 for a better life today. 29:06 This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. 29:09 If you'd like answers to your Bible-related questions 29:12 on the air, please call us next Sunday between 29:14 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., Pacific time. 29:18 To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned 29:20 in this evening's program, call 800-835-6747. 29:25 Once again, that's 800-835-6747. 29:31 Now let's rejoin our hosts for more "Bible Answers Live." 29:36 Jean: Hello, friends, and welcome back 29:40 to "Bible Answers Live." 29:41 We want to welcome those who are tuning in. 29:43 If you've never been a part of this program before, this is a 29:44 live, interactive, international Bible study, and if you have a 29:47 Bible-related question or a question related about living 29:50 the Christian life, we'd love to hear from you this evening. 29:53 Our phone line here to the studio is 800-463-7297. 29:58 That's 800-463-7297. 30:01 Pastor Doug Batchelor is out this evening, but I am Pastor 30:03 Jean Ross, and working the phones with me is Pastor-- 30:07 Carlos: Carlos Munoz. 30:08 Jean: That's right. Thank you, Carlos. 30:10 Carlos: Amen. Jean: Who's our next caller? 30:12 Carlos: We have Michael from Alabama. 30:14 Welcome, Michael. You're live on the air. 30:16 Michael: Good evening. Good evening. 30:17 Thank you tremendously for accepting my call. 30:20 This is a question I've tried to ask you for the past two weeks. 30:23 Now, because I have evidences for my--a lot of evidences for 30:27 my doubt, I'll take them one at a time over separate weeks to 30:34 make them more concise. 30:36 Basically, it's I have a tremendous problem with broad, 30:40 sweeping generalizations in the English language, in general, 30:44 and one of these--it really ticks me off when professing 30:48 Christians use this--is the term "Word of God." 30:51 "The Bible is the only Word. 30:54 The Bible is infallible and perfect." 30:56 Here's my--personally, I don't doubt the Holy Spirit absolutely 31:00 being behind the inspiration to the scriptural writers. 31:05 Jean: So, Michael, let me--Michael, let me ask you, are 31:08 you asking is it wrong to say, "the infallible Word of God" 31:12 or "the Word of God?" 31:14 Is that your question? 31:16 Michael: What I'm saying is they sound like they're putting 31:20 the guilt trip onto well-meaning Christian laypersons 31:26 who are still trying to find out and still, I wouldn't say, 31:30 "doubting," but especially the way televangelists and 31:33 also Protestant fundamentalists have misused specific verses. 31:38 Jean: Okay, just to clarify your question, so you're 31:40 saying we need to be careful with the way we use the phrase 31:44 "the Word of God" because maybe others don't believe 31:46 the Bible is the Word of God? 31:48 Michael: Oh, certainly people in other world religions don't. 31:53 I believe that it is inspired by the Holy Spirit, but here's 31:57 the first example: What if the Apocrypha, why it now-- 32:03 this is going to be a History Channel-type question. 32:05 Why aren't the Apocrypha and the Dead Sea Scrolls and books 32:10 that were excluded by rabbis and priests during the 400 silent 32:14 years from the Old Testament, also some gospels written down 32:18 by the remaining apostles who were themselves--what are they 32:23 called--eyewitness to Christ Jesus, why were they excluded 32:26 by the early church from the New Testament? 32:29 Jean: Okay, great question. 32:30 Michael: Why aren't those Holy Writ? 32:32 And I'll take my answer off here. 32:33 Thank you so much for answering. 32:35 Jean: Good question. 32:37 What about the other writings, especially the Apocrypha, 32:38 as you mentioned, Michael, in particular? 32:40 And there are some other writings that have come up 32:42 over the centuries and--for example, the book of Enoch. 32:45 Maybe some of you have heard of that. 32:47 And why is that not part of the Bible? 32:50 Well, when it comes to the Old Testament, the books that made 32:52 it into the Old Testament, you know, we're pretty sure on 32:55 those books, and the Dead Sea Scrolls are evidence of that. 32:59 Not all of the Dead Sea Scrolls were inspired writings. 33:02 A lot of it had to do with history during that 33:04 inter-Testament period. 33:06 It had to do with certain things and events 33:09 that were taking place in Israel. 33:11 But with reference to the books of Moses, the books of 33:13 the Old Testament prophets, they were validated, 33:16 all of the Old Testament books except for the book of Esther. 33:19 There's portions of those books that were found 33:21 in the Dead Sea Scrolls. 33:23 When it comes to the New Testament, in order to get your 33:25 book in the New Testament or recognized as part of the Bible, 33:29 there were some very specific tests that were applied. 33:33 Number one, you had to be an eyewitness of Christ. 33:36 The only exception to that is the apostle Paul. 33:39 Now, the apostle Paul, of course, he was alive at the time 33:42 of Christ, but he encountered Jesus in a very powerful way, 33:44 and it was recognized and accepted by the church 33:47 that he was called specifically by Jesus. 33:50 The other Bible writers were actually eyewitnesses 33:52 of events that occurred. 33:54 If the evidence or if the writing could not be validated 33:59 that this was a letter that had come from John or it come 34:03 from Paul, they didn't accept it. 34:07 It had to be a letter that was accepted by multiple churches, 34:12 early Christian churches. 34:13 So those are some of the criteria that were used. 34:16 It doesn't mean that God doesn't inspire other aspects of writing 34:20 or truth, but specifically, that's the criteria that was 34:24 used to make it into the Bible, and we believe all of the Bible 34:26 is inspired. 34:28 Carlos: And, also, some of those books, 34:29 there are contradictions which is why they're not-- 34:31 Jean: Yeah, they contradict the Bible, 34:32 then they excluded them as well. 34:34 That's a good point. Carlos: All right. 34:35 Jean: We do have a book called "The Ultimate Resource." 34:37 I was just thinking of that. 34:39 It's all about the Bible. 34:40 Want to learn more about where the Bible came from and how do 34:42 we read and study the Bible? 34:43 Just call and ask. The number is 800-835-6747. 34:47 Ask for that book, called "The Ultimate Resource." 34:49 Carlos: Yes, so you can dial "#250" on your mobile phone, 34:51 and say, "Bible Answers Live!" 34:53 Next, we have Glen from Ohio. 34:55 Welcome, Glen, to "Bible Answers Live." 34:59 Glenn: Yes, well, good evening from Bethel, Ohio, 35:01 pastors, and thank you for taking my call. 35:03 Carlos: Amen. 35:04 Jean: Yes, you're welcome, Glenn. 35:06 Glenn: When Paul wrote a letter to the Philippians, he 35:09 put in there that "every knee shall bow and every tongue 35:12 confess that Jesus is Lord." 35:14 When will that take place, and what would be the method 35:17 of confession? 35:18 Jean: Okay, good question. 35:19 Well, first of all, we know that that's not going to happen until 35:21 after the Second Coming of Christ. 35:24 Let me explain. 35:25 So, according to the Bible, we know that things go from bad 35:28 to worse until Jesus comes. 35:29 Eventually, there is a death sentence passed prior to the 35:32 Second Coming of Christ. 35:34 The Bible speaks of a great showdown that occurs. 35:36 Jesus comes the second time. 35:38 The wicked are destroyed at the brightness of His coming. 35:41 The righteous are resurrected, who are dead, and the living are 35:45 changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, 35:48 and they are caught up to meet Jesus in the air. 35:50 The redeemed will then go to heaven for a thousand years. 35:53 The earth is left desolate during that 1,000-year period. 35:56 You read about that in Revelation chapter 20. 35:58 Then, at the end of the thousand years, Revelation 21 talks about 36:02 the New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven. 36:04 The redeemed come in that golden city. 36:07 Christ is there. 36:08 Then it is that all the wicked are resurrected for what the 36:10 Bible calls the great white throne judgment. 36:13 Again, this is Revelation chapter 20. 36:15 At the end of that judgment, just with the evidence that's 36:19 been presented, every knee will bow and every tongue 36:22 will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. 36:24 Even the wicked, even the devil himself will acknowledge that 36:27 God is true and that He has done everything He can 36:31 to save mankind. 36:32 Now, this acknowledgment is not out of genuine repentance. 36:36 This is just an acknowledgement of the evidence. 36:38 The evidence has been presented. 36:40 It's overwhelming, and they say, "Yes, it's true," because no 36:44 sooner do they confess, then it says that the devil is able to 36:48 deceive them, and they mount the attack upon the New Jerusalem, 36:51 Revelation chapter 20, and fire comes down from God out of 36:53 heaven and devours them. 36:55 And then He creates a new heavens and a new earth wherein 36:58 dwells righteousness. 37:00 So it occurs at the end of that 1,000-year period, 37:03 known as the millennium, and you read all about that 37:05 in Revelation chapter 20. 37:07 And we do have a study guide that talks about this. 37:09 It's called "1000 Years of Peace," and for anyone 37:12 wanting to learn more about this, just call and ask. 37:13 It's a very interesting study, Revelation 20. 37:16 The number again is 800-835-6747, 37:20 and ask for that study guide. 37:21 It's called "1000 Years of Peace. 37:24 Carlos: All right, thank you very much. 37:26 Next, we have Mark from Oregon. 37:27 You're live on the air. 37:29 Mark: Hey, praise God for the way he works through you guys. 37:35 My question is about the Holy Spirit. 37:39 I have a friend. 37:41 We speak about the Bible often, and I was just--his point of 37:46 view is that the Holy Spirit has a female quality to it 37:51 in the Bible. 37:52 Can you help me understand what the Bible 37:54 says about that, if any? 37:56 Jean: All right. 37:58 Well, when it comes to male and female, the Bible says, 38:00 "God created them male and female, and He created them 38:03 in His image." 38:05 So there are aspects of the male, and there are aspects of 38:08 the female, as far as character goes, 38:11 that reflect the character of God. 38:14 So God is the protector, and you might think of that when you 38:17 think of the man. 38:18 He's the protector. 38:20 He's the provider for the family. 38:22 You think of the woman, you think of the mother, 38:23 she's the nurturer. 38:25 She's the one that takes care of the needs and is sensitive to 38:29 the needs of the family. 38:31 Those qualities are both seen in the Creator, the Father, 38:35 the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 38:37 Now, it's true that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, they have 38:40 different roles when it comes to the plan of redemption. 38:42 Jesus is the one that came to the earth. 38:44 He gave His life as a sacrifice for sin. 38:46 He rose from the dead. 38:47 God the Father presides as the great judge. 38:50 Jesus is also judge. 38:51 The Holy Spirit is our intercessor, bringing our 38:54 prayers before the Father. 38:56 And Christ is also our mediator and our intercessor, 38:58 our High Priest. 38:59 So all of them have different roles in this great work of 39:02 judgment, but they all share the qualities of Deity. 39:05 They're all God. 39:07 They all have those characteristics that we find, 39:09 so I wouldn't say that one leans more to the one side 39:13 of characteristics or the other. 39:15 God is love. 39:17 And, you know, even in the--well, probably in the 39:20 Christian world in many different churches, people have 39:22 the idea of the God of the Old Testament as being 39:24 an "angry God"; the God of the New Testament, Jesus, 39:27 being a more kind and loving God. 39:28 Carlos: Merciful, yeah. 39:30 Jean: Well, Jesus Himself said, "Fear not, 39:32 for the Father loves you." 39:33 So Jesus said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." 39:37 If you want to see what God the Father is like, look at Jesus. 39:40 So there's no difference between the qualities of kindness and 39:43 love and mercy and grace that you see manifest in Christ. 39:46 It's there in the Father, and it's also manifested in the work 39:50 that the Holy Spirit does in drawing us to Jesus. 39:52 Carlos: Yeah, you know, just for that point, I had somebody 39:55 one time tell me that the Holy Spirit was a--was female, and 39:58 I said, "Well, that's interesting because, in Luke 40:00 chapter 1, it says that the Holy Spirit was the one that 40:02 put the seed in Mary, so how could you be female? 40:05 Never asked me that question again. 40:08 Jean: Well, of course, the Bible also refers to 40:09 the Holy Spirit as "When He, the Comforter, comes," 40:11 the masculine form so-- 40:13 Carlos: It transcends, right? Jean: It does, yup. 40:16 Carlos: Amen. Jean: All right, thank you. 40:17 Who's next? 40:19 Carlos: Next, we have Kereace from Washington. 40:21 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 40:23 Kereace: Hello, good night. Thanks for taking my call. 40:26 I'm just asking you guys, please, if you could summarize 40:30 Romans chapter 14, verses 17 to 21, if you guys could please 40:35 explain for me, Okay, thank you. 40:37 Jean: Yeah, absolutely. Thank you, Let me read it. 40:39 It says, "For the kingdom of God is not eating or drinking, but 40:41 righteousness, peace, and the joy of the Holy Spirit. 40:44 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to 40:48 God and approved by men. 40:50 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace 40:53 and the things by which one may edify another. 40:56 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. 40:59 All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for men 41:03 who eat with offense. 41:05 It is good neither to eat meat or drink wine or do anything 41:08 by which your brother stumbles or is offended or made weak." 41:14 So, Kereace, what specific about those verses are you wondering? 41:18 Kereace: "The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking." 41:23 What does that part really mean? 41:27 Jean: Okay, yeah, the point that Paul was addressing in 41:30 the early Christian church, remember, there were 41:32 both Jewish Christians; there were also Gentile Christians. 41:34 And part of the discussion that occurred had to do with food. 41:38 Now, it didn't have to do with whether food was clean, 41:42 meaning that it was clean meats or unclean meats. 41:45 It had to do with food that was offered or bought at the 41:48 marketplace, some of which might have been offered to an idol. 41:51 Paul says, you know, "Don't ask. 41:53 If it's clean meat and you're allowed to eat it, you know, go 41:56 ahead and buy it, but if you're going to offend your brother by 42:00 doing so, then don't do that." 42:02 So the point of unity that Paul is trying to bring, it's in the 42:05 church between the Gentiles, the Jewish believers. 42:08 He's bringing them together, and the points of dispute that had 42:11 to do with eating and drinking, he was trying to harmonize. 42:14 There were also certain rituals that were put in place, 42:18 certain traditions that the Jews had that certain things 42:21 couldn't be eaten on certain days. 42:22 Certain things could be. 42:24 There were certain feasts associated with the ceremonial 42:27 law, and that became a point of controversy in the Christian 42:29 church, and Paul is saying, "We don't want to make 42:31 these things a point of controversy." 42:34 He wasn't saying that we can just eat anything we want 42:38 because, obviously, the Bible tells us, Paul tells us that 42:41 our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and we 42:43 want to present ourselves a living, holy sanctuary 42:47 for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. 42:48 But that was the issue specifically that he was 42:51 addressing was the controversy that was brewing in the early 42:54 church between some of the ceremonial laws as the Jews 42:57 applied it and the Gentiles as it had to do with food and 43:01 certain sacrifices and so on. 43:03 Carlos: Yeah, thinking that an important point is that, when 43:05 Paul or Peter talk about food, they can't be talking about 43:08 unclean meats because that's not food for them. 43:10 Jean: That's right. 43:12 Carlos: And so that's a very, 43:13 very basic way of looking at it too. 43:15 Jean: It had to do with certain foods associated with 43:16 the ceremonial law. 43:18 Carlos: Exactly. Jean: Absolutely. 43:19 All right, thank you, Kereace. 43:21 Carlos: Next, we have Daniel from my neck 43:22 of the woods in Puerto Rico. 43:23 Welcome, Daniel. 43:26 Daniel: Hello, good evening. 43:27 Thank you for taking my call. 43:30 My question is I've heard about--yesterday, I was with 43:37 somebody, and she started telling me about 43:39 the New World Order. 43:44 I think that's the correct way to say it in English. 43:47 Carlos: Mm-hmm. 43:49 Daniel: And she was saying some things that are going to be 43:52 in that order, like the money is going to be digital now, the 43:56 government is going to be taking money from us if we don't behave 43:59 well and that we can only be outside of the house for certain 44:02 amount of time. 44:04 And, in my mind, I was thinking, "But I thought that the Bible 44:07 said that there was going to be no more world government, which, 44:11 in that case, how can there be a New World Order? 44:14 Jean: Okay, yeah-- 44:17 Daniel: Does the Bible talk about that? 44:18 Jean: Yeah, it does. 44:20 Now, the Bible does say that, you know, when it talks about 44:22 end-time events, "All the world marveled 44:24 and wondered after the beast." 44:25 Now, that doesn't mean that there's going to be one world 44:27 government, meaning that we're not going to have individual 44:29 countries or individual states, but they will be united in 44:33 the last days in the support of the beast power, 44:37 Revelation chapter 13. 44:38 All the world will be brought under its control. 44:42 So you'll have different countries, you'll have separate 44:45 nations, but they will all support an agenda that'll 44:49 come outside of--or there'll be united in that agenda, 44:52 and I'll give you a couple examples. 44:54 For example, we've got movements now, an international movement 44:58 under the climate change, certain international laws or 45:03 requirements that different nations need to sign on certain 45:08 reductions in emission, and you know the story. 45:10 There is almost a governing power of nations that is putting 45:13 pressure on other countries to go certain ways, and if a 45:16 country refuses to go along with certain laws at the end of time, 45:20 the Bible says they're not going to be able to buy and sell. 45:23 So you have economic sanctions that are going to come 45:25 into play at the end of time. 45:27 So you'll still have the individual countries, but 45:29 they'll all be working together towards this common goal 45:33 at the end. 45:34 Carlos: Yes, also Revelation 17 says that all the kings 45:36 of the earth, they fornicate, or they have this illicit 45:40 relationship with the Babylon, so that's that-- 45:43 Jean: Yeah, Babylon is a symbol of a religious power, 45:45 so you have church and state working together in this 45:48 alliance at the end of time. 45:49 Carlos: Yep. 45:51 Jean: All right, thank you, Daniel. 45:52 Carlos: Next, we have Henry from New York. 45:54 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live," Henry. 45:55 Henry: Yes, blessings to you. 45:58 My question is why did Israel get rid of royalty? 46:05 Jean: Okay, why did Israel get rid of royalty? 46:09 You must be referring to--are you talking about 46:11 after they were conquered by the Babylonians? 46:14 They never really did have a king. 46:15 They were always under some other country. 46:19 They did have certain degrees of authority, but they were under 46:24 Babylon or Medo-Persia or Greece or Rome, and, of course, it was 46:27 Rome that conquered Jerusalem and the temple in 70 A.D. 46:30 Today, Israel is sort of a democratic-style system 46:34 of government, where there is not a monarchy, 46:36 where they don't have a king. 46:38 The truth is that Jesus symbolically is the King, the 46:41 King of the Jews, but He's the King of the whole world, and He 46:43 did come in fulfillment through the seed of David, and He did 46:47 take spiritually the throne and established the kingdom 46:49 of grace, and soon, at the Second Coming, 46:52 He'll establish the kingdom of glory. 46:54 So, yeah, hopefully that helps Henry. 46:57 Carlos: Yeah, and God never did want a king anyway. 46:59 He wanted to be the King. 47:01 Carlos: He always wanted to be the King of Israel. 47:03 Carlos: Amen. 47:04 Next, we have Smyrna from California. 47:07 Welcome, Smyrna. You're on the air. 47:09 Smyrna: Hi, good evening, Pastor Ross, Pastor Munoz. 47:13 It is nice talking to you. I do have a question. 47:17 It comes actually from one of my brothers from church. 47:20 We were talking about Daniel and Revelation's book, 47:25 and we understand the 1260 and the 1290, but when we were 47:29 in Daniel 12:11-12, it comes at certain days. 47:34 It's the 1,335 days, and when we finished reading that, we were 47:41 not understanding where that came from or what does it mean, 47:45 so my question is what is that for, the 1,335 days? 47:50 What's the relation? Jean: Good question. 47:53 Now, this is a very deep question. 47:55 We find, in Daniel chapter 12, a series of time prophecies 47:58 that are given. 48:00 You've got the 1260, the 1290, and the 1335. 48:04 The key to understanding these various time prophecies is the 48:07 starting point, and the starting point has to do--verse 11, it 48:11 says, "And at the time that daily sacrifice is taken away, 48:13 and the abomination is set up--" 48:15 then it goes on to the 1,290 days. 48:19 Now, that, all of these different dates, the 1290, 48:23 the 1260, and the 1335, all are the same starting date, 48:26 and that starting date is 508, and the reason we say, "508," 48:30 is because, in 508, you have the conversion of Clovis, 48:33 king of the Franks, and the whole French nation, 48:36 in essence, became Catholic at that time. 48:38 That was key in providing the support for the papal power 48:42 to be fully established in 538. 48:46 So the 508 date is used as the starting point for both of that 48:50 1290 as well as the 1335. 48:53 Now, the 1290, starting in 508, brings you to 1798, and the 1335 48:59 brings you to 1843. 49:02 Significance of 1843 is, of course, the beginning of the 49:05 antitypical day of atonement, the heavenly judgment. 49:08 In Revelation chapter 14, "Fear God, give glory, 49:12 and the hour of judgment has come." 49:13 That's a whole study. 49:15 We don't have time to get into all the details of that, 49:17 but scholars have identified the 1335 as going 49:20 from 508 through until 1843. 49:22 Carlos: All right, very good. 49:24 Next, we have Trassan from New York. 49:27 You're on "Bible Answers Live." 49:29 Trassan: Yes, hi, Pastor. 49:31 Okay, so my concern is--the question that I want to ask you 49:35 is that, as a Christian, are you allowed to drink occasionally? 49:41 Jean: All right, should a Christian drink? 49:44 Well, you know, the Bible says that, in our times of ignorance, 49:48 God is winked at. 49:49 There were things that happened back in Bible times, 49:51 in the Old Testament, where it was not God's ideal will, 49:54 but the people didn't know any better. 49:56 For example, David had multiple wives. 49:58 Solomon had multiple wives. 50:00 Abraham had more than one wife. But now we know better. 50:02 Now we know it's a sin. It's clearer. 50:05 When it comes to drinking alcohol, I think, 50:08 as a Christian, we know the consequences of alcohol 50:11 and how it's destroyed families, how that it's not healthy. 50:16 It's got, you know, issues for the body. 50:19 We know that it's not the will of God that we, as Christians, 50:22 should drink, both by example and also for our health. 50:26 So should a Christian drink? I would say, no. 50:30 I think you want to set an example. 50:31 You want your body to be a tabernacle 50:33 or a temple for the Holy Spirit. 50:34 You want to be pure. You want to be holy. 50:36 You don't want anything to defile your body. 50:37 Now, that doesn't mean that everyone who drank in the past 50:39 are automatically condemned, but to those who know to do right 50:44 and don't do it, to them, it is sin, so I think, as Christians 50:47 today, based upon the evidence that we find in Scripture, 50:50 we don't want to drink any alcohol. 50:53 We want to be an example of faithfulness in all we do. 50:55 Carlos: Especially, when you drink, 50:57 your mind is not straight. 50:58 You're not thinking straight, and God wants us to be 51:00 morally on ground, solid ground. 51:03 Jean: Yeah, and the Bible says, Paul--we just read 51:05 the verse--he says we don't want to offend others by what we eat 51:07 or what we drink, so if we're drinking something that could be 51:09 a stumbling block to somebody else, 51:11 we as a Christian shouldn't do it. 51:13 You know, we do have a book. 51:14 It's called "Alcohol and the Christian," and we'll be happy 51:17 to send this to you, Trassan. 51:18 All you have to do is just call and ask. 51:21 The number is 800-835-6747. 51:23 Ask for the book. 51:25 It's called "Alcohol and the Christian." 51:26 We'll be happy to get it in the mail and send it to you. 51:28 Carlos: Yeah, or mobile phones, dial "#250," and say, 51:31 "Bible Answers Live!" 51:33 Next, we have Celesta from Indiana. 51:36 Welcome. You are on the air, sister. 51:39 Celesta: Thank you for taking my call. 51:41 My question is if a pig was raised on grain and healthy 51:50 food, is it still unsafe to eat? 51:55 Jean: That's a good question, Celesta. 51:57 Now, of course, remember, back in Bible times, pigs 51:59 were raised on organic things. 52:04 You know, they pretty healthy back then because 52:06 they didn't have all of the chemicals and the hormones 52:08 that you have today. 52:10 Now, of course, it makes it even worse when meat 52:12 is pumped full of hormones. 52:14 The reason God tells us not to eat pork isn't because of what 52:18 the animal ate, but it's because of the biology 52:21 of the actual animal itself. 52:23 Pigs have an amazing ability to retain high degrees of toxins 52:28 in their flesh, in their system. 52:30 Pigs can eat anything. 52:32 It is amazing what they can eat, and they don't get sick, 52:34 and they keep going. 52:36 They are, now, unhealthy. 52:37 They have high levels of fat, and the first meat that a doctor 52:40 will take somebody off, if they're having heart problems, 52:42 is pork. 52:44 So it's not so much what you feed the pig. 52:46 It's the biology of the pig itself that becomes so dangerous 52:49 because it does retain a high degree of toxins in its system 52:52 and a high degree of fat no matter what you feed it. 52:55 So according to the Bible, you want to stay away from pork. 52:58 It's an unclean animal. 53:00 Carlos: Yes, all right. 53:02 And Anthony from Michigan, welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 53:04 You're on the air. 53:06 Anthony: Hi, my question is--my father, he used to 53:11 encourage me to try to take God seriously, but now he himself 53:16 doesn't want anything to do with God. 53:19 And my mother--I'm not trying to judge, but she seems to 53:24 take it a little bit lightly. 53:26 And I want to honor my father and mother so that I can keep 53:29 both the Ten Commandments, but I don't know if until I see them 53:32 taking a relationship with God more seriously, would my efforts 53:36 be better spent trying to please God in other ways? 53:40 Jean: Well, you know, I think--a good question. 53:42 I think, first of all, we want to try and honor our parents 53:44 irrespective of whether or not they follow God. 53:49 I mean, just the fact that they're our parents, we want to 53:51 treat them with respect. 53:52 But having said that is, you know, God is our first parent, 53:56 and He needs to be first and foremost in our life. 53:58 We don't want to do those things to honor our parents that would 54:01 contradict honoring our heavenly Father, 54:04 so, you know, that's the priority. 54:05 But what can we do for our parents if they're not serious 54:08 about taking their Christianity or trusting in God? 54:11 We can pray for them. 54:13 We can be an example in the way we live. 54:16 We can't keep harassing them. 54:19 We need to respect them and let them make their own decision. 54:22 We can pray for them, try and be a good example, and when 54:25 the opportunity opens up, we could witness, but we can't 54:29 push our views on anyone, but we can pray for them. 54:33 At the same time, do everything you can to witness to others. 54:36 It's not one or the other. 54:37 It's both. 54:39 In everything we do, we try to be a positive example to others. 54:41 And, you know, Carlos, I know you were a opportunity to 54:44 witness to your parents, and you actually had the privilege of 54:47 baptizing your mom and your dad, so just through your example and 54:53 not pushing but being able to be a positive light, you were able 54:56 to make an impact upon their life. 54:58 Carlos: Amen, let them see Christ in you. 55:00 Jean: That's right. 55:01 Well, friends, we're coming up on our end of the program for 55:03 those who are listening on satellite radio. 55:05 For the rest of you, stand by. 55:06 We're going to take your email questions. 55:10 ♪♪♪ 55:12 announcer: Thank you for listening to today's broadcast. 55:14 We hope you understand your Bible even better than before. 55:18 "Bible Answers Live" is produced by Amazing Facts International, 55:22 a faith-based ministry located in Granite Bay, California. 55:28 Carlos: All right, we want to welcome you back to this special 55:29 bonus part that we have with email questions that have come 55:33 in, and so we'll do the rapid-fire email questions. 55:36 For Pastor Jean, "Jean, God created everything in the 55:39 universe, but who created God?" 55:41 Jean: Oh, that's the question we hear quite a bit, 55:43 "Where did God come from?" 55:44 The Bible doesn't tell us. 55:46 Matter of fact, the Bible says that God's ways 55:48 is higher than our ways. 55:49 The Bible says God is eternal, and "He has no beginning. 55:52 He has no end." We can't understand that. 55:54 We live in a realm of time. 55:56 We have a beginning. 55:57 We have an end. 55:58 Everything we know has a beginning and an end, 56:00 but God is not in our realm. 56:02 The Bible says he's eternal. 56:04 So those are the questions we'll probably need to ask 56:06 when we get to heaven, but the Bible doesn't tell us. 56:09 Carlos: All right. 56:10 Lindsay Inlet is asking, "Is Zachariah in the Old Testament, 56:12 the author of the book Zechariah, 56:14 the father of John the Baptist?" 56:16 Jean: No, they are two different people. 56:17 Zechariah was a popular name or at least 56:19 a more common Jewish name. 56:21 Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, is not the same 56:25 Zechariah that wrote the book of Zechariah in the Old Testament. 56:28 Carlos: All right, another question, "God demanded 56:29 the Israelites to annihilate the occupants of pagan cities, 56:32 but what will be the fate of the children and babies 56:34 of those cities at the resurrection?" 56:35 Jean: Yes, what happens to those who died under 56:38 the age of accountability in these judgments that came? 56:41 I guess the same question could be asked 56:43 with reference to the children at the time of the flood. 56:45 When God destroyed, the flood, there were children, 56:47 young children, little babies. 56:48 Well, I think God's going to have to deal with those 56:50 individually as far as judgment. 56:53 He knows the end from the beginning. 56:55 What we do know is, for a believer, 56:57 if they lose their child, they have the hope of being 57:01 reunited with their child in the resurrection. 57:03 So, for a believer, if a child dies under the age of 57:07 accountability, or a baby, we have the hope of being reunited. 57:11 Carlos: All right, another question, "Are the 144,000 57:13 the only people saved when Jesus comes?" 57:16 Jean: Well, the Bible speaks about a group of people that 57:18 will be saved, when Jesus comes, who have the seal of God in 57:21 their foreheads. 57:23 It also talks about a great resurrection where people will 57:26 be from every multitude, nation, tribe, and tongue and people. 57:28 There will be a great group of people. 57:30 So the 144,000 represent God's end-time apostles, you might 57:34 say, who are, in a special way, doing a work for proclaiming 57:39 the three angels' messages at the end of time. 57:41 They symbolize those who will be translated when 57:43 Jesus comes a second time. 57:46 Carlos: All right, "What did Jesus mean when he 57:48 said that 'night is coming when no one can work'?" 57:50 Jean: Well, you know, now is the opportunity that we can work. 57:53 There is a time coming, the Bible says in Revelation 22, 57:56 where Jesus says, "He that is holy, let him be holy still. 57:58 He that is filthy, let him be filthy still." 58:00 Probation closes. 58:02 It's too late then. Now is the time for us to work. 58:05 Well, friends, you hear the sound of the music. 58:07 We are running out of time, but until next week, God bless. 58:10 ♪♪♪ 58:19 announcer: "Bible Answers Live," honest and accurate 58:23 answers to your Bible questions. 58:25 ♪♪♪ |
Revised 2024-03-29