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Series Code: AFBA
Program Code: AFBA202410S
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00:02 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, 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. 00:38 Once again, that's 800-835-6747. 00:43 Now, here's your host from Amazing Facts International, 00:47 Pastor Jëan Ross. 00:49 Jëan Ross: Hello friends. 00:51 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 00:52 Let's start with an amazing fact. 00:54 In 1960, Leonid Rogozov, a young Russian surgeon, volunteered to 00:59 join a Soviet Antarctic expedition as the team doctor. 01:03 After a long journey, they eventually reached the remote 01:06 Antarctic station thousands of miles from civilization where 01:10 the team planned to spend several months doing research. 01:14 But then, April 29, 1961, Rogozov began to experience 01:19 terrible pain in his abdomen which just kept getting worse. 01:24 To his dismay, he finally realized that he was suffering 01:27 from acute appendicitis and immediate surgery was needed. 01:32 The problem was that he was the only doctor at the base and the 01:35 nearest surgical facility was thousands of miles away. 01:39 To make things worse, bad weather conditions made 01:42 evacuation impossible. 01:43 He was left with no other option but to operate on himself. 01:48 With the assistance of two others, neither of whom had any 01:51 medical training, Rogozov set up a makeshift operating room at 01:55 the base and began a two hour surgery on himself. 01:59 Using local anesthetic and a mirror to see what he was doing, 02:03 Rogozov successfully removed his appendix and he made a 02:07 full recovery. 02:09 Well, friends, this story reminds me of the biblical 02:11 lesson that we need to have patient endurance as well when 02:15 facing trials and tribulations. 02:18 The apostle James tells us, "Blessed is the man who endures 02:22 temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the 02:25 crown of life which the Lord has promised to those that love 02:29 him," James chapter 1, verse 12. 02:32 Remember, friends, that despite the trials that you might be 02:35 going through today, having faith in God and trusting in His 02:39 Word will see you through every trial and will lead to ultimate 02:43 victory at the Second Coming of Christ. 02:46 That's why Jesus said, "...He that endures to the end, the 02:50 same shall be saved." 02:52 Well, friends, I want to welcome you again to "Bible 02:54 Answers Live." 02:56 My name is Jëan Ross. 02:57 Pastor Doug is out this evening, but our phone lines are open. 02:59 If you have a Bible related question, we would love to hear 03:02 from you tonight. 03:03 Our phone line here to the studio is 800-463-7297. 03:08 That number, again, is 800-463-7297. 03:14 That'll bring you here into the studio. 03:16 If you also have a email question, you can just email 03:20 that to "Bible Answers Live" email at amazingfacts.org and 03:26 you'll be able to get your email sent to us as well. 03:29 We have a free offer we want to tell you about. 03:30 It is a book written here at Amazing Facts and it is free for 03:34 anyone who calls an asks. 03:35 It is called, "Deathwatch in Siberia," and it goes along with 03:39 our opening fact, talking about enduring trials. 03:42 And in this case, for Christ. 03:44 You'll be blessed by reading this book. 03:46 It's free. 03:47 Just call 800-835-6747 and you can ask for offer number 114 03:53 or ask for it by name, "Deathwatch in Siberia." 03:56 There's another way that you can get the book, just dial pound 03:59 250 on your smartphone and say, "Bible Answers Live" and then 04:02 ask for the book by name, "Deathwatch in Siberia." 04:05 We'll be happy to send it to you. 04:07 If you're outside of North America, go to the website 04:09 AmazingFacts.org and you'll be able to download a digital copy 04:13 of the book and you'll be able to read that right now. 04:16 So, take advantage of that wonderful free offer. 04:18 I see we've got some callers waiting for their question. 04:23 But before we go to the phone lines, lets have a word 04:25 of prayer. 04:26 Dear Father, we are so grateful for this opportunity once again 04:28 to be able to open up Your Word and study these very important 04:32 truths from scripture. 04:33 Lord, the Bible is Your book. 04:35 We ask for the Holy Spirit to come and guide us, lead us all 04:37 into a clearer understanding of Your Word, for we ask this in 04:41 Jesus's name, amen. 04:43 Well, our first caller this evening, Jinetlee, is listening 04:46 in New York. 04:48 Jinetlee, welcome to the program. 04:49 You're on "Bible Answers Live." 04:51 Jinetlee: Hi, Pastor Ross. How are you? 04:53 Jëan: I'm doing well. Thanks for calling. 04:55 Jinetlee: Hi, I started to read the book of Jonah and listening 04:58 to stories of Nineveh and seeing how Jonah was--at the 05:04 beginning, everyone was saying, "Don't punish me because of 05:07 him," and I almost feel convicted as an American 05:10 with everything that's happening. 05:11 I was just wondering if this is just kind of some panic or, you 05:15 know, if we should be taking this a little more serious 05:17 and repenting. 05:19 Jëan: Yeah, absolutely. 05:20 I think Jesus made it clear in Matthew chapter 24, He gave us 05:23 certain signs connected with His Second Coming. 05:26 The Bible speaks of wars and rumors of wars, there's 05:29 pestilence, diseases, all of these are are warning signs. 05:35 But I think one of the greatest signs that Jesus gives is that 05:38 when this gospel of the kingdom, He said, "Shall be preached unto 05:41 all the world as a witness unto all nations, then the end 05:44 will come." 05:45 So yes, we see these things happening in the world. 05:47 If anything, I think it should inspire us and motivate us, as 05:50 Christians, to proclaim the gospel to the world. 05:54 Now, that might be in your neck of the woods, in your 05:56 neighborhood, to your friends, to your neighbors, to live out 05:59 your faith because this gospel's go to all the world and then the 06:03 end will come. 06:04 And that's happening through technology, through media, 06:07 through satellites, through the internet. 06:08 The gospel is being preached to the world. 06:11 So, yes, the sign of Jonah is absolutely one of those signs, 06:14 could very well be the natural disasters and the earthquakes 06:17 that we see in the world. 06:19 Does that make sense, Jinetlee? 06:22 Jinetlee: Yeah, yeah. 06:24 I'm seeing it. 06:25 I've just been feeling more called to tell my friends to 06:28 start picking up the book and it's a good book, it's an 06:31 interesting book. 06:32 Jëan: It is a very interesting book. 06:34 It's a great book because it also illustrates the gospel. 06:37 Not only is it talking about warnings of judgment, but it's 06:40 also a gospel invitation. 06:42 You see God's mercy for those in Nineveh and actually sending 06:45 Jonah, despite his reluctance, to actually preach this 06:48 warning message. 06:50 A number of important lessons there. 06:51 Thanks for your call. 06:53 Next caller that we have is Gary and he's listening in Illinois. 06:55 Gary, welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 06:57 Gary: Thank you. 06:59 In Revelation 13, it talks of two beasts. 07:02 The second beast has political and religious power like the 07:05 first beast. 07:07 So, my question is, is the second beast--does it have 07:10 anything to do with the Christian nationalism movement 07:14 that we're seeing right now? 07:16 Jëan: Well, yes, it does. 07:18 But let me just back up a little bit and talk about these 07:21 two beasts. 07:22 Revelation chapter 13, you're referring to. 07:24 The first beast that's described, beginning in verse 1, 07:27 and it goes through until verse 10, it describes a beast that 07:33 arises up out of the sea and it talks about this beast and 07:36 gives descriptions. 07:37 Now, beast in Bible prophecy represents a political power, 07:40 a nation. 07:42 And in this case, the first beast represents a political 07:45 power, but it's unique because it's--God talks about it--it's 07:48 got blasphemy or blasphemes against God. 07:50 So, it's both a political and a religious power. 07:53 It is sort of a combination of church and state. 07:57 And Protestant reformers throughout history have 08:00 identified this first beast, of Revelation 13, is representing 08:03 the rise of the Papal power or the Vatican, especially during 08:07 the 1260 years of Papal supremacy, from 538 until 1798. 08:12 But there is a second beast that's referred to here, "Coming 08:15 up from the earth and he had two horns like a lamb," this is 08:19 verse 11, "but he ended up speaking like a dragon." 08:21 That second beast has been identified as the United States 08:25 in Bible prophecy. 08:26 So, as the first beast was receiving what's called the 08:29 deadly wound, that occurred at the end of the 1260 years of 08:32 Papal supremacy in 1798 where the political power of the 08:36 Papacy was removed, another power was arising. 08:39 Well, that power, of course, was the United States. 08:41 It was gaining momentum. 08:43 It was growing to world prominence. 08:45 And the United States, different from the Papal power, was based 08:49 upon Protestant values, the freedom of religion, separation 08:53 of church and state, which was different from that of the Papal 08:57 power of the Vatican. 08:58 But as time goes on, it says it has two horns like a lamb, but 09:02 it speaks like a dragon, meaning there is a change that takes 09:05 place within the United States. 09:08 And I think there's going to be a bit of a backlash, you might 09:11 say, to the moral decay that we see in our society. 09:14 Those who are convicted or feel like, wow, you know, we need to 09:18 get America back to God and, to some degree, we agree with them 09:21 because we see the sin and we see, just, the immorality that's 09:24 taking place around us. 09:26 But you can't force people to worship God. 09:28 It's got to be a freedom of choice, a decision they make. 09:31 However, they're going to go to extreme. 09:33 And eventually, according to Bible prophecy, certain laws 09:36 will be enforced that restrict religious worship and that sets 09:40 up the mark of the beast that you read about here in the 09:43 same passage. 09:44 So, does those--is--does the religious right or the Christian 09:49 Coalition or the Ecumenical movement that we see in the 09:52 United States, does that have something to play in this? 09:54 I believe so. 09:55 And I think as time goes on we'll see this even clearer. 09:59 Does that make sense, Gary? 10:01 Gary: Boy, it talks really, very, an awful lot. 10:04 Jëan: All right, well, thank you for your call. 10:06 You know, we do have a study guide that we'll be happy to 10:10 send to anyone who wants to learn more about the United 10:12 States in Bible prophecy. 10:13 It is called, "The US in Bible Prophecy." 10:16 Pretty simple name. 10:17 If you'd like to receive that, just call and ask. 10:19 The number is 800-835-6747. 10:23 As for the study guide, it's called, "The United States"--or, 10:25 "The US in Bible Prophecy." 10:27 If you'd like to receive a digital download of that study 10:30 guide, dial pound 250 on your smartphone. 10:33 Say, "Bible Answers Live," and say, "I'd like to get the study 10:36 guide, "The US in Bible Prophecy," and you'll be able to 10:39 download that lesson right there. 10:41 Next caller that we have is Henry listening in New York. 10:44 Henry, welcome to the program. 10:47 Henry: Yes. 10:48 Hello. 10:49 Jëan: Hi. 10:51 And your question? 10:52 Henry: My question is, when you die, does it matter where your 10:56 body goes? 10:58 Jëan: When you die, does it matter when you--do you mean if 11:00 you're buried or cremated? 11:02 Henry: Right. 11:03 I know when Jesus Christ died they buried Him in the tomb. 11:07 When Lazarus died is different, but, like, if I die today, well, 11:11 does it matter where my body goes? 11:13 Jëan: All right, well, that's a good question, yes. 11:15 Well, first of all, in the resurrection, for the believer, 11:18 you know, they're going to be resurrected to eternal life when 11:20 Jesus comes the second time. 11:22 We receive, at the Second Coming of Christ, whether we are 11:25 resurrected from the dead or whether we are alive and changed 11:28 in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, we receive immortal 11:31 bodies, very different than the bodies that we have now. 11:34 So, God doesn't need anything of the leftovers of this body that 11:38 we currently have in order for us to be recreated, to have our 11:42 immortal bodies. 11:44 So, you know, from a biblical perspective, if you look at the 11:48 tradition that we see in scripture, most people were 11:50 buried, but if you're buried for a long enough time, there's not 11:54 anything left but maybe some teeth and a few bones. 11:57 Again, that's not something that God needs to recreate you at the 12:02 Second Coming of Christ. 12:04 There are a few examples in the Bible, I'm thinking of Jonathan. 12:09 He was eventually cremated. 12:11 They gathered his body and they burnt it. 12:14 Of course, we believe that Jonathan will be resurrected. 12:16 He loved the Lord. 12:18 He was faithful. 12:19 And then, of course, there were many Christian martyrs 12:21 throughout the Dark Ages who faced persecution. 12:23 Many of them were burned at the stake for their faith in God, 12:27 for their willingness to follow the Bible, and we believe that 12:29 they will also be resurrected at the Second Coming of Christ. 12:32 So, does it really matter? 12:34 No, I think that's something you might want to decide, maybe talk 12:36 to your family, and reach a decision. 12:38 But from a biblical perspective, God doesn't need any of these 12:42 bodies when He recreates us. 12:45 So, hopefully that helps, Henry. 12:47 Thank you for your call. 12:48 We've got Jaymee listening in Idaho. 12:51 Jaymee, welcome to the program. 12:53 Jaymee: Oh, it's so good to talk to you. 12:55 Thank you for taking my call. 12:57 Jëan: You're welcome. Thanks for calling. 12:58 Jaymee: My question is about Revelation 3:10 where it says, 13:02 "Because thou has kept the word of my patience, I also will keep 13:07 thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come 13:10 upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." 13:14 And my friend is telling me that this is belonging to the 13:17 pre-trib and the Rapture because He will keep us from the hour of 13:21 temptation, and so we're not going to have to worry about 13:25 the tribulation. 13:27 We're going to be raptured off and not worry about it. 13:29 So, can you explain this scripture to me so I can explain 13:33 it to her? 13:35 Jëan: Yeah, happy to. 13:36 So, when you look in Revelation chapter 2 and 3, you have 13:38 Christ's message to the seven churches. 13:40 There's a series of sevens in the book Revelation. 13:43 Seven churches, seven seals, and seven trumpets. 13:46 And each of these series of sevens represent the Christian 13:50 era, starting with the time of the disciples and it goes all 13:53 the way through to those who are alive on the earth when Jesus 13:56 comes the second time, and they focus on different aspects 14:00 during the New Testament era. 14:02 For example, the churches focus on the condition of the church 14:06 during the Christian era. 14:08 So, the church went through different phases. 14:11 The early church was pure, they were faithful to the Word. 14:14 Then you have the church of Smyrna that was a persecuted 14:18 church and they were persecuted by the Romans, by pagan Romans, 14:23 and that continued until the legalization of Christianity 14:25 in 313. 14:27 And then you see a compromise that begins to take place 14:30 throughout the Dark Ages all the way up until you get to the 14:33 church of the Reformation and the truths of God's Word are 14:37 beginning to be--are understood and people are studying. 14:40 But then you get to the sixth church, which is the church of 14:43 Philadelphia, and that's where the verses that you're 14:45 asking about. 14:47 The church of Philadelphia represents the Christian church 14:50 from about 1800, maybe a little after that, 1805, 1810, there's 14:55 no hard date there, but around 1800 through to about 1850, 15:02 that's roughly the time period. 15:04 And for the church of Philadelphia, it's very 15:06 interesting, Jesus encourages the church, but He doesn't give 15:10 any word of rebuke, whereas the other churches, all of them, 15:14 except for Philadelphia and Smyrna, they receive a word of 15:18 rebuke, but Philadelphia doesn't. 15:20 In other words, it was a good church, it was doing the 15:21 right thing. 15:23 And if you look in history, in the early 1800s, there was a 15:25 great revival in studying the Word of God, both in the United 15:29 States and around the world. 15:31 The Bible was translated into more than 1500 languages, Bible 15:35 societies were established, missionaries went out to Africa 15:38 and to Asia and to the furthest parts of the world. 15:41 There was a great revival. 15:43 And here, this church--in the church, Jesus says, "I will keep 15:47 you from the hour of trial that is coming upon the whole earth." 15:50 Well, it wasn't for the church of Philadelphia to go through 15:53 the final Great Tribulation, it's for the next church, the 15:56 church of Laodicea. 15:58 Now, we're living in the time of the church of Laodicea today. 16:02 And according to Revelation chapter 12, verse 1, it says, 16:05 "When Michael stands up, there will be a time of trouble, worse 16:07 than the world has ever seen. 16:09 But at that time, thy people shall be delivered, every one 16:12 found written in the book." 16:13 So, this Great Tribulation that the Bible speaks about is yet in 16:16 the future. 16:18 The church is not raptured away before the Tribulation, but they 16:21 are preserved through the Tribulation, just like the 16:24 children of Israel when they were in Egypt. 16:26 When the ten plagues came upon Egypt, the children of Israel, 16:29 they were protected from the plagues and they were delivered 16:31 out after the plagues had done their work. 16:34 So, likewise, at the end of the seven last plagues, Jesus comes 16:38 and the righteous are delivered and taken to heaven. 16:40 So, that's the context there if you look at the seven churches. 16:44 So, it's not talking--the church of Philadelphia is not talking 16:47 about a Rapture time period. 16:49 It's rather talking about the church in history in the 16:51 early 1800s. 16:53 Jaymee, does that make sense? 16:55 Jaymee: And it's protecting us through that Tribulation and not 16:59 taking us away from it. 17:01 Jëan: That's right. 17:02 And if you look at the examples in scripture, God always 17:05 protects these people through trials. 17:07 He doesn't always deliver them from trials. 17:09 For example, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they went through 17:12 the fiery furnace, but Jesus was with them. 17:15 Daniel went through the lions' den, but, you know, God 17:19 protected him. 17:20 So, yes, the righteous will be on the earth when the plagues 17:23 are poured out, but they will be protected and delivered from 17:26 those plagues. 17:27 And a wonderful psalm that I think speaks of this time is 17:30 Psalm 91. 17:32 And if you want to read that Psalm, it talks about how, "No 17:35 plague shall come, neither dwelling," and it's talking 17:37 about the judgment that will be coming up on the wicked at the 17:40 end of time. 17:41 All right, Jaymee, thank you so much for your call. 17:43 Great question. 17:45 We've got Oscar listening in New York. 17:47 Oscar, welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 17:50 Oscar: Yeah, thank you, yes, sir. 17:51 In book of Matthew speaks about the tares and the wheat. 17:55 So my question is--my question is this. 17:58 Are the tares those who say that Jesus is not divine or who deny 18:04 Jesus is God? 18:05 Jëan: Okay, so are the tares those who deny God or say Jesus 18:09 is not God? 18:10 Yes, that could definitely be part of it. 18:12 Really, what's being described here is two groups of people. 18:16 You have those who are the wheat and you have those who are 18:19 the tares. 18:20 The wheat represents those who are true to God, those who are 18:22 faithful, those who follow the teachings of the Bible, those 18:25 who are surrendered to Him. 18:27 They are considered the wheat. 18:28 But there are tares. 18:30 And tares could include those who claim to be Christians, but, 18:34 as you said, they don't follow with their complete heart, 18:38 they're not fully surrendered, but out of convenience they 18:41 might consider themselves a Christian. 18:42 They might even go to church. 18:44 But their heart is not right with God. 18:46 They would be considered a tare. 18:48 And then, if you read on in the parable, it says, "The time will 18:51 come where God will separate the wheat from the tares. 18:54 The wheat is gathered and placed in the barn, but the tares are 18:58 gathered and thrown in the fire." 19:00 And then Jesus says that's the way it's going to be at the end 19:02 of the earth. 19:03 He'll send His angels and they'll gather the righteous 19:05 from the earth, but the wicked will be destroyed with the 19:09 glory, or the fire, of God at the Second Coming of Christ. 19:12 So, there's a lot of categories that could make up the tares. 19:16 It's anybody who denies the truth of Jesus but also refuses 19:20 to follow the Bible or the teachings of Christ or His law. 19:24 That would also fall into that category of the tares. 19:28 You know, we do have a study guide that talks about the 19:29 Second Coming of Christ and gives a little more information 19:33 about this separation between the wheat and the tares. 19:35 We'll be happy to send that to anyone who calls and asks. 19:39 It is called, "Ultimate Deliverance," and it's about the 19:42 Second Coming of Christ. 19:44 We'll be happy to send that to anyone who calls and asks. 19:47 Again, that study guide is called, "Ultimate Deliverance." 19:50 The number to call is 800-835-6747. 19:54 Ask for this study guide, "Ultimate Deliverance." 19:56 You can also dial pound 250 and just say, "Bible Answers Live," 20:00 and ask for that study guide by name, "Ultimate Deliverance." 20:03 We'll be able to send you a digital download. 20:06 Thank you, Oscar. 20:07 We've got Charlene listening in the Virgin Islands. 20:10 Charlene, welcome to the program. 20:11 Charlene: Hey, good evening. 20:13 All right, my question is, the little black cloud that Elijah 20:16 saw in Mount Carmel in his fight with Ahab and the priest, that 20:21 was a sign that rain was on its way to end that three year 20:23 drought, but was it also the chariot of angels coming to pick 20:26 up Elijah in the same way that the little cloud is a sign of 20:29 the Son of Man coming, in Matthew 24? 20:33 Jëan: Yes, well, there's kind of a connection between that. 20:35 So, the small cloud--now, just to give the context of the 20:39 story, you have the showdown between Elijah, the true 20:42 prophet, and you have Ahab and the prophets of Baal, and the 20:45 people were invited to Mount Carmel. 20:47 And, at first, Elijah said, "Well, you know, you offer your 20:51 sacrifices to Baal and the god that answers with fire, you 20:55 know, we'll know he's the true God." 20:56 And of course, all day long, they try to get Baal to pour 21:00 down fire, but, of course, Baal is a false god. 21:02 Nothing happens. 21:04 Finally, Elijah rebuilds the altar that had been broken down. 21:07 He places the sacrifice, the wood, water is poured on 21:10 the altar. 21:11 Elijah prays a simple prayer, fire comes down and devours 21:14 the fire. 21:15 Those false prophets are put to death. 21:18 And then, there was a three and a half year drought leading up 21:20 to the showdown at Mount Carmel. 21:22 Then, Elijah goes and he prays because they need rain, and he 21:26 prays seven times and, finally, a small black cloud is seen on 21:31 the Mediterranean and is making its way towards the land of 21:34 Israel and that is a sign that an abundance of rain is coming. 21:39 And so, Elijah runs down and he tells Ahab, "You got to get to 21:42 the city," actually runs in front of the chariot, and there 21:45 is a massive downpour of rain that, you know, just breaks the 21:50 drought that was in Israel. 21:52 Now, is there significance to that small black cloud and 21:56 the rain? 21:58 Yes. 21:59 In the Bible, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is called the 22:03 rain, the former rain. 22:04 It occurred at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon the 22:06 disciples and they were empowered to take the gospel to 22:09 the then-known world. 22:10 But there is another outpouring of the Holy Spirit just before 22:13 the close of probation. 22:15 Again, calling people to repentance, restoring true 22:18 worship, a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 22:21 It's described in Revelation chapter 18 as an angel that 22:24 comes down from heaven and the earth is illuminated with his 22:27 glory and he cries with a loud voice, "Babylon is fallen, is 22:30 fallen," and God will pour out His Spirit upon His people, 22:33 there will be a great revival amongst God's people, but it'll 22:37 also awaken persecution against them. 22:39 That is the last proclamation of the gospel just before probation 22:43 closes, the seven last plagues fall, and then Jesus comes to 22:47 deliver them. 22:49 So, Elijah proclaims an abundance of rain. 22:51 He then faces persecution by Jezebel. 22:54 He flees out into the wilderness, but God sustains 22:57 him, his faith is tested, and then he is delivered. 23:00 He is taken to heaven without seeing death. 23:02 That is a parallel of the experience of God's people in 23:05 the last days. 23:06 They receive the latter rain, they proclaim God's last 23:08 warning message. 23:10 Yes, persecution comes, probation closes, their faith is 23:13 tested, but God delivers them and they are translated to 23:17 heaven without seeing death, those who are alive at 23:19 that point. 23:21 So yes, a definite parallel in those two stories. 23:23 Does that make sense, Charlene? 23:25 Charlene: Yes. 23:26 Jëan: All right, let's see. 23:28 We got Cedric listening in Florida. 23:29 Cedric, welcome to the program. 23:31 Cedric: Thank you, Brother Ross. 23:32 How are you doing today? 23:33 Jëan: I'm doing well, thank you. 23:35 Cedric: So, my question for you, my brother, is regarding to 23:39 Matthew 27, verses 24 and 25. 23:43 Jëan: Okay, let me read it for those who are listening and then 23:46 ask the question about it. 23:47 Matthew 27, beginning in verse 24, it says, "When Pilate saw 23:51 that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult 23:54 was rising, he took water, he washed his hands before the 23:57 multitude, saying, 'I am innocent of the blood of this 23:59 just person. 24:01 You see to it.' 24:02 And all the people answered and said, 'His blood be on us and 24:04 our children.'" 24:06 All right, and your question on that? 24:08 Cedric: We--should we be careful what we pray for? 24:12 Jëan: Well, yeah, we do want to be careful of what we pray, but 24:15 this was not so much a prayer from them, but declaring that, 24:22 you know, we don't want Jesus. 24:23 Even if it means that His blood is going to be on us and our 24:27 children, we don't care. 24:28 We don't want Jesus. 24:29 Now, of course, unfortunately, that was fulfilled. 24:33 That judgment did come upon those who crucified Christ and 24:37 upon that generation. 24:39 Forty years later you had the Romans in 70 AD that came and 24:43 surrounded the city of Jerusalem and by the end of that, not only 24:47 was the city completely destroyed in the temple, but 24:49 thousands and thousands of Jews were killed and many more were 24:53 taken as slaves back to Rome and scattered throughout the 24:56 Roman Empire. 24:58 So, it was a terrible thing. 25:00 Now, why did all those bad things happen to them? 25:02 Well, if you reject God's protection, you're left at the 25:06 control of God's enemy, the devil, and the devil hates 25:11 God's people. 25:12 And so, when they rejected Jesus as their Messiah--remember, when 25:17 Jesus looked over Jerusalem, He wept. 25:19 He said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that kills the 25:21 prophets, and those that are sent unto you. 25:23 How I've longed to gather you together, even as a hen gathers 25:25 the chicks under her wings, but you would not come." 25:29 As a result of them rejecting Jesus, God's protection was 25:33 withdrawn and the Romans came upon them, and that verse was 25:37 very literally fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in 25:40 70 AD. 25:42 And of course, throughout history, throughout the last 25:45 2000 years, it seems as though the Jewish people have faced all 25:48 kinds of persecution and trials. 25:51 Now, that doesn't mean that individual Jews, of course, they 25:54 can be saved, individual. 25:55 Doesn't matter whether you're a Jew or Gentile, if you receive 25:58 Jesus, you're part of Abraham's seed and you are saved. 26:02 But as a nation, as a people, they have faced lots of 26:06 persecution over the past 2000 years. 26:08 Friends, we're taking a short break, but we'll be back with 26:10 more Bible questions. 26:17 male announcer: Stay tuned. 26:19 "Bible Answers Live" will return shortly. 26:25 Doug Batchelor: Thank you for tuning in to Amazing Facts. 26:28 Have you ever wanted to study the teachings of the Bible in an 26:31 easy to understand, step by step way? 26:34 The Amazing Facts Bible school offers free, simple to follow 26:38 lessons that will guide you through all of the vital 26:41 teachings of scripture. 26:42 Visit AmazingBibleStudies.com to sign up for your free lessons. 26:48 They're available by mail or online. 26:50 Studies are also offered in multiple languages. 26:54 male: Unprecedented levels of pain and suffering and death. 27:00 Donald Trump: Extend my deepest condolences to the victims 27:02 and families. 27:04 male: An increasing concern about radioactive exposure of 27:07 members of the public. 27:08 Doug: Millions of people believe that planet Earth is on the 27:12 verge of some apocalypse that will plunge the world's cities 27:15 into chaos. 27:16 In response, thinking people everywhere are wondering if it 27:20 might be a good time to locate their families outside of the 27:24 congested metropolitan areas. 27:26 But how should a believer respond? 27:28 How do we address the need to reach the lost in the cities 27:31 while still enjoying the practical benefits of raising a 27:34 family in the country? 27:35 In my new book, "Heading For the Hills? 27:38 A Beginner's Guide to Country Living," I do my best to provide 27:42 a biblical balance. 27:43 In the last 40 years I've done evangelism in many of the 27:47 world's greatest cities while still maintaining a home up in 27:50 the hills that is completely off the grid. 27:53 I'd like to share with you some of the crucial things you'll 27:55 need to know before you head up for the hills. 27:59 I'd also like to identify some of the practical things you look 28:02 for in buying a piece of country land, how to develop water, 28:06 power, and a garden all while still seeking to save the lost. 28:10 This book has some very valuable information for anybody that's 28:14 ever considering country living. 28:15 male announcer: Order your copy of, "Heading For The Hills?" 28:18 Call 800-538-7275 or visit afbookstore.com. 28:25 male announcer: Did you know that Noah was present at the 28:28 birth of Abraham? 28:29 Okay, maybe he wasn't in the room, but he was alive and 28:33 probably telling stories about his floating zoo. 28:36 From the creation of the world to the last day events of 28:39 Revelation, biblehistory.com is a free resource where you can 28:43 explore major Bible events and characters, enhance your 28:47 knowledge of the Bible, and draw closer to God's Word. 28:50 Go deeper. 28:52 Visit biblehistory.com. 29:00 male announcer: You're listening to "Bible Answers Live" where 29:03 every question answered provides a clearer picture of God and His 29:07 plan to save you. 29:08 So, what are you waiting for? 29:10 Get practical answers about the good book for a better 29:13 life today. 29:17 This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. 29:20 If you'd like answers to your Bible related questions on the 29:23 air, please call us next Sunday between 7 p.m. 29:26 and 8 p.m. Pacific Time. 29:29 To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this 29:32 evening's program, call 800-835-6747. 29:37 Once again, that's 800-835-6747. 29:42 Now, let's rejoin our host for more "Bible Answers Live." 29:48 Jëan: Hello, friends. Welcome back. 29:50 This is Pastor Jëan Ross. 29:51 Pastor Doug is out of town this evening, but this is a live, 29:54 interactive, international Bible study. 29:56 And so, we welcome your Bible questions. 29:59 If you'd like to call into the program this evening, the number 30:01 is 800-463-7297. 30:05 That's 800-463-7297. 30:09 Or just remember 800-GODSAYS. 30:12 That'll bring you here to the studio. 30:14 I'm also going to give you another number, that is, the 30:16 free resource phone line, and we'll be giving out a number of 30:19 valuable resources to help you in your study of the Word of 30:23 God, so take advantage of those free resources. 30:26 We're going to go to the phone lines. 30:27 Our next caller is Larry listening in Michigan. 30:29 Larry, you're on the air. 30:31 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 30:33 Larry: Hi there, Pastor Ross. 30:35 Jëan: Hi, thanks for calling. 30:37 Larry: I got a couple of scriptures, if you could read 30:40 them for people who might be driving, but it's Matthew 24:16 30:43 through 18, then 1 kings 17:2 through 6. 30:48 Jëan: All right, let me look at Matthew 24:16 here. 30:51 You say 16 to 18? 30:54 Larry: Yeah. 30:55 Jëan: Okay, Jesus is speaking, He says, "Then let those who 30:57 are in Judea flee to the mountains. 30:59 Let him not--let him who is on the housetop not go down to take 31:02 anything out of his house. 31:03 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes." 31:07 All right. 31:09 And what was the other verse? 31:10 Larry: 1 Kings chapter 17, verses 2 to 6. 31:15 Jëan: 1 Kings chapter 17, verse 2, it says, "Then the word of 31:19 the Lord came to Him, saying, 'Get away from here and turn 31:22 eastward, and hide by the brook Cherith, 31:24 which flows into the Jordan. 31:26 And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have 31:29 commanded the ravens to feed you there.' 31:32 So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, for he 31:35 went and stayed by the brook Cherith, which flowed into 31:37 the Jordan. 31:38 And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and 31:41 bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook." 31:44 Okay, and your question about that? 31:48 Larry: So we know the flesh is actually the fruit, not meat, 31:50 but my question is, is the Lord going to take care of us like 31:54 that too, then, when we have to flee? 31:57 Like, because I know--because with, you know, Israelites 32:00 didn't have to worry about changing their clothes, shoes. 32:03 Jëan: Right. 32:04 When the children of Israel were delivered and taken from Egypt 32:06 to the Promised Land, throughout the wilderness wanderings, God 32:09 provided for them both food, manna, and He also provided for 32:13 them all their water. 32:14 It spoke about water coming from a rock. 32:17 And here you find God taking care of His prophet Elijah when 32:21 he had to flee out, when there was this terrible drought and he 32:24 was being persecuted by Ahab and Jezebel. 32:27 God provided for him. 32:29 So likewise at the end of time. 32:30 God is going to provide for His people. 32:33 The Bible says that your bread and water shall be sure, meaning 32:36 that God'll provide your needs. 32:38 Doesn't mean that you're going to, you know, have a ten course 32:41 meal every day, but your bread and your water will be sure. 32:45 God will provide and take care of His people. 32:47 And you know, I'd rather be in the mountains in a desolate 32:50 region with bread and water and with the blessing and the hope 32:55 of the Second Coming than living in a palace surrounded by all 32:58 the dainties and then receive the seven last plagues and end 33:02 up losing your eternal life. 33:04 So, a little bit with God's blessing is a much better than a 33:07 lot without God's blessing. 33:08 So, yes, God promises to provide and take care of us in that time 33:13 of trouble. 33:14 Does that help, Larry? 33:16 Larry: Yes, it does. 33:17 Jëan: Okay, thank you. 33:18 You know, I mentioned a Psalm a little earlier that is good 33:21 to read. 33:22 Psalm 91 I think describes the experience of God's people 33:24 during the plagues when they are poured out and how God will 33:27 provide for them and take care of them. 33:29 It's another wonderful promise in scripture. 33:31 Our next caller is Kim, listening in Iowa. 33:34 Kim, welcome to the program. 33:35 You got a question. 33:37 Kim: I do have a question. 33:39 I'm not quite sure how to phrase this. 33:41 I was just wondering if it's biblical or not to bring your 33:47 pets into the sanctuary for your worship service. 33:52 Jëan: All right, is it okay to bring-- 33:53 Kim: This is happening at-- 33:55 Jëan: At your church? 33:56 Now, you're talking about like, you know, like dogs, I guess? 33:59 Bringing a pet dog to church? 34:01 Well, you know, I think in the case of a service animal, you 34:05 know, if a person is blind and they need a service animal to 34:09 guide them when they come to church, usually those dogs are 34:12 very well trained. 34:14 They've been trained to be in public places. 34:17 They behave, they're quiet, they will sit beside the person, and 34:21 they serve a very specific purpose, that of guiding a 34:25 person that has a disability, in this case, somebody that 34:28 is blind. 34:30 But just to bring dogs and cats and birds into the sanctuary, 34:34 just for the sake of bringing them to church, I think we want 34:38 to be careful. 34:39 First of all, the church is a holy place and we want to treat 34:41 it with reverence. 34:43 We don't want to be running around in the church. 34:45 We got to tell the children, "Don't run in the sanctuary. 34:48 This is a holy place." 34:49 We usually dress up when we go to church because we are 34:52 entering into the presence of God. 34:53 It's an act of worship. 34:55 We don't talk loudly in the church. 34:58 We talk quietly and we talk reverently because we are aware 35:03 of God's presence. 35:04 So, taking all that into consideration, we probably don't 35:07 want anything in the church that is going to distract from the 35:10 reason why we are there, that of worship. 35:12 And to bring a pet to church or a dog or some animal that might 35:16 bark or others will see it or children will be distracted by 35:19 it, I don't think it's a good practice. 35:21 Now, if you're doing a children's story and you're 35:24 illustrating the children's story and you bring a little 35:26 baby chick in and, you know, you show the children the chick and 35:30 you talk about the animal or so on, and then you take it out, 35:33 that's probably fine. 35:34 But on a regular basis to bring your pets to church, I would 35:38 discourage that. 35:39 I know sometimes folks are very attached to their animals and 35:43 they want to take them everywhere. 35:44 But when it comes to church, I would say, you know, leave them 35:46 for a couple of hours at home or in a safe place where they're 35:49 taken care of. 35:50 That way, you're not a distraction to other people that 35:53 come to church. 35:54 Does that help, Kim? 35:57 Kim: Yeah, it does. 35:58 Thank you so much. I appreciate it. 36:01 Jëan: All right, thanks for your call. 36:02 Our next caller that we have is Lyn, listening in Arizona. 36:06 Let's see. Lyn, welcome to the program. 36:08 Lyn: Yes, thank you. Hi, there, Pastor Jëan. 36:10 Jëan: Hi. Thanks for calling. 36:12 Lyn: Listen, this--a lot of people may not even observe 36:16 this, but back in--when I was younger, and I'm 60, 36:19 always--well, I'm 67 now, and when I was younger, like, in my 36:24 20s and I went to church with my family, we were dedicated 36:28 Christians--but make a long story short, on Easter they 36:31 celebrated three days, you know, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and he 36:35 rose on Monday, because a lot of businesses I remember, even when 36:39 I was 20, and, you know, would close on Easter Monday. 36:43 And my dad had an insurance agency and he closed on Good 36:46 Friday and Easter Monday for several years. 36:49 And what do you say about that? 36:51 Jëan: If you look at the, you know, the Easter weekend or the 36:54 Passover, if you look at the biblical record, of course, 36:57 Jesus died on Friday. 36:58 He died about 3 in the afternoon, and He was then 37:03 placed in--or He was on the cross and He said He--right 37:06 around 3 o'clock, I think closer to a little 37:08 after that, Christ died. 37:10 Then He was placed in the tomb. 37:11 He was there Friday evening, He was there all day Saturday, and 37:14 then He rose early Sunday morning. 37:17 So, you know, that's the biblical account and you can, of 37:20 course, read that in the Gospels, that makes it 37:22 pretty clear. 37:23 Now, what we call Easter today doesn't exactly fall on those 37:27 same days because, you know, dates in the calendar move from 37:31 day to day, just like your birthday. 37:33 It moves. 37:34 The 25th of December moves throughout the week if it's 37:37 based on a date on the calendar. 37:40 But, you know, the medieval church was the first to kind of 37:42 select a weekend close to the Passover and said, "All right, 37:45 we're going to celebrate Easter on this weekend," and they came 37:48 up with the idea of something special on Sunday. 37:50 Now, it's probably okay to talk about the Resurrection, 37:53 absolutely, and the death of Christ, that is important, but 37:56 no way in the Bible does it tell us to make those days holy days. 38:01 The only day holy, within that weekend, was the seventh-day 38:04 Sabbath, but that came because of the Ten Commandments. 38:06 But Friday is not a holy day, neither is Sunday a holy day, 38:11 nor Monday if, you know, your calendar--first day of the week 38:14 starts on Monday. 38:16 But to remember the death, burial, and Resurrection of 38:18 Christ around the Passover, around Easter time is--there's 38:22 nothing wrong with that. 38:23 So, yeah, if you're going to follow the Bible, Jesus rose on 38:26 Sunday morning, early in the morning, as the Bible says. 38:31 Hope that helps, Lyn. 38:32 Next caller that we have is Robert, listening in Washington. 38:35 Robert, welcome to the program. 38:37 Robert: Hello, Pastor Ross. 38:39 Jëan: Yeah, welcome. 38:40 Robert: Was interested in knowing about Revelation 10:10 38:44 and 11. 38:46 I know Revelation is a specialty of yours. 38:48 I guess I want to focus on verse 11, although you might have to 38:51 explain verse 10, though. 38:54 I was interested in what it means by, "You must prophesy 38:57 again about many people, nations, tongues, and kings." 39:01 Might need to talk to--about verse 10, too. 39:03 Jëan: Sure. I'll be happy to. 39:05 Yeah, let me give the background. 39:06 Thanks for the question. 39:07 I do like the book of Revelation. 39:09 It's one of my favorites. 39:10 Revelation chapter 10. 39:11 You find at the beginning of the chapter an angel coming down 39:14 from heaven. 39:15 The angel has--represents a messenger or a heaven brought 39:19 message, and he has a little book that's open in his hand, 39:22 and he sets his one foot upon the earth and his other foot 39:24 upon the sea. 39:26 And then he lifts his hand towards heaven and swears by Him 39:28 who lives forever and ever, who created the heavens and things 39:30 that are there in the earth, and the things that are there in the 39:33 sea, and the things that are therein, that there should be 39:35 time no longer. 39:37 But at the sounding of the seventh trumpet, when the angel 39:40 begins to sound, then the mystery of God will be revealed. 39:43 Now, the whole chapter Revelation chapter 10 is a 39:45 description of a great advent awakening that began in the 39:50 early 1800s, but really culminated around 1843, 1844 39:56 when people began to study the little book of the prophet 39:58 Daniel in the Old Testament. 40:00 And based upon their study of the little book of Daniel, in 40:03 particular Daniel 8:14, they read about something called 2300 40:09 day prophecy. 40:10 Now, one prophetic day equals one literal year, and 2300 days 40:13 is literally 2300 years. 40:16 They also found in Daniel chapter 9 that the starting 40:19 point of the 2300 years was with the decree to restore and 40:23 rebuild Jerusalem, which went into effect in 457 BC, 457 BC. 40:29 And so, they just did the math and, based upon the calculation, 40:32 that time period would end 1844, 1843 they initially thought, but 40:38 further calculations--they realized 1844. 40:42 Well, they thought that the cleansing of the sanctuary that 40:44 was spoken of in Daniel chapter 8, verse 14 was the cleansing of 40:48 the earth by fire at the Second Coming of Christ. 40:51 So, they thought Jesus was going to come. 40:54 And of course, this led to a great religious awakening. 40:56 That's why, when you read on in Revelation chapter 10, John is 40:59 told to take the little book out of the angel's hand, which 41:02 represents the book of Daniel, to eat it up. 41:05 It would be sweet in his mouth, but it would make his 41:07 stomach bitter. 41:08 To eat the book means to study it, to receive it. 41:11 Jeremiah 15:16 says, "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; 41:15 and they were unto me the joy and the rejoicing of 41:17 my heart..." 41:18 So, to eat the book means to study it, it means to 41:20 receive it. 41:21 But then, after they had that sweet hope of the soon coming of 41:24 Christ, when Jesus didn't come as they had expected, they were 41:28 bitterly disappointed. 41:30 It was only then that they began to realize that the cleansing of 41:33 the sanctuary wasn't Jesus coming back to the earth, but 41:35 rather that Christ was doing His final cleansing work, taking 41:40 place in heaven, called the judgment, the pre-advent 41:43 judgment, when a cleansing work was to take place on the earth, 41:47 the cleansing of the heart from sin, the cleansing of the church 41:50 from error, the proclamation of the truths of scripture. 41:54 That's why you find in verse 11 of Revelation chapter 10 after 41:58 the book is eaten, then the message is given to John and 42:01 John's playing the part of these early advent believers. 42:04 "You must prophesy again." 42:07 So they began to realize that their mission wasn't over, it 42:09 had scarcely begun. 42:11 What was it that they were to prophesy? 42:12 Well, if you look in Revelation chapter 14, beginning in verse 42:15 6, you have what we call the three angels messages, "The 42:19 everlasting gospel that is to go to every nation, kindred, 42:22 tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, 'Fear God, give 42:25 glory to Him, the hour of His judgment has come." 42:28 That ties in with what we read in Daniel. 42:31 And then, of course, it talks about Babylon is fallen. 42:33 We need to worship the Creator, Babylon is fallen, and warns 42:36 about the beast's power and its mark. 42:38 So yes, Revelation chapter 10 is a great study. 42:41 I just kind of flew through it, but that gives you the context. 42:44 So, it met its fulfillment around 1843, 1844 more 42:48 specifically if you want to date for Revelation chapter 10. 42:51 Robert, does that help? 42:53 Robert: Yeah, thank you. That makes a lot of sense. 42:55 Jëan: All right. Thanks for calling. 42:57 Next caller that we have. 42:59 Ava-Joe in Georgia. 43:01 Ava-Joe, welcome to the program. 43:04 Ava-Joe: Hi, good evening, Pastor Ross. 43:05 How are you? 43:07 Jëan: I'm good. Thanks for calling. 43:08 Ava-Joe: Thank you for having me. 43:09 I've been listening to you guys and I really appreciate 43:12 everything that Amazing Facts does for the entire world. 43:15 But my question is, for those that are taken with God when 43:21 Jesus first comes, I know that the wicked will perish, but will 43:25 they be resurrected for the second judgment or do they just 43:31 remain perished? 43:33 Jëan: All right, now, are you talking about--you're talking 43:35 about the righteous when Jesus comes the second time, they are 43:38 resurrected and taken to heaven or are you talking about a 43:41 special resurrection? 43:43 Ava-Joe: The second--the judgment. 43:44 The second--the judgment of damnation. 43:47 Jëan: Okay, all right, yes. Let me give you the context. 43:50 So, the Bible tells us that when Jesus comes the second time, 43:53 you've got three categories of people, you've got the dead, 43:57 you've got the dead righteous, and you've got the dead 44:00 unrighteous in their graves, and you've got the living righteous 44:05 and you've got the living wicked. 44:07 So, maybe four categories. 44:09 So, when Jesus comes the second time, the living righteous will 44:13 be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, they'll be 44:16 caught up to meet Jesus in the air. 44:18 The graves of the righteous dead will be opened and they will be 44:23 resurrected with their immortal bodies. 44:26 Together with the living righteous they will meet Jesus 44:29 in the air. 44:30 And then, the wicked dead, who are in their graves, they remain 44:34 in their graves. 44:36 But the wicked who are alive when Jesus comes a second time, 44:39 they are destroyed with the brightness of Christ's coming. 44:42 So, you have the righteous with Jesus in the air and you have 44:46 the wicked all destroyed on earth. 44:48 Then, the righteous go to heaven for 1000 years, according to 44:50 Revelation chapter 20. 44:52 Talks about the Millennium, 1000 year reign with Christ, and the 44:55 righteous will be with Jesus in heaven. 44:57 At the end of the 1000 years, the New Jerusalem, Revelation 45:01 chapter 21, the New Jerusalem comes down from God out of 45:04 heaven, and it's at that point that Jesus sets His feet on the 45:08 Mount of Olives and it opens up and forms a great valley. 45:10 That's Zachariah that talks about that. 45:13 The New Jerusalem comes to rest, and then all the wicked 45:16 are resurrected. 45:18 Revelation chapter 20 calls this the second resurrection. 45:21 So, the righteous are resurrected at the First 45:24 Resurrection at the beginning of the 1000 years, and the wicked 45:26 are resurrected at the end of the 1000 years called the 45:28 Second Resurrection. 45:30 That's what we call the Great White Throne Judgment, 45:32 Revelation chapter 20. 45:34 And then, at the end of that judgment, the wicked mount their 45:37 attack upon the New Jerusalem, fire comes down and 45:40 devours them. 45:41 That is the final destruction of the wicked, otherwise known as 45:44 the lake of fire. 45:45 It is where the wicked and the earth is cleansed from sin. 45:49 And then, Jesus makes a new heavens and a new earth. 45:53 So, that's kind of the breakdown of the First Resurrection and 45:58 the Second Resurrection. 45:59 Does that make sense? 46:01 Ava-Joe: Yes, thank you so very much. 46:03 Jëan: All right, you're welcome. 46:04 You know, we do have a study guide that talks about the 46:06 1000 years. 46:07 It's called, "1000 Years of Peace," and anyone wanting to 46:10 learn more about this, you read about it in Revelation 46:12 chapter 20. 46:14 The number to call for that is 800-835-6747 and you can ask for 46:18 that study guide. 46:20 It's called, "1000 Years of Peace." 46:21 The number, again, is 800-835-6747 or you can dial 46:26 pound 250 on your smartphone and just say, "Bible Answers Live" 46:31 and ask for it by name, "1000 Years of Peace." 46:34 We've got James listening in Michigan. 46:36 Detroit, Michigan. 46:37 James, welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 46:39 James: Hello, Pastor Ross. 46:41 How are you and thank you for taking my call. 46:43 Jëan: I'm doing well. Thanks for calling. 46:45 James: Good. 46:46 My question is, was Satan cast out of heaven before the earth 46:52 was created or after the earth was created? 46:56 Jëan: Okay, the war in heaven that you read about in 46:59 Revelation chapter 12, it says there was--let me just read it. 47:02 It's right here. 47:04 Revelation 12, verse 7. 47:05 It says, "And war broke out in heaven: 47:07 Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon 47:10 and his angels fought..." 47:11 So, there's war in heaven between Michael. 47:13 Michael is the prophetic name of Jesus. 47:16 They're not saying Jesus is an angel. 47:18 Michael just simply means--refers to Jesus in the 47:21 prophetic sense. 47:23 So, Jesus and His angels fought with the dragon, or Satan and 47:27 his angels. 47:28 So, one third of the angels joined Satan in his rebellion 47:30 against God. 47:32 We know that from Revelation chapter 12, but eventually the 47:36 devil was cast out of heaven and he sort of went around the 47:39 universe looking for a place that he could kind of establish 47:42 as his headquarters in his rebellion against God. 47:46 Right around that time, and the Bible doesn't tell us how much 47:49 time passed between the war in heaven and the creation 47:52 of earth. 47:53 It probably wasn't too long. 47:55 But after the devil and his angels are cast out of heaven, 47:57 then God creates planet Earth, and the devil looks, and here's 48:02 Adam and Eve and he thinks, why, if I can only get them to side 48:05 with me, then I can make the earth my headquarters. 48:09 And that's when he came and he appeared as a serpent in the 48:12 garden of Eden. 48:14 And of course, you know the story, he is able to deceive 48:15 Adam and Eve to trust--or distrust God, disobey God, and 48:20 to believe him. 48:21 They were deceived. 48:23 Of course, that opened up the floodgates of sorrow and death. 48:26 But God did not abandon mankind. 48:28 Of course, the plan of redemption also began through 48:31 the sacrificing of the Lamb, which ultimately pointed to 48:34 Jesus that would take away the sins of the world. 48:37 So, yes, Satan is cast out of heaven before Creation. 48:40 We don't know how much--or how much time elapsed, but then he 48:44 was able to come and deceive Adam and Eve. 48:47 Does that help, James? 48:48 James: Yes, thank you so much. 48:50 That answered my question. 48:52 I appreciate the call and thank you for Amazing Facts. 48:55 Jëan: Oh, you're welcome. Thanks for calling. 48:57 Next caller that we have--let's see, Glenn in Ohio. 49:00 Glenn, welcome to the program. 49:02 Glenn: Good evening, sir. 49:03 Thanks for taking my call. 49:05 Jëan: Absolutely. 49:06 Glenn: You know, as a young lad, I learned a lesson. 49:09 That is, when reading the Bible, if it seems to run into a 49:12 conflict, I need to remember that I don't understand. 49:17 That's the answer to the conflict because there are no 49:19 conflicts in the Bible. 49:20 Jëan: Right, we got to study further. 49:22 Glenn: But in reading Genesis 6:6, there seems to be a 49:26 conflict, and I'm just interested in an explanation 49:29 for something that questions the omniscience of God. 49:32 Jëan: Let me read the verse and then let's talk about it. 49:34 Says, "And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the 49:37 earth, and He was grieved in His heart." 49:40 So, your question is? 49:42 Glenn: He repented. 49:43 Jëan: He repented, yes. 49:44 There's different words that are sometimes used. 49:46 I'm reading from the New King James. 49:48 If you read the King James it says that God repented. 49:51 The idea there, meaning that He was sorrowful or He was pained. 49:56 The word repentance, again, depending upon the context where 49:59 it's used, it's not that God repented from anything that He 50:02 did wrong, because God's perfect, but pain came to the 50:05 heart of God. 50:07 He was sorry when He saw the way man was treating man. 50:10 Because the Bible says, violence filled the earth and every 50:12 imagination of the heart was evil continually and God 50:15 was pained. 50:17 He was sorry about what had happened on the earth. 50:19 So, it's not a regret. 50:21 Glenn: But He knew that it was coming. 50:22 Jëan: He did. 50:23 God knows the end from the beginning and yet He still 50:25 allowed it. 50:27 And why did He allow it? 50:28 Because God respects freedom of choice. 50:30 I mean, He knew that when He created Adam and Eve, that they 50:33 would eventually rebel and that it would cost the very life of 50:36 His Son, that Jesus would have to die. 50:39 And yet, God still continued to create man. 50:42 So, freedom is very important to God. 50:45 And why is freedom so important? 50:46 Because God can't accept worship that is not freely given. 50:52 God can't accept love that is forced. 50:55 It has to be freely given. 50:58 We have to choose. 50:59 But there's a risk. 51:00 If you love someone and you give them freedom to choose, there's 51:02 a risk that they're not always going to do what you want them 51:05 to do. 51:06 So, even though God knew that would happen, He still allowed 51:09 freedom, allowed them to make their choice, but then He 51:13 pledged Himself to provide a way of salvation so that we can 51:17 live forever. 51:18 Glenn: It says a lot about free will. 51:20 Jëan: It's very important. 51:21 Glenn: And I'd like to call another time and ask you 51:24 something about free will. 51:26 And the reality and the truth and the wonderness of God. 51:29 I agree with you, sir. 51:30 Thanks for the explanation. 51:31 Jëan: Thank you for calling, Glenn. 51:33 We appreciate it. 51:34 All right, the next caller that we have is Darryl, listening 51:36 in Canada. 51:37 Daryl, welcome to the program. 51:40 Daryl: Thank you, pastor. 51:42 Jëan: Yeah. Thanks for calling. 51:43 Daryl: I have a grandson, five and six, and then two twin 51:49 girls due in July. 51:51 Jëan: Oh, congratulations. 51:54 Daryl: Thank you. 51:55 My question is, how will God--like, if Jesus was to 51:58 return today, how would God deal with the resurrected bodies of 52:02 the babies, born and unborn? 52:05 Jëan: Okay, well, I think all of the children that'll be 52:09 resurrected, or maybe that'll be alive at the Second Coming of 52:13 Christ, they, along with the adults, will receive 52:16 glorified bodies. 52:18 However, they will receive glorified baby bodies, you might 52:21 say, or glorified teenager bodies, or wherever they are 52:25 in life. 52:26 So, if it is a baby and the baby receives a glorified baby body, 52:31 whatever that is, of course, we don't know, but the child will 52:35 grow up. 52:36 Isaiah says that "they shall grow up as calves in the stall," 52:40 and it talks about children that are playing in the streets, 52:44 playing with the animals. 52:45 So, there will be children in heaven. 52:47 They'll probably grow a little bit slower than they grow here 52:50 on the earth, but eventually children will grow up. 52:53 So, it'll be kind of neat to see how these children grow up in 52:58 heaven as they learn in a perfect environment, in the 53:01 presence of God, the presence of the angels, perfect love. 53:06 If ever you could choose where you want to grow up, you'd want 53:09 to grow up in heaven. 53:10 So, yes, God is going to take care of the babies, the 53:13 children, those who are resurrected when He comes again. 53:16 You know, we do have a book that we'll be happy to send anyone 53:21 talking about heaven. 53:23 It says, "Heaven: Is it for Real?" 53:25 That is a free gift. 53:26 We'll send it to anyone who calls and asks. 53:27 The number is 800-835-6747. 53:31 That is our resource phone line. 53:32 You can just answer the book, "Heaven: Is it for Real?" 53:35 You can dial pound 250 on your smartphone and say, "Bible 53:39 Answers Live," and then ask for that book, "Heaven: Is it 53:42 for Real?" 53:43 Time for one more caller before we take a break. 53:45 Angela, we got just about a minute. 53:47 What is your question? 53:48 Angela from New York. 53:50 Angela: Yes, okay. 53:51 So, my question is, I, you know, I believe that Jesus Christ is 53:56 my Lord and Savior, but my question is, why isn't He in the 54:00 Old Testament, but He's in the New Testament? 54:03 Jëan: Okay, good question. 54:04 Well, Jesus is in the Old Testament. 54:07 He is all over the Old Testament. 54:08 He is sometimes referred to as the angel of the Lord, 54:11 the messenger. 54:13 The word angel means messenger. 54:14 It was Jesus in the pillar of fire that led the children 54:17 of Israel. 54:19 It was Jesus in the type of the sacrifices, the lamb, in the 54:23 priests, in the whole service. 54:25 It was Christ that was leading His people. 54:28 And so, yes, Jesus is in the Old Testament. 54:30 Matter of fact, all of the Old Testament prophecies point 54:32 to Jesus. 54:34 Of course, Jesus appeared to Moses at the burning bush and He 54:36 gave Himself the name "I Am." 54:38 That's why Jesus, when He was in the earth, He said to the 54:41 religious leaders, "Before Abraham was, I am." 54:44 He used that very same name that was used at the burning bush. 54:48 So, yes, Jesus is in the Old Testament in all 54:51 different places. 54:53 All those of you who are listening on satellite radio, we 54:55 are going to say goodbye, as we're going off satellite radio 54:59 just a little earlier before the rest of the stations. 55:01 For those of you listening on land based stations watching on 55:04 AFTV, we'll be right back. 55:10 male announcer: Thank you for listening to today's broadcast. 55:13 We hope you understand your Bible even better than before. 55:16 "Bible Answers Live" is produced by Amazing Facts International, 55:21 a faith-based ministry located in Granite Bay, California. 55:26 Jëan: Hello, friends, and welcome back. 55:27 Those who have stayed by on the various land based radio 55:30 stations, also watching on the internet and on Amazing Facts 55:33 TV, we're going to take some of your email questions. 55:36 We want to thank the many who have sent us questions 55:38 via email. 55:40 If you'd like to email us a question, it's just 55:41 simply BALquestions@amazingfacts.org. 55:46 That's BALquestions@amazingfacts.org. 55:50 All right, Johnny's asking the question, "Does the principle of 55:53 tithe apply to gifts received?" 55:56 Well, it depends. 55:57 The principle that we find in the Bible is that we are to 56:00 tithe on our increase. 56:02 So, if we receive a gift, an unexpected gift, and, you know, 56:07 we want to thank the Lord for that gift, it's appropriate. 56:10 Now, that doesn't always mean if it's a tangible thing that 56:13 somebody gives you. 56:15 Of course, you can't tithe on that, a car or whatever it is 56:18 you might receive. 56:19 You might wish to give a special offering at church, a love 56:22 offering, in recognition of the gift that God has given. 56:25 If it's money that somebody has given you, yes, you are able to 56:28 tithe on that. 56:30 So, pray for the Spirit to lead you, but it's always a good 56:33 thing to recognize God as being the true giver of all things and 56:38 return your tithes to Him. 56:40 All right, Terry's asking, "Is it true that the Ten 56:43 Commandments are written on sapphire stone?" 56:45 Well, the Bible doesn't tell us for sure what type of stone was 56:48 used upon which the Ten Commandments were written. 56:51 We do know in the Bible that blue, the color blue, is often 56:54 associated with God's law. 56:56 The priests were told to make a hem of blue at the border of 57:00 their robes and that was to remind them of the law of God. 57:04 When they washed their hands and they washed their feet, they 57:06 would see that blue and remind them about obedience. 57:09 So, blue is often associated with the law of God. 57:12 Was the Ten Commandments written on a sapphire stone? 57:14 Possibly. 57:16 I, you know, the Bible is not absolutely clear on that. 57:18 I think one day we will know and that will become true. 57:22 All right, next question that we have is, "The Bible says the 57:25 wages of sin is death. 57:26 Is it talking about the first or the second death?" 57:28 When the Bible says the wages of sin is death, it's talking about 57:31 the second death. 57:32 Now, the first death is the death that we die now. 57:35 For the believer, death is described as a sleep in the 57:39 Bible and when Jesus comes the righteous are going to be 57:42 awakened from that sleep. 57:44 That's why Jesus said, with reference to Lazarus, "Our 57:46 friend Lazarus sleepeth," when he was actually dead. 57:50 Now, true death, as the Bible describes, is the death that the 57:54 wicked experience at the end of the 1000 years. 57:56 There is no hope of resurrection. 57:58 They are forever separated. 58:00 There is a judgment associated with that final, second death, 58:05 so that is the ultimate reward for sin. 58:07 That is the wages of sin, which is death. 58:09 Friends, thank you so much for joining us here at "Bible 58:12 Answers Live." 58:13 Look forward to talking some more next week. 58:15 God bless. 58:17 male announcer: "Bible Answers Live," honest and accurate 58:20 answers to your Bible questions. |
Revised 2024-08-28