Participants:
Series Code: TDYQA
Program Code: TDYQA210014A
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00:01 As you're well aware,
00:02 we're living in unprecedented times. 00:05 Join us now for Today special program. 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Mending broken people 00:23 I want to spend my life 00:29 Removing pain 00:34 Lord, let my words 00:39 Heal a heart that hurts 00:44 I want to spend my life 00:50 Mending broken people 00:55 I want to spend my life 01:01 Mending broken people 01:15 Hello, I'm Jill Morikone and welcome to 3ABN today 01:18 Bible Q and A. 01:20 Now if you're just joining us, you might say, 01:22 what in the world is Bible Q and A? 01:24 It is our rapid fire 01:25 Bible questions and answers program. 01:28 I love it because we can get into the Word of God, 01:31 we can just begin to scratch the surface, 01:33 and it leaves you wanting to study more, 01:35 so that's a wonderful thing. 01:36 I want to introduce our family to you at this time. 01:40 They're students of the Word, men of God. 01:43 And so blessed, I'm always blessed 01:45 when they open up the Word and share. 01:47 Pastor John Lomacang, my pastor, 01:48 Pastor of Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church 01:50 and 3ABN Director of World Evangelism. 01:52 Delighted to have you here. 01:54 I always learn something every time 01:56 these questions you send in, 01:58 it forces us to go back 01:59 and relearn what God has revealed, 02:01 and we always learn something new. 02:03 So thank you for your faithfulness. 02:04 Amen. 02:05 Sitting next to you, Pastor Ryan Day, 02:07 always a privilege to have you here, 02:09 of course you work in our 3ABN pastoral department 02:11 putting together an amazing database 02:14 which will be available fairly soon, 02:16 and thank you so much for what you do 02:17 for the cause of God. 02:19 Amen. 02:20 It's a blessing to always be here to be 02:21 a part of this program 02:23 and just want to thank our viewers 02:24 for sending in the questions. 02:25 Keep sending them in. Amen. 02:27 And last but not least sitting next to me Pastor John Dinzey, 02:30 of course, General Manager of 3ABN Latino 02:33 and student of the Word as well, 02:34 and thank you so much, Pastor Johnny, 02:35 for being here. 02:37 It's a blessing for me as well, you know, 02:38 when you read God's Word, God brings a blessing on you 02:42 when you read God's Word, 02:44 Amen. 02:45 Absolutely I want to let you know 02:46 how you can send in your questions. 02:49 We have hundreds and hundreds of questions 02:51 that have already come in. 02:53 So you can text us at 618-228-3975. 02:58 That number again is 618-228-3975, 03:03 or you can email us at BibleQA@3abn.org 03:08 That's BibleQA@3abn.org 03:12 So maybe you're studying the Word of God now 03:14 and when you say, I don't quite understand this, 03:17 I don't know what this means, 03:19 send in your questions either text or email 03:22 and we will get to them on an upcoming edition 03:25 of our Bible QA program. 03:27 Of course, this airs every Monday, 03:29 so every Monday you can capture and if you miss it, 03:31 you can catch it on YouTube, 03:33 or at our website where we have it on demand. 03:36 So before we open up the Word of God, 03:38 let's read a scripture and go to prayer 03:40 and then we'll jump right in. 03:42 The scripture I have is 2 Peter 1:20-21, 03:46 "Knowing this first, no prophecy of Scripture 03:49 is of any private interpretation, 03:51 for prophecy never came by the will of man, 03:54 but holy men of God spoke 03:55 as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." 03:58 We know that the Word of God is inspired, 03:59 we know that we don't have any ability 04:02 of ourselves to speak, 04:04 or share from the Word of God. 04:06 So we want to go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to anoint 04:08 and illumine and open up our minds 04:11 and hearts to receive. 04:12 Pastor Johnny, would you pray for us? 04:14 Sure. Let us pray together. 04:17 Our wonderful and loving Heavenly Father 04:19 we rejoice in Your salvation. 04:21 We thank You, Lord, for the promise that if we ask, 04:24 we will receive. 04:25 And at this time, Lord, we ask for Your Holy Spirit, 04:28 that we may share the Holy Scriptures 04:31 in such a way that people will be drawn to Jesus. 04:33 We pray for You to bless us to be able to make clear that 04:38 which seems difficult, and we pray for everyone 04:41 that is tuning in, watching, listening, 04:44 we pray that Your Holy Spirit 04:46 will also impress upon their minds. 04:48 The blessing and the joy it is to study Your Holy Word. 04:52 We pray for these things in Jesus' holy and blessed name. 04:56 Amen. Amen. 04:57 Amen. 04:58 Well, I'm ready to hear the answers 05:00 from our panel so let's jump right in. 05:01 We're going to Ryan, we're going to you first. 05:03 Sure. 05:04 This says, "Since the Sunday law 05:05 is the mark of the beast. 05:07 What are we as Seventh-day Adventists 05:08 supposed to do to receive the seal of God? 05:10 Do we receive the seal of God by just continuing to keep 05:14 the Sabbath day the seventh day holy?" 05:17 This came from Marjorie in Massachusetts. 05:19 So how do we receive the seal of God? 05:20 Yeah, absolutely. 05:22 Marjorie, thank you so much for sending in this question, 05:24 and I know exactly what you meant 05:25 when you use the certain language in your question. 05:27 I just want to address a couple things 05:28 for clarification purposes. 05:30 First of all, the Sunday law in and of itself 05:31 is not the mark of the beast, 05:33 it's what is used to bring about the mark of the beast, 05:35 the final test which is dealing with the Sabbath, 05:37 the rejection of the biblical Sabbath 05:39 and the acceptance of a counterfeit Sabbath 05:41 is indeed the mark of the beast and so will, 05:43 that maybe is another question 05:44 somebody might want to send in a question about that. 05:47 But what are we as Seventh-day Adventist 05:49 supposed to do to receive the seal of God? 05:51 Well, we're supposed to do everything 05:53 that everybody else is supposed to do 05:54 and that is we have to make sure that 05:56 we have an in depth relationship 05:58 with Jesus Christ, 06:00 that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit of the Lord. 06:02 First of all, the first thing that 06:04 comes to my mind is Acts 2:38, 06:06 when they ask Peter, "What must we do?" 06:08 He made it very clear, " Repent." 06:09 That's number one. 06:11 "Repent of your sins, 06:12 let every one of you be baptized 06:14 in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ 06:15 for the remission of your sins, 06:16 and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." 06:20 And so we have to confess and repent of our sins, 06:23 that's number one. 06:24 And, of course, when we confess our sins, 06:26 1 John 1:9 lets us know and tells us clearly that 06:29 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful 06:31 and just to forgive us our sins and to," 06:33 here's the key word, 06:35 "to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 06:38 In John 15:5, Jesus talks about having an abiding relationship. 06:42 He said, "I am the vine, you are the branches. 06:45 He who abides in Me and I in him bears much fruit, 06:48 for without Me you can do nothing." 06:50 When we are in that abiding relationship, 06:52 we're being led and guided in a constant 06:55 surrendered relationship with Jesus Christ. 06:57 And so what must we do to make sure that 06:59 we are sealed by the Holy Spirit, 07:01 that we had received the seal of God. 07:03 Yes, the Sabbath is a major part, 07:05 but the Sabbath in and of itself does not save us. 07:07 Jesus is the one who saves us. 07:09 The Holy Spirit is the one who seals us, 07:11 and yes the final test. 07:13 If we're living in that time, we're willing, 07:15 it will come down to your dedication 07:17 to keeping all of the Ten Commandments. 07:19 Not just the Sabbath, 07:21 but remember Isaiah 8:16 says, 07:22 "Bind up the testimony, 07:23 seal the law among My disciples." 07:26 It just happens to be that 07:27 that final test is gonna come down 07:28 to whether or not you obey the Creator 07:31 in observing His Sabbath day, 07:32 the true biblical Sabbath day, or you reject it 07:35 and receive the false counterfeit Sabbath. 07:37 So in this case, to prepare for the seal of God 07:40 to receive that an abiding daily 07:42 surrendering relationship 07:43 with Christ is absolutely needed, 07:45 and that will lead you to love Him enough 07:47 to keep all of His commandments. 07:49 Amen. Powerful answer. Thank you so much. 07:51 The seal of God is not just one thing 07:53 but it's that encompassing with Jesus, I love that. 07:55 Pastor John, we're coming to you. 07:57 "How, when and who decided what books 08:01 were to be included in the Bible?" 08:03 This is from John. 08:05 Well thank you, Jill, for that question. 08:06 Do I have 15 minutes to answer that? 08:08 And since the answer is no, let me just dive right into it. 08:11 We believe that the Bible is the canonical writings, 08:15 meaning a collection of genuine writings. 08:18 Now this is a very short answer, 08:19 but I want to just pose two questions. 08:21 Is the Bible a collection of authoritative writings, 08:26 or is it an authoritative collection of writings? 08:29 It may sound like the same thing 08:30 but as you study further into this. 08:32 When you look at the development 08:34 of those movements 08:35 that believe that a group of individuals 08:38 or persons individually 08:40 have conferred on the Bible 08:42 saying the Bible is an authoritative collection. 08:44 It suggests that they have given the Bible authority. 08:48 But the Bible is a collection of authoritative writings, 08:51 meaning the authority is in the Bible, 08:53 not in the conference. 08:55 That's why 2 Timothy 3:16, 08:57 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God 09:01 and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, 09:03 for instruction in righteousness." 09:06 Now Protestants 09:07 and I'm a Protestant believe that 09:08 the Bible is a collection of authoritative writings, 09:10 meaning that the authority is not in us. 09:14 It is in the Holy Writ. 09:16 The Holy Writ is the unchangeable 09:17 authority of God's Word. 09:19 The Bible's authority is unchangeable 09:21 whether we agree with it or not. 09:22 And, but you find 09:24 there's a differing in the theological world like 09:26 for example, in the Catholic world, 09:28 the Eastern Orthodox, the Oriental Orthodox, 09:31 the Assyrians and the Anglicans, 09:33 traditionally believed the opposite. 09:35 They believe that the Bible is... 09:38 The conference of His authority was decided by the church. 09:41 We don't believe that. 09:43 We believe the conference was decided by God. 09:45 And when it was developed, that's where you get the phrase 09:48 "sacred tradition," 09:49 so they could add to the Bible, 09:51 well, we believe that since we say this is sacred, 09:54 then we could add to the sacred nature of that 09:57 by adding sacred tradition as for Sunday and Sabbath 10:00 were on the same plane for some time. 10:03 When you look at the lifespan of the Old Testament 10:06 from about 1400 BC to about 430 BC 10:09 you find the Old Testament was, 10:11 was concluded the writings aspect of it. 10:15 The historian Josephus wrote that the Old Testament 10:18 was completed around 430 BC, 10:20 and you find 10:21 the authoritative nature of that Jesus 10:23 referred many times, 10:24 throughout His life Jesus made many references 10:27 to the Old Testament prophets, 10:28 and He talked about nine times 10:30 you find this in the life of Christ, 10:32 the scripture is fulfilled, the scripture is fulfilled, 10:35 meaning by the time of Christ the scriptures 10:37 were not still in process, they were locked. 10:41 Now He's coming to fulfill them. 10:42 And He says something amazing in John 10:35, 10:45 in His own authority. 10:46 Jesus says, "And the scriptures cannot be broken," 10:49 meaning the Old Testament is still not in process. 10:52 You also find in Matthew 26:54, 10:55 "How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, 10:57 that it must happen thus?" 10:59 So Jesus said this is happening in my life to fulfill 11:02 what has already been established. 11:04 So in a nutshell, 11:05 Peter considered the writings of Paul to be authoritative. 11:09 He said, many people wrestle with the writings of Paul 11:11 to their own destruction. 11:12 And Paul, his writings were considered epistles, 11:15 passed from one church to the next, 11:16 meaning it was developed 11:18 in the church today still establishes it. 11:20 So lastly, Revelation 22:18, we don't change the Bible, 11:25 the Bible is supposed to change us. 11:27 "For I testify to everyone 11:29 who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: 11:31 If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues 11:34 that are written in the book." 11:35 And if anyone takes away his name, 11:37 he would be taken out of the book of life. 11:38 The Bible is authoritative writings, 11:41 the authority conferred on it by God 11:43 and inspired by the Holy Spirit. 11:45 Amen. That's a powerful answer. 11:47 I need nine more minutes. That was really good. 11:51 We're gonna stay with the topic of the Bible 11:52 and books of the Bible 11:54 so we're coming to you, Pastor Johnny. 11:55 "As a beginner of Bible study, where do I start, 11:58 which Bible book can I begin with? 12:01 How does one even study the Bible?" 12:03 And this comes from Polki. 12:05 Okay, that's a good question. 12:07 And what I like to say, most of the time is, 12:11 I'd like to recommend starting with the Book of John, 12:15 because it gives you a picture of Jesus who Jesus is. 12:18 From, He existed from eternity past, 12:22 and He has no beginning 12:25 and it talks to you in a marvelous way. 12:28 It seems like the Apostle John 12:29 captured the love of Christ in such a way, 12:33 and the Lord used him in a mighty way 12:35 to bring forth the gospel message marvelously 12:38 so then I would say, go back to Matthew, 12:40 and read again from Matthew all the way 12:42 to the Book of Romans, then you're gonna get 12:45 a nice foundation to be able to read, 12:49 let's say back in Genesis. 12:52 Some people start in Genesis, which is fine. 12:54 You understand that we were created by God, 12:58 marvelous place to begin. 13:00 But my suggestion is begin with John, 13:03 get a foundation on 13:04 who Jesus is because in John 17:3, 13:07 it has the words, "And this is life eternal, 13:09 that they may know You, the only true God, 13:11 and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." 13:13 So having this foundation of Jesus Christ as our Creator, 13:19 as our Savior, 13:20 as the one who sacrificed His life for us. 13:23 As you read John, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. 13:26 Because when you do this, 13:28 you're gonna find that you're looking unto Jesus, 13:30 the author and finisher of our faith. 13:32 You have that good foundation, 13:34 then you get into the Book of Acts 13:35 and you see how the disciples 13:37 were faithful carrying this message. 13:39 And it tells you in the Book of Acts, 13:41 there is salvation in none other than Jesus Christ, 13:44 there's no name under heaven whereby we must be saved. 13:48 So that's why, get that nice foundation 13:49 in Book of Romans 13:51 and takes you into righteousness by faith. 13:53 And so this gives you a nice foundation. 13:56 This is Romans 5:8 says, 13:57 "And God demonstrates His love toward us, 13:59 in that while we were yet sinners, 14:01 Christ died for us." 14:02 Once you get all that, and you go into Genesis 14:05 and you see how all things began, 14:07 you understand that there is a Savior. 14:09 Amen. 14:11 Christ is the center and circumference of Scripture. 14:12 Amen. 14:13 We're going from Scripture to what we're supposed to eat. 14:16 Pastor John, we're coming to you. 14:18 In Luke 24:42-43 when Jesus met with His disciples, 14:23 "They gave Jesus boiled fish, and He took and ate." 14:26 "It seems strange that being in His immortal and sinless body, 14:31 that He would eat dead flesh. 14:33 How do we explain this action?" 14:34 This comes from out Hal in Berrien Springs. 14:37 Thank you for that question Jill. 14:39 I want to begin, 14:40 because the reference is in Luke 24:42-43, 14:43 I'm not going to read that. 14:45 But I'm going to say that if the Bible parameters 14:48 are followed for clean and unclean. 14:52 That is the ultimate test of whether or not 14:55 we are in violation 14:56 of God's biblical health principles 14:58 or in harmony with it. 14:59 And Leviticus 11:9-12 gives us the parameters. 15:03 So, and then we'll go back to discussing Jesus. 15:07 It says in Leviticus 11:9, 15:09 "These you may eat of all that are in the water: 15:11 whatever in the water has fins and scales, 15:13 whether in the seas 15:15 or in the rivers that you may eat. 15:17 But all that are all in the seas 15:19 or in the rivers that do not have fins and scales, 15:21 all that move in the water or any living thing 15:24 which is in the water, 15:25 they are an abomination to you." 15:27 And that what the Bible 15:29 is in essence saying like crabs, 15:30 shrimps, lobsters, oysters, clams, scallops, 15:33 so many other things, shark, 15:36 they don't have fins and scales. 15:38 When you establish these parameters, 15:40 I think the question made it almost sound like, 15:42 well, now that Jesus is in His immortal sinless body 15:45 how dare He, then He would, 15:48 if He was in violation, He would now be a sinner 15:51 even though He was now in this resurrected body. 15:55 We have to keep in mind and if you traveled as I have 15:57 and many of us have around 15:59 this Seventh-day Adventist world, 16:01 you go to countries 16:02 where they don't have stuff that 16:04 come out of factories. 16:05 Now let me pause on that. 16:06 When you think that what comes out of a factory, 16:09 and I'm being very candid here. 16:11 If it comes out of a can, 16:13 it's got to be something that was made up, 16:15 it's a combination of things that we don't even know, 16:17 formaldehyde and rubber and I'm just being candid here. 16:20 There are some things that 16:22 we call healthy vegetarian foods 16:24 that people that are real vegetarians 16:26 wouldn't eat. 16:27 So what was Jesus establishing here? 16:28 He is saying as long as you follow 16:30 the parameters of Scripture, 16:32 you are in harmony with the code of God. 16:35 And so when we get to heaven, 16:37 obviously we're not gonna eat fish. 16:39 In the New Earth animals 16:41 are not going to be running away from us 16:42 fearful of their lives. 16:43 But as well in this life, 16:45 the Bible establishes parameters 16:46 for clean and unclean, and we are safe 16:48 as long as we stay within those guidelines. 16:49 Amen. 16:50 Thank you, solid biblical, Pastor. 16:52 We're gonna stay with the topic of food. 16:53 Pastor Johnny, coming back to you. 16:55 "I was in the Philippines 16:57 at a Seventh-day Adventist University. 16:58 And what I found there was very confusing 17:00 as they were eating ducks. 17:02 When I asked they said, "It was clean to eat ducks." 17:05 Is duck clean or unclean?" Charles. 17:09 That is a very good question. 17:12 Actually you know, 17:13 I kind of grew up myself thinking that 17:15 these animals were unclean. 17:17 Because you look at them and those ducks, you know, 17:20 they practically eat anything they can see, 17:23 especially they put their little beaks 17:25 inside all the filthy stuff and you say, 17:27 I don't think I'll eat that. 17:29 But these animals, of course, you have the question is, 17:33 are they clean or unclean? 17:35 The question came in my mind specially 17:37 when I was in Germany, and I found out that 17:39 the Seventh-day Adventists over there eat duck. 17:43 When I was visiting this lady, and she said that her husband, 17:47 which was a pastor, he passed away 17:49 and she started talking to me about duck and I said, 17:51 "You know this is an unclean animal." 17:52 No. She said, "It's clean." 17:54 And we went back and forth a little bit, 17:55 but after doing some research in this, 17:58 you will find that God names the birds that 18:03 we can eat, the fowl that we can eat by name. 18:06 So when you go to Leviticus Chapter 11, 18:10 you will find the references to these animals, 18:12 beginning in verse 13, and some people think 18:14 because the duck has that kind of a web type of, 18:17 what do you call them, feet? 18:19 Feet. Feet. 18:21 They say, "Oh, no, it's unclean but it's not unclean." 18:23 According to Jewish tradition, 18:27 the duck is in the list of clean animals 18:29 and you know very well that the, you know, 18:31 they're very strict about their diet. 18:33 So let's take a look at 18:35 Leviticus 11:13-20, 18:41 let's see how far we can get based on the time 18:43 that we have allotted. 18:45 And Leviticus 11:13 and onward, let's go to. 18:49 Right here we got it. Here we go. 18:52 It says here, notice, notice very carefully. 18:55 "And these you shall regard 18:57 as an abomination among the birds, 18:58 they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination. 19:01 The eagle, the vulture, the buzzard, the kite, 19:05 and the falcon after its kind, 19:06 you see as it get after its kind, 19:08 every raven after its kind, 19:10 the ostrich, the short-eared owl, 19:12 the sea gulls, and the hawk after its kind, the little owl, 19:16 and the fisher owl, and the screech owl, 19:19 the white owl, the jackdaw, and the carrion vulture, 19:24 the stork, the heron after its kind, 19:26 the hoopoe, or the hoopie, and the bat." 19:29 Don't eat any bats please. 19:31 So, these are the animals and then notice that 19:33 they have been named specifically, 19:36 so we don't have any guidance beyond that. 19:39 So the unclean birds are the ones 19:40 that are listed here specifically in Leviticus. 19:42 The unclean birds after, and after their kind. 19:44 Good, absolutely. 19:46 I want to remind you to send in your questions 19:48 for our Bible panel. 19:50 We will answer them on an upcoming program. 19:51 You can text them to 618-228-3975. 19:56 That number again is 618-228-3975, 20:00 or you can email your questions, 20:02 that address is BibleQA@3abn.org 20:07 That's BibleQA@3abn.org 20:11 We would love to take your questions 20:13 on an upcoming program. 20:15 Pastor Ryan, we're coming to you. 20:17 My question is from 1 Thessalonians 4:14, 20:21 "Who is he bringing back with him? 20:23 If those saved are in the graves, 20:26 how can they be in the grave and be in heaven with God 20:29 at the same time? 20:30 It says he brings back those who sleep in Jesus," 20:34 submitted by Healing Touch. 20:36 Okay, well I appreciate 20:38 whoever submitted this question. 20:39 It's a great question. 20:40 But I just want just to make just in your question, 20:43 I noticed there's a word you added 20:45 that's actually not in the text. 20:46 So you said that he says, 20:49 "He brings back those who sleep in Jesus 20:52 or brings back with Him." 20:53 So if we go to the text here, notice what... 20:55 I'm gonna actually go to 1 Thessalonians 4. 20:57 I'm gonna start reading in verse 13, 20:58 notice what it actually says. 21:00 It says, "But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, 21:02 concerning those who have fallen asleep, 21:05 lest you sorrow as others who have no hope." 21:08 That he's addressing this issue because the church at the time, 21:10 in this case is the church Thessalonica, 21:13 they had begun sorrowing in the idea that 21:15 they had loved ones who believed in the Lord 21:16 who would put their trust in the Lord, 21:18 but they had already went to sleep 21:19 and Jesus hadn't been buried. 21:21 And so Paul was doing 21:22 all this talk about resurrection 21:23 and Christ coming back for His people 21:25 and now they're saying, "Wow, wow, wait a second, 21:26 if we're going to meet the Lord in the air, 21:28 what about our loved ones who are in the grave?" 21:30 And so that's why Paul says, 21:31 "Look, I don't want you to be eager on this, 21:33 let me clarify it." 21:34 And so verse 14 is the one in question. 21:36 He says, "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, 21:39 notice how Jesus died and He rose again, 21:41 resurrection involved, 21:43 even so God will not bring back with Him, 21:46 but even so God will bring with Him 21:49 those who sleep in Jesus." 21:51 So they're not in heaven, they're asleep in Jesus. 21:53 Now how do we know that Paul's saying this, 21:55 and what he means by this? 21:56 Continue reading, verse 15, 21:58 "For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, 22:00 that we who are alive and remain 22:02 until the coming of the Lord 22:04 will by no means precede those who are asleep." 22:07 He's saying that we're not gonna go before them 22:09 because that was their idea. 22:10 We're going to leave and go to heaven 22:12 and our dead loved ones who died in Christ, 22:14 they're gonna be left in the graves. 22:15 He said, " No, no, we're not gonna go before them, 22:17 they're gonna be going with us." 22:18 How do we know that? 22:20 Notice those famous verses starting in verse 16. 22:22 It says, "For the Lord Himself will descend 22:24 from heaven with a shout, 22:25 with the voice of an archangel," 22:27 this is the Second Coming," and with the trumpet of God, 22:29 "and, here it is, 22:30 "The dead in Christ will rise first." 22:33 They don't go to heaven before us. 22:35 We don't go to heaven before them. 22:36 How do we know? 22:38 Verse 17, "Then we who are alive 22:40 and remain shall be caught up together 22:43 with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." 22:45 And, thus, and then at that point, 22:48 we shall always be with the Lord. 22:51 So that's what this is mean, 22:52 it's not meaning that God is bringing saints with them, 22:55 with Him back from heaven, they're asleep in the grave 22:57 and He means He's going to take them 22:59 with Him when we all return back to the kingdom of God. 23:02 Amen. Very clear. 23:04 Thank you. 23:05 Staying with the theme of the state of the dead, 23:06 Pastor John, "Where is Abraham right now?" 23:10 This question stems from the parable 23:12 of the rich man and Lazarus, 23:13 of course, from Luke chapter 16. 23:15 This is from Itza in Florida. 23:18 Well, Genesis 25:7-8 gives us a direct answer. 23:22 Genesis 25:7-8, the Bible says, 23:26 "This is the sum of the years of Abraham's life 23:28 which he lived, one hundred and seventy-five years." 23:33 Verse 8, "Then Abraham breathed his last 23:36 and died in a good old age, 23:39 an old man and full of years, 23:41 and was gathered to his people." 23:44 So Abraham died and was gathered to his people. 23:46 When you find out what that means, 23:49 is synonymous when the Bible talks about the kings 23:51 and they rested with their fathers 23:52 and they were buried with their fathers. 23:54 So Abraham is in the grave 23:55 waiting for the coming of the Lord. 23:57 The parable of the rich man and Lazarus 23:59 as they pointed out is just that. 24:01 It's a parable of the rich man and Lazarus. 24:04 When the parable was given, Lazarus literally wasn't dead, 24:08 and you find in the parable itself in Luke 16, 24:11 this imagery which was, 24:13 which was a lesson that the Lord was communicating 24:16 to the Jews who had a belief that was affected. 24:20 Their minds were affected that 24:22 since they were the children of Abraham, 24:24 we definitely have preference to being saved. 24:27 You find in John 8:33, this ideology. 24:30 When Jesus talked about they were in bondage to sin. 24:33 And they answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants 24:36 and have never been in bondage to anyone. 24:38 How can you say you will be made free?" 24:42 They looked at Abraham as, you know, 24:43 we're Abraham's children, we've got the right. 24:45 Well, the Lord made it very clear in Romans 9:6, 24:48 they that are of Israel are not all Israel, 24:51 they were Hebrews going into Egypt, 24:53 Israelites coming out, 24:55 and Abraham did not give them preference 24:57 because the Bible makes it very, very clear 24:58 in Acts Chapter 10 that, verse 12, 25:02 "Nor is their salvation in any other, 25:04 for there is no other name under heaven 25:07 given among men by which we must be saved." 25:10 So Abraham is in his grave waiting just like Ryan 25:12 just pointed out 25:14 for the resurrection of the righteous. 25:15 And Jesus is the only one that gives us preferential access 25:20 by His righteousness to eternity. 25:23 Amen. Thank you. 25:24 Pastor Ryan, we're coming back to you, 25:26 talking about Jesus being the one 25:28 who's saving us. 25:29 "How are people saved before Jesus?" 25:32 This question comes from Erling in Sweden. 25:35 Yeah, absolutely. 25:36 That's a great question and you know the answer 25:37 to that question is simple 25:39 and exciting in the fact that 25:41 the Bible makes it clear that God does not change, right? 25:43 And so, I'm gonna see here that 25:45 very clearly there's clear biblical evidence 25:47 that the people before Christ 25:49 were saved in the same people, in the same way that 25:51 the people after Christ were saved, 25:53 the same way that you and I are saved, 25:54 that is by grace through faith. 25:56 And you say, "Ryan, how can you prove that?" 25:59 If you've never read the 11th Chapter in Hebrews, 26:01 please go read the 11th Chapter of Hebrews, 26:03 it's called the Great Faith Chapter 26:05 because it talks about how these individuals 26:08 they came to the Lord, 26:10 they were in relationship with the Lord, 26:12 and they were ultimately saved by the Lord, why? 26:14 Because of their faith 26:16 and so you'll hear this repeated 26:17 over and over in the 11th Chapter of Hebrews. 26:19 It says, "By faith Abel, you know, did this. 26:23 By faith Enoch walked with the Lord. 26:25 By faith Noah built the ark. 26:27 By faith Abraham, by faith Sara, by faith Isaac, 26:29 and Jacob and Joseph and Moses." 26:32 Every single one of these individuals, 26:33 they had to put their faith and their trust in the Lord. 26:36 And so while, yes, the sacrificial system 26:39 was implemented in the Old Testament, 26:40 it was a foreshadowing to that of work in 26:43 which Christ would do, 26:44 but they still had to go forward 26:46 into that sanctuary service into those sanctuary actions 26:50 and choices and sacrifices, by faith, 26:54 they had to trust in the word of the Lord, 26:56 and so it was by faith, and because of their faith, 26:59 they were saved by grace. 27:01 And again I just have to mention here 27:02 Ephesians 2:8-9, 27:05 it's one of my favorite texts. 27:06 It says, "For by grace you have been saved, 27:09 again, through faith." 27:11 That faith chapter, by faith Abraham, 27:13 by faith Noah, by faith Moses. 27:15 Here it is, "For by grace 27:16 you have been saved through faith, 27:18 and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, 27:21 not of works, lest anyone should boast." 27:24 So how were they saved before? 27:26 They were saved by grace, 27:28 through their faith in their Lord. 27:30 Amen. Thank you so much. 27:32 Pastor Johnny, we're coming to you 27:33 and this one could be 27:34 a little bit of a controversial question. 27:36 "Can you please explain Deuteronomy 22:5?" 27:42 This comes from Terry in Minnesota. 27:44 Alrighty. 27:46 We'll go to Deuteronomy 32:5, and take a look... 27:50 22, Deuteronomy 22:5. 27:52 22:5. Yeah, sorry. 27:54 Go to Deuteronomy 22:5, let's go there and read it 27:58 because we have to get a thus saith the Lord 28:01 even on the Word of God, 28:03 22:5, you say? 28:04 Mm-hmm. Okay. 28:06 This is what the Bible says. 28:10 Verse 5, "A woman shall not wear anything 28:14 that pertains to a man, 28:16 nor shall a man put on a woman's garment, 28:19 for all who do so 28:21 are an abomination to the Lord your God." 28:25 And so, the question about Deuteronomy 22:5, 28:31 you know, I asked myself, 28:33 I've heard this verse used in different ways. 28:36 And normally, when it is brought up, 28:40 it's in reference to, can the women wear pants? 28:43 And I want to bring out to you, the fact that in those days, 28:48 the men did not wear pants either. 28:51 They wear, the women wear robes, 28:52 and the men wore robes. 28:55 So to use this verse to say women should not wear pants, 28:59 you're taking this out of context. 29:00 That's right. 29:02 And so, this is not rightly dividing the word of truth. 29:06 However, we have to look at what God is talking about here. 29:10 And when you look at the context 29:13 and the context of this scripture here. 29:17 It doesn't give us much to work with 29:19 and I've read many things concerning this. 29:21 And some say that even the way it is described, 29:25 it could not only, it may not only be 29:27 talking about what you wear as clothing, 29:30 but also what you wear beyond clothing, 29:32 including jewelry, including the word 29:36 is even used in reference to weapons. 29:39 This Hebrew word, 29:41 and so it brings a whole message 29:43 here about the God... 29:46 The message here, God wants a distinction 29:49 between who is a man, and who is a woman. 29:52 And the way we dress, 29:54 the way we behave ourselves 29:56 should identify us as a man or a woman. 30:00 Now looking at this, it says, 30:05 "For all who do so are an abomination 30:07 to the Lord." 30:08 Another aspect of this was brought out in that, 30:11 they're saying, "Well back in those days, 30:13 there were pagan rituals that were done in 30:17 which the women would dress as soldiers, 30:21 and they would do these rituals" 30:24 And that's what God is referring to. 30:26 It's kind of difficult to put all this in here, 30:29 it could be a possibility that it's speaking about that, 30:33 but the fact remains that there should be distinction 30:37 in the way that a man dresses and a woman dresses. 30:41 Today, if you go back to the pants issue today, 30:44 there are men's pants and women's pants. 30:46 If a man wears a woman's pants, 30:47 they are, they're made a certain way, 30:49 they're not supposed to fit a man, you see. 30:51 So I encourage you to take this into consideration, 30:55 this is not referring to women wearing pants. 30:59 Again, take a look at the Scripture 31:02 and consider the fact, men wore robes, 31:04 women wore robes, and even back in those days, 31:07 the way we see things depicted, 31:09 it says the men wore shorter robes 31:11 than the women. 31:12 So, let's be careful with how we use God's word. 31:16 No cross dressing. No cross dressing. 31:17 Yeah, absolutely cross dressing and blurring between the sexes 31:21 as far as the distinction. 31:22 That's right. 31:23 Pastor Ryan, we're coming back to you. 31:25 "I'm still trying to decide 31:26 if your interpretation of this subject is correct, 31:28 this is Philippians 1:23 31:31 where Paul is saying that 31:32 he desires to depart and be with Christ. 31:35 But, and the other one that is confusing is 31:37 where he says to be absent from the body 31:38 is to be present with the Lord. 31:40 Could you please shed some light on these two verses 31:43 which seem to completely refute what you are teaching?" 31:47 That comes from Eleanor. Yeah, absolutely. 31:48 So let's... 31:49 We'll start with reading Philippians 1:23, 31:51 the Bible says, 31:53 "For I am hard-pressed between the two, 31:55 having a desire to depart and be with Christ, 31:58 which is far better." 31:59 So, this is just simply Paul saying, 32:00 "Look I desire to depart from this life, 32:03 from this body and be with Christ," 32:04 right? 32:06 But to understand with his language here, 32:07 we have to go into 2 Corinthians 5:8, 32:10 which was the second passage in question here. 32:13 And, you know, in verse 8 there, 32:14 a lot of people read that, you know, which says, 32:16 "We are confident, 32:17 yes, well pleased rather to be absent 32:20 from the body and to be present with the Lord." 32:22 And so they'll take that text, and, of course eisegetically, 32:25 they'll say, "Oh, that's telling me that, 32:27 you know, as soon as we die, we depart from this, 32:29 our spirit or our soul departs from this body, 32:32 and it's immediately in the presence of the Lord." 32:34 That is not what Paul says here, 32:35 you have to add that into it for in order to say that. 32:38 What he's actually saying is, 32:40 he's confident he's willing to be absent 32:42 from the body and present with the Lord, 32:43 but does that mean he's talking about 32:45 some translucent, you know, 32:47 intellectual or intelligent spirit 32:49 that's floating out, 32:50 you know, into the heavens to be with God? 32:51 Absolutely not. How do we clarify that? 32:53 The few verses before. 32:55 In fact, let's start there in verse 1 he says, 32:58 this is 2 Corinthians Chapter 5, 33:00 beginning with verse 1. 33:01 He says, "For we know that 33:03 if our earthly house, this tent," 33:04 referring to his body as a tent, 33:06 and He often did this referring to His body 33:08 as the temple of the Holy Spirit, 33:09 a tent, a house, so He's referring to this body 33:12 as a house, a tent. 33:14 He says, "Is destroyed," He says, we have built... 33:16 "We have a building from God, 33:18 a house not made with hands 33:20 eternal in the heavens." 33:21 What Paul is referencing here 33:23 is what he also references in Philippians 3:20, 33:26 where he's talking about, 33:27 you know, at the Second Coming of Christ, 33:29 he's talking about how Christ will change 33:30 and this is verse 21. 33:32 Philippians 3:20, he says, who's... 33:35 "Christ who shall change our vial body to be made 33:38 fashion like into His glorious body." 33:40 So there's not some, you know, spirit or soul or ghost 33:43 that's gonna float into the abyss somewhere 33:45 in the presence of the Lord. 33:46 Paul is talking about 33:47 how he wants this flesh earthly body, 33:49 this broken down, you know, carnal body, 33:52 where he wants to be liberated from it. 33:54 He wants that new heavenly body, 33:56 but you know, the key to understanding 33:58 this passage to me is verse 4, verse 4, so 2 Corinthians 5:4, 34:03 notice what he says here, 34:04 again talking about the tent, our body as a temple. 34:07 He says, "For we who are in this tent groan, right, 34:12 being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, 34:15 but further clothed," that's the new body, 34:18 "further clothed, that mortality 34:20 may be swallowed up by life." 34:22 When did Paul believe that mortality would be 34:26 swallowed up of life or immortality? 34:28 That's the question. 34:29 And many people assume that he says, you know, 34:31 as soon as we die we immediately go to heaven, 34:33 but Paul confirms in 1 Corinthians, 34:35 again we were in second, 34:36 we're just reading from 2 Corinthians, 34:37 if you go back one letter to 1 Corinthians verses 15... 34:40 Chapter 15, 1 Corinthians 15:51-53, 34:45 Paul confirms when we receive immortality, 34:48 when we receive immortality 34:50 where we can be in the presence of God 34:52 and it says there, 34:53 and I'm just going to read verse 53, 34:55 "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, 34:58 and this mortal must put on immortality." 35:01 When will that be? 35:02 Of course that will be 35:03 when the trumpet is sounded and Christ comes back 35:06 at the Second Coming. 35:07 Amen. Thank you so much. 35:09 Pastor John, this question is from Samantha in Virginia. 35:13 "Where are we supposed to be? 35:15 I heard all my life about running to the rocks, 35:17 don't stop, just go and leave, 35:19 of course this would be right at the Second Coming. 35:21 How will we know where to go? 35:23 And what if you can't run physically? 35:26 What then?" 35:29 Well, the Bible doesn't speak of us and be in, 35:31 that we have to be in any particular place. 35:34 You know the Bible, the only thing it talks about 35:36 is not a physical place but a spiritual place. 35:37 "If anyone is in Christ, 35:40 he or she is a new creation," 2 Corinthians 5:17. 35:43 So when you look at Revelation 6:14-17, 35:46 there are two groups that are mentioned there, 35:48 those running to the rocks and the mountains, 35:50 those, and it says, "Hide us from the face of Him 35:53 that sits on the throne 35:55 and from the wrath of the lamb! 35:56 For the great day of His wrath has come, 35:58 and who shall be able to stand?" 35:59 So it doesn't speak about us 36:01 having to be in any particular place, 36:03 so I wouldn't say well, you know, 36:04 I got to be in the country, I have to be in the city. 36:07 People have heard all their lives that 36:10 they have to run to the rocks and the mountains, 36:12 I think that where they may have received 36:13 that impression is during the Dark Ages, 36:16 the church was preserved in the munitions of the rocks. 36:19 Many of the Christians, Waldensians, 36:20 one of the most famous ones or familiar ones. 36:23 They hid into the caves and the rocks 36:25 and the Lord preserved them. 36:27 The Bible says, "The earth opened its mouth 36:29 and helped the woman." 36:30 And when you think about that in the physical context, 36:33 the mouth of the earth, sometimes the caves and rocks, 36:36 where the church was hidden, 36:37 where people were hidden from the, 36:39 those that were in the valley seeking their death. 36:42 But when it comes to where we should be 36:45 the safest place to be is in Christ. 36:47 Amen. 36:48 There are those who have to be in the cities. 36:50 What we do is we tend to create this ideology that 36:53 if you're in this country, you're safe. 36:55 If you're in the city, you're lost. 36:57 Well, Enoch was one 36:58 who according to his life practice, 37:01 he lived in the country but he worked in the city, 37:04 and he was, his heart was just turned 37:06 against the evil he saw in the cities. 37:08 And such is the case 37:10 when a person is has the indwelling Christ. 37:12 But, if you're thinking about a place to be... 37:14 There will come a time 37:16 when we should get out of the city 37:17 just for the sake of the fact that 37:18 I think that cities are a hotbed of iniquity. 37:21 When you're in the country that God made 37:23 you have a better chance 37:25 of having a greater relationship, 37:27 but don't seek to be in any place 37:28 other than in Christ 37:30 if you're looking for safety in the time of the end. 37:32 Amen. Thank you. 37:34 Pastor Johnny, coming back to you, 37:36 "Which Jerusalem 37:38 is Isaiah 65:17-20 referring to?" 37:43 And I would pronounce 37:44 the person's name who send this in, 37:46 but I'm not sure I can, 37:47 so thank you for sending in this question but, 37:48 which Jerusalem 37:50 is Isaiah 65:17-20 referring to? 37:54 Very good. Isaiah 65:17-20. 37:59 This is a scripture that sometimes confuses people. 38:04 Because it begins, "For behold, 38:06 I create new heavens and a new earth, 38:08 and the former shall not be remembered 38:10 or come to mind." 38:12 This right away we think, okay, Revelation Chapter 21. 38:16 Yes, Revelation 21 is quoting Isaiah 65. 38:21 But which Jerusalem is it talking about here? 38:24 As you read all Revelation, 38:26 I mean, Isaiah 65:17 and onward, 38:29 you will notice wonderful descriptions of blessings 38:32 the Lord promised the people of Israel. 38:35 And primarily He refers to the Jerusalem 38:39 that we know today as Jerusalem, 38:43 not the New Jerusalem 38:44 that the Lord will create after sin 38:46 has been done away with. 38:48 There are some elements that appeared to be the same. 38:51 But when you continue reading 38:53 and which I will do at this moment, 38:55 notice how it lets you know that 38:58 this is before sin is done away with. 39:01 Notice what it says, verse 18 and onward, 39:03 "But be glad and rejoice forever in 39:05 what I create. 39:07 For behold, I create Jerusalem 39:08 as a rejoicing, and her people a joy. 39:11 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in My people, 39:14 the voice of weeping 39:16 shall no longer be heard in her, 39:18 nor the voice of crying." 39:19 Why? 39:20 Because the Lord, if they had, they had chosen to be faithful. 39:24 The Lord was gonna bring like a heaven upon the earth, 39:28 even before sin has done away with. 39:30 Now notice, " No more shall an infant from there live 39:34 but a few days, nor an old man 39:36 who has not fulfilled his days." 39:39 In other words he will live to an old age. 39:41 "For the child shall die one hundred years old, 39:46 but the sinner being one hundred years old 39:48 shall be accursed." 39:50 So you see it is still mentioning sinners. 39:52 This is talking about the Jerusalem, 39:53 had they remained faithful, 39:55 the Lord was gonna bless them in a wonderful way, 39:57 but they chose not to. 39:59 Now some of the elements here, you can look at 40:00 and that will be like the New Jerusalem. 40:03 Amen. We have dual application. 40:05 We see a lot in the Word of God. 40:06 So that's powerful. Pastor John. 40:08 "Pastor John, I would like to know, 40:10 how do I know what is God's will, 40:12 or the right thing to do 40:14 when I am at a crossroad?" 40:16 This is from Sheena. 40:18 I could understand why that is the concern, 40:19 1 John 2:17, the Bible says, 40:22 "And the world is passing away and the lust of it 40:24 but he who does 40:25 the will of God abides forever." 40:28 This is a very important aspect. 40:29 But what I want to bring out, I'll bring out a few passages 40:32 and I'll zero in on 40:34 what the Bible says concerning God's will. 40:36 First of all, Romans 12:2, we can't just find out 40:40 what God's will is and then do it, 40:43 because then that'll be salvation by works. 40:45 We'll say as Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9, 40:48 "Not of works, lest anyone should boast." 40:50 So we could say, "Well, hey, I discover God's will 40:52 and I'm gonna do God's will." 40:54 The Bible makes it clear, 40:55 one of the things that we cannot do 40:57 is we cannot do God's will with the mindset that 41:00 we had in the former walk of life, 41:03 the flesh, the lust, the worldly ways, 41:07 'cause Romans 12:2 says, 41:08 "Do not be conformed to this world, 41:09 but be transformed by the renewing of your mind 41:12 that you may prove what is that good 41:14 and acceptable and perfect will of God." 41:17 So the first point 41:18 is you cannot discover God's will, 41:21 unless your mind has changed. 41:22 That's right. 41:23 And you can't accomplish God's will with the mind that 41:26 we already have, you can't be a physical aspect 41:29 but a spiritual aspect. 41:31 One of the things that we have to keep in mind 41:33 is as the world around us is falling apart 41:36 and things are not working out the way that we'd like it. 41:38 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Paul says, 41:41 "Don't be discouraged," 41:42 because you know Romans 8:28, 41:44 "All things work together for good to those who love God 41:46 and are called according to His purpose." 41:49 He says, "When it doesn't look like 41:50 it's going your way, in everything give thanks, 41:53 for this is the will of God 41:55 in Christ Jesus concerning you." 41:56 But then the last part of that aspect, 41:59 can I accomplish the will of God? 42:01 And the answer is no. 42:04 And here's the reason, why? 42:06 Philippians 2:13, "For it is God who works in you 42:11 both to will and to do of His good pleasure." 42:14 Allow Jesus coming, allow Jesus to come in, 42:17 and He will work out His will through your life. 42:20 Amen. Amen. Amen. 42:22 Thank you for that encouragement. 42:23 That's powerful. 42:24 Pastor Johnny, coming back to you. 42:26 "Can you please explain John 10:34-35? 42:29 What law says ye are gods, and who is Jesus referring to?" 42:34 This is from Anna. Very good. 42:36 Thank you, Anna, for sending your question. 42:38 We hope you continue to send them in. 42:41 John 10:34, 34-35? Yes. 42:45 "Jesus answered, "Is it not written in your law, 42:47 'I said, "You are gods"'? 42:49 If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came 42:51 and the Scripture cannot be broken." 42:54 It may be, you may be thrown off here 42:56 by the word law, but the word law, 43:00 nomos is used in the sense of referring 43:02 to the entire Old Testament. 43:05 And how do we know this? 43:06 Well, because when you go 43:09 to Psalm 82:6,` 43:13 this is where this scripture is. 43:15 It says, "I have said, 'Ye are gods, 43:19 and all of you are children of the Most High.'" 43:23 So you see this is a word that 43:25 is used in John 10, 43:27 in reference to the entire Old Testament, 43:30 it is not specifically sometimes you think 43:32 of the Pentateuch. 43:33 And you think this is normally 43:35 that's what you say that's the law, 43:37 but in this sense and it's used this word here 43:40 in John 10 is used in other places, 43:43 and it's again referring to the entire Old Testament, 43:47 and this is the law that is referring to. 43:49 I thought it was going to be another question, 43:51 but when I heard it but this is what, 43:53 this is what was asked. 43:55 Good job. Okay. 43:58 Ryan, Pastor Ryan. Sure. 43:59 "What can me and my family study 44:03 to become stronger in the Lord?" 44:05 This is from Jackie in Indiana. 44:06 So they want to become stronger. 44:08 Yeah. 44:09 Absolutely, I respect that question, Jackie. 44:10 Thank you so much. 44:12 You know, I think the first very clear 44:14 and overwhelming answer should always be the Bible. 44:17 Okay, the Bible, the Bible, the Bible. 44:21 That's all I can say is there's not a must emphasis 44:24 placed these days on the Bible that 44:25 we need to place that emphasis where it belongs. 44:28 You know, Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, 44:30 you know, "Man shall not live by bread alone 44:31 but by every word that proceeds from 44:33 the mouth of God." 44:34 And then tie that to what Jesus said in John 17:17, 44:37 "Sanctify them by thy truth, thy word is truth." 44:40 So obviously we want to go to the Bible. 44:43 Now, within the Bible, obviously I think, 44:46 Brother Dinzey, did a wonderful job earlier, 44:48 providing some counsel on where you might start 44:51 as you're studying, and your question was, 44:53 how do I become stronger in the Lord? 44:55 Well, to become stronger in the Lord, 44:57 you want to behold the Lord, 44:59 you want to behold Jesus Christ and His life. 45:01 And so I would recommend 45:02 within God's Word, within the Bible, 45:04 starting as Brother John said in the Book of John, 45:07 because I think John is a perfect book, 45:08 it's a very personal book, 45:10 not that none of the other books are personal, 45:11 but to me, the Gospel of John is just, 45:14 you know, it's written by the beloved disciple, 45:15 he had a relationship with Christ like no other, 45:18 and he really amplifies the love 45:20 and personal relationship with Christ, 45:21 and plus more than half the book, 45:23 you know, the whole second half of the book 45:24 is all about those latter portion, 45:26 that last week of Christ's life, 45:28 and we are counseled 45:29 to take a thoughtful hour each day, 45:31 to focus in on the life of Christ, 45:33 especially the closing ones, right? 45:36 And so John would be a great and then, 45:37 of course, go back to Matthew, Mark, 45:39 and Luke and follow up and focusing beholding Christ, 45:42 uplifting Christ as Jesus said there in John Chapter 3 45:46 when he was talking to Nicodemus, 45:47 uplifting Christ and beholding Him, 45:50 the uplifted Christ, and you will 45:52 become stronger in the Lord. 45:53 As a follow up to that, 45:55 as supplementation not a substitute for the Bible, 45:57 but as a supplementation of that 45:59 I would certainly recommend the book, 46:00 Steps to Christ. 46:01 Steps to Christ by Ellen G. White, 46:03 wonderful book that points us 46:04 to how to have a relationship step by step with Jesus Christ 46:07 and then, of course, next to that would be 46:10 the Desire of Ages, 46:11 the book entitled the Desire of Ages, 46:13 so first the Bible, and then, of course, 46:15 I would say Steps to Christ and then Desire of Ages. 46:17 Amen. 46:18 Thank you all so much for your study of the Word of God. 46:20 I've learned a lot just sitting here 46:21 and we hope you have at home as well. 46:24 This is one of my favorite parts of the Bible Q and A, 46:26 we just throw the questions out there 46:28 and everyone gets to answer together. 46:30 So let's start with this one from Christie in Colorado. 46:33 "How long will the seven plagues last?" 46:38 Okay, Brother. Go ahead. 46:40 Jump in. I got a quote... 46:41 I got a good scripture but you go ahead first. 46:42 Revelation 18:8. That's where I was going. 46:44 That's where you were gonna go, I thought so. 46:47 The Bible talks about a beginning time, 46:50 "Therefore her plagues, 46:51 speaking of the fall of Babylon, 46:53 her plagues will come in one day, 46:55 death and mourning and famine. 46:56 She will be utterly burned with fire, 46:58 for strong is the Lord God who judges her." 47:01 But the plague on Babylon is not the only plague, 47:04 that was specifying what's going to happen to her. 47:07 Her plague is gonna come over now 47:08 and you find that vivid picture in Revelation 18 47:11 where those who were buying her merchandise 47:14 don't buy it any longer, they stand back and say, 47:17 "Finally, you know, she comes down, 47:20 she crumbles and the voice of the bridegroom 47:23 is no longer heard in her." 47:24 That means, the Lord that says, "Come out of her My people." 47:27 That voice is shut down. 47:29 And that voice, when that voice 47:30 is shut down the people of God should be out by then, 47:33 and then her plagues begin to come. 47:35 But the Bible also talks about other plagues in Romans, 47:38 I mean, in Revelation 11:6, 47:41 when it talks about the two witnesses, 47:43 and it says they have. 47:44 It says, "They have power to shut heaven, 47:47 so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy." 47:50 That's the Bible, the Word of God, 47:52 the Holy Spirit. 47:53 "And they have power over the waters to turn them 47:55 to blood to strike the earth with all plagues, 47:58 as often as they desire." 48:01 This is an indefinite period of time 48:03 that so based on Revelation 11, 48:05 the indefinite period of time, 48:06 but the plagues on Babylon in Revelation 18, 48:09 the Bible says her plagues will come in one day. 48:11 Absolutely. 48:12 No, I think that that was exactly 48:14 where I was gonna go with that as well. 48:15 I have personally heard a few different variations 48:18 of views on this. 48:20 I've heard some people, some of my men... 48:22 previous mentor who have said, 48:23 you know, they've applied the day 48:24 for year principle there and trying to say that 48:26 it's going to come within a year. 48:27 And, of course, people will refute that 48:29 and say, you know, 48:30 there's no more prophetic time past, 48:31 you know 1844 and so they'll say 48:33 that's a literal application 48:35 but, you know, I agree with everything 48:37 Pastor Lomacang said, the most important thing 48:38 I think I want to just make sure 48:40 is that I'm not on the receiving 48:42 end of those plagues. 48:43 Absolutely. 48:45 I want to make sure 48:46 I have a relationship with Jesus, 48:47 I'm sealed, and don't have to worry about 48:49 any of those plagues falling on me. 48:50 That's so good. Amen. 48:51 Amen. That's good. 48:53 You want to add anything, Pastor Johnny? 48:54 Yes, you know, God will preserve His children. 48:56 And so, the time of trouble that is coming. 49:01 I mean the plagues that are coming, 49:02 is a time when God is visiting His judgments 49:05 upon the wicked. 49:07 So God's people should be protected during that time. 49:09 And so, praise God for that, you know, 49:12 that He will protect His children. 49:13 That's all I wanted to add for that. 49:14 Amen. 49:16 This question is from Carol, we have time to get to this, 49:17 and it kind of goes along with the end times. 49:19 "Do you think that 49:21 we are in the beginning of the time 49:22 of trouble now?" 49:25 I know, I don't believe 49:26 we were in the beginning of the time of trouble 49:27 because I believe that time of trouble 49:29 as spoken out by Daniel, 49:30 in Daniel 12:1 talking about there's going to be 49:32 a time of trouble 49:33 such as never ever been or ever will be. 49:36 When Michael stands up, we know Jesus will stand up, 49:38 He's coming back to get His people. 49:40 And so that's within the context of, 49:42 as we were just talking about 49:44 those seven last plagues that we've talked about before. 49:46 The seven last plagues mentioned 49:48 in Revelation Chapter 16 and I don't believe that 49:51 there's been any plagues to fall yet 49:53 in the context of Revelation 16. 49:55 So I would say no, 49:57 the answer to that question is no, 49:58 we have, we will experience 49:59 some little times of trouble, 50:01 we will experience some challenges, 50:03 some trials and certainly some, 50:04 some type of tribulations and, you know, 50:07 as we've been going through a pandemic, 50:09 I mean, that's a tribulation, that's a trial, 50:12 but to talk about the great time of trouble, 50:15 that great ending tribulation time period, 50:18 go read Revelation Chapter 16 50:19 and you come to your conclusion. 50:21 Have you seen the world break out in soars? 50:23 Have you seen waters turn the blood? 50:24 Have you seen the sun burn up the elements 50:27 and you know all these horrible plagues, 50:30 you know, hail falling from the sky? 50:31 You know, these are some intense stuff 50:34 so I would say, no, we're not there yet, 50:36 but we're certainly heading in that direction. 50:38 You know, and Jeremiah 30 50:39 brings out a time of Jacob's trouble, 50:41 because there's going to be 50:43 the time of trouble is what you call, 50:44 what I refer to as a building time 50:47 until probation closes, 50:48 then the wrath of God has poured out without mixture. 50:51 But Jeremiah 30:7, "Alas for the day is great, 50:55 so that none is like it, 50:56 and it's a time of Jacob's trouble, 50:58 but he shall be saved out of it." 51:00 So there's no need to fear, God is still in charge. 51:03 And so, thank you, Ryan, for saying, 51:05 I don't need to concern myself, I just need to be in the Lord. 51:07 Amen. 51:09 Pastor Johnny, a few seconds, 51:10 do you have something you want to add? 51:12 Yes, you know, we are facing difficult times. 51:14 It is only going, it's only going to intensify 51:17 the best thing we could do 51:19 is stay close to Jesus as possible. 51:22 So, this is my... 51:24 And we are heading towards that time of trouble 51:26 and towards a little time of trouble 51:27 that comes just before the time of trouble. 51:29 So, best thing to do is stay close to Jesus 51:30 as much as you can. 51:32 Amen. 51:33 We're gonna be back in just a moment 51:35 with some closing thoughts with each of our family here, 51:37 but before that we want to give you 51:38 one more opportunity to send in your questions. 51:41 We love your questions, 51:42 we love to hear where you're from. 51:44 Make sure when you send them in, 51:45 you give maybe your first name and where you're from, 51:47 because we'd love to reference that as well. 51:49 So here's the way that 51:51 you can contact us with your Bible questions. 51:55 If you're enjoying our 3ABN Bible Q and A, 51:58 then tell your friends. 51:59 Each Monday 52:01 we'll bring you a fresh program, 52:02 answering the Bible questions you send us 52:04 and we'll use God's Holy Word to shed light on those texts 52:07 that seem difficult to understand. 52:10 If you would like your questions 52:11 answered on an upcoming program, 52:13 just email them to us. 52:14 Our email address is BibleQA@3abn.org 52:19 That's BibleQA@3abn.org 52:24 You can also text us 52:25 your questions by sending them to 618-228-3975. 52:30 That number again is 618-228-3975. 52:35 Be sure to include your name and where you live, 52:38 and then watch 3ABN Bible Q and A |
Revised 2024-03-27