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Series Code: AFBA
Program Code: AFBA202406S
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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 and its 00:10 words, sometimes simple and sometimes mysterious, should 00:14 always be studied carefully. 00:16 It is the Bible, the Word of God. 00:19 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live," providing accurate and practical 00:24 answers 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 00:34 broadcast call 800-835-6747. 00:39 Once again, that's 800-835-6747. 00:44 Now here's your host from Amazing Facts International, 00:48 Pastor Jean Ross. 00:50 Jean Ross: Hello, friends. 00:51 How about an amazing fact. 00:53 Jack was a black retriever who lived in Swansea, Wales, in 00:57 the 1930s. 00:58 One day in 1931, the dog spotted a 12-year-old boy swimming in 01:03 the River Tawe near the city docks, but the boy was 01:07 struggling against a strong tide and couldn't keep his head above 01:10 the water. 01:11 Realizing the boy's predicament, Jack jumped into the water, swam 01:15 over to the drowning boy, and pulled him to safety. 01:18 Jack then made it his duty to patrol the harbor and the river 01:22 looking for people who had accidentally fallen from the 01:24 docks or who had gotten themselves into trouble while 01:27 swimming in the river. 01:29 Shortly after his rescue, Jack saw a person who had fallen from 01:33 the docks who didn't know how to swim. 01:36 The dog jumped into the water, grabbed the drowning man by his 01:39 coat, and pulled him to safety. 01:41 After this rescue, the local council awarded him a 01:45 silver collar. 01:47 The dog became the town's self-appointed lifeguard and was 01:51 always ready to come to the rescue of those who found 01:53 themselves in trouble. 01:55 In addition to saving people, Jack also saved two other dogs 01:59 from drowning that had fallen off the city docks and didn't 02:02 know how they were to find their way out. 02:05 All in all, get this. 02:07 Jack is credited for saving at least 27 people from drowning. 02:12 This friendly canine became a local celebrity and a hero. 02:16 And after he died in 1937, a memorial was erected in his 02:20 honor in the town of Swansea. 02:22 The inscription on the monument says, "Never had mankind more a 02:26 faithful friend than thou whose oft thy life did lend to save 02:31 some human soul from death." 02:34 Did you know, friends, that the Bible says that "Jesus is a 02:37 friend that sticks closer than a brother"? 02:40 That's Proverbs chapter 8, verse 24. 02:42 And in John chapter 15, verse 13, Jesus said, "Greater love 02:47 has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for 02:50 his friends." 02:52 You see, friends, Jesus is both our best friend and our Savior. 02:57 If you'd like to learn more about this great plan of 03:00 redemption, if you perhaps don't know Jesus as your best friend, 03:04 and you'd like to get to know Him more, we have a free gift 03:07 that we'd be happy to send you. 03:08 It's one of our study guides here at "Amazing Facts" and it's 03:11 called "Saved from Certain Death," and all you'll need to 03:14 do in order to receive that is to call the number 800-835-6747. 03:20 That is our free offer line and ask for that study guide. 03:23 It's called "Saved from Certain Death." 03:26 We'll be happy to send it to you here in North America. 03:28 If you're outside of the US, just go to our website at 03:32 AmazingFacts.org and you'll be able to read it there as well. 03:35 And my name is Jean Ross. 03:37 Pastor Doug Batchelor is out this evening, but working the 03:40 phones is Pastor Alden and we are delighted that he's here, 03:43 kind of helping answer Bible questions and working the phones 03:46 for us. 03:47 So welcome, Pastor Alden. 03:48 Alden Ho: Good evening. 03:50 It's exciting to be here. 03:51 Jean: All right, well, thank you for joining us here. 03:54 Why don't we begin with a Word of prayer? 03:55 And then we'll go to our Bible questions. 03:58 Alden: Heavenly Father, we thank You for the opportunity that we 04:01 have to be able to come and answer questions through 04:04 this program. 04:05 We ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance as we maneuver through 04:08 the Bible with all these different questions. 04:11 Continue to lead us, guide us, convict us of the truths 04:14 we hear. 04:15 We pray all these things in Jesus's name, amen. 04:17 Jean: Amen. 04:19 You know, Pastor Alden, it's always exciting to read stories 04:21 and there's a lot of them, we just picked one, but there are 04:23 many stories about animals, particularly dogs and dolphins, 04:27 for some reason, that have saved the lives of people. 04:30 They seem to have this instinct that they can recognize when 04:34 someone's in trouble and they're able to come to their rescue. 04:37 And many of them have, you know, they've risked their own lives 04:41 to save, you know, the life of a human being. 04:44 Well, of course, I think this instinct to save and this 04:47 concern for others is really something that God has placed in 04:51 the heart, not only of man, but of some of the animals it seems, 04:55 and it's a reflection of God's great love for us. 04:58 Alden: Amen. 04:59 Jean: The Bible says, "For God so loved the world that He 05:01 gave--He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in 05:03 Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." 05:06 And as you mentioned at the beginning of the program, we've 05:08 got a free gift that we would love to send people. 05:10 If you're wondering about how you can be saved, or maybe you 05:13 just need to be reminded of the good news of salvation, you want 05:17 to read the study guide. 05:18 It's called "Saved from Certain Death." 05:20 Now, Pastor Alden, I know you've got some phone lines there. 05:23 What number do people call, again, if they want to get the 05:26 free offer? 05:27 Alden: That number is 1-800-835-6747. 05:31 Jean: Very good. Thank you. 05:32 Also, if people want to get it via a digital download, there is 05:35 a text number we have for them. 05:36 Alden: They can text, if they're in the United States or one of 05:39 the territories or Canada, they can text #250. 05:43 And--but if they're outside, then you would have to go to our 05:46 website, which is AmazingFacts.org. 05:48 Jean: Excellent. Thank you very much. 05:49 All right, well, I think we are ready for our Bible questions. 05:52 So, who's our first caller this evening? 05:53 Alden: Our first caller is Brittany and she has a question 05:57 regarding the feast days. 05:58 Jean: Hi, Brittany. 06:00 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 06:01 You're on the air. 06:02 Brittany: Yeah, my question is, are Christians supposed to keep 06:07 the feast days? 06:08 Jean: All right, are Christians supposed to keep the feasts? 06:10 Well, in the Old Testament, you know, this is a common question 06:13 that people have. 06:14 In the Old Testament, there are four different types of law that 06:17 you can read about in the Old Testament. 06:18 The one is the moral law, that is the Ten Commandments. 06:21 And of course, the Bible tells us that sin is the transgression 06:24 of the law. 06:25 And what's law is that? 06:26 Well, that's the Ten Commandment law. 06:28 The first four have to do with our relationship with God. 06:30 The last six have to do with our relationship to our fellow man. 06:33 But in addition to that law, we call that the moral law, there 06:36 are three other sets of law found in the Old Testament. 06:39 The other one is what we call the civil laws. 06:41 The civil laws were the ones that governed the nation of 06:44 Israel under theocracy, meaning that God was their King and God 06:48 was communicating His will to the people through the 06:52 high priest. 06:53 And that whole system, of course, we don't have a 06:56 theocracy today, but the principles that were laid out 07:00 there, countries that follow those principles, they typically 07:03 are blessed and there is law and order in that country. 07:06 Another set of laws that we see in the Old Testament is what we 07:09 call the health laws. 07:11 And the health laws gave practical principles on how a 07:14 person could be healthy. 07:16 And not only does it talk about what you should eat and what you 07:18 shouldn't eat, but also gave practical principles on washing 07:22 your clothes, staying clean, washing your hands, especially 07:25 if you touch something that is dead, certain animals or certain 07:29 fungi that was even seen in the home or in dishes, how that had 07:33 to be dealt with. 07:34 So there were practical health principles that we read about in 07:36 the Bible. 07:38 Many of those principles we actually follow today. 07:40 But they that--right there in the Word of God. 07:42 Then the next category, the last category of law, is what we call 07:46 the ceremonial laws. 07:48 Now, the ceremonial laws were given to point to Jesus. 07:51 Part of the ceremonial law included the sacrificial system. 07:55 Jesus is the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world. 07:58 That came to an end when Jesus died on the cross. 08:00 In addition to the sacrificial system and the levitical 08:04 priesthood and the sanctuary and its services, there were also 08:06 certain what we call festivals, or feasts, that were connected 08:11 with that ceremonial law that were given to Moses at 08:14 Mount Sinai. 08:15 For example, the Passover. 08:17 The Passover began after the children of Israel left Egypt. 08:21 And they all pointed to Christ or to His ministry or to 08:24 His work. 08:25 Actually, today, we believe, Pastor Alden, that we're living 08:27 in the antitypical Day of Atonement. 08:29 One of those days was the Day of Atonement, or the day of Yom 08:31 Kippur there in the Hebrew, and we believe that the type of that 08:36 has met its antitype and we're living in this special time, the 08:40 cleansing, the judgment that was illustrated in the Bible. 08:43 So we do no longer--no longer do we need to keep the 08:45 specific days. 08:47 But there are principles, I think, relevant in the feast. 08:49 This, of course, is separate from the 7th day Sabbath, which 08:52 is actually part of the moral law. 08:54 It's not part of the ceremonial law. 08:56 All right, thank you, Brittany. 08:57 Alden: You know, years ago, Pastor Joel Cruz wrote a booklet 09:01 and if she would like to ask for it, if you ask for "Feast Days 09:04 in the Sabbath," you can get this free offer and you can call 09:08 1-800-835-6747 for that. 09:11 Jean: All right, thank you. Yes, get the book. 09:13 If you want to learn more about the feast days and how they 09:15 relate to us as Christians today, take a look at that 09:17 book, 800-835-6747. 09:20 And the book is called "Feast Days--" 09:21 Alden: "--And the Sabbath." 09:23 Jean: "Feast Days and Sabbaths." 09:24 All right, excellent. Thank you. 09:26 Alden: We have Larry calling in from Oregon first time and 09:28 Larry's got a question about pride. 09:30 Jean: Hi, Larry, welcome to the program. 09:32 Larry: Good evening, pastors. Jean: Yeah, thanks for calling. 09:36 Larry: Yes, thank you. Got a question on 1 John 2:16. 09:41 "Lust of the flesh and lust of the eyes" is pretty 09:44 self-explanatory, but I'm having a little issue on pride of life, 09:50 in comparing Mark 7:22 with this. 09:53 Where do you cross from an acceptable pride, to a 09:57 sinful pride? 09:59 Jean: All right, very good. 10:00 Well, when it comes to pride in general, typically the word 10:04 "pride" has a negative connotation to it. 10:06 It's usually self-exaltation and we're not to promote ourselves. 10:11 We don't need to try and make ourselves look better 10:14 than others. 10:16 Often, pride is associated with pushing somebody else down to 10:19 try and elevate us higher than them. 10:21 However, value, having a value, recognizing our value, in the 10:26 eyes of God is different. 10:27 God wants us to realize that we are precious in His sight. 10:30 Jesus died to save us. 10:31 So the Christian should have a clear understanding of his 10:35 value, but it's not just his value, it's the value of 10:38 everyone else because Jesus died for the whole world. 10:40 So we are not better than anyone else. 10:43 However, seeing that such a price is being paid for us, we 10:47 ought to want to live a life that brings honor and glory to 10:49 God, in all that we do. 10:51 So, yes, pride is one of those sins. 10:53 You know, that was the sin that really led Lucifer in the 10:55 beginning and the whole rebellion. 10:57 And of course, pride is still a very dangerous thing today. 11:01 It sort of governs our world in areas of entertainment, in 11:05 politics, in sports. 11:07 Pride is often the motivating factor for why people do what 11:09 they do. 11:11 And as a Christian, we need to be careful of that because, you 11:13 know, selfishness or pride, that is the carnal mind. 11:16 That's the carnal heart. 11:17 We say--we want to say, "Lord, make me humble. 11:20 Help me to recognize my value in Your sight, but keep me humble." 11:23 Alden: We've got to remember, it's not about us, it's 11:26 about Him. 11:27 Jean: That's right. 11:28 Alden: So the moment it becomes about us, we're going down. 11:30 Jean: You know, I'm thinking of that verse, Pastor Alden, maybe 11:32 you can look it up, where it says, "Jesus made Himself of no 11:34 reputation, but He humbled Himself and He took upon Himself 11:37 the form of a servant." 11:39 Now, of course, Jesus, one with the Father, gave back the 11:42 Scepter of the universe at His Father's hand, came to this 11:45 sin-polluted planet, humbled Himself. 11:47 He didn't come to the palace of the King. 11:49 He was born in a manger and Jesus came to give an example of 11:53 living a humble life, the King of kings, and to die as an 11:56 atoning sacrifice for us. 11:58 So it's a beautiful illustration of what true humility and 12:02 kindness is. 12:03 All right, who do we have next? 12:05 Alden: We have Shane calling from Arizona and he's got a 12:08 question about Adam and Eve. 12:09 Jean: All right, Shane. 12:10 Welcome to the program. 12:12 Shane: Oh, hi. 12:15 I know that the square symbolizes Adam's rib. 12:21 I know that Adam and Eve manufactured aprons. 12:27 Is Adam and Eve the first introduction of artificial 12:31 synthetic technological light on earth? 12:35 Jean: Okay, well, yeah, that's a good question. 12:37 You know, when it comes to Adam and Eve, you know the story, you 12:39 read it there in Genesis chapter 3 where Adam and Eve had this-- 12:42 God created this beautiful garden, created Adam and Eve. 12:46 God was the one who first performed a surgery. 12:48 The Bible says that God put Adam to sleep and took a rib from 12:52 his side. 12:53 And with the rib, God created Eve and brought Eve to Adam. 12:56 But after they sinned, we find that they went and hid 13:00 themselves from the presence of the Lord and they made 13:02 artificial clothing. 13:04 Now, they might have been clothed, and we think the Bible 13:06 gives us evidence for this. 13:07 They might have been clothed in a garment of light. 13:10 The Bible says that we're created in God's image. 13:12 And Psalms tells us that God covers Himself with light as 13:16 a garment. 13:17 So we believe Adam and Eve were clothed in these beautiful 13:20 garments of light. 13:21 They lost that light after they sinned. 13:23 And then they realized their shame and their nakedness, a 13:26 symbol of their guilt, and they made aprons of these fig leaves. 13:31 And of course, then, Jesus came and He made coats of skin. 13:34 But that required the sacrifice or the death of a lamb and that 13:37 was prefigure of Christ and what Jesus would do, so we could be 13:41 clothed with His righteousness. 13:42 So the first record that we have of clothing making, you might 13:45 say, in the Bible? 13:46 Yeah, goes back to Adam and Eve and they were trying to just 13:49 hide their guilt and shame. 13:51 And I think a lot of what people are doing today still, just in 13:54 the things that are being made, the technologies and all of 13:56 the things. 13:58 There's some good things in technology and advances in 13:59 medicine and all the rest of it. 14:01 But some of it is used for bad purposes: to hide guilt. 14:05 So we will need to confess our sins, ask God to forgive us. 14:08 Alden: It's also interesting when you look at what--they 14:11 covered themselves. 14:12 When Admin Eve sinned, they realized that they sinned, they 14:14 covered themselves with leaves, fig leaves, but that was not 14:18 enough for modesty. 14:19 So God had to cover them a little bit more. 14:22 So the coats of skin, right? 14:24 Jean: And you know, there's a lesson in that for us. 14:26 Christ's righteousness covers us from head to toe, you might say. 14:30 We need to be completely clothed in Christ's robe of 14:33 righteousness, none of our self-righteousness, but 14:35 His righteousness. 14:37 And then also interesting throughout scripture then, fig 14:39 leaves, or the fig tree, is often associated with man's 14:42 attempts to save himself. 14:43 That's why Jesus cursed the fig tree. 14:45 You read about that in the Gospels. 14:46 All right, who do we have next? 14:48 Alden: Gary is calling from Illinois and he's got a question 14:50 regarding the law. 14:51 Jean: Hi, Gary, welcome to the program. 14:53 Gary: Hi, is this right? 14:56 When the law was given, it was Ten Commandments in the book 14:59 of Moses. 15:01 Commandments carved in stone, while book of Moses was written 15:04 in the book. 15:05 Commandments placed in ark of the covenant while book of Moses 15:09 is not. 15:10 And that's why the law that we're not under is book 15:13 of Moses. 15:14 Is that right? 15:15 Jean: Yeah, you're right on there. 15:17 So when it came to the Ten Commandments, you'll remember 15:18 the account. 15:19 The Bible says that God called Moses up onto the mount and gave 15:23 him, the first time, ten commandments written on tables 15:26 of stone. 15:28 But then, as you remember, the children of Israel rebelled 15:30 right after this. 15:31 And when Moses came down off the mount, because the people were 15:34 breaking the ten commandments that he had just received from 15:36 God, he threw down the Ten Commandments and they broke and 15:39 then God said, "All right, now, you carve some stone and then 15:41 come up and I will write the Ten Commandments on it," 15:44 so there was a second plate of stones, after the 15:47 Ten Commandments were carved by the finger of God on these 15:50 tablets of stone, they were placed then 15:52 in the ark of the covenant. 15:54 Now, in addition to being in the ark, the Ten Commandments are 15:56 inside the ark, there was also a rod that was eventually placed 16:00 there, that budded, representing that God had chosen Aaron and 16:04 his family to be the priests. 16:06 And then there was also a pot of manna that was placed in the 16:09 ark, a symbol of God sustaining the children of Israel and 16:12 bringing them up out of slavery, out of Egypt, and leading them 16:15 to the Promised Land. 16:17 Then in addition to the Ten Commandments, there were, as we 16:19 mentioned before, some of the statutes. 16:21 We spoke about the ceremonial law. 16:23 These things were all written, even how they were to deal with 16:26 property and inheritance and marriage and all kinds of social 16:31 things were written down, part of what's called the law of 16:34 Moses and that was placed on the side of the ark. 16:37 Now, the law of Moses, Paul tells us in the New Testament, 16:41 that was contrary to the Gentiles because there were some 16:43 specifications in the law. 16:44 For example, if you were not a Jew, if you were not 16:48 circumcised, you couldn't come into a certain area surrounding 16:51 the temple itself, even in the days of Jesus. 16:53 There was a mark in the courtyard. 16:55 And if you were a Gentile and you stepped over that mark, you 16:59 could be killed. 17:00 And Paul says that was the law contrary to us, meaning contrary 17:03 to the Gentiles. 17:04 But Christ did away with that, having nailed that to the cross. 17:07 So the ceremonial law met its fulfillment in the death 17:10 of Jesus. 17:11 Then Paul says, "Now he who has faith in Jesus, he is the seed 17:14 of Abraham." 17:16 So it doesn't matter what, you know, your nationality might be 17:20 or what your genes are, your family inheritance. 17:22 If you have faith in Jesus, you're Abraham's seed, heirs 17:26 according to the promise. 17:27 That's good news. 17:29 Alden: We have a free offer on that: Lesson 6, called "Written 17:31 in Stone." 17:32 Jean: Thank you. A great lesson, absolutely. 17:35 Alden: And they can get that if they call 1-800-835-6747. 17:38 Jean: Okay, great. 17:40 Again, it's called, "Written in Stone." 17:41 It's one of our Amazing Facts study guides and, you know, 17:43 friends, we'll just take a moment to mention this. 17:45 If you have not yet taken advantage of the "Amazing Facts" 17:47 study guide series, it's a whole set of Bible lessons, 17:50 it is great. 17:52 You can do it online. 17:53 We can actually send it to you through the mail. 17:55 You can fill in the answer sheet, send it back. 17:57 So those of you who have not yet gone through the "Amazing Facts" 17:59 study guide series, just ask for that when you call, and they'll 18:02 be able to sign you up, it's free, take advantage of it. 18:05 Who do we have next? 18:06 Alden: We have Jerry calling from Texas and he's got a 18:08 question regarding Dorcas. 18:10 Jean: Hi, Jerry. Welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 18:13 Jerry: Hey, thanks, guys. 18:14 My question tonight is how long was Dorcas sleeping before Peter 18:20 raised her up? 18:21 Because they had to send from Joppa those two individuals to 18:25 Lydda to bring Peter. 18:28 How long was she sleeping, approximately? 18:31 Jean: Yes, you know, back in those Bible--back in Bible 18:34 times, when somebody died, you couldn't have the body around 18:37 long, especially in that climate in that area. 18:40 So maybe when she start--when she became very sick and she 18:44 started failing in health, maybe word began to spread that, you 18:48 know, she doesn't have too much time and maybe the family and 18:51 the friends need to need to get close. 18:54 Verse 38 of Acts, chapter 9, says, "Since Lydia, or Lydda, 18:59 was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter 19:02 was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him that he would 19:06 come without delay." 19:07 So it appears that it wasn't too far away from where Peter was. 19:11 I would imagine within a day's journey, at least, Peter was 19:14 able to get over there. 19:15 You couldn't keep a body open for more than probably a day, 19:18 day and a half, 2 days at the most. 19:20 So it was in a short period of time. 19:23 Alden: I know with the Hindus they have, I think 8 hours and 19:26 they have to burn the body at that point. 19:28 Jean: Right, because it's so hot, especially in that climate. 19:31 All right, thank you. 19:32 Who do we have next? 19:33 Alden: Well, we have Lee in Texas, once again, and has a 19:36 question regarding the Sabbath. 19:38 Jean: Hi, Lee, welcome to the program. 19:41 Lee: Yes, my question is, when we're supposed to--when God 19:44 comes back on the--on the new heaven and new earth, how will 19:49 you mind--and we do keep the Sabbath on the new earth, how 19:53 are we supposed to be able to keep something like that when 19:55 there's no passage of time? 19:57 Jean: Okay, good question. 19:59 Well, first of all, when the earth is made new, now, let me 20:02 just back up a little bit to share with you the context here 20:04 of what we're talking about. 20:06 In the book of Revelation, Revelation chapter 20, you have 20:09 a description of what we call the 1000 years of 20:11 the millennium. 20:12 What marks the beginning of that 1000 years is the Second Coming 20:15 of Christ. 20:16 So Jesus comes, the dead in Christ are resurrected, the 20:18 living righteous are changed in a moment, and the living 20:21 righteous are caught up along with those who are resurrected 20:24 and we go with Jesus to heaven for 1000 years. 20:28 The wicked are destroyed with the brightness of Christ's 20:30 coming and the devil and his angels are chained, so to speak, 20:34 on the earth, referred to as the bottomless pit, during those 20:37 1000 years. 20:38 At the end of the 1000 years, the New Jerusalem, this is 20:40 Revelation chapter 21. 20:41 The New Jerusalem comes down out of heaven. 20:44 It's at that point that Jesus will then set His feet on the 20:47 Mount of Olives. 20:48 And this is in Zechariah, the book of Zechariah, and the 20:51 mountain will open up and form a great valley, and the New 20:54 Jerusalem will come to rest right there in that valley. 20:57 There is what's called the Great White Throne Judgment that then 21:00 takes place. 21:02 All the wicked are resurrected. 21:03 They're outside the New Jerusalem, the righteous are 21:04 inside the city. 21:06 There is the final judgment and then the wicked mount their 21:09 attack upon the New Jerusalem. 21:10 This is Revelation chapter 20, and fire comes down and 21:13 devours them. 21:14 And then after the fire does its work of purifying the earth, 21:18 both of the devil, his angels and the wicked, then the Bible 21:22 says, "God creates a new heavens and a new earth wherein 21:25 dwells righteousness." 21:27 Now, when the earth is recreated, it'll still 21:30 be turning. 21:31 It'll be a glorified earth, but we'll still have days, we'll 21:34 still have nights, because the Bible tells us in Isaiah chapter 21:37 66, verse 23: "'And it shall come to pass,'" speaking about 21:41 that time, "'that from one new moon to another, and from one 21:45 Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come and worship before 21:48 Me,' says the Lord." 21:50 So in the earth made new, we will still have days. 21:53 The Bible does tell us, though, that in the New Jerusalem 21:55 itself, there is no need for the sun because the glory of God 22:00 fills the New Jerusalem with light. 22:02 But outside of the New Jerusalem, yes, you'll still 22:04 have the weekly cycle. 22:06 You'll also have the moon traveling around the earth 22:10 because it talks about months. 22:11 And somebody asked--somebody once asked, "Why do we go up 22:14 into the New Jerusalem on a monthly basis?" 22:17 Well, the Bible also says that the tree of life inside the New 22:20 Jerusalem bears 12 kinds of fruit, a different kind of fruit 22:24 every month. 22:25 So maybe we journey to the New Jerusalem to taste that month's 22:28 fruit from the tree of life. 22:31 But that's what the Bible says. 22:32 So no, the Sabbath will be kept in the earth made new. 22:34 The Bible is very clear on that. 22:36 Alden: We have that Bible study on "The Colossal City in Space." 22:40 Jean: That's right. 22:41 All about the New Jerusalem, about heaven, and we'll be happy 22:43 to send that to anyone who calls and ask. 22:46 The study guide is called "A Colossal City in Space." 22:49 And how do we get that lesson? 22:51 Alden: They can call 1-800-835-6747. 22:54 Ask for "The Colossal City in Space." 22:57 Jean: Also, I think they can text. 22:59 Alden: They can text, that's correct, #250 in the 23:03 United States, US territories, and Canada. 23:05 But if not, go to our website, AmazingFacts.org, and you can 23:08 ask for it there. 23:10 Jean: All right, thank you. 23:11 Maybe we've got time for one more before the break, 23:13 Pastor Alden. 23:14 Who do we have? 23:15 Alden: This is right up your alley. 23:17 This is Jose from Texas talking about a 70-week prophecy. 23:18 Jean: Okay, great, hi, Jose. Welcome to the program. 23:22 Jose: Evening, pastors. How y'all guys doing? 23:25 Jean: Doing well, thank you. 23:26 Jose: I would like to know in Daniel 9, verse 26, where that 23:32 timeline falls within the 70-week prophecy. 23:35 Jean: Okay, yeah, let me read it for you. 23:36 For those who are listening and we might have to give a 23:38 little background. 23:39 It says, "And after 62 weeks, Messiah shall be cut off, but 23:42 not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come 23:45 shall destroy the city and the sanctuary, and the end thereof 23:48 shall be with a flood, and till the end war and desolations 23:51 are determined." 23:53 So, are you wondering if that 62-week time period is part of 23:57 the 70 weeks? 23:59 Jose: Yes. 24:00 Jean: Yes, it is. 24:02 So in the previous verse, it says from the decree to restore 24:03 and rebuild Jerusalem, verse 25, "Know therefore and understand 24:07 that from the going forth of the command to restore and rebuild 24:09 Jerusalem until Messiah the prince, there shall be seven 24:12 weeks and sixty-two weeks." 24:13 So you have a total of 70 weeks; 70 weeks consists of 490 days. 24:19 There are 360 days in a Hebrew year. 24:22 So you got a total of 490 days. 24:24 Within that 400 and--every day equals a year. 24:27 So it's really a time period of 490 years, otherwise known as 24:30 the 70 weeks. 24:31 And within that 70-week period, it's divided up into 24:35 smaller sections. 24:36 In verse 26, it says: "After the 62 weeks." 24:39 So you have the first 7 weeks and the first 7 weeks or 49 24:43 years brought you to a point after the decree was given in 24:46 457 BC when they were able to finish building the wall 24:50 surrounding Jerusalem. 24:51 And then you go forward another 62 weeks. 24:54 That actually brings you to the end of that 69th week: 24:59 483 years. 25:01 What event happened? 25:03 It says the anointing of Messiah, the Prince. 25:05 That was the baptism of Jesus, and that occurred in 27 AD so 25:09 the starting point is 457 BC. 25:12 The baptism of Jesus is 27 AD. 25:14 Then it goes on to the next verse and it says, "In the 25:16 middle of the week, He shall bring an end to the sacrifice 25:19 and offerings." 25:20 Jesus died in 31 AD. 25:23 He died on the cross, brought an end to the sacrifices and 25:25 the offerings. 25:27 The second part of verse 25, you might be wondering about, 25:29 it says, "and the people of the prince who is to come shall 25:32 destroy the city and the sanctuary." 25:34 "The people of the prince that is to come," is a reference to 25:36 the Romans and this is under Titus. 25:39 This event occurred in 70 AD. 25:41 The Romans came and destroyed the Jerusalem, they destroyed 25:44 the temple. 25:45 So the first part of verse 25 is talking about Jesus, Messiah, 25:48 the prince. 25:49 The second part of the verse is talking about the destruction of 25:51 Jerusalem in 70 AD. 25:53 You can also read about that in Matthew 24 as well as in Luke, 25:56 where it talks about when you see armies surrounding the city, 25:59 then you know that its desolation is near. 26:02 So that is a great study. 26:03 One of my favorite passages right here, highlighting Christ. 26:06 It was written some 500 years before the events actually 26:10 took place. 26:12 So it's just an amazing time prophecy. 26:13 Very specific. 26:15 Tells you when Jesus was to be baptized, when He was to 26:17 be crucified 26:19 and when the probationary time for the nation of Israel was to 26:21 end in 34 AD. 26:23 We have a study guide. 26:24 You can look that up. 26:26 It's called "Right on Time," and it's all about the 70-week 26:29 Bible prophecy. 26:30 Well, friends, don't go away. 26:32 We got another half an hour of Bible questions. 26:34 We'll be back in just a moment. 26:39 announcer: Stay tuned. 26:41 "Bible Answers Live" will return shortly. 26:48 announcer: Are you looking for a simple way to share your faith? 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27:52 It includes 27 beautifully illustrated study lessons to aid 27:56 in your study of God's Word. 27:58 Sign up today for this free Bible study course by 28:01 calling 1-844-215-7000. 28:04 That's 1-844-215-7000. 28:10 male announcer: Have you ever wondered how to share Bible 28:12 truth with your family, friends, neighbors, or coworkers in a 28:15 powerful yet simple way? 28:17 Now you can send "Amazing Facts" popular and attractive sharing 28:21 magazines right to their door anonymously. 28:24 These 12 colorful magazines present key Bible truths in an 28:28 easy-to-understand way. 28:30 To sign up someone you love for the one-year subscription, just 28:33 call 800-538-7275 or visit AFBOOKSTORE.COM. 28:40 announcer: Can't get enough "Amazing Facts" Bible study? 28:43 You don't have to wait until next week to enjoy more 28:46 truth-filled programming. 28:48 Visit the "Amazing Facts" media library at AFTV.ORG. 28:53 At AFTV.ORG, you can enjoy video and audio presentations as well 28:58 as printed material, all free of charge, 24 hours a day, 7 days a 29:03 week, right from your computer or mobile device. 29:06 Visit AFTV.ORG. 29:10 announcer: Jerusalem, the City of Peace, has been a place of 29:14 unending conflict for centuries. 29:16 Many now believe that Jerusalem will soon take 29:18 centerstage again. 29:20 But what does the Bible say? 29:22 "The Fall & Rise of Jerusalem" presents the vital history you 29:25 need to know about Jerusalem and its role in end-time 29:29 Bible prophecy. 29:30 This "Amazing Facts" edition of the classic volume "The Great 29:33 Controversy" is the perfect sharing book. 29:36 Get your copy at afbookstore.com. 29:43 announcer: You're listening to "Bible Answers Live" where every 29:46 question answered provides a clearer picture of God and His 29:50 plan to save you. 29:51 So what are you waiting for? 29:53 Get practical answers about the good book for a better 29:56 life today. 30:00 announcer: This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. 30:03 If you'd like answers to your Bible-related questions on the 30:06 air, please call us next Sunday between 7 p.m. and 8 pm. 30:11 Pacific Time. 30:12 To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this 30:15 evening's program call 800-835-6747. 30:20 Once again, that's 800-835-6747. 30:25 Now let's rejoin our hosts for more "Bible Answers Live." 30:31 Jean: Hello, friends, and welcome back to "Bible 30:33 Answers Live." 30:35 This is a live, interactive international Bible study. 30:37 We want to welcome those who are joining us, not only here in 30:39 North America, but, Pastor Alden, we got people watching on 30:42 Youtube, on Facebook, on Amazing Facts TV. 30:45 And I believe it's being rebroadcast on some other 30:47 networks and more than 200, I think 250 now, land-based radio 30:53 stations carry "Bible Answers Live." 30:56 So if you're listening to this program, welcome. 30:58 If you're watching on YouTube or Facebook, welcome. 31:01 My name is Jean Ross. 31:02 Pastor Doug Batchelor is away this weekend, but God willing, 31:05 he'll be back next week, but helping me here on "Bible 31:08 Answers Live" is Pastor Alden, and Pastor Alden, you're doing a 31:11 great job. 31:12 He's not new to doing Bible questions, he's been a pastor 31:15 for many years, answered a lot of Bible questions, so we are 31:18 grateful to have him here. 31:19 All right, who is our next caller? 31:21 Alden: Well, we have Steve. 31:22 Steve's in Oregon. 31:23 He's got a question regarding the Second Coming and what 31:26 happens when Jesus comes. 31:29 Jean: All right, let's see if we can get Steve. 31:31 Steve, welcome to the program. 31:33 Steve: All right, thank you for taking my call. 31:35 Prior to the 1000-year millennium, when Jesus will 31:39 return, scripture says, "Every eye will see Him." 31:45 Back in the last millennium, I was in the Navy assigned to a 31:49 nuclear submarine for months at a time under sea without 31:53 surfacing, as are today's sailors in the sub duty. 31:58 How will they see Him coming in the sky, being submerged under 32:04 tons and tons of water? 32:06 Jean: Boy, you know, Steve, that is a great question. 32:08 That's the first time I've heard that. 32:09 You know, often people ask how will everybody see Jesus when 32:12 they come? 32:13 I've never heard somebody ask, what about those in a submarine? 32:14 Of course, you're right. 32:16 It will be different. 32:17 But I think there's going to be so many natural disasters, the 32:21 sea is going to be in upheavals, there's going to be earthquakes, 32:23 there's going to be so much going on at that time, maybe 32:26 these submarines are going to surface at the time. 32:29 You know, I don't know for sure, but the Bible does say that at 32:33 some point everyone will see Him. 32:36 Now, of course, there are going to be people in the submarine 32:38 who are quite possibly saved. 32:41 We don't know, you know, who's going to be saved and who's 32:43 going to be lost at the end. 32:44 But God's still going to be able to save them even though they're 32:46 in the submarine. 32:48 But I don't know, we'll have to wait and see. 32:50 You know, what about the blind people? 32:51 Will they see Jesus coming? 32:53 Well, we know those who are saved, of course, they are 32:55 changed in a moment in a twinkling of an eye and they get 32:58 these immortal bodies, they won't be blind anymore. 33:00 But what about the wicked? 33:02 So I think the Bible there in Revelation chapter 1, verse 7, 33:05 he's talking in general terms, meaning that everyone that can 33:08 see, will see Jesus when He comes again. 33:11 Alden: The world's also going to be in great upheaval at 33:13 that time. 33:15 So I don't know how many submarines are going to be 33:17 below water--in the water during that time period because 33:20 it's going to be pretty chaotic. 33:22 Jean: The Bible says there's great earthquakes, entire 33:24 islands, inhabited islands, disappear. 33:26 So it'll be very different than what we know now. 33:29 But that's a good question. 33:30 Yeah, we'll have to wait and see. 33:32 Thank you, Steve. 33:33 Alden: We have Nicole in Michigan. 33:34 She's got a question about what we can eat. 33:37 Jean: Hi, Nicole. You're on "Bible Answers Live." 33:40 Nicole: Hi, pastors. How are you? 33:42 Jean: Doing well, thanks. 33:44 Nicole: Good, I have a question about Genesis 9, verse 3, when 33:47 it talks about, when Noah and his family came out--came out 33:51 of the ark and the Bible says that they can eat everything 33:54 that came out of the ark. 33:56 Now, I know that we're--the unclean thing, we're not 33:59 supposed to eat unclean meats. 34:00 But why does that text say that? 34:03 What exactly is it saying? 34:04 Jean: The good question. 34:05 Well, let me read it for those who might not have their Bibles 34:07 in front of them. 34:08 I think you're thinking of Genesis 9, verse 1. 34:10 It says that "God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: 34:12 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.'" 34:14 This is after the flood, they're coming out of the ark. 34:16 "'And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every 34:19 beast of the earth and on every bird of the air, on all that 34:22 moves upon the earth, and upon all the fish of the sea. 34:25 They are given into your hand.'" 34:26 Verse 3 says, "'Every moving thing that lives shall be food 34:30 for you. 34:31 I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.'" 34:34 Now, when it says "every living thing shall be food for you," 34:38 it's the rest of scripture that helps us understand what exactly 34:41 with reference to the living thing is God referring to. 34:45 The first thing we need to recognize that before the flood, 34:47 we were introduced to clean and unclean animals, because when it 34:51 came to Noah and the flood, there were animals coming under 34:54 the ark. 34:56 You had the sevens of the clean and you had two of the unclean, 34:58 the sacrificial system had already been established long 35:01 before the flood. 35:02 It's actually established with Adam and Eve right there after 35:05 they sinned. 35:06 And it was clear they knew what was clean and unclean because 35:09 only clean animals could be offered as a sacrifice. 35:12 So the distinction between clean and unclean was always there. 35:15 Unclean animals were never considered food, at least not by 35:19 God's people, for sure. 35:21 It didn't even enter their mind. 35:22 It's like us today, there are certain animals that we would 35:25 never consider as being food. 35:28 In some places you go in the world, they can eat just about 35:30 anything that moves across your plate. 35:32 But you know, in other cultures, we say, "No, that's not food." 35:34 So it's not stated in the verse, you got to read some of the 35:38 other passages of scripture. 35:39 But it's clear that Noah understood that when He's 35:42 talking about the animals that he could eat, it had to be clean 35:44 animals because the next verse gives further instructions, 35:47 says, "You shall not eat the blood." 35:50 So he understood something about the health principles as it 35:53 related to the clean and the unclean animals, especially in 35:55 connection with the sacrificial. 35:57 Alden: Even at the end of verse 3, it says, "I've given you all 35:59 things, even as the green herbs." 36:02 So, can you eat all of the herbs? 36:05 Well, pretty much. 36:06 I mean, I wouldn't want to pull a Nebuchadnezzar and eat the 36:08 grass or anything like that. 36:10 Jean: There's probably some herbs it's not good to eat or 36:12 some plants, some are poisonous. 36:15 So even having to say, yeah, you can eat everything that grows, 36:17 sort of thing. 36:19 Well, obviously that doesn't mean you can eat everything 36:20 that grows. 36:21 There are some things you don't want to eat. 36:23 That same principle would apply even to the animals. 36:25 All right, we do have a study guide. 36:26 It's called "God's Free Health Plan." 36:28 It talks about what the Bible says, some principles that we 36:31 can follow to be healthy and so take advantage of that. 36:34 It's "God's Free Health Plan." 36:36 The number is 800-835-6747 and, Pastor Alden, if they want to 36:41 get a digital download of that, what do they text? 36:44 Alden: You can text #250 in the United States and the US 36:47 territories and Canada. 36:49 If not, go to AmazingFacts.org and we will send that to you. 36:53 Jean: Okay, thank you. 36:54 Who do we have next? 36:56 Alden: We have May in Washington--Wisconsin, who's 36:58 got a question regarding false prophets. 37:01 Jean: Hi, May. You're on "Bible Answers Live." 37:04 May: Hi, isn't it true that the Bible states in Revelation 37:10 that the false prophet is really actually a man and not a nation? 37:15 Jean: Yes, yes. 37:16 Now, when it comes to Bible prophecy, there are two things 37:20 we need to bear in mind. 37:22 A king often would represent a nation. 37:24 So I'm actually doing a lesson right now in Daniel chapter 11, 37:28 we're doing it with the church, and it talks about the king of 37:30 the North and the king of the South. 37:32 And there are times when it refers to a specific king, but 37:35 it can also refer to the nation that the king represents. 37:38 Now the false prophet that we read about in the book of 37:40 Revelation, it is a individual that represents a power. 37:46 It is a religious political power in the last days. 37:50 It is also a movement that takes place in a nation and, to be 37:55 really honest and specific, we're talking about an entity 37:57 called Babylon, that's referred to as the false prophet, and it 38:01 arises, for the most part, in the United States. 38:03 It is a counterfeit form of worship that takes the churches 38:07 by storm. 38:09 You know, Pastor Alden, I think that's beginning to happen even 38:10 now where people are putting their trust in experience, 38:15 religious experience, instead of in the Bible. 38:18 And they are trusting how they feel or what a pastor is saying, 38:21 or the music or something else instead of "What does the 38:24 Bible say?" 38:25 And this is a counterfeit system and it's going to rise, but it's 38:28 going to have prominent leaders that will actually push both 38:32 protestantism or apostate protestantism, aspects of that 38:36 with Catholicism and it'll come together, with the United States 38:40 at the end. 38:41 So it's a deep study. 38:42 There's a lot in there. 38:44 But yeah, the false prophet represents a movement. 38:47 It represents people in that movement, but it's more than 38:49 just a person. 38:51 It's a movement. 38:52 Alden: The challenging thing is sometimes we get so caught up in 38:54 this that we have our own ideologies and we're used to 38:58 "what I think, what I feel," rather than what God says. 39:02 And so we have to kind of level everything and say, "What does 39:05 God say?" because whatever God says, we have to take that as 39:09 truth, no matter what anybody else says. 39:11 Jean: Well, you know, in the time of the Reformation, during 39:13 the time of Martin Luther, the controversy was "Who has 39:16 final authority? 39:18 Is it the church through its traditions or is it the Bible?" 39:21 Martin Luther said, "No, it's the Bible." 39:23 Bible has final authority. 39:25 In other words, the church needs to be tested by the Bible, 39:28 doctrines have to be tested by the Bible. 39:30 In the last days, there is an effort to put final authority 39:34 not in the Bible, but now in experience that a person 39:38 might have. 39:39 So either way, the devil's goal is to get people to trust in 39:42 something else than what the Bible says. 39:44 Alden: Solo scripture. 39:46 Jean: That was the cry of the protestant Reformation. 39:48 All right, great question. 39:49 Thank you, May. 39:50 Alden: Okay, we have Geo calling from Washington, first time 39:52 calling, and he's got a question in regards to coveting 39:54 and stealing. 39:56 Jean: Hi, Geo, welcome to the program. 39:58 Geo: Hi, good evening, pastors. 40:00 Yeah, so, as you said, I have a question on the Ten 40:02 Commandments, and the Ten Commandments seem so perfect, 40:05 but the last one seems a bit out of place. 40:08 And I know it sounds strange but hear me out. 40:10 When Jesus elaborated on the commandments, which was in 40:13 Matthew somewhere, He said something like being angry with 40:16 your brother is murder in your heart, and lusting over a woman 40:19 is adultery in your heart, because it's the same thing in 40:21 your mind, right? 40:22 So, isn't coveting just stealing in your heart? 40:25 So it seems slightly redundant. 40:27 Jean: Yes, well, that's a good point. 40:28 You know, if you look at all of the last six of the commandments 40:31 that have to do with our relationship with our fellow 40:32 man, it's almost impossible to break any of those last six 40:37 without first breaking the tenth. 40:39 For example, murder. 40:41 It probably begins with some form of covetousness, which is 40:44 the tenth commandment. 40:45 Adultery begins with some form of covetousness. 40:47 Stealing begins with some form of covetousness. 40:51 Lying, yeah, it's probably something you're trying to 40:54 cover up. 40:55 You're not being honest. 40:57 So, the tenth commandment sort of summarizes the motivation 41:00 behind all of the others. 41:02 It's the only commandment amongst the last six that have 41:04 to do with your actual heart, with your thoughts, with your-- 41:08 with your intents. 41:10 And I think that's why it's such an important commandment. 41:13 All of the commandments hinge on a heart experience because it's 41:16 possible to keep the letter of the law, in other words, and 41:19 this is what Jesus was saying, you know, "You've heard it say 41:22 of old, you shall not kill. 41:23 But I say if you're angry with your brother without a cause, 41:26 you're guilty of committing murder in your heart." 41:28 So Jesus is saying it's not just about the letter of the 41:31 law, it's about the spirit of the law. 41:33 Now, there might be some who say, "Well, you know, I keep the 41:35 spirit of the law. 41:37 So I don't have to keep the letter of the law." 41:38 But how can you keep the spirit of the law that says, "Thy shall 41:42 not be angry with your brother without a cause, and yet 41:44 murder him"? 41:46 You can't. 41:47 So if you're going to keep the spirit of the law, you're also 41:49 going to keep the letter of the law. 41:50 And if you're going to keep the spirit of the law, you're going 41:52 to keep the tenth commandment that says thou shall not covet. 41:55 So the last commandment is really the one that talks about 41:58 the motivation behind all of those last six commandments. 42:02 Does that make sense, Geo? 42:06 Geo: Yeah, it does. 42:07 Jean: Okay, thanks so much for your call. 42:08 Yeah, absolutely. 42:10 Who do we have next? 42:11 Alden: Well, we have David calling from California. 42:13 He's got a question regarding turning the other cheek. 42:15 Jean: Hi, David. Welcome. 42:17 David: Hi, thank you for accepting my question. 42:20 Yeah, so, the Bible talks about turning the other cheek and so, 42:26 as a Christian, does that mean that we don't have a right to 42:30 defend ourselves from physical harm or sexual harm? 42:34 Jean: Okay, first of all, no, it doesn't mean that we need to 42:38 just, you know, go with whatever comes our way. 42:41 That specific command has to do with interpersonal 42:45 relationships, meaning one with another. 42:48 There are other laws that we find in the Old Testament, for 42:51 example, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 42:54 That represents justice. 42:56 And those are the laws that were to govern the nation. 42:58 So those are the civil laws that govern the nation. 43:01 And there's nothing wrong in a government holding criminals 43:05 accountable for their bad behavior and there's nothing 43:08 wrong in us reporting a criminal who is doing something wrong and 43:13 hurting somebody else. 43:14 It's perfectly fine for us to say, "You know what, this person 43:18 is a problem." 43:20 Matter of fact, we should do that, you know, when we can. 43:22 But when it says, "Turn the other cheek," it's talking about 43:25 holding resentment and anger towards another person, 43:29 especially if that person recognizes that they've hurt you 43:33 and they've asked for forgiveness. 43:34 You need to let it go, you need to try and forgive it. 43:36 You say, "Lord, help me to forgive." 43:38 Sometimes, yeah, we might have to keep quiet if somebody says 43:42 something and just say, you know, "I'm not even going to 43:44 cause a fuss. 43:46 I'm not going to stir it up." 43:47 But that doesn't mean that we need to place ourselves 43:49 in danger. 43:50 That, you know, Jesus said, "If you're persecuted in one city, 43:53 flee to the other." 43:54 So there's nothing wrong in doing what you have to do to 43:56 protect yourself. 43:58 And if you know of other people that are being abused or hurt or 44:01 in a dangerous situation, I think the first thing we want to 44:03 do is help them get out of that situation. 44:06 So the Bible is not endorsing somebody to suffer, especially 44:09 if they're suffering physical abuse or, you know, serious 44:14 emotional abuse. 44:15 You can separate yourself from that situation. 44:18 You're not violating that commandment that says, "Turn the 44:20 other cheek." 44:21 Does that--does that help, David? 44:24 David: Yes, thank you very much, Pastor. 44:25 Jean: All right. Thanks for your call. 44:28 Who do we have next? 44:29 Alden: We have Glenn in Ohio. 44:30 He's got a question in regard to one of the prophecies 44:32 in Zechariah. 44:33 Jean: Hi, Glenn. Welcome. 44:36 Glenn: Good evening. Thank you for taking my call. 44:39 Yeah, my question concerns prophecies in Zechariah chapter 44:43 5 and chapter 6. 44:46 In chapter 5, Zechariah said he saw a flying scroll and 44:50 then it goes on and gives dimensions and 44:52 descriptions, but it talks about three women sitting in the lead 44:57 line flew, the lead line ephah, and it doesn't make much sense. 45:03 I've heard people stumble and stumble over that, what the 45:05 women stand for. 45:07 But if you vowel point the word "isha" in Hebrew and make it say 45:11 asha, we now have fire instead of women in those lead line 45:17 ephahs, and it's a perfect description of the scud missile 45:21 and the F-4 tomcat fighter, the F-4 Phantom. 45:26 And I just wonder, and then the other one is Zechariah chapter 45:28 6, starting in verse 1, a perfect description of the 45:33 attack on the Twin Towers. 45:36 And I never hear people talk about those things. 45:38 But is it possible that these things are prophecies fulfilled 45:42 in the current events? 45:43 Jean: Well, yes, I think there are prophecies. 45:45 If you read through Zechariah, there are very descriptive 45:49 prophecies relating to certain acts of judgment and they 45:52 culminate near the judgment of the end. 45:55 Now, could they refer to more than what the symbol 45:58 might mention? 45:59 Perhaps, you know, there are different ideas, or suggestions. 46:03 But if we're going to let the Bible interpret itself, then we 46:06 need to ask ourselves, well, in Bible prophecy, what does a 46:09 woman represent? 46:10 Or in Bible prophecy, what do these horses, a red horse and a 46:13 black horse, as you read, what do they represent? 46:15 Now, much of the imagery that you find here in Zechariah is 46:18 actually used by John in the writing of the book 46:21 of Revelation. 46:22 In Revelation when he opens up the seals, there is this white 46:26 horse that he's seen galloping and then a red horse then a pale 46:29 horse and then a black horse. 46:31 And it represents different time periods of Christian history, 46:33 different things that were taking place. 46:35 A woman, of course, in the Bible represents a church. 46:38 So we first and foremost, need to look at those symbols and see 46:41 how do they fit into what's happening in our world. 46:45 Also, we need to recognize that Zechariah is not only talking 46:47 about things, you know, in 2024 but he's referring to things 46:51 that have occurred throughout history, especially as we get 46:54 closer and closer to the end, closer to our time. 46:57 So I'm a little reluctant to just say, "Well, this specific 47:00 symbol here represents this specific event in history," 47:03 unless there is a lot of different passages of scripture 47:06 that make that very clear. 47:08 Was the Twin Tower attack significant? 47:10 I think it was. 47:11 And here's why in just a nutshell. 47:14 It's interesting that Islam is mentioned in the book 47:17 of Revelation. 47:19 You actually have the fifth and the sixth trumpet describes the 47:23 rise of Islam during the time of Muhammad and then during the 47:25 time of the Ottoman Turks. 47:27 And it seems there's quite a bit of very description of this 47:30 power rising up. 47:32 And I think it is interesting, you read a little bit of Daniel 47:34 chapter 11, some suggest that maybe at the end of chapter 11, 47:37 the king of the South might have some reference to some of the 47:40 Islamic nations. 47:41 I mean, some of that's still in the future. 47:42 So we're going to have to wait and see how all of these 47:45 come together. 47:47 But to take it too far literal, I think we need to be careful. 47:49 We don't want to get--we don't want to get confused and go down 47:53 the wrong path. 47:55 There are a broader prophetic application for these 47:56 different aspects. 47:58 And Zechariah is a very detailed prophecy. 48:00 So we don't have time to get into all the details of it. 48:02 But great question. 48:03 Alden: We'll go to Lin over in Arizona. 48:05 She's got a question regarding Daniel chapter 8. 48:08 Jean: Hi, Lin. Welcome to the program. 48:10 Lin Moore: Hey, Pastor Jean Ross. 48:12 Yeah, my name is Lin Moore in Phoenix. 48:15 I'm a member of the Camelback Church, Pastor John's church. 48:19 Yeah, I just got a quick question. 48:22 In Daniel chapter 8, why was the goat facing westward, 48:28 eastward, and southward? 48:30 And what was Suchem? Why was he facing Suchem? 48:34 Why is that, Pastor? 48:36 Jean: Okay, yeah, let me talk about that. 48:38 I'm glad you noticed that. 48:39 Sometimes people miss those little minutiae of prophecy. 48:43 For those who are listening, Daniel chapter 8 describes 48:46 powers using animals. 48:48 For example, a ram is first described in Daniel chapter 8, 48:52 that has two horns, the one higher than the other. 48:54 That represents the kingdom of Medo Persia. 48:57 And then there is a goat that is seen and the goat rises up 49:02 towards the east and towards the south and towards the north, 49:08 meaning that this power, Greece, would come from the west, which 49:12 it did in relationship to Persia. 49:15 So the reason when it talks about not touching the earth and 49:18 it's coming, it's coming from the west, Greece and Alexander 49:21 the Great came up from the west, Persia was--Persia's sort of 49:25 Iran, the Middle East, the Mediterranean area, Mesopotamia. 49:29 And so that's why the goat came from the west, moving to 49:33 the east. 49:35 Whereas Persia rose up from the east and moved to the west. 49:37 Good question. Thank you. 49:40 Who do we have next? 49:41 Alden: We have Robert calling from Washington. 49:43 Robert, you got a question regarding the sealed book 49:45 of Isaiah? 49:46 Robert: Hi, Pastor Ross. Jean: Hello. 49:48 Robert: Good day. Good to hear from you again. 49:50 Jean: Yeah, thanks for calling. 49:53 Robert: You're welcome. I know I've got a short time. 49:57 Isaiah 29, I believe it's verse 11, talks about a sealed book 50:04 and sometimes the denomination wants to claim that as their 50:11 book that was invented by a man a while ago. 50:17 But then, I wonder, you know, I thought, "Well, maybe it's 50:20 Daniel because Daniel is a sealed book in the Bible." 50:24 But then verse 4 talks about it being from the voice of a medium 50:32 or something, it says. 50:33 So I'm guessing it's not Daniel. 50:37 So who--so what is the sealed book? 50:39 Jean: So this is a prophecy that Isaiah is making and he's 50:42 referring to the people, this would be the people of Israel, 50:46 who did not receive the words of the prophecy. 50:48 It was to them, a sealed book, not meaning that the book per se 50:52 was sealed, but the prophetic message was sealed because if 50:55 you read a little earlier, verse 9, it says, "Pause and wonder!" 50:58 This is Isaiah 29, verse 9. "Blind yourselves and be blind! 51:03 For they are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with 51:07 intoxicating drink. 51:08 The Lord has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep, and 51:12 has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets; and has covered 51:16 your heads, namely, the seers." 51:18 So at the time because of a rejection of doing right, 51:23 rejecting God's commandments, the people didn't understand 51:26 the prophecies. 51:28 Isaiah is prophesying. 51:29 He was about 150 years, 51:31 well, but a little less, maybe 100 years before the Babylonian 51:35 captivity and judgment is coming upon Jerusalem, and the people 51:38 seemed oblivious to that. 51:40 They seem to be walking around as one who is blind or those who 51:43 are intoxicated. 51:44 And Isaiah is saying judgment is coming. 51:46 And then Jeremiah who is the next prophet who was actually 51:49 there when Jerusalem was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar, he 51:52 was also warning the people, but it seemed to be a sealed book. 51:56 The prophecy, just, they didn't receive it, because they had 51:59 rejected, they rejected doing the will of God. 52:03 All right, maybe time for one more. 52:04 Alden: We have Chelsea. 52:05 She's got a question in Florida regarding hellfire. 52:08 Jean: Hi, Chelsea. Welcome to the program. 52:11 Chelsea: Hi, how are you both? 52:13 Jean: Good, thank you. 52:15 Chelsea: Yeah, so my question basically is about 52:17 Revelation 20, verse 10. 52:20 Right now, I'm studying with a group of friends, who kind of 52:24 grew up believing that hellfire is an actual eternal 52:28 burning place. 52:30 But we're studying and also, you know, using "Amazing Facts" 52:34 study guide, which has been really helpful. 52:36 But when we got to Revelation 20, verse 10, I actually got a 52:40 little stumped on it too because the last part of the verse says, 52:45 basically saying the devil, the beast, and the false prophet 52:47 shall be tormented day and night, forever and ever. 52:50 So they're thinking because this is, you know, in the Bible that 52:54 it's taken literally to mean that they're actually tormented 52:58 forever, like-- 52:59 Jean: Let me say something about that. 53:01 That's a good question. 53:02 You know, there are some passages, especially in the book 53:03 of Revelation, where it talks about forever. 53:06 Now, we need to read "forever" in its context. 53:09 In the Bible, the word "forever" is used as long as life 53:13 shall last. 53:14 It does not mean eternal-- 53:16 not always, depends on the context. 53:18 So, in this context that's speaking about the devil and his 53:21 angels are cast into the lake of fire, they are 53:23 tormented forever, meaning as long as they live. 53:28 Now, it doesn't mean they're going to live eternally. 53:30 They're not going to live forever, but their torment will 53:32 last as long as their life lasts. 53:34 Why do we know that? 53:36 Because after the fire does its work, it says they will be 53:39 turned to ashes and then God creates a new earth wherein 53:42 dwells righteousness. 53:44 So they're not going to burn forever. 53:45 But it does appear from the verse that the devil and the 53:48 wicked will at least suffer a day and a night because it says 53:52 their torment will be day and night forever, meaning until 53:54 they die. 53:56 So the punishment will at least extend a day and a night, 53:58 maybe more. 54:00 We don't know. 54:01 The Bible doesn't say. 54:02 Everyone at the end will be rewarded according to or judged 54:04 according to their deeds. 54:05 The devil, he bears the responsibility for all the-- 54:08 that we see in the world, ultimately. 54:10 So he will be judged accordingly. 54:13 So the phrase "forever" doesn't always mean eternal. 54:16 It means as long as life lasts. 54:17 Alden: Or consumed until it's all gone. 54:19 Jean: Until it's--there's nothing left. 54:21 Alden: It's like a forever fireplace. 54:22 But when the wood's gone, it's--it's gone. 54:25 Jean: It's gone. 54:26 Doesn't burn anymore, right? It's accomplished its purpose. 54:28 Well, friends, we want to thank you again for calling, those who 54:30 have called in. 54:32 I'm looking at the clock. 54:33 We probably don't have time for another call. 54:34 But as we mentioned before, this is a weekly international, 54:37 interactive Bible study and we would welcome you to come and 54:40 give us a call next week, if we didn't get to you this week. 54:43 Also, want to remind you if you haven't visit the "Amazing 54:45 Facts" website recently, take a look. 54:48 Just AmazingFacts.org, or dot com. 54:50 It is jam-packed with great resources. 54:53 You can click on the the tab that says "Study with us" and 54:56 you can learn so much more. 54:58 Now for those of you who are not on satellite radio, stand by 55:01 because we're going to be coming back with some of your 55:03 email questions. 55:04 So don't go away too far. 55:06 We'll be right back in just a moment. 55:11 announcer: Thank you for listening to today's broadcast. 55:13 We hope you understand your Bible even better than before. 55:17 "Bible Answers Live" is produced by Amazing Facts International, 55:21 a faith-based ministry located in Granite Bay, California. 55:27 Jean: Hello, friends, and welcome back. 55:29 We just got about 2 minutes, 2 1/2 minutes. 55:31 We're going to take some of your email questions and, Pastor 55:34 Alden, who do people--or how do people get our--get their 55:38 questions emailed to us? 55:39 What's that email address? 55:40 Alden: Well, they can email us at 55:42 BALquestions@amazingfacts.org. 55:44 Jean: We made it as easy as it could, right? 55:46 BALquestions.org. 55:48 And who do we have? 55:49 Alden: Well, the first question is "Matthew chapter 15:17 and 20 55:53 seems to imply that 'all meat is good to eat, because what goes 55:57 in the mouth doesn't defile.' 55:58 Can you explain why it does not mean that?" 56:01 Jean: Well, here is a story, just to give you a little bit of 56:04 a background. 56:05 The religious leaders and the Pharisees were accusing or 56:08 condemning the disciples because they were eating with 56:11 hands that had not been washed. 56:13 So the issue in question wasn't about what is, you know, clean 56:17 or unclean foods. 56:18 The issue was eating food with unwashed hands. 56:20 They were traveling, they grabbed something, and they ate 56:22 it, and they were making a big deal about it. 56:24 They said this was a sin. 56:26 And Jesus is saying, "Listen, it's not--it's not what goes 56:28 in," and he's not talking about what you eat. 56:30 He's talking about eating with unwashed hands. 56:32 He says, "It's not that that's important. 56:34 It's what comes out of the heart," all right? 56:36 So here is not a statement just turning over and saying, "Well, 56:39 you can eat anything you want. 56:40 You're not going to sick." 56:41 Remember, the health principles are there because God wants us 56:43 to be healthy. 56:44 That's the prime purpose. 56:46 Alden: Rosalind from Anguilla has a very good question. 56:48 She asked, "Will God answer prayers if I don't pay tithe?" 56:52 Jean: Will God answer prayers if you don't pay tithe? 56:55 Well, you know, the Bible does give a blessing, especially a 56:58 financial blessing, for those who are faithful in trusting God 57:02 and giving and returning one-tenth. 57:04 That is the tithe. 57:05 It's one-tenth. 57:06 And you know, I know so many stories of people who, you know, 57:08 stepped out in faith and said, "I'm going to trust the Lord. 57:11 I'm going to pay a tithe," and God blessed them. 57:14 Not always financially, but there was a blessing, whether it 57:16 was health or with relationships. 57:18 And so yes, if we want God's blessing and we want Him to 57:21 answer those prayers, well, let's be faithful. 57:23 If the Holy Spirit is convicting us of something that we need to 57:25 change, we need to make the change. 57:27 Alden: Here's a quick one here: "Why doesn't God ask the shoes 57:30 to be removed when He encountered Abraham and Balaam 57:33 like He did with Joshua and Moses?" 57:36 Jean: Yeah, that's a good question. 57:37 You know, it seems that back in Bible times, to remove your 57:40 shoes was an act of reverence. 57:43 You were standing on holy ground, and when God appeared to 57:45 Moses, said, "Take the sandals off your feet." 57:47 Part of the reason why that was said was that because God was 57:50 identifying who He was to Moses, so there'd be no doubt that this 57:54 is a divine being. 57:55 This is God communicating with him. 57:56 Same thing when God said to Joshua, "Take the sandals off 57:59 your feet," 58:01 He was identifying who He was. 58:02 And so, taking the sandals off the feet when God asked for it, 58:05 He was identifying who He is as a person. 58:08 Well, friends, that is it for this week's edition of "Bible 58:11 Answers Live." 58:12 We are so glad that you joined us. 58:13 We look forward next week when we'll be back to answer more of 58:16 your Bible questions. 58:17 God bless. 58:19 announcer: "Bible Answers Live," honest and accurate answers to 58:23 your Bible questions. |
Revised 2024-06-05