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S1: Many Christians struggle to understand the Book of Revelation, the

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S1: end times, the apocalypse, the Day of Judgment. These terms

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S1: are both fascinating and frightening, but what do they really mean? Well,

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S1: today on the land and the book, we sit down

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S1: with Doctor David Jeremiah, and he helps us understand how

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S1: current world events were foretold in the Bible. Hey, welcome

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S1: to our one hour magazine format. That is all things

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S1: Middle East. Our host is a noted Middle East scholar,

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S1: Doctor Charlie Dyer, and I'm John Gager. Good to be

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S1: with you, Charlie. John, it's great being with you as well. Hey,

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S1: how do you share the gospel with a Jewish person?

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S1: A lot of people wonder, you know, with cultural, historical

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S1: and religious differences, it is sometimes challenging to try and

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S1: navigate a gospel conversation with somebody from a Jewish background.

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S1: Maybe you've wondered how the professionals do it. Yeah. And

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S1: to answer that question, our.

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S2: Friends at Life and Messiah want to mail you samples

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S2: of the tracks their staff use as they share the gospel.

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S2: This will serve a dual purpose of equipping you with

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S2: methods of presenting the gospel, and also supply you with

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S2: tracks you can share with your Jewish friends and neighbors.

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S2: Life and Messiah's Prayer is that these tracks will help

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S2: further the spread of the gospel among the Jewish people.

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S2: To receive this helpful assortment of tracks, all you need

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S2: to do is visit Life in Messiah org and click

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S2: on the Moody Radio button for more information. That's Life

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S2: in messiah.org. Don't miss out on this great opportunity.

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S1: Well, plenty of tension with stories in the news to

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S1: accompany that tension as we swing our focus toward the

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S1: Middle East. Story number one, the International Criminal Court chief

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S1: prosecutor has asked the court to issue arrest warrants for

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S1: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Galant, along with

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S1: top Hamas leaders, for crimes against humanity. Charlie, how specifically

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S1: is Israel thought to be guilty of these charges? Yeah, John.

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S2: This seems so confusing. So let me start by first

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S2: looking at what the UN treaty on genocide says, which

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S2: it defines genocide as any act committed with intent to

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S2: destroy in whole or in part a national, ethnic, racial

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S2: or religious group. And that includes things like killing members

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S2: of the group just for being part of that group,

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S2: for causing serious bodily or mental harm to members, for

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S2: deliberately inflicting conditions like starvation calculated to bring about that

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S2: group's physical destruction. Now, crimes against humanity and war crimes

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S2: include acts like extermination, murder, taking hostages, rape, torture and

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S2: cruelty in the treatment of captives by any reasonable understanding,

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S2: Israel is not committing genocide or war crimes in its

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S2: war against Hamas, but Hamas did when it attacked and

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S2: killed 1200 people simply because they were Jewish and took

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S2: another 250 people hostage. Now, Israel responded to their atrocity

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S2: by declaring war on Hamas. Their goal is to defeat

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S2: Hamas and secure the return of the hostages. Hamas deliberately

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S2: embedded their fighters, their command centers, their missile launchers within

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S2: the civilian population of Gaza, using their own civilians as

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S2: human shields. Now, if Israel had deliberately targeted Palestinians when

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S2: there were no military targets nearby just because they're Palestinians,

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S2: that could be considered genocide or a war crime. However,

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S2: the casualty figures don't bear that out. Many uncritically accepted

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S2: casualty figures reported by Hamas, but the numbers didn't stand

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S2: up to careful analysis. In fact, the UN recently reduced

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S2: the number of civilian casualties in Gaza by nearly 50%.

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S2: The ratio of civilians to fighters who've been killed is

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S2: roughly 1 to 1. That's a number that's virtually unmatched

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S2: in modern warfare, let alone in urban warfare. Israel hasn't

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S2: been deliberately targeting Palestinian civilians. They're targeting Hamas fighters who

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S2: are legitimate targets. This is no different than the US

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S2: going after the Nazis in World War Two, or more

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S2: recently against al Qaeda or ISIS. Another charge is that

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S2: Israel has failed to distribute humanitarian aid to civilians, thereby

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S2: deliberately starving them. But the reality is that Israel has

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S2: provided humanitarian aid, though the process has been thwarted by

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S2: Hamas and by some aid agencies, and by political and

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S2: logistical issues. For example, the Rafah border crossing from Egypt

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S2: is currently closed, but it's the Egyptians who closed it

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S2: after Israel took over the other side of the crossing

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S2: from Hamas, Israel is prepared to receive and distribute aid.

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S2: It's Egypt that's blocking its entry. And the new pier

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S2: built by the US isn't living up to promises. Deliveries

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S2: from the pier have been inconsistent, falling short of the

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S2: 160 trucks per day promised. But that's not Israel's fault.

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S2: The bottom line is that Israel isn't deliberately withholding aid

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S2: or trying to starve the population. If the International Criminal

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S2: Court really wants to focus on charges of genocide and

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S2: crimes against humanity and items like rape and and mistreatment

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S2: of captives, well, the real. Culprits here are Hamas, not Israel, and.

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S1: Exactly how binding or far reaching is this proclamation by

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S1: the International Criminal Court.

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S2: Well, Israel isn't a member of the International Criminal Court.

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S2: They've not signed on, nor has the United States, nor Russia,

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S2: nor China. So in one sense, the court can issue

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S2: these arrest warrants, but they can't do anything about it

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S2: unless Netanyahu or Galant would travel to a country that

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S2: is a signatory, then those countries are, in theory, responsible

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S2: to arrest them and bring them up for trial. So

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S2: in one sense, it doesn't have much of an impact,

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S2: but in another sense, it's a PR catastrophe for Israel

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S2: and will add more fuel to the fire of those

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S2: who are looking at Israel being the problem and the

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S2: Palestinian state being the solution.

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S1: Story number two are Israel's artificial intelligence drone swarms, as

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S1: some have claimed, the beginning of a zombie apocalypse. How

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S1: serious of a threat are the advances being made in

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S1: AI warfare?

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S2: Yeah, Israel isn't the only country using artificial intelligence and drones.

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S2: You know, the US and Russia and China are all

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S2: apparently working on similar systems. And Ukraine and Iran have

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S2: used drone swarms in some attacks. Now, the fear, though,

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S2: in artificial intelligence, is that a system lacking direct human

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S2: oversight could, so to speak, go rogue with unintended consequences.

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S2: But the reality is far less dramatic. Drone swarms aren't

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S2: the beginning of a zombie apocalypse for a couple of reasons. First,

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S2: the drones can be shot down. In fact, according to

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S2: a US military official, Israel has accidentally shot down 40%

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S2: of its own drones over Gaza. They have the technology

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S2: to take down drones. And if a drone can't immediately

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S2: be identified in an area where there are troops, they

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S2: shoot first and ask questions later. Another issue is the

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S2: extent to which a drone swarm is dependent on GPS

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S2: or other systems for guidance. Guidance systems can be spoofed

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S2: to confuse the swarm. Finally, the information needed to locate, identify,

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S2: and attack still needs to be fed into the drones

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S2: in the pressure cooker environment of war. A simple mistake

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S2: could have drastic consequences, and that's why governments will still

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S2: need to build in some sort of checks and balances

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S2: and human overrides to keep a swarm from accidentally attacking

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S2: its own troops. One other detail don't believe everything you

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S2: read about drone swarms. There have been reports of Israel

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S2: luring out and shooting Palestinians by using drones that are

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S2: playing recordings of crying babies. These are almost certainly fake news.

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S2: If you've ever heard a drone, it's relatively loud. A

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S2: drone large enough to have loud speakers, along with a

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S2: machine gun and ammunition, would need to be quite large

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S2: and loud. Yet in this recording, supposedly online, you can't

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S2: hear the drone at all.

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S1: From Moody Radio. This is the land and the book

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S1: with our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John Jaeger, we're

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S1: in the middle of a look at current events from

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S1: the week. A helicopter crash this past Monday made the headlines,

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S1: killing Iran's president as well as their foreign minister. What

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S1: is the possible cause of the crash and what impact

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S1: will this all have on Iran's internal policies and politics,

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S1: as well as on the rest of the Middle East?

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S2: Yeah, and the cause for the crash isn't yet known.

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S2: The weather conditions were poor. The crash took place in

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S2: a remote mountainous area. The American made helicopter was 24

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S2: years old. Our trade embargo on Iran does make it

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S2: hard for them to secure spare parts, but it's likely

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S2: that aircraft used by high government officials are the best

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S2: maintained in their fleet. Still, the crash could have been

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S2: caused by mechanical failure or pilot error, but some looking

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S2: for more sinister explanations are blaming the US or Israel,

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S2: which is really very unlikely. In the recent past, there

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S2: have been times when the US and Israel have targeted

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S2: military leaders responsible for terrorism, but not government officials. Now,

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S2: in terms of the political impact from the crash, there'll

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S2: be little immediate internal impact. Iran's policies are determined by

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S2: Ayatollah Khamenei. He'll select replacements who will continue to carry

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S2: out his policy. He's the one long term impact could

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S2: be on Khamenei's successor. Many felt the 63 year old

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S2: Iranian president, Raisi, was positioned to become the next supreme leader.

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S2: Khamenei is not in the best physical health, so there

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S2: could be a scramble to see who emerges in terms

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S2: of an impact on the rest of the Middle East.

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S2: It's very unlikely that Iran will change any of its

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S2: current goals and plans. The biggest uncertainty will be the

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S2: personal effectiveness of those chosen to replace the president and

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S2: foreign minister. Will they be able to step into the

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S2: same shoes and build the relationships of their predecessors, or

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S2: will they be less effective? And only time will tell.

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S1: Charlie, you hear about the Iranian people themselves being less

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S1: than thrilled with their oppressive, extreme Islamist violent government. Why

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S1: not seize this moment to bring some sort of an uprising?

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S1: Or is that just impossible?

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S2: Uh, those with the guns control things, and right now

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S2: it's the the government and the military that control the thing. So.

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S2: People don't like it and there's not much they can

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S2: do about it, unfortunately.

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S1: One other unanswered question in the Middle East right now

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S1: is whether the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah can be contained,

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S1: or will it explode into all out war? This continues

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S1: to just kind of go back and forth. Charlie, what

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S1: would the impact be, though, of a rapid escalation in

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S1: violence between the two? Yeah, and it's.

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S2: The one question that can't be fully answered. If a

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S2: war begins between them, it will be difficult to contain.

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S2: Hezbollah will try to fire off as many of its

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S2: rockets and missiles as it can before Israel can destroy him.

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S2: That means power plants, desalination plants, military bases, and airfields.

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S2: The Dimona nuclear reactor, as well as roads and bridges

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S2: and rail lines will be targeted, and Israel will experience damage.

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S2: At the same time, Israel will try to destroy as

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S2: much of Hezbollah's military infrastructure as possible, and this would

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S2: also include targeting key facilities in Lebanon. A Beirut would

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S2: be impacted, as would Lebanese airports and highways and seaports.

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S2: The UN would try to stop the fighting, but Israel

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S2: would be unlikely to stop without eliminating the very real

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S2: threat Hezbollah has become. They'll also invade Lebanon to push

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S2: Hezbollah back from the border, so Israelis in the north

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S2: can return to their homes. The follow on question is

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S2: how would Iran respond? Would they come to Hezbollah's aid

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S2: with another attack on Israel? And would Israel respond by

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S2: attacking Iran's nuclear facilities? And one final question would the

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S2: US come to Israel's aid against Iran were they to attack?

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S2: There's lots of questions, John, but sadly, few answers.

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S1: Well, there are plenty of needs for prayer in the

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S1: Middle East, and rather than rush on ahead with further content,

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S1: why don't we pause right now? We're going to invite

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S1: you as well as you listen to the land of

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S1: the book, to join Charlie and I in A season

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S1: of Prayer for Israel. Charlie, start us off.

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S2: Okay, Lord, I just want to begin by praying first

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S2: for the hostages. Those who, through no fault of their own,

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S2: have been taken hostage and are being held right now.

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S2: Give them strength. Give them comfort. And Lord, provide a

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S2: way for them to be released so that they can

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S2: come home to their families. Lord, just provide that sense

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S2: of your direction and your protection.

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S1: Lord, we pray for wisdom for leadership in the Israeli government.

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S1: How do they deal with this International Criminal Court announcement?

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S1: How do they proceed with Hezbollah and their threats? Give

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S1: them wisdom in knowing how to negotiate all the things

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S1: that they're going through right now. A supernatural wisdom from

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S1: on high, we pray.

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S2: And Lord, we want to pray for the Jewish and

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S2: Arab believers in the Middle East. Uh Lord, the ultimate

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S2: solution for peace is the Prince of Peace. Uh, give

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S2: your followers from both sides the ability to share the gospel,

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S2: to share the good news of Jesus Christ in a

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S2: way that will make an impact on people's lives.

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S1: Lord, we pray for overall peace in the entire region,

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S1: not just Israel, but throughout the Middle East. You are

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S1: the Prince of Peace, and we invite you to rule

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S1: and reign in that sense of peace as well. And

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S1: we think of believers who are in Iran right now

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S1: facing uncertainty with his helicopter crash, a transition in leadership,

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S1: many other unanswered questions for them. We ask that the

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S1: Spirit of Christ there would be seen in wonderful new

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S1: ways that many would find Christ as Savior in Iran

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S1: as well. We commit the Middle East to you, Lord Jesus. Amen.

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S1: Many Christians struggle to understand the Book of Revelation, the

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S1: end times, the apocalypse, the Day of judgment. These terms

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S1: are both fascinating and frightening, but what do they really mean? Well,

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S1: drawing from decades of study, today's guest has some fascinating answers.

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S1: In the Book of Signs, we'll talk with Doctor David

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S1: Jeremiah next. Welcome to the land and the book from

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S1: Moody Radio. I'm John Gager. Before we get to our

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S1: conversation with Doctor David Jeremiah, beloved pastor and radio preacher,

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S1: let's take in this thought about how you and I

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S1: can be more effective in reaching out to our Jewish friends.

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S1: We are by nature curious. We want to know what's

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S1: on the other side of this life. Can you ask

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S1: your Jewish friend, though, what they think, and how do

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S1: you steer that toward Jesus? Roy Schwartz is with Chosen

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S1: People Ministries. How would you conduct that conversation, Roy?

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S3: Well, I wouldn't go right away to Jesus. I would

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S3: just go to Moses. And I'd say that Moses said,

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S3: there's two ways to find life, either following and obeying

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S3: God or going our own way. And so when we

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S3: follow God and come to him and trust in him,

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S3: he says, we will have life. God wants us to

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S3: have life and to have it abundantly. That's why God

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S3: gave the law. It pointed to the way, the truth,

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S3: and the life. And so in the law, it portrays

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S3: a way that leads to life. Now, as a Christian,

264
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S3: I understand that there's no way I can keep the law.

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S3: It points to the Messiah. But the idea of the

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S3: Messiah is again all in the Jewish scriptures. And I

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S3: would not go into the New Testament until they're ready,

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S3: until they're ready to receive it. What we have to

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S3: do is share with Jewish people that apart from the

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S3: work of God, there is no salvation. Apart from I

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S3: mean that that there is a way that leads to life,

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S3: there is a way that brings life, and that God

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S3: is the source of life and that he's given us life,

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S3: and that life points to him. He is the way,

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S3: the truth, and the life. And then once they acknowledge

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S3: that God is the source of life, that he is

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S3: the way, the truth and the life, then you can eventually,

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S3: if they're ready to acknowledge God as that, then they

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S3: could possibly understand that. That's why he sent the Messiah

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S3: to model the way of God in person.

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S1: Roy Schwartz is with Chosen People Ministries. Thanks for those insights.

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S1: Doctor David Jeremiah is the longtime host of Turning Point,

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S1: the radio program heard on so many, many stations. He's

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S1: also the author of dozens of helpful books, among them

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S1: The Book of Signs. Well, thank you for making time

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S1: to be with us, Doctor Jeremiah.

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S4: You're welcome.

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S1: Many people have looked at recent headlines and they ask,

289
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S1: are we now in the end times? What do you.

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S4: Say? I often answer it this way. We may not

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S4: be in the end times, but we're in the we're

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S4: in the time of the end. That means we're in

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S4: the season of the end, because the things that are

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S4: happening right now, which have never happened before, are they're

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S4: gathering on the stage like we've never seen. And we

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S4: must understand that our redemption is drawing nigh. The Lord

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S4: is going to come back soon.

298
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S1: So what's a starting point for us on that?

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S4: Well, until Israel was back in her homeland in 1948,

300
00:16:48,730 --> 00:16:51,430
S4: some of these things that are happening now would not

301
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S4: be significant. But that turned on the clock. And when

302
00:16:54,250 --> 00:16:57,460
S4: the clock started to tick, other things began to happen,

303
00:16:57,460 --> 00:16:59,740
S4: much that we're seeing now in the Middle East, much

304
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S4: that we're seeing in the coalition of governments like between Russia,

305
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S4: China and Iran. Much of that finds its roots in

306
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S4: the Scripture and is kind of a beginning of the

307
00:17:10,090 --> 00:17:12,070
S4: final picture of what this world is going to look

308
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S4: like when Jesus comes back and sets things straight.

309
00:17:15,820 --> 00:17:19,540
S1: The Bible offers some signs and signals that will definitely

310
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S1: precede the very end. Doctor Jeremiah. Name one of.

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00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:25,300
S4: Them. I think one of them is the collection of

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S4: governments and the reconstruction of the European government. And these

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00:17:30,609 --> 00:17:33,639
S4: governments coming together now, they're not together yet. Some of

314
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S4: them are. The final coalition of those governments is probably

315
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S4: not in place, but we see them coming together. And

316
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S4: when the European Union was formed, that was like, oh,

317
00:17:43,090 --> 00:17:46,090
S4: this is happening. This is beginning to happen. The Bible

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S4: speaks of that and says that one of the nations

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S4: will sponsor a man who will come out of one

320
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S4: of those nations, who will be the Antichrist, and lead

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S4: the rebellion against God.

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S1: You know, a lot of us feel a chill, a

323
00:17:57,760 --> 00:17:59,619
S1: fear when we hear that kind of thing. What is

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00:17:59,619 --> 00:18:01,420
S1: a right emotional frame?

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S4: Well, for a Christian, you should never fear what God

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S4: has planned for the future. In fact, every one of

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00:18:06,940 --> 00:18:09,940
S4: these things that have to do with prophecy, interestingly enough,

328
00:18:09,940 --> 00:18:13,240
S4: are usually coupled with an admonition to us to live

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00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,760
S4: in a certain way. I've been surprised at that as

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S4: I've studied prophecy over the years. Where there's a prediction,

331
00:18:19,270 --> 00:18:23,740
S4: there's also almost a promise. For instance, in John 14,

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S4: Jesus says, let not your heart be troubled. You believe

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S4: in God. Believe also in me. In my father's house

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S4: are many mansions. If it were not so, I would

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S4: told you, I go to prepare a place, and if

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S4: I do, I'm going to come and get you, so

337
00:18:35,830 --> 00:18:38,350
S4: that where I am you may be also. Well, the

338
00:18:38,350 --> 00:18:41,620
S4: Bible says Jesus is coming back, and that's an awesome thought.

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S4: But here's the admonition don't let your heart be troubled.

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00:18:44,950 --> 00:18:47,919
S4: Christians should never be troubled by what God has planned

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S4: for them. If we know anything about him, he's a

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S4: good God, and whatever he has planned for us in

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S4: the future is way better than anything we could ever imagine.

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S1: Today on the land and the book, we're honored to

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S1: be joined by Doctor David Jeremiah, host of The Turning

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S1: Point broadcast that so many listen to. There are lots

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S1: of signs and signals in Scripture that signal the end

348
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S1: is near. They're boldly there. Take us to one that

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S1: maybe intrigues you. On a personal.

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S4: Level, the Bible has a lot to say about the

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S4: man of sin, the Antichrist, who will come and and

352
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S4: people will follow him. And if they don't, they won't live.

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S4: And today, as we look out on the landscape, there

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S4: are some personalities that catch your attention. And I'm intrigued

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S4: by that. I don't have any ideas about any Americans

356
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S4: because he's not coming from America. But the book doesn't

357
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S4: tell us when. It just tells us what it tells us,

358
00:19:40,540 --> 00:19:42,400
S4: what it's going to be like and who he's going

359
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S4: to be. A very unbelievable, cruel man who will destroy

360
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S4: the world as we know it and demand that people

361
00:19:49,570 --> 00:19:52,840
S4: worship him and set up himself as God. We are

362
00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:55,419
S4: in an environment right now where that seems like it

363
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S4: could happen. I remember thinking, there's nobody. There's no way

364
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S4: a man could come and control this world. I don't

365
00:20:01,300 --> 00:20:02,560
S4: think that way anymore.

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S1: There are specific examples of biblical signs that have already

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S1: come to pass. Give us an idea of 1 or

368
00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:10,960
S1: 2 of those that have come to pass. Doctor Jeremiah.

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S4: Well, I think the most prominent one is the restoration

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S4: of Israel to her homeland before Israel was at home

371
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S4: in her homeland in 1948, when she became a nation.

372
00:20:20,830 --> 00:20:23,680
S4: Many of the prophecies that followed that you can't happen

373
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S4: because they're centered in Israel now that Israel is at home,

374
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S4: as I've mentioned many times to our people, it's like

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S4: God turned on the clock and he said, okay, this

376
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S4: is starting. Watch what happens to Israel. And that's what

377
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S4: we're doing. And there's multiple information about that in this book.

378
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S4: There's a whole chapter on it, and it's pretty intriguing.

379
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S1: Some of us wonder, how do we address the skeptics

380
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S1: in our lives who say, you know what? Things have

381
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S1: ebbed and flowed since time began, including natural disasters. There's

382
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S1: no reason to believe the end is near. How do

383
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S1: you respond?

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S4: Well, the question really is why has. God delayed if

385
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S4: he said he was coming. All these years have passed.

386
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S4: I think one of the problems we have is that

387
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S4: we equate time on our perspective, and God is not.

388
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S4: He's not connected to time. God created time. The fact is,

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S4: God equates time different than we do. He uses years

390
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S4: to compare to our days. And so, according to God's timetable,

391
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S4: it's only been two days. And we we laugh at that.

392
00:21:23,700 --> 00:21:26,730
S4: But it's true. God is not construe to do things

393
00:21:26,730 --> 00:21:29,430
S4: the way we do them. He lives in a different world.

394
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S4: And then secondly, God is very patient. Over and over

395
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S4: in the Scripture, we're told that God wants everyone to

396
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S4: have the opportunity to come to Christ. Many are yet

397
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S4: to be saved. I have friends that aren't saved. So

398
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S4: he delays out of mercy and he delays because if

399
00:21:46,890 --> 00:21:49,590
S4: there is such a thing as God delaying, which there isn't,

400
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S4: he doesn't look at time the way we do. And

401
00:21:52,650 --> 00:21:54,659
S4: does he know the time? Yeah. There's a star on

402
00:21:54,660 --> 00:21:56,970
S4: his calendar in heaven. He knows when this is going

403
00:21:56,970 --> 00:22:00,240
S4: to happen, but we don't know. We have to trust him.

404
00:22:00,510 --> 00:22:03,750
S1: If that doesn't send chills down your spine, your spine

405
00:22:03,750 --> 00:22:07,710
S1: needs looking at the Book of Signs. That's our conversation

406
00:22:07,710 --> 00:22:10,710
S1: today with Doctor David Jeremiah here on the land and

407
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S1: the book I'm John Gieger, full of questions and hopefully

408
00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:17,580
S1: the questions I'm asking are yours as well. You can't

409
00:22:17,580 --> 00:22:20,850
S1: help but look at prophecy, read scriptures, and conclude there

410
00:22:20,850 --> 00:22:24,390
S1: is plenty of darkness to come. Scary things. How can

411
00:22:24,390 --> 00:22:27,210
S1: we learn to embrace God's promises for the future with

412
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S1: a renewed sense of hope and purpose, in the light

413
00:22:30,150 --> 00:22:32,340
S1: of all that shadowy, fearful stuff?

414
00:22:32,340 --> 00:22:34,169
S4: You know, one of the great things about prophecy in

415
00:22:34,170 --> 00:22:36,660
S4: the Bible is we not only have the prophecies that

416
00:22:36,660 --> 00:22:39,390
S4: have been given that are yet to be fulfilled, but

417
00:22:39,390 --> 00:22:43,230
S4: we have huge numbers of prophecies. There's over 300 prophecies

418
00:22:43,230 --> 00:22:46,619
S4: concerning our Lord's first return. How do you get confidence

419
00:22:46,619 --> 00:22:50,130
S4: in prophecy? Well, here's what he said Jesus would be born.

420
00:22:50,340 --> 00:22:54,629
S4: Here's where Jesus was born. Here's what he said about many,

421
00:22:54,630 --> 00:22:58,500
S4: many babies being killed. Many babies were killed. These 300

422
00:22:58,500 --> 00:23:01,409
S4: prophecies concerning the return of Christ is coming back the

423
00:23:01,410 --> 00:23:05,520
S4: first time have all been fulfilled accurately. So what should

424
00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:08,879
S4: we suspect about the prophecies yet to be fulfilled? If

425
00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:12,720
S4: he's accurate to the detail on every prophecy of his

426
00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:16,020
S4: first coming, would we not expect him to be accurate

427
00:23:16,020 --> 00:23:19,109
S4: in such a way? And there are 3 or 4

428
00:23:19,109 --> 00:23:22,230
S4: times as many prophecies according to his Second Coming, as

429
00:23:22,230 --> 00:23:24,780
S4: there are for his first. When I read the prophecies

430
00:23:24,780 --> 00:23:27,450
S4: of the Old Testament and see their fulfillment, then I

431
00:23:27,450 --> 00:23:30,510
S4: read a prophecy yet to be fulfilled. I just say, yeah,

432
00:23:30,510 --> 00:23:33,060
S4: that's going to happen too, just like we're told.

433
00:23:33,060 --> 00:23:34,590
S1: There's something reassuring about that.

434
00:23:34,590 --> 00:23:38,100
S4: Yeah, there is. It truly is. God is not somebody

435
00:23:38,100 --> 00:23:41,340
S4: who ever over promises or lies. He keeps his word.

436
00:23:41,340 --> 00:23:43,350
S4: And if he says it's going to happen, you can

437
00:23:43,350 --> 00:23:44,490
S4: take it to the bank.

438
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S1: If his voice is familiar. That's because you've probably heard

439
00:23:47,250 --> 00:23:51,449
S1: Doctor David Jeremiah on The Turning Point broadcast. I'm John Gager.

440
00:23:51,450 --> 00:23:53,700
S1: This is the land in the book. We're talking about

441
00:23:53,700 --> 00:23:57,389
S1: the Book of Signs. How will this book help believers

442
00:23:57,390 --> 00:23:59,970
S1: navigate the stormy waters ahead?

443
00:23:59,970 --> 00:24:01,800
S4: You know, one of the things I love to do

444
00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:04,320
S4: when I write a book is, is require that the

445
00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:08,430
S4: publisher puts in a biblical and topical index. So here's

446
00:24:08,430 --> 00:24:10,830
S4: what I think is so cool about this book. You're

447
00:24:10,830 --> 00:24:13,950
S4: talking to some friends and he mentions a topic from

448
00:24:13,950 --> 00:24:16,229
S4: the prophetic future, and you don't know what it is.

449
00:24:16,230 --> 00:24:17,940
S4: If you go to the Book of Signs, you look

450
00:24:17,940 --> 00:24:20,280
S4: that word up in the dictionary in the back and

451
00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:23,790
S4: the topical index. It'll give you a page number. It'll

452
00:24:23,790 --> 00:24:26,640
S4: take you right to the page and to the article

453
00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:29,700
S4: that talks all about that. So you're never going to

454
00:24:29,700 --> 00:24:31,919
S4: be totally lost in this subject because you're going to

455
00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:34,889
S4: have a I wanted this to be a source where

456
00:24:34,890 --> 00:24:38,100
S4: people could go and find answers when they were involved

457
00:24:38,100 --> 00:24:40,919
S4: in a discussion more than ever before. I think in

458
00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:44,100
S4: the world of prophecy, that's been critical. And it's been

459
00:24:44,100 --> 00:24:47,040
S4: it's been interesting to hear people say how they've used that.

460
00:24:47,070 --> 00:24:50,670
S1: A source for answers, a source for biblical confidence. That's

461
00:24:50,670 --> 00:24:53,430
S1: the Book of signs. What do you want listeners to

462
00:24:53,430 --> 00:24:55,889
S1: come away from this book with? How should they think

463
00:24:55,890 --> 00:24:59,490
S1: or do life differently after encountering the Book of Signs?

464
00:24:59,490 --> 00:25:02,400
S4: They should come away with the realization that the future

465
00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:06,060
S4: and prophecy is not an unknowable mystery, but that it

466
00:25:06,060 --> 00:25:08,790
S4: is a body of information that God has given to us,

467
00:25:08,790 --> 00:25:11,760
S4: that we can understand it, that there's been a great

468
00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:14,550
S4: deal of work done to help us understand it. And

469
00:25:14,550 --> 00:25:17,430
S4: in the Book of Signs, we've put that work in

470
00:25:17,430 --> 00:25:21,840
S4: chewable packages not big long chapters, but 4000 word chapters

471
00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:24,660
S4: you can read in a few moments. And when you're done,

472
00:25:24,660 --> 00:25:27,330
S4: you will have the answer to the question that caused

473
00:25:27,330 --> 00:25:29,280
S4: you to open the book in the first place.

474
00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:32,730
S1: And again, it's titled The Book of Signs, and there's

475
00:25:32,730 --> 00:25:35,250
S1: a link to it at our website, the land and

476
00:25:35,250 --> 00:25:38,970
S1: the book. Org. What a pleasure. An honor really, to

477
00:25:38,970 --> 00:25:42,540
S1: speak with Doctor David Jeremiah coming up on the broadcast,

478
00:25:42,540 --> 00:25:45,060
S1: it's a look at questions that have come in via email,

479
00:25:45,060 --> 00:25:47,940
S1: and we encourage you to stick around. There's always something interesting,

480
00:25:47,940 --> 00:25:50,400
S1: something that you never thought about, or maybe you did

481
00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:53,490
S1: think about, and you're finally getting an answer. That's all ahead.

482
00:25:53,490 --> 00:26:07,280
S1: Next here on the land and the book. It's the

483
00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:10,580
S1: Land and the book from Moody Radio. Segment three I'm

484
00:26:10,580 --> 00:26:12,980
S1: John Gager, and in this third segment with our host,

485
00:26:12,980 --> 00:26:15,500
S1: Doctor Charlie Dyer, we take a look at questions. Our

486
00:26:15,500 --> 00:26:18,619
S1: focus is entirely on the things that you puzzle over

487
00:26:18,619 --> 00:26:22,340
S1: wonder about as you read through Scripture. And many people wonder, though,

488
00:26:22,340 --> 00:26:24,980
S1: how do you share the gospel with a Jewish person?

489
00:26:24,980 --> 00:26:29,270
S1: Because of cultural, historical, and religious differences, it's sometimes challenging

490
00:26:29,270 --> 00:26:33,109
S1: to navigate a gospel conversation with somebody from a Jewish background.

491
00:26:33,109 --> 00:26:36,109
S1: Have you ever wondered how the professionals do it?

492
00:26:36,109 --> 00:26:38,540
S2: Well, to answer that question, our friends at Life in

493
00:26:38,540 --> 00:26:41,270
S2: Messiah want to mail you samples of the tracks their

494
00:26:41,270 --> 00:26:44,210
S2: staff use as they share the gospel. This will serve

495
00:26:44,210 --> 00:26:46,820
S2: a dual purpose of equipping you with methods of presenting

496
00:26:46,820 --> 00:26:49,640
S2: the gospel, and also supplying you with tracks you can

497
00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:52,940
S2: share with your Jewish friends and neighbors. Life in Messiah's

498
00:26:52,940 --> 00:26:55,669
S2: Prayer is that these tracks will help further the spread

499
00:26:55,670 --> 00:26:58,820
S2: of the gospel among the Jewish people. To receive this

500
00:26:58,820 --> 00:27:01,370
S2: helpful assortment of tracks, all you need to do is

501
00:27:01,369 --> 00:27:04,490
S2: visit Life in Messiah org and click on the Moody

502
00:27:04,490 --> 00:27:09,380
S2: Radio button for more information. That's Life in messiah.org and

503
00:27:09,380 --> 00:27:11,540
S2: don't miss out on this great opportunity.

504
00:27:11,540 --> 00:27:13,880
S1: And don't miss out on this next segment where we

505
00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:16,550
S1: answer your questions that have come to us via email.

506
00:27:16,550 --> 00:27:18,860
S1: I'll share with you that address that you might want

507
00:27:18,859 --> 00:27:20,780
S1: to use. If you've got a question and would like

508
00:27:20,780 --> 00:27:23,270
S1: to have Charlie take a look at it, Todd says

509
00:27:23,270 --> 00:27:27,680
S1: sometimes Scripture simply describes a narrative without providing moral commentary.

510
00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:29,900
S1: If this is true, would you say that this is

511
00:27:29,900 --> 00:27:32,000
S1: true also of the Psalms? In other words, is it

512
00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:35,660
S1: possible that some of the Psalms were not good prayers

513
00:27:35,660 --> 00:27:39,500
S1: or perhaps prayed from bad motives? Also, is it appropriate

514
00:27:39,500 --> 00:27:42,169
S1: for us to pray the Imprecatory Psalms?

515
00:27:42,170 --> 00:27:44,720
S2: Yeah, and I'll say this in narrative literature. I do

516
00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:47,720
S2: believe the point was to provide a moral commentary through

517
00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:50,600
S2: the story itself. That is, the individual's actions as they

518
00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:54,500
S2: align with or depart from God's commands, resulted in blessings

519
00:27:54,500 --> 00:27:56,990
S2: or cursings as it worked out in the person's life. So,

520
00:27:56,990 --> 00:28:00,230
S2: for example, David's life is pictured as an unbroken string

521
00:28:00,260 --> 00:28:03,679
S2: of success until his sin with Bathsheba, followed by an

522
00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:07,489
S2: unbroken string of heartache and conflict afterward. Now, coming to

523
00:28:07,490 --> 00:28:10,129
S2: the Psalms, I don't see the same thing happening in

524
00:28:10,130 --> 00:28:13,250
S2: poetic literature. Like the Psalms, Psalm one lays out the

525
00:28:13,250 --> 00:28:16,580
S2: blessings and cursings that tie into obedience to the Lord.

526
00:28:16,580 --> 00:28:19,340
S2: And when it comes to Imprecatory Psalms. Now for those

527
00:28:19,340 --> 00:28:21,590
S2: who aren't familiar with them, those are Psalms where the

528
00:28:21,590 --> 00:28:24,950
S2: psalmist calls on God to judge his enemies. I personally

529
00:28:24,950 --> 00:28:27,740
S2: don't have a problem with those psalms. Instead, I see

530
00:28:27,740 --> 00:28:31,820
S2: in them the psalmist, especially David, acting as God's representative

531
00:28:31,820 --> 00:28:34,820
S2: and calling on God to judge those who oppose God's

532
00:28:34,820 --> 00:28:38,240
S2: plans and God's people. He doesn't ask God for permission

533
00:28:38,240 --> 00:28:41,900
S2: to knock someone's teeth out. Instead, he recites the evil

534
00:28:41,930 --> 00:28:44,780
S2: being done and then asks God to act to stop

535
00:28:44,780 --> 00:28:47,420
S2: the person doing it. In that sense, I see it

536
00:28:47,420 --> 00:28:51,050
S2: being similar to Paul's words in like in second Timothy 414,

537
00:28:51,050 --> 00:28:53,780
S2: where he says, the Lord will repay Alexander the coppersmith

538
00:28:53,780 --> 00:28:56,840
S2: according to his deeds. Now, by way of application, I

539
00:28:56,840 --> 00:28:59,630
S2: do see times when it's appropriate for us to cry

540
00:28:59,630 --> 00:29:02,540
S2: out to the Lord for justice when we see wickedness

541
00:29:02,540 --> 00:29:06,380
S2: seemingly rushing along. UN opposed. But like the psalmist, we

542
00:29:06,380 --> 00:29:08,960
S2: don't seek our own vengeance. We turn the matter over

543
00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:12,500
S2: to the Lord and ask him to execute his justice.

544
00:29:12,500 --> 00:29:16,280
S1: Mary asks in Paul's letters, such as Galatians or to

545
00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:19,730
S1: the Corinthians, was there ever any evidence of maturity on

546
00:29:19,730 --> 00:29:21,500
S1: the part of the people he worked with over the

547
00:29:21,500 --> 00:29:23,480
S1: time that he spent with them?

548
00:29:23,900 --> 00:29:25,970
S2: I think Paul did see a response on the part

549
00:29:25,970 --> 00:29:28,880
S2: of the people over time, though it did vary. For example,

550
00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:32,300
S2: Paul spent 18 months in Corinth according to acts 18.

551
00:29:32,300 --> 00:29:36,140
S2: And yet that church continued to struggle with issues, certainly

552
00:29:36,140 --> 00:29:38,810
S2: based on the topics Paul needs to address in first

553
00:29:38,810 --> 00:29:40,820
S2: and second Corinthians, you see an awful lot of issues

554
00:29:40,820 --> 00:29:43,160
S2: they had to deal with. Paul spent 2 to 3

555
00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:47,090
S2: years in Ephesus in Acts 19, and yet later Paul

556
00:29:47,090 --> 00:29:50,780
S2: apparently left Timothy there to help resolve doctrinal and practical

557
00:29:50,780 --> 00:29:53,810
S2: issues still taking place in that church. In fact, first

558
00:29:53,810 --> 00:29:56,300
S2: Timothy one verses three and four, that's what Paul says.

559
00:29:56,300 --> 00:29:59,150
S2: He left Timothy there. So in reality, I see those

560
00:29:59,150 --> 00:30:02,750
S2: early churches, much like our churches today. There was growth

561
00:30:02,750 --> 00:30:05,360
S2: and development, but there was also a continuous string of

562
00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:09,020
S2: problems and issues as new individuals came into the congregation

563
00:30:09,020 --> 00:30:11,240
S2: and as new situations arose.

564
00:30:11,450 --> 00:30:13,190
S1: All right. This is the land in the book from

565
00:30:13,190 --> 00:30:16,610
S1: Moody Radio looking at Bible questions from you. And you

566
00:30:16,610 --> 00:30:19,280
S1: can get yours to Charlie Dyer anytime with a quick

567
00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:24,890
S1: email to the land and the book@moody.edu is Mary Magdalene,

568
00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:28,370
S1: the sister of Martha and Lazarus. Chem says I read

569
00:30:28,370 --> 00:30:31,640
S1: that recently but never heard of that. Can you please clarify?

570
00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:34,460
S2: Yeah, and I don't believe Mary Magdalene was the sister

571
00:30:34,460 --> 00:30:36,440
S2: of Martha and Lazarus. And I say that because of

572
00:30:36,440 --> 00:30:42,080
S2: the geographical distinctions between them, Magdalene actually refers to Mary's hometown.

573
00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:44,840
S2: Her name was Mary from Magdala, which is on the

574
00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:47,390
S2: west side of the Sea of Galilee. And that's where

575
00:30:47,390 --> 00:30:50,300
S2: Jesus met her and where she became a follower of him.

576
00:30:50,390 --> 00:30:54,830
S2: In contrast, we're told about Lazarus, Mary, and Martha as

577
00:30:54,830 --> 00:30:58,820
S2: being from Bethany, which is about two miles east of Jerusalem.

578
00:30:58,820 --> 00:31:02,540
S2: John writes in chapter 11 that Lazarus was from Bethany,

579
00:31:02,540 --> 00:31:05,720
S2: the village of Mary, and her sister Martha. The fact

580
00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:09,410
S2: that these two. Two hometowns are specifically identified for these Marys,

581
00:31:09,410 --> 00:31:12,560
S2: and that there are about 75 miles apart lets me

582
00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:15,140
S2: know that these two Marys are different people. And by

583
00:31:15,140 --> 00:31:17,750
S2: the way, Mary was a fairly common name since it's

584
00:31:17,750 --> 00:31:20,450
S2: the Greek form of the Hebrew name Miriam, which was

585
00:31:20,450 --> 00:31:23,990
S2: Moses's sister. So a lot of ladies were named Miriam,

586
00:31:23,990 --> 00:31:26,900
S2: or as it came across in Greek and into English, Mary.

587
00:31:26,930 --> 00:31:29,240
S1: This listener is curious about the weight of the mixture

588
00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:33,260
S1: of myrrh and aloes referred to in John 19 verse 39.

589
00:31:33,260 --> 00:31:36,650
S1: How could it be so heavy? Was it in liquid form, perhaps?

590
00:31:36,650 --> 00:31:38,810
S2: Yeah. The amount of spices that were brought in that

591
00:31:38,810 --> 00:31:42,860
S2: verse by Nicodemus for Jesus's burial. It is amazing. John

592
00:31:42,860 --> 00:31:45,230
S2: says it was 100 Roman pounds. Now that would be

593
00:31:45,230 --> 00:31:49,580
S2: about 65 US pounds. The two spices were mixed together,

594
00:31:49,580 --> 00:31:51,800
S2: but I think they were likely in powdered form. The

595
00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:54,350
S2: purpose was to pack the spice around the body, as

596
00:31:54,350 --> 00:31:58,100
S2: they wrapped it in those linen wrappings. That helped mask

597
00:31:58,100 --> 00:31:59,959
S2: what they assumed was going to be the smell of

598
00:31:59,960 --> 00:32:03,890
S2: the body decomposing. Little did they know, Jesus's body would

599
00:32:03,890 --> 00:32:06,950
S2: soon be resurrected, but there was a huge amount of spice.

600
00:32:06,950 --> 00:32:08,780
S2: It would have been quite heavy. And I think it's

601
00:32:08,780 --> 00:32:12,590
S2: possible that Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus also brought along

602
00:32:12,590 --> 00:32:16,730
S2: some otherwise unnamed servants to help carry both Jesus's body,

603
00:32:16,730 --> 00:32:20,180
S2: all the linen wrappings, and the spices. Thankfully, the distance

604
00:32:20,180 --> 00:32:23,180
S2: from the site of the crucifixion to the tomb wasn't

605
00:32:23,180 --> 00:32:24,110
S2: that great.

606
00:32:24,110 --> 00:32:26,120
S1: You know, with the women, though, who went to the

607
00:32:26,120 --> 00:32:29,120
S1: tomb and they brought spices as well. Wouldn't that have

608
00:32:29,120 --> 00:32:31,640
S1: been beyond something that you could just carry in your arms?

609
00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:33,590
S1: Would they have used a wheelbarrow or a cart of

610
00:32:33,590 --> 00:32:34,490
S1: some kind?

611
00:32:34,940 --> 00:32:37,280
S2: We don't know. But it's interesting. The fact that the

612
00:32:37,280 --> 00:32:40,190
S2: women were bringing spices tells me they hadn't actually followed

613
00:32:40,190 --> 00:32:44,180
S2: completely what had happened with Joseph and and Nicodemus. So

614
00:32:44,180 --> 00:32:46,640
S2: they were coming as well, probably with much less spice.

615
00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:49,070
S2: They would have been for more humble background rather than

616
00:32:49,070 --> 00:32:51,740
S2: these two men who were more wealthy. But yeah, they

617
00:32:51,740 --> 00:32:54,260
S2: were coming as well, bringing what they could to try

618
00:32:54,260 --> 00:32:55,370
S2: and prepare the body.

619
00:32:55,370 --> 00:32:58,520
S1: Nancy takes us to Ezekiel 47, where we read of

620
00:32:58,520 --> 00:33:01,430
S1: Ezekiel's vision of the river flowing from the temple and

621
00:33:01,430 --> 00:33:05,000
S1: the continuously producing fruit trees that line its shore. In

622
00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:07,670
S1: verse 12 it says, their fruit will serve for food

623
00:33:07,670 --> 00:33:11,120
S1: and their leaves for healing. At this point, who will

624
00:33:11,120 --> 00:33:14,420
S1: need to be healed? Revelation 22 verse two reiterates this,

625
00:33:14,420 --> 00:33:18,530
S1: though expanding the healing to nations. The best explanation I

626
00:33:18,530 --> 00:33:21,020
S1: found was that it would somehow enrich heavenly life, which

627
00:33:21,020 --> 00:33:24,230
S1: may just be beyond our current human understanding. Would love

628
00:33:24,230 --> 00:33:25,460
S1: your thoughts on this, Charlie.

629
00:33:25,460 --> 00:33:28,100
S2: Yeah, and first off, I need to say there are

630
00:33:28,100 --> 00:33:31,940
S2: two different situations here and two different times. The trees

631
00:33:31,940 --> 00:33:35,540
S2: in Ezekiel 47 are there during the Millennial Kingdom. Those

632
00:33:35,540 --> 00:33:37,370
S2: of us who are there in our resurrected bodies, we

633
00:33:37,370 --> 00:33:39,890
S2: won't need to worry about disease or death, but there

634
00:33:39,890 --> 00:33:42,590
S2: will be individuals there who make it through the tribulation

635
00:33:42,590 --> 00:33:45,830
S2: and who enter the millennium in normal bodies. And though

636
00:33:45,830 --> 00:33:48,110
S2: life expectancy in the Millennial kingdom is supposed to be

637
00:33:48,110 --> 00:33:50,990
S2: more like it was before the flood, uh, those normal

638
00:33:50,990 --> 00:33:53,690
S2: bodies will still grow old and still need physical healing

639
00:33:53,690 --> 00:33:56,840
S2: at times. I love how Isaiah 65 pictures it. He

640
00:33:56,840 --> 00:33:59,210
S2: says never again will there be an infant who lives

641
00:33:59,210 --> 00:34:01,130
S2: but a few days, or an old man who doesn't

642
00:34:01,130 --> 00:34:03,470
S2: live out his years. He who dies at 100 will

643
00:34:03,470 --> 00:34:05,600
S2: be thought a mere youth. He who fails to reach

644
00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:08,180
S2: 100 will be considered a cursed. For as the days

645
00:34:08,180 --> 00:34:10,100
S2: of a tree, so will be the days of my people.

646
00:34:10,100 --> 00:34:12,800
S2: So people are going to live old and and die

647
00:34:12,830 --> 00:34:15,410
S2: very old during that period. But it seems like these

648
00:34:15,410 --> 00:34:18,290
S2: trees will still help people in their normal bodies live longer,

649
00:34:18,290 --> 00:34:21,529
S2: healthier lives. Now in revelation in the New Jerusalem, I

650
00:34:21,530 --> 00:34:25,190
S2: think it's picturing the ultimate reality that Ezekiel 47 is

651
00:34:25,190 --> 00:34:28,069
S2: only illustrating on earth. In this case, the word used

652
00:34:28,070 --> 00:34:31,310
S2: for healing of the nations is therapeia, which we get

653
00:34:31,310 --> 00:34:33,410
S2: the word therapeutic from. And it could be used in

654
00:34:33,410 --> 00:34:35,900
S2: a medical sense, but it also has the idea of,

655
00:34:35,900 --> 00:34:38,810
S2: of serving or restoring will be in new bodies there.

656
00:34:38,810 --> 00:34:42,140
S2: But God will still provide everything necessary for the benefit

657
00:34:42,140 --> 00:34:45,529
S2: of our physical renewal. Uh, I'm not sure what that means,

658
00:34:45,530 --> 00:34:47,570
S2: but I take it as a reminder that God's going

659
00:34:47,570 --> 00:34:50,239
S2: to be caring for every aspect of our physical and

660
00:34:50,239 --> 00:34:56,300
S2: spiritual well-being throughout eternity. So your idea of enriching heavenly life, well,

661
00:34:56,300 --> 00:34:58,400
S2: that could actually be a pretty good description of what

662
00:34:58,400 --> 00:35:00,049
S2: the New Jerusalem will be like.

663
00:35:00,050 --> 00:35:03,650
S1: Vernon takes us to Genesis ten verse five, and at

664
00:35:03,650 --> 00:35:05,930
S1: the end of that verse it says, each clan having

665
00:35:05,930 --> 00:35:09,140
S1: their own language and right after that, at the beginning

666
00:35:09,140 --> 00:35:11,240
S1: of chapter 11, verse one, it says, the whole earth

667
00:35:11,239 --> 00:35:14,719
S1: had one language. I'm trying to reconcile the two verses.

668
00:35:14,719 --> 00:35:15,560
S1: Any help here?

669
00:35:15,560 --> 00:35:17,930
S2: Yeah, I think the answer to the question is realizing

670
00:35:17,930 --> 00:35:20,660
S2: chapters ten and 11 in Genesis are a unit. That is,

671
00:35:20,660 --> 00:35:23,509
S2: chapter ten tells us where the nations at the time

672
00:35:23,510 --> 00:35:27,739
S2: of Moses came from genealogically, while chapter 11 tells us

673
00:35:27,739 --> 00:35:31,219
S2: why those nations came to be scattered. So in ten five,

674
00:35:31,219 --> 00:35:34,790
S2: in summarizing the descendants of Japheth, it literally says the

675
00:35:34,790 --> 00:35:38,780
S2: nations were separated into their lands. Everyone according to his language,

676
00:35:38,780 --> 00:35:42,080
S2: according to their families, into their nations. The verse is

677
00:35:42,080 --> 00:35:44,839
S2: pointing toward the event that will then be described in

678
00:35:44,840 --> 00:35:48,650
S2: chapter 11. Note the parallel when Moses describes the descendants

679
00:35:48,650 --> 00:35:51,950
S2: of Ham in verse 20 and Shem in verse 32.

680
00:35:51,980 --> 00:35:54,950
S2: He does the same thing, the same emphasis on these divisions.

681
00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:59,089
S2: Having described how the nations developed from Noah's descendants, chapter

682
00:35:59,090 --> 00:36:02,150
S2: 11 then explains why they were all scattered in the

683
00:36:02,150 --> 00:36:04,790
S2: first place. And he does that by starting at the beginning,

684
00:36:04,790 --> 00:36:08,020
S2: when the whole world had. One language in a common speech.

685
00:36:08,200 --> 00:36:11,110
S1: Steve asks, what one book would you recommend about the

686
00:36:11,110 --> 00:36:14,260
S1: Six Day War or the Yom Kippur War? And what

687
00:36:14,260 --> 00:36:16,840
S1: one book would you recommend about Theodor Herzl?

688
00:36:17,110 --> 00:36:19,000
S2: Well, my all time favorite book on the Six Day

689
00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:22,450
S2: War is Six Days of War by Michael Oren Oren,

690
00:36:22,450 --> 00:36:25,299
S2: former Israeli ambassador to the US in terms of the

691
00:36:25,300 --> 00:36:29,589
S2: Yom Kippur War. Abraham Rabinovich wrote the Yom Kippur War,

692
00:36:29,680 --> 00:36:31,570
S2: and it's not quite as much a page turner as

693
00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:34,210
S2: Oren's book, but it's still pretty good. And finally, on

694
00:36:34,210 --> 00:36:37,240
S2: Theodor Herzl, I'd actually read his work Der Judenstaat The

695
00:36:37,239 --> 00:36:39,759
S2: Jewish State, and you can find a free copy of

696
00:36:39,760 --> 00:36:40,750
S2: it online.

697
00:36:40,780 --> 00:36:43,540
S1: Those are great answers. Thank you Charlie. Appreciate the questions

698
00:36:43,540 --> 00:36:48,489
S1: as well. Email yours to the land and the book@moody.edu.

699
00:36:48,520 --> 00:37:04,830
S1: Charlie Dyer's devotional is next right here. It's our fourth

700
00:37:04,830 --> 00:37:06,750
S1: and final segment here on the land of the book,

701
00:37:06,750 --> 00:37:09,359
S1: but boy, is it packed. Packed with something for you

702
00:37:09,360 --> 00:37:12,360
S1: to take away for your day. I'm John Jaeger and Charlie,

703
00:37:12,360 --> 00:37:15,060
S1: I love your devotionals. You're taking us today on some

704
00:37:15,060 --> 00:37:16,950
S1: sort of a hike. Tell us a bit more.

705
00:37:16,980 --> 00:37:18,629
S2: Yeah, we're going to be using some of our shoe

706
00:37:18,630 --> 00:37:20,550
S2: leather this time to learn a little bit more about

707
00:37:20,550 --> 00:37:21,150
S2: the Bible.

708
00:37:21,150 --> 00:37:24,029
S1: Okay. A hike from Bethany to Jerusalem is what's in

709
00:37:24,030 --> 00:37:27,989
S1: store after we hear this Holy Land experience testimony.

710
00:37:31,940 --> 00:37:36,080
S5: Hi, I'm Charlie Winkleman. I'm a pastor at a small

711
00:37:36,080 --> 00:37:40,490
S5: church in Jersey shore, and I'm on my first trip

712
00:37:40,489 --> 00:37:45,620
S5: to Israel, and it's been an amazing experience. It's something

713
00:37:45,620 --> 00:37:48,230
S5: I've dreamed of doing for a long time. When I

714
00:37:48,230 --> 00:37:51,980
S5: first looked at the the map of the Old City,

715
00:37:51,980 --> 00:37:56,810
S5: I was really expecting it to be biblical Jerusalem, just

716
00:37:56,810 --> 00:38:00,650
S5: like I had studied in seminary and other places. And

717
00:38:00,650 --> 00:38:03,410
S5: it wasn't at all. It's not the same. Uh, some

718
00:38:03,410 --> 00:38:05,870
S5: parts of it are the same. So that was very confusing,

719
00:38:05,870 --> 00:38:09,650
S5: but that it just really helped me to understand how

720
00:38:09,650 --> 00:38:13,670
S5: it all fit together and to take these stories that

721
00:38:13,880 --> 00:38:17,990
S5: were kind of disembodied, you know, the upper room and

722
00:38:17,989 --> 00:38:22,100
S5: these things that happened different places. You weren't really sure

723
00:38:22,100 --> 00:38:25,969
S5: how to relate those things, but it was fantastic to

724
00:38:25,969 --> 00:38:30,890
S5: actually be traveling to and from these different spots and to,

725
00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:36,350
S5: to see how the land, uh, and the geography and

726
00:38:36,350 --> 00:38:39,890
S5: the people and the different places affected what happened way

727
00:38:39,890 --> 00:38:43,339
S5: back then and how that could then affect us as

728
00:38:43,340 --> 00:38:45,530
S5: we understood the Scripture better.

729
00:38:47,420 --> 00:38:49,910
S1: Thank you very much. There is something about a hike

730
00:38:49,940 --> 00:38:53,060
S1: that just puts you more in connection with the land

731
00:38:53,060 --> 00:38:55,790
S1: that you're walking through, rather than driving through it or

732
00:38:55,790 --> 00:38:58,219
S1: jogging through it. So, Charlie, what have you got for

733
00:38:58,219 --> 00:38:59,600
S1: us in your devotional today?

734
00:38:59,690 --> 00:39:01,760
S2: Well, I'm taking you back on some of my earliest

735
00:39:01,760 --> 00:39:03,980
S2: trips to Israel. You know, in fact, my two earliest

736
00:39:03,980 --> 00:39:06,739
S2: trips were with groups of students from the seminary where

737
00:39:06,739 --> 00:39:09,770
S2: I was teaching. I enjoyed those trips for several reasons.

738
00:39:09,770 --> 00:39:12,110
S2: They might have been short on amenities, but they were

739
00:39:12,110 --> 00:39:15,500
S2: long on experiencing the land first hand. We stayed in

740
00:39:15,500 --> 00:39:17,990
S2: dorms and youth hostels, but we did a great deal

741
00:39:17,989 --> 00:39:20,930
S2: of hiking and exploring. Yeah, I only wish that Fitbit

742
00:39:20,930 --> 00:39:23,570
S2: or Apple Watch had been around back then to know

743
00:39:23,570 --> 00:39:26,450
S2: how many steps we took in this typical day, yet

744
00:39:26,450 --> 00:39:28,460
S2: we got to see and do things most tours don't

745
00:39:28,460 --> 00:39:31,609
S2: do because, well, because we were younger, lighter and in

746
00:39:31,610 --> 00:39:34,970
S2: better physical shape. My knees couldn't do today what we

747
00:39:34,969 --> 00:39:38,239
S2: did back then. One of those special moments involved a

748
00:39:38,239 --> 00:39:41,540
S2: walk from Bethany over the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem.

749
00:39:41,810 --> 00:39:43,340
S2: I didn't think too much about the hike when the

750
00:39:43,340 --> 00:39:46,279
S2: day began because it didn't sound that vigorous. Or at

751
00:39:46,280 --> 00:39:49,880
S2: least it didn't. On paper. After all, John 1118 says

752
00:39:49,880 --> 00:39:53,509
S2: Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem. It felt

753
00:39:53,510 --> 00:39:56,030
S2: like we were hiking that far almost every night, just

754
00:39:56,030 --> 00:39:59,149
S2: to go to Ben-Yehuda Street in Jerusalem from the campus

755
00:39:59,150 --> 00:40:02,390
S2: where we were staying, even walking at a leisurely pace.

756
00:40:02,390 --> 00:40:05,240
S2: It shouldn't take much more than 30 minutes, right? And

757
00:40:05,239 --> 00:40:07,549
S2: yet we had to take a bus from the school

758
00:40:07,550 --> 00:40:10,310
S2: to Bethany, and we took something of a roundabout route

759
00:40:10,310 --> 00:40:13,250
S2: to get there first heading north before crossing over the

760
00:40:13,250 --> 00:40:16,700
S2: Mount of Olives, heading down toward Jericho, before turning back

761
00:40:16,700 --> 00:40:20,150
S2: to join the old road from Jericho toward Bethany, which

762
00:40:20,150 --> 00:40:23,600
S2: is modern day Al-eizariya. We first visited the Church of

763
00:40:23,600 --> 00:40:26,899
S2: Saint Lazarus and then went into the traditional tomb nearby,

764
00:40:26,900 --> 00:40:29,360
S2: and then it was time to start our walk back

765
00:40:29,360 --> 00:40:32,780
S2: to Jerusalem and to the school for lunch. After just

766
00:40:32,780 --> 00:40:35,180
S2: a few hundred yards, my calves felt like they were

767
00:40:35,180 --> 00:40:38,960
S2: tightening up. I didn't realize the incline was so steep.

768
00:40:38,989 --> 00:40:42,260
S2: A thankfully, a very entrepreneurial salesman popped out onto the

769
00:40:42,260 --> 00:40:45,590
S2: street with an offer to sell us genuine slings like

770
00:40:45,590 --> 00:40:48,710
S2: the one David used to kill Goliath. I didn't recall

771
00:40:48,710 --> 00:40:51,319
S2: David using a sling that had been crocheted or knitted

772
00:40:51,320 --> 00:40:54,200
S2: from coarse yarn, so I was a bit skeptical. And

773
00:40:54,200 --> 00:40:56,120
S2: so were the other hikers as we all shook our

774
00:40:56,120 --> 00:40:58,669
S2: heads and politely said, oh no thanks. But as if

775
00:40:58,670 --> 00:41:02,300
S2: reading our minds, the salesman grabbed a nearby stone, placed

776
00:41:02,300 --> 00:41:05,149
S2: it in the sling, twirled it around, and released one

777
00:41:05,150 --> 00:41:08,240
S2: of the retention cords. The stone shot from the sling

778
00:41:08,239 --> 00:41:10,310
S2: and sailed over the house on the other side of

779
00:41:10,310 --> 00:41:12,739
S2: the road, toward a group of houses in a densely

780
00:41:12,739 --> 00:41:16,490
S2: packed neighborhood. Again, as if knowing our thoughts, he turned

781
00:41:16,489 --> 00:41:18,710
S2: to us and said with a smile, my mother in

782
00:41:18,710 --> 00:41:22,370
S2: law's house. A bunch of us bought his slings, but

783
00:41:22,370 --> 00:41:24,830
S2: now it was time to start walking again, and the

784
00:41:24,830 --> 00:41:28,069
S2: hill was just as steep as before. I'm guessing we

785
00:41:28,070 --> 00:41:30,980
S2: only walked another quarter mile or so until we reached Bethpage,

786
00:41:30,980 --> 00:41:34,670
S2: which means the house of the unripe figs. It's possible

787
00:41:34,670 --> 00:41:38,060
S2: the name came from the reality that the higher elevation

788
00:41:38,060 --> 00:41:40,100
S2: caused the fig trees near the top of the Mount

789
00:41:40,100 --> 00:41:44,180
S2: of Olives to ripen slightly after trees at a lower elevation,

790
00:41:44,180 --> 00:41:47,120
S2: but we don't know for sure. What we do know

791
00:41:47,120 --> 00:41:49,400
S2: is that this is the spot where the two disciples

792
00:41:49,400 --> 00:41:51,799
S2: found the colt, the foal of a donkey tied to

793
00:41:51,800 --> 00:41:54,890
S2: a tree. We stopped to think about that event. Why

794
00:41:54,890 --> 00:41:57,440
S2: was the colt left here? It's not as if someone

795
00:41:57,440 --> 00:42:00,080
S2: had ridden it here and then parked it by the road.

796
00:42:00,080 --> 00:42:02,870
S2: Mark 11 two specifically says that no one had ever

797
00:42:02,870 --> 00:42:05,810
S2: ridden this colt. Could it be that the owner knew

798
00:42:05,840 --> 00:42:09,440
S2: the prophecy of Zechariah nine nine and simply left the

799
00:42:09,440 --> 00:42:12,050
S2: animal here in the hope that this might be the

800
00:42:12,050 --> 00:42:15,800
S2: year the Messiah would arrive? We don't know. But stopping

801
00:42:15,800 --> 00:42:18,440
S2: to ponder the question gave us another chance to rest

802
00:42:18,440 --> 00:42:21,800
S2: our weary calf muscles. We're almost at the summit of

803
00:42:21,800 --> 00:42:23,960
S2: the Mount of Olives, so things should get much easier

804
00:42:23,960 --> 00:42:27,170
S2: from this point on. Right? With that erroneous assumption to

805
00:42:27,170 --> 00:42:30,109
S2: comfort us, we pressed on. There are a number of

806
00:42:30,110 --> 00:42:32,270
S2: spots one can visit on the way down the Mount

807
00:42:32,270 --> 00:42:36,110
S2: of Olives. The overview of Jerusalem from the top. Dominus Flevit,

808
00:42:36,140 --> 00:42:40,489
S2: a chapel which commemorates Jesus weeping over Jerusalem, the Russian

809
00:42:40,489 --> 00:42:43,700
S2: Orthodox Church of Mary Magdalene, the Garden of Gethsemane, and

810
00:42:43,700 --> 00:42:47,120
S2: Church of All Nations. All are worth visiting, but none

811
00:42:47,120 --> 00:42:50,570
S2: are on our itinerary. This morning. The purpose of this

812
00:42:50,570 --> 00:42:53,989
S2: trip is to parallel Jesus's walk from Bethany to Jerusalem.

813
00:42:53,989 --> 00:42:57,620
S2: So our fearless leader pressed on and we followed sore feet,

814
00:42:57,620 --> 00:43:00,950
S2: burning karves parched lips and all. This was our first

815
00:43:00,950 --> 00:43:03,350
S2: time on the Mount of Olives, and we noticed immediately

816
00:43:03,350 --> 00:43:07,160
S2: that the western slope leading down into Jerusalem is also steep.

817
00:43:07,160 --> 00:43:09,529
S2: The roadway we're on is paved, but it has bits

818
00:43:09,530 --> 00:43:12,950
S2: of dirt and gravel scattered across the way. It didn't

819
00:43:12,980 --> 00:43:15,440
S2: take long until the first of our party found himself

820
00:43:15,440 --> 00:43:19,310
S2: sidewalk surfing, trying desperately to stay upright and keep from

821
00:43:19,310 --> 00:43:21,830
S2: falling as he slipped on the gravel, the rest of

822
00:43:21,830 --> 00:43:24,890
S2: us switched into low gear mode, shortening our stride and

823
00:43:24,890 --> 00:43:28,640
S2: testing each step before putting down our whole weight. We

824
00:43:28,640 --> 00:43:30,800
S2: finally made it to the bottom of the Mount of Olives,

825
00:43:30,800 --> 00:43:33,590
S2: but we were not yet home free. We now needed

826
00:43:33,590 --> 00:43:35,750
S2: to walk up the other side of the Kidron Valley,

827
00:43:35,750 --> 00:43:38,420
S2: skirt the Temple Mount, and then climb up the western

828
00:43:38,420 --> 00:43:42,080
S2: hill to reach the school and lunch time was fast approaching.

829
00:43:42,080 --> 00:43:46,220
S2: My estimated 30 minute walk had taken us almost four hours,

830
00:43:46,219 --> 00:43:48,860
S2: I remember. Later going back to read the events in

831
00:43:48,860 --> 00:43:52,520
S2: Mark 11 connected with the triumphal entry. In Mark 11,

832
00:43:52,520 --> 00:43:55,400
S2: Jesus and the disciples traveled the same basic direction we

833
00:43:55,400 --> 00:43:58,250
S2: had gone Bethany and Bethpage, and then down the Mount

834
00:43:58,250 --> 00:44:01,339
S2: of Olives to the temple. But then Mark adds, Jesus

835
00:44:01,340 --> 00:44:04,069
S2: entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around

836
00:44:04,070 --> 00:44:06,620
S2: at everything, but since it was already late, he went

837
00:44:06,620 --> 00:44:09,950
S2: out to Bethany with the 12. Now, granted, Jesus made

838
00:44:09,950 --> 00:44:12,860
S2: part of that journey riding on a young donkey. But

839
00:44:12,860 --> 00:44:15,740
S2: then he turned around and walked back to Bethany. And

840
00:44:15,739 --> 00:44:18,500
S2: then in verse 12, we see Jesus leaving Bethany, and

841
00:44:18,500 --> 00:44:21,920
S2: in verse 15 reaching Jerusalem. In fact, every day of

842
00:44:21,920 --> 00:44:25,250
S2: that last week, up until the celebration of Passover, Jesus

843
00:44:25,250 --> 00:44:29,239
S2: made the round trip journey to and from Jerusalem on foot.

844
00:44:29,239 --> 00:44:32,300
S2: I came away from that experience realizing that Jesus was

845
00:44:32,300 --> 00:44:36,110
S2: no wimp. The pictures artists have painted of an emaciated,

846
00:44:36,110 --> 00:44:39,410
S2: effeminate Jesus didn't match the reality of what it was

847
00:44:39,410 --> 00:44:41,960
S2: like to live in the land in his day. Apart

848
00:44:41,960 --> 00:44:45,410
S2: from the triumphal entry, Jesus walked everywhere he went. And

849
00:44:45,410 --> 00:44:47,660
S2: until you've been to Israel, you don't realize this meant

850
00:44:47,660 --> 00:44:51,140
S2: he was walking uphill or downhill on most journeys. And

851
00:44:51,140 --> 00:44:54,140
S2: he did it with simple sandals. Not our arch supported

852
00:44:54,140 --> 00:44:58,069
S2: cross trainers with midsole stability and special tread to provide

853
00:44:58,070 --> 00:45:00,890
S2: a firm grip. I also came away from that walk

854
00:45:00,890 --> 00:45:03,230
S2: with a mental picture of what it meant to journey

855
00:45:03,230 --> 00:45:06,410
S2: from Bethany to Jerusalem. It was no longer two points

856
00:45:06,410 --> 00:45:08,570
S2: on a map, nor was it a distance. I could

857
00:45:08,570 --> 00:45:11,780
S2: relate to a hike through a relatively flat pathway in

858
00:45:11,780 --> 00:45:15,050
S2: a park. Back home, I found myself noticing things like

859
00:45:15,050 --> 00:45:18,950
S2: topography and place names. I realized why roadways that connected

860
00:45:18,980 --> 00:45:23,270
S2: towns and locations in Israel followed the path of least resistance.

861
00:45:23,270 --> 00:45:25,759
S2: It's not that you couldn't walk over a mountain to

862
00:45:25,760 --> 00:45:28,399
S2: get from one place to another, but having done so,

863
00:45:28,400 --> 00:45:30,530
S2: you were always looking for an easier way to make

864
00:45:30,530 --> 00:45:33,620
S2: the journey, especially when you were doing so on foot.

865
00:45:33,620 --> 00:45:36,710
S2: So what's the takeaway for you from this journey? How

866
00:45:36,710 --> 00:45:39,319
S2: about this if you have a chance to travel to Israel,

867
00:45:39,320 --> 00:45:43,670
S2: do so and pay attention to things like topography, distances

868
00:45:43,670 --> 00:45:47,000
S2: and elevation. Move the stories of the Bible from words

869
00:45:47,000 --> 00:45:50,510
S2: on a page to real life people and places. And

870
00:45:50,510 --> 00:45:52,730
S2: if you can't make it to Israel, read with a

871
00:45:52,730 --> 00:45:56,420
S2: Bible atlas or even Google Earth by your side. To

872
00:45:56,420 --> 00:46:00,170
S2: the extent you can read the Bible in its geographical context.

873
00:46:00,170 --> 00:46:03,410
S2: If you do, you'll come to know and appreciate a richer,

874
00:46:03,410 --> 00:46:06,350
S2: deeper understanding of what God has shared with us in

875
00:46:06,350 --> 00:46:09,500
S2: His Word. And in doing so, you will never be

876
00:46:09,500 --> 00:46:10,310
S2: the same.

877
00:46:10,310 --> 00:46:13,160
S1: Charlie, that is so true. On that very first trip

878
00:46:13,160 --> 00:46:16,009
S1: that we took, I was amazed at the topography, the

879
00:46:16,010 --> 00:46:18,860
S1: difficulty of getting from point A to point B. Hey,

880
00:46:18,860 --> 00:46:21,319
S1: maybe today's devotional is one you'd like to hear again.

881
00:46:21,320 --> 00:46:23,120
S1: You can at our website. You can hear the whole

882
00:46:23,120 --> 00:46:26,390
S1: program again. If you've never been there, why not visit

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00:46:26,390 --> 00:46:30,020
S1: us at the land and the book org where you

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00:46:30,020 --> 00:46:32,780
S1: can play the audio. Share us with a friend. Download

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00:46:32,780 --> 00:46:36,170
S1: our podcast. You can also find out about past programs,

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00:46:36,170 --> 00:46:41,839
S1: future programs as well. Again, that's the land and the book.org. Well,

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00:46:41,840 --> 00:46:44,330
S1: it's been great having you with us today. And I'm

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00:46:44,330 --> 00:46:46,580
S1: John Geiger on behalf of our host, Charlie Dyer, our

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00:46:46,580 --> 00:46:50,000
S1: producer Dan Anderson, thanking you for listening to The Land

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S1: and the book, a production of Moody Radio, a ministry

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00:46:53,360 --> 00:46:55,010
S1: of Moody Bible Institute.