1 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:12,720 S1: Consider the biblical city of Shiloh, Israel's first religious capital. 2 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:17,400 S1: It was here that Hannah dedicated her son Samuel in Shiloh. 3 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:19,880 S1: The tabernacle and Ark of the covenant were kept for 4 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:24,680 S1: many years. Today, workers are excavating the ancient city of Shiloh. 5 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:28,240 S1: Coming up, we'll talk with an archaeologist who shares remarkable 6 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:31,480 S1: insights from his dig earlier this summer. Welcome to the 7 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:34,519 S1: land and the book. It's the one hour broadcast that 8 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:37,520 S1: makes you feel like you're in the Holy Land. Our 9 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:41,599 S1: host is Old Testament scholar, frequent Israel traveler doctor Charlie Dyer. 10 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:44,960 S1: I'm John Gager, and as believers, there's a great need 11 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:47,840 S1: for us to share the gospel with the Jewish people. 12 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:51,000 S1: In fact, many of our listeners faithfully pray and partner 13 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:53,840 S1: with ministries that are doing just that. But Charlie, I'm 14 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:56,480 S1: thinking out loud here. What if we could personally take 15 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:59,120 S1: part in bringing the gospel to Jewish people? 16 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:01,670 S2: That's a great idea, John. And that's why our friends 17 00:01:01,670 --> 00:01:05,030 S2: at Life in Messiah love the opportunity to get believers 18 00:01:05,030 --> 00:01:10,149 S2: involved in Jewish ministry. They regularly organize outreach teams to Brooklyn, 19 00:01:10,310 --> 00:01:13,870 S2: South Florida, and even to Israel outside times of conflict. 20 00:01:14,190 --> 00:01:17,150 S2: These ministry trips will equip you to understand how to 21 00:01:17,150 --> 00:01:19,990 S2: share the gospel with Jewish people. I will give you 22 00:01:19,990 --> 00:01:23,830 S2: the opportunity to actively share your faith and provide tools 23 00:01:23,830 --> 00:01:26,789 S2: and resources that you can take home with you. If 24 00:01:26,790 --> 00:01:29,990 S2: you want to get hands on training and practical experience 25 00:01:29,990 --> 00:01:33,910 S2: in Jewish evangelism, you can learn more by visiting Life 26 00:01:33,910 --> 00:01:37,630 S2: in Messiah and clicking on the Moody Radio button there. 27 00:01:37,670 --> 00:01:39,790 S2: That's life in Messiah. 28 00:01:41,190 --> 00:01:43,710 S1: If you're new to the podcast, we've got four segments. 29 00:01:43,950 --> 00:01:46,670 S1: This opening segment is focused on current events in the 30 00:01:46,670 --> 00:01:50,950 S1: Middle East. Let's dig in. Charlie Israel seems torn between 31 00:01:50,950 --> 00:01:54,710 S1: invading Gaza to eliminate Hamas and making a deal with 32 00:01:54,710 --> 00:01:57,630 S1: Hamas to release the hostages. Why is this such a 33 00:01:57,630 --> 00:01:59,020 S1: traumatic decision. 34 00:01:59,060 --> 00:02:00,780 S2: You know, part of the trauma is bound up in 35 00:02:00,780 --> 00:02:04,340 S2: the DNA of Israel itself, especially in light of the Holocaust. 36 00:02:04,580 --> 00:02:07,779 S2: On the one hand, that horrific event infused the Jewish 37 00:02:07,780 --> 00:02:10,419 S2: people with the need to stand up against those who 38 00:02:10,500 --> 00:02:13,820 S2: seek to destroy them. Never again is an ethos that 39 00:02:13,820 --> 00:02:18,260 S2: compels them to respond so forcefully. Hamas has demonstrated that 40 00:02:18,260 --> 00:02:21,180 S2: it's a threat, so it needs to be eliminated. But 41 00:02:21,180 --> 00:02:24,340 S2: on the other hand, the Holocaust also emphasized the importance 42 00:02:24,340 --> 00:02:27,740 S2: of each individual life. Israel has been willing to trade 43 00:02:27,780 --> 00:02:31,020 S2: hundreds of terrorists for the life of a single hostage, 44 00:02:31,180 --> 00:02:34,940 S2: because that hostage's life is so precious to them. Sadly, 45 00:02:34,980 --> 00:02:38,100 S2: Hamas understands that as well. One of their goals back 46 00:02:38,100 --> 00:02:41,459 S2: on October 7th was to capture as many Israelis as 47 00:02:41,460 --> 00:02:45,100 S2: possible to hold US hostages. This conflict could have been 48 00:02:45,100 --> 00:02:47,500 S2: over a long time ago, had Israel not been so 49 00:02:47,500 --> 00:02:51,739 S2: concerned about possibly killing the hostages when they attacked Hamas. 50 00:02:52,180 --> 00:02:54,540 S2: The war has now reached a point where Israel's two 51 00:02:54,580 --> 00:03:00,169 S2: goals destroying Hamas and rescuing all the hostages might be incompatible. 52 00:03:00,169 --> 00:03:03,410 S2: And that's what's making the decision so difficult now. Add 53 00:03:03,410 --> 00:03:07,050 S2: to that the political dimension left wing, secular Israelis don't 54 00:03:07,050 --> 00:03:10,889 S2: like Prime Minister Netanyahu or his government. They don't trust him, 55 00:03:10,889 --> 00:03:14,130 S2: and they oppose most decisions he makes. The more right 56 00:03:14,130 --> 00:03:18,210 S2: wing nationalist Zionists actually want Netanyahu to move more forcefully 57 00:03:18,210 --> 00:03:21,649 S2: against Hamas. They want a military victory, and some even 58 00:03:21,650 --> 00:03:24,690 S2: want to expel the Palestinians and take over the area 59 00:03:24,690 --> 00:03:27,889 S2: for Israel. To add to the confusion, the US has 60 00:03:27,889 --> 00:03:31,930 S2: pressured Netanyahu to go in several different directions. The Biden 61 00:03:31,930 --> 00:03:35,450 S2: administration withheld some munitions to try to force Israel into 62 00:03:35,490 --> 00:03:39,290 S2: making a deal with Hamas. The Trump administration has alternated 63 00:03:39,290 --> 00:03:42,410 S2: between pressing for a deal and pushing Israel to eliminate 64 00:03:42,450 --> 00:03:45,530 S2: Hamas once and for all. Netanyahu has tried to walk 65 00:03:45,570 --> 00:03:48,650 S2: a fine line between all the different groups, and that's 66 00:03:48,650 --> 00:03:53,210 S2: led to additional internal criticism. So what might happen now? Well, 67 00:03:53,210 --> 00:03:56,040 S2: Israel is publicly gearing up to launch a final attack 68 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:58,720 S2: against Hamas. They hope to rescue at least some of 69 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:01,680 S2: the hostages, though Hamas will try to make sure that 70 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:05,840 S2: doesn't take place. Netanyahu's ideal outcome would be for Hamas 71 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,440 S2: to realize Israel is serious about attacking, and finally agree 72 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:13,520 S2: to release all the hostages and lay down their arms. Unfortunately, 73 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:16,760 S2: the longer there's public division and dissent in Israel, the 74 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:19,919 S2: more Hamas will be encouraged to hold on. In the end, 75 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:22,839 S2: the real battle isn't the one being fought in Gaza. 76 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:25,120 S2: It's the one being waged in the media and on 77 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:26,719 S2: the streets in Tel Aviv. 78 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:29,919 S1: Charlie, the thing that intrigues me, puzzles me is the 79 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:33,560 S1: fact that whenever I read about the negotiations and the 80 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:36,760 S1: demands from Hamas, they do not appear to have lost 81 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:41,120 S1: any ground, any leverage in the bargaining conversations. They're forever 82 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:45,720 S1: wanting gazillions of Palestinian prisoners released as part of the package. 83 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:47,839 S1: I'm like, where did they get the leverage for that? 84 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:51,200 S2: Uh, again, they're watching the news reports coming out of Israel. 85 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:54,940 S2: They see how desperate Israel is and how much pressure 86 00:04:54,940 --> 00:04:57,540 S2: there is to bring the hostages home. And as long 87 00:04:57,540 --> 00:05:00,460 S2: as they still only have 20 live hostages, that's still 88 00:05:00,460 --> 00:05:03,180 S2: enough to demand what they're demanding from Israel. 89 00:05:03,700 --> 00:05:06,900 S1: Well, the UK, Germany and France have begun the process 90 00:05:06,900 --> 00:05:11,900 S1: of reinstituting snapback sanctions against Iran for its nuclear program. 91 00:05:12,100 --> 00:05:14,940 S1: What impact could this decision have on Iran, and will 92 00:05:14,940 --> 00:05:17,580 S1: they actually follow through with these so-called sanctions? 93 00:05:17,860 --> 00:05:20,700 S2: Well, if the snapback sanctions do take effect, it could 94 00:05:20,700 --> 00:05:24,060 S2: place a great deal of additional economic pressure on Iran. 95 00:05:24,500 --> 00:05:27,020 S2: These are sanctions that were in place before, but that 96 00:05:27,020 --> 00:05:30,420 S2: were lifted back in 2015 when Iran entered into the 97 00:05:30,420 --> 00:05:33,180 S2: nuclear agreement with the West. The US pulled out of 98 00:05:33,220 --> 00:05:37,740 S2: that agreement back in 2018. Iran has since violated the agreement, 99 00:05:37,740 --> 00:05:41,060 S2: and now the three remaining European nations have triggered the 100 00:05:41,060 --> 00:05:44,060 S2: snapback mechanism, which could go into effect by the end 101 00:05:44,100 --> 00:05:47,260 S2: of September. Iran has accused the Europeans of bad faith 102 00:05:47,260 --> 00:05:51,460 S2: and blackmail, and warned of harsh response if sanctions are reinstituted. 103 00:05:51,700 --> 00:05:55,450 S2: Russia and China are suggesting that they postpone the sanctions 104 00:05:55,450 --> 00:05:59,330 S2: for six months to allow more time for negotiation. Iran's 105 00:05:59,330 --> 00:06:03,049 S2: currency has already dropped at the prospect of sanctions being reimposed, 106 00:06:03,170 --> 00:06:06,410 S2: and there are apparently growing political divisions within the Iranian 107 00:06:06,410 --> 00:06:10,929 S2: government between hardliners and those who are advocating diplomacy. Now, 108 00:06:11,089 --> 00:06:13,930 S2: whether the three European countries will stand up to outside 109 00:06:13,930 --> 00:06:18,370 S2: pressure and follow through with the snapback sanctions, that's another matter. 110 00:06:18,610 --> 00:06:21,890 S2: They announced a 30 day process ten days ago, only 111 00:06:21,890 --> 00:06:23,969 S2: to say two days later that they're willing to drop 112 00:06:23,970 --> 00:06:27,370 S2: the push for sanctions if Iran would address their concerns 113 00:06:27,370 --> 00:06:31,890 S2: over its nuclear program. Tehran denounced the offer as insincere, 114 00:06:31,890 --> 00:06:34,850 S2: insisting that their nuclear program is peaceful and that they 115 00:06:34,850 --> 00:06:39,090 S2: have no intention of developing nuclear weapons. However, enriching uranium 116 00:06:39,089 --> 00:06:43,770 S2: to 60% purity serves no civilian nuclear purpose. They were 117 00:06:43,770 --> 00:06:46,810 S2: pushing to develop nuclear weapons, and they refused to give 118 00:06:46,810 --> 00:06:49,929 S2: up their ability to do so. Again, the sanctions won't 119 00:06:49,930 --> 00:06:52,600 S2: crush Iran, but they will make it harder for them 120 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:55,840 S2: to develop nuclear weapons. So let's hope the Europeans follow 121 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:58,679 S2: through and hold Iran accountable for its actions. 122 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:01,240 S1: From Moody Radio. This is the land and the book 123 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:04,560 S1: with our host, noted Old Testament scholar, Middle East expert 124 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:07,680 S1: Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John Geiger, working through a list 125 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,680 S1: of current events stories based in the Middle East. The 126 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:14,480 S1: 80th session of the UN General Assembly begins this coming week, 127 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,240 S1: and one item up for discussion later in the month 128 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,480 S1: is the push by a number of countries to recognize 129 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:22,760 S1: a Palestinian state. I've been hearing a lot about this 130 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:25,880 S1: in the news. Charlie. Why are Europe and other Western 131 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:29,920 S1: countries pressing so hard for this so-called two state solution? 132 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:32,800 S2: Well, there are several factors behind the push. One is 133 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:36,720 S2: the growing Muslim influence in Europe. Muslims make up 6% 134 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:40,560 S2: of the population of the UK, 7% in Germany, 10% 135 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:44,160 S2: in France. And while the traditional European population within those 136 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:48,160 S2: countries is experiencing low birth rates, the Muslim population is 137 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:52,510 S2: expanding with families having large numbers of children, politicians are 138 00:07:52,510 --> 00:07:55,110 S2: being pressured to make decisions that align with the wishes 139 00:07:55,110 --> 00:07:58,950 S2: of a vocal and growing minority within each country. A 140 00:07:58,950 --> 00:08:02,510 S2: second reason behind this decision is the strong liberal bias 141 00:08:02,510 --> 00:08:05,910 S2: in these countries that's fearful of anything others might label 142 00:08:05,910 --> 00:08:09,430 S2: nationalism or colonialism. It's as if they want to atone 143 00:08:09,430 --> 00:08:12,830 S2: for the sins of their colonial past at Israel's expense. 144 00:08:13,230 --> 00:08:17,070 S2: I believe a third reason is a pro-arab anti-Israel bias. 145 00:08:17,270 --> 00:08:20,390 S2: They see access to global trade and other resources as 146 00:08:20,390 --> 00:08:23,510 S2: a numbers game that tilts against Israel. It's not just 147 00:08:23,510 --> 00:08:27,390 S2: a few million Palestinians. It's 1 billion Muslims from oil 148 00:08:27,390 --> 00:08:31,110 S2: rich Gulf states to larger countries like Turkey and Indonesia 149 00:08:31,350 --> 00:08:34,750 S2: versus the small country of Israel. And finally, there's a 150 00:08:34,790 --> 00:08:38,670 S2: history of antisemitism that lies just below the surface. The 151 00:08:38,710 --> 00:08:41,710 S2: UN General Assembly can't unilaterally create a new state of 152 00:08:41,710 --> 00:08:45,710 S2: Palestine that requires a recommendation from the Security Council. And 153 00:08:45,750 --> 00:08:48,710 S2: right now, that would be blocked by the US. So 154 00:08:48,750 --> 00:08:52,580 S2: Europe can appease international and external groups, all the while 155 00:08:52,580 --> 00:08:55,820 S2: knowing it won't result in a Palestinian state, which just 156 00:08:55,820 --> 00:08:58,540 S2: seems a bit disingenuous on their part. 157 00:08:58,580 --> 00:09:02,140 S1: Oh boy, it sure does. Recent reports from Israel suggest 158 00:09:02,179 --> 00:09:05,980 S1: a group has sacrificed a red heifer. Charlie, this story 159 00:09:05,980 --> 00:09:08,780 S1: seems to cycle back again and again. Are the reports 160 00:09:08,780 --> 00:09:11,740 S1: true this time? And what's the significance of such a 161 00:09:11,740 --> 00:09:13,460 S1: sacrifice if it's true? 162 00:09:13,780 --> 00:09:16,340 S2: Yeah, well, cutting through all the hype and speculation, here's 163 00:09:16,340 --> 00:09:18,900 S2: what we do know. In July, a group connected with 164 00:09:18,900 --> 00:09:23,460 S2: the Temple Institute in Jerusalem did sacrifice a red heifer. However, 165 00:09:23,460 --> 00:09:26,300 S2: this was apparently a practice run using a red heifer 166 00:09:26,300 --> 00:09:29,179 S2: that had been disqualified. The purpose was to make sure 167 00:09:29,179 --> 00:09:32,459 S2: they could perform the ceremony as prescribed. Now, some have 168 00:09:32,460 --> 00:09:34,260 S2: said that was just a cover up. It really was 169 00:09:34,260 --> 00:09:38,660 S2: the legitimate sacrifice of a ritually qualified red heifer. However, 170 00:09:38,660 --> 00:09:41,060 S2: the ritual was held at Shiloh rather than on the 171 00:09:41,059 --> 00:09:43,380 S2: Mount of Olives, which is where Jewish law would say 172 00:09:43,380 --> 00:09:46,059 S2: it should be held. The significance of the red heifer, 173 00:09:46,059 --> 00:09:49,210 S2: according to numbers 19, is that its ashes are necessary 174 00:09:49,210 --> 00:09:53,490 S2: for ritual purification. Before a rebuilt temple could become operational, 175 00:09:53,530 --> 00:09:56,330 S2: those ashes are needed to ritually purify the priests who 176 00:09:56,330 --> 00:09:58,809 S2: will serve there. So the ceremony is a vital step 177 00:09:58,809 --> 00:10:02,130 S2: toward rebuilding a third temple. The news excites those in 178 00:10:02,130 --> 00:10:04,810 S2: Israel who believe God wants them to move forward to 179 00:10:04,850 --> 00:10:07,890 S2: prepare for the arrival of the Messiah. The news also 180 00:10:07,890 --> 00:10:11,449 S2: terrifies secular Jews, and most Muslims, who believe it will 181 00:10:11,450 --> 00:10:13,650 S2: lead to the destruction of the dome of the Rock 182 00:10:13,650 --> 00:10:16,970 S2: and a violent confrontation between Israel and the Arab world. 183 00:10:17,250 --> 00:10:19,770 S2: And if this was a practice run, it suggests the 184 00:10:19,770 --> 00:10:22,410 S2: Temple Mount faithful planned to follow it up with the 185 00:10:22,410 --> 00:10:25,370 S2: actual sacrifice in the not too distant future. 186 00:10:25,570 --> 00:10:27,610 S1: And that's this week's look at current events from the 187 00:10:27,610 --> 00:10:31,010 S1: Middle East. Charlie, you mentioned a moment ago the ancient 188 00:10:31,010 --> 00:10:33,770 S1: city of Shiloh, and that's where we're headed in our 189 00:10:33,770 --> 00:10:36,969 S1: conversation up next. It was here that Hannah dedicated her 190 00:10:36,970 --> 00:10:40,330 S1: son Samuel in Shiloh. The Tabernacle and the Ark of 191 00:10:40,330 --> 00:10:42,370 S1: the covenant were kept for many years. Well, there's an 192 00:10:42,370 --> 00:10:45,170 S1: excavation going on there right now. You'll hear the latest 193 00:10:45,170 --> 00:10:48,320 S1: as we continue here on the land and the book. Hey, 194 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:50,160 S1: do a friend a favor. Won't you let them know 195 00:10:50,160 --> 00:11:07,520 S1: about our website, the land and the book? There were 196 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:12,360 S1: 134 of them. Archaeological experts working in the ancient biblical 197 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:15,679 S1: city of Shiloh. They'd been there for weeks, digging, sifting, 198 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:19,360 S1: measuring and collecting data. But then the sirens went off 199 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:23,120 S1: and the dig came to a halt. Today's guest was there, 200 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:26,840 S1: and his story is next. Welcome back to the land 201 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:29,440 S1: and the book. I'm John Gager, inviting you to pause 202 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:31,400 S1: with me for a moment so we can get some 203 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:34,240 S1: thoughts on how we can be more intentional in loving 204 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:39,040 S1: our Jewish friends and neighbors for Christ. If Jesus is 205 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:42,480 S1: the Messiah, why isn't there peace on earth? I've heard 206 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:45,240 S1: that tossed out to me as an objection to someone 207 00:11:45,340 --> 00:11:48,020 S1: else coming to faith in Christ, a Jewish friend. What 208 00:11:48,020 --> 00:11:51,140 S1: is the answer? Let's ask Levi Hazen, executive director of 209 00:11:51,140 --> 00:11:52,059 S1: Life in Messiah. 210 00:11:52,260 --> 00:11:55,540 S3: Well, John, this is really a good theological question. There 211 00:11:55,540 --> 00:11:58,860 S3: are many prophecies about the Messiah ushering in an era 212 00:11:58,860 --> 00:12:02,540 S3: of peace on earth. For example, Isaiah chapter two describes 213 00:12:02,540 --> 00:12:05,540 S3: a time when people will beat their swords into plowshares 214 00:12:05,740 --> 00:12:08,540 S3: and nations will not war any longer. A time when 215 00:12:08,540 --> 00:12:11,420 S3: the greater Son of David, that is the Messiah, will 216 00:12:11,420 --> 00:12:14,940 S3: reign over a restored Israel. But when consulting the whole 217 00:12:14,940 --> 00:12:19,060 S3: counsel of Scripture, we must acknowledge global peace is just 218 00:12:19,059 --> 00:12:22,780 S3: one picture or attribute of the Messiah. We can agree 219 00:12:22,780 --> 00:12:25,660 S3: with those descriptions of a future era of peace. Those 220 00:12:25,660 --> 00:12:29,220 S3: will indeed happen. But the scriptures also paint another picture 221 00:12:29,220 --> 00:12:33,100 S3: of the Messiah. For example, Isaiah 53 teaches that the 222 00:12:33,100 --> 00:12:37,420 S3: future Messiah would experience suffering and be rejected when he arrived. 223 00:12:38,100 --> 00:12:41,220 S3: The Christian view is that these are reconciled in two 224 00:12:41,260 --> 00:12:44,690 S3: comings of the Messiah. His first coming was a suffering 225 00:12:44,690 --> 00:12:47,530 S3: servant as the Lamb of God. In his Second coming, 226 00:12:47,530 --> 00:12:51,290 S3: which we await, will be the conquering King who defends Israel, 227 00:12:51,490 --> 00:12:54,570 S3: establishes his throne, and ushers in a kingdom of peace. 228 00:12:55,050 --> 00:12:57,690 S3: How else can these two very different portraits of the 229 00:12:57,690 --> 00:12:59,250 S3: Messiah be reconciled? 230 00:12:59,490 --> 00:13:02,890 S1: And that's Levi Hazen, executive director of Life in Messiah. 231 00:13:04,450 --> 00:13:08,050 S1: Scott Stripling is the director of excavations for the associates 232 00:13:08,050 --> 00:13:11,650 S1: for Biblical Research at Ancient Shiloh. He also serves as 233 00:13:11,650 --> 00:13:15,370 S1: provost and director of the Archaeology Institute at the Bible 234 00:13:15,370 --> 00:13:19,490 S1: Seminary in Katy, Texas. Scott also has directed several other 235 00:13:19,490 --> 00:13:22,930 S1: excavations in Israel. He serves as president of the Board 236 00:13:22,929 --> 00:13:26,809 S1: of Directors of the Near East Archaeological Society, and has 237 00:13:26,809 --> 00:13:30,930 S1: published widely in peer reviewed journals, magazines and books. He's 238 00:13:30,929 --> 00:13:33,970 S1: a popular speaker at churches and conferences around the world. 239 00:13:34,210 --> 00:13:36,130 S1: And we're glad to have him as our guest today. 240 00:13:36,210 --> 00:13:38,290 S1: Welcome to the land and the book, Scott. 241 00:13:38,770 --> 00:13:40,450 S4: Hey, I'm thrilled to be with you. And I love 242 00:13:40,450 --> 00:13:41,650 S4: the name of your program. 243 00:13:42,130 --> 00:13:44,480 S1: Hey, Scott, put Shiloh on the map for us. Where 244 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:45,840 S1: in Israel is this place? 245 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:48,840 S4: Well, Shiloh is 20 miles north of Jerusalem. It was 246 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:52,280 S4: Israel's first capital. The tabernacle was there for a little 247 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:55,280 S4: over three centuries. It was the center of Israelite life 248 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:55,920 S4: and worship. 249 00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:59,400 S1: So that sounds like a pretty significant place to be excavating. Then. 250 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:00,280 S1: To me, it does. 251 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:03,679 S4: Well, it really is. We're very honored to be able 252 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:07,839 S4: to lead this excavation and started in 2017, and I've 253 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:09,880 S4: got about three seasons left. 254 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:12,640 S1: So how do you know you got three seasons left? 255 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:14,400 S1: What if it's four? What if it's two? 256 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:17,120 S4: Well, it could be 2 or 4. That's right. Because 257 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:19,720 S4: we may have some surprises along the way. Some of 258 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:22,800 S4: the things we can't control, like the size of our team, 259 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:26,520 S4: you know, pre-war, we had a, you know, hundreds of people, 260 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:29,080 S4: you know, several hundred people working with me. Once the 261 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:31,400 S4: war started, our numbers dropped down, which means, you know, 262 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:33,280 S4: I may need an extra season if we don't get 263 00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:36,440 S4: back to those numbers. But I'm looking at the three 264 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:39,920 S4: main areas where we're excavating, which have to do with 265 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:42,990 S4: the Tabernacle, period. The actual building of the tabernacle, which 266 00:14:42,990 --> 00:14:46,310 S4: we're excavating the city gate of Shiloh, and then a 267 00:14:46,350 --> 00:14:51,030 S4: Farfisa or sacred deposit. So just by judging where we 268 00:14:51,030 --> 00:14:53,310 S4: are in those three areas, it seems to me that 269 00:14:53,310 --> 00:14:55,430 S4: we'll need about three more years to wrap that up. 270 00:14:55,430 --> 00:14:59,150 S4: And that'll be a nice stopping point for us listeners here. 271 00:14:59,150 --> 00:15:01,510 S1: West Bank. And some might say, why in the world 272 00:15:01,510 --> 00:15:04,350 S1: would you risk working in the West Bank? Your response? 273 00:15:05,630 --> 00:15:09,310 S4: That's where the biblical heartland is, and that's where Joshua, 274 00:15:09,310 --> 00:15:12,750 S4: according to Joshua 18 one, he had the tabernacle erected. 275 00:15:12,750 --> 00:15:16,790 S4: And that's my primary area of research focus. So I 276 00:15:16,830 --> 00:15:19,190 S4: go where where I need to go to do the 277 00:15:19,230 --> 00:15:22,430 S4: work that I need to do. I'm often asked like, 278 00:15:22,750 --> 00:15:25,030 S4: you know, don't you want to wait until there's peace 279 00:15:25,030 --> 00:15:27,190 S4: in the Middle East before you work? And I just 280 00:15:27,190 --> 00:15:29,950 S4: laugh because I would never get my work done if 281 00:15:29,950 --> 00:15:32,470 S4: I waited until the peace in the Middle East. 282 00:15:32,630 --> 00:15:35,190 S1: This is the land and the book. I'm John Gager, 283 00:15:35,230 --> 00:15:38,950 S1: joined by Scott Stripling, director of excavations for the associates 284 00:15:38,950 --> 00:15:42,460 S1: for Biblical Research at ancient Shiloh. He also serves as 285 00:15:42,460 --> 00:15:46,020 S1: provost and director of the Archaeology Institute at the Biblical 286 00:15:46,020 --> 00:15:50,220 S1: Seminary in Katy, Texas. So you and your team had 287 00:15:50,220 --> 00:15:52,780 S1: been working there for several months on this latest trip. 288 00:15:52,820 --> 00:15:55,380 S1: Take us through a typical day on the dig at Shiloh. 289 00:15:55,700 --> 00:15:58,420 S1: You mentioned you guys get started early. How early are 290 00:15:58,420 --> 00:15:59,060 S1: you out there? 291 00:15:59,700 --> 00:16:02,500 S4: I wake up at 10 to 4. Um, I have 292 00:16:02,540 --> 00:16:06,540 S4: breakfast at four. Uh, four. Between 4 and 4. 15. Uh, 293 00:16:06,540 --> 00:16:09,860 S4: we start loading the bus at 445, and we're wheels 294 00:16:09,860 --> 00:16:13,580 S4: up at 459. Um, we get an early start so 295 00:16:13,580 --> 00:16:16,180 S4: that we can beat the heat, and we beat the traffic. 296 00:16:16,180 --> 00:16:18,740 S4: So it will only take us about 30 minutes or 297 00:16:18,740 --> 00:16:22,020 S4: so to arrive at Shiloh from Jerusalem in the morning. 298 00:16:22,420 --> 00:16:26,220 S4: We will have lunch at 1030 because you'll be hungry 299 00:16:26,220 --> 00:16:29,580 S4: by that point, since you had breakfast at 430. And 300 00:16:29,620 --> 00:16:33,260 S4: then we work until one. And at one we start 301 00:16:33,260 --> 00:16:36,300 S4: breaking down and we'll wash our pottery for the day, 302 00:16:36,340 --> 00:16:40,210 S4: process our special finds get things organized for the next day. 303 00:16:40,210 --> 00:16:43,290 S4: So by about 130 I release everyone where they can 304 00:16:43,290 --> 00:16:45,530 S4: go to the front. We have a kind of a 305 00:16:45,570 --> 00:16:47,970 S4: gift shop where they can get an ice cream or 306 00:16:48,010 --> 00:16:50,010 S4: a drink or something like that, and we load the 307 00:16:50,050 --> 00:16:54,170 S4: bus at 145. We're wheels up at two, back to Jerusalem, 308 00:16:54,170 --> 00:16:56,690 S4: and there's a little traffic in the afternoon. So maybe 309 00:16:56,690 --> 00:16:59,930 S4: 45 minutes to an hour to get back to our hotel. 310 00:17:00,290 --> 00:17:03,810 S4: We'll then process objects. Once we're there, supervisors will have 311 00:17:03,810 --> 00:17:09,450 S4: some meetings. We'll have a lecture at 530 and dinner 312 00:17:09,450 --> 00:17:11,610 S4: at 615. And then you try to get to bed 313 00:17:11,609 --> 00:17:14,330 S4: as early as you can, because you repeat that cycle 314 00:17:14,330 --> 00:17:15,810 S4: the next day. Yeah. 315 00:17:15,850 --> 00:17:19,170 S1: Yes. So you say you've been there since 2017? If 316 00:17:19,170 --> 00:17:22,169 S1: I heard you right, what have you uncovered over those years? 317 00:17:22,730 --> 00:17:26,130 S4: Okay, well, people are sometimes shocked just how much we 318 00:17:26,130 --> 00:17:30,930 S4: do excavate about 2000 pieces of pottery every day. Um, 319 00:17:30,970 --> 00:17:37,450 S4: about ten coins every day. Beads, bulla, scarabs, uh, tons 320 00:17:37,450 --> 00:17:40,880 S4: of bones because we're in the matrix of the sacrificial system. 321 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:45,240 S4: Walls from different time periods. But the three most significant 322 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:49,240 S4: things that kind of highlighted are the building of the tabernacle. 323 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:53,760 S4: This is an east west structure that is divided into 324 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:57,000 S4: 2 to 1 ratios and matches the biblical dimensions for 325 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:02,720 S4: the tabernacle. And then just to the north of that 326 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:06,200 S4: is the city gate, which we were shocked when we 327 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:08,360 S4: we found it there because the Bible mentions the gate 328 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:12,360 S4: of Shiloh. And then due east of that monumental building 329 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:15,360 S4: is this favosa, or bone deposit, from which we have 330 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:23,320 S4: about 25,000 animal bones so far. Uh, 99.9% kosher bones. 331 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:25,720 S4: In other words, bones that were used in the biblical 332 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:29,840 S4: sacrificial system and mixed in with that as late Bronze 333 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:32,479 S4: Age pottery from the time of Joshua, all the way 334 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:34,399 S4: down to the time of Eli, where we have a 335 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:37,990 S4: little bit of Iron Age one and then special offerings 336 00:18:37,990 --> 00:18:41,550 S4: and fines like gold and silver pieces that are extremely rare, 337 00:18:41,590 --> 00:18:44,389 S4: which were the types of offerings that people like Hannah 338 00:18:44,390 --> 00:18:46,990 S4: and Elkanah would have brought with them when they came 339 00:18:46,990 --> 00:18:47,750 S4: to Shiloh. 340 00:18:48,230 --> 00:18:51,389 S1: So you mentioned this gate and, uh, excavating that. I 341 00:18:51,390 --> 00:18:53,630 S1: have to ask, do you think this might be the 342 00:18:53,630 --> 00:18:56,950 S1: gate where Eli was sitting when he received word that 343 00:18:56,950 --> 00:18:58,990 S1: the ark had been taken by the Philistines? 344 00:18:59,510 --> 00:19:02,869 S4: Well, unless there's another gate somewhere else on the site 345 00:19:02,869 --> 00:19:05,909 S4: that has not been excavated, then this would have to 346 00:19:05,910 --> 00:19:08,149 S4: be that gate. I mean, it it would have been 347 00:19:08,190 --> 00:19:10,590 S4: hundreds of years old by that point. But, you know, 348 00:19:10,630 --> 00:19:13,150 S4: that's not a problem. They use these things for sometimes 349 00:19:13,190 --> 00:19:17,510 S4: thousands of years with renovations. So it very likely was 350 00:19:17,510 --> 00:19:21,149 S4: the gate, because you can see the Patriarchs Highway pointing 351 00:19:21,190 --> 00:19:25,070 S4: toward Aphek and Ebenezer, where he was looking out from 352 00:19:25,109 --> 00:19:27,350 S4: this spot in the gate. And so it seems to me, 353 00:19:27,510 --> 00:19:29,750 S4: the logical spot where he would have been at the 354 00:19:29,750 --> 00:19:30,750 S4: end of his life. 355 00:19:31,430 --> 00:19:33,790 S1: Today, on the land and the book, we've set our 356 00:19:33,790 --> 00:19:37,290 S1: sights on the biblical city of Shiloh. Scott Stripling has 357 00:19:37,290 --> 00:19:40,770 S1: led excavations there for years, but today's conversation is a 358 00:19:40,770 --> 00:19:43,330 S1: bit different as you're about to uncover. First, though, and 359 00:19:43,369 --> 00:19:46,410 S1: no pun intended, what have you, what have you also 360 00:19:46,410 --> 00:19:49,010 S1: uncovered that intersects with the biblical account of the time 361 00:19:49,010 --> 00:19:50,970 S1: when the Ark was at Shiloh? Scott. 362 00:19:51,650 --> 00:19:56,290 S4: Okay. Well, we read in first Samuel three that the 363 00:19:56,290 --> 00:20:00,530 S4: tent structure has shifted into a permanent building, and you 364 00:20:00,530 --> 00:20:03,770 S4: see the language changes where it begins to refer to 365 00:20:03,810 --> 00:20:06,169 S4: the temple of the Lord and the house of the 366 00:20:06,170 --> 00:20:10,609 S4: Lord and the doors. So you're no longer talking about curtains. 367 00:20:10,609 --> 00:20:15,010 S4: You're talking about doors. So commentators have long recognized this. 368 00:20:15,250 --> 00:20:17,689 S4: And then in the Mishnah, you have the Seder Olam 369 00:20:17,690 --> 00:20:20,850 S4: and the Zivame that both mention that a permanent structure 370 00:20:20,850 --> 00:20:23,330 S4: was built at Shiloh with a tent over it as 371 00:20:23,330 --> 00:20:28,689 S4: a roof. We came along as archaeologist and then fortuitously 372 00:20:29,010 --> 00:20:33,290 S4: uncovered this building, which apparently matches that description. It has 373 00:20:33,330 --> 00:20:35,760 S4: a lot of things, what we would call cultic things 374 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:40,280 S4: or religious items like pomegranates. We have five either ceramic 375 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:44,440 S4: or faience pomegranates within the part of the structure that 376 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:47,679 S4: we believe was the Holy of Holies. And of course, 377 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:50,320 S4: the Bible says that the priests had bells and pomegranates 378 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:53,280 S4: on the hymns of their garment. Those are the types 379 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:57,560 S4: of things that we begin to inductively string together, to 380 00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:01,120 S4: help us interpret what we're finding and how it relates 381 00:21:01,119 --> 00:21:02,360 S4: to biblical text. 382 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:06,240 S1: So there you are excavating this summer and you had 383 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:08,639 S1: to close down. We'll get to the why. But first, 384 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:12,080 S1: what were you actually looking at working on before you 385 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:13,280 S1: had to leave in a hurry? 386 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:17,440 S4: We were working on this monumental building that we believe 387 00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:20,040 S4: is the building of the Tabernacle. We have it almost 388 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:22,920 S4: fully excavated on, on one side of the path that 389 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:25,479 S4: goes to the site in our area H on the 390 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:28,920 S4: other side in area K, we're still revealing those massive 391 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:32,160 S4: walls and it's preserved like to over two meters high. 392 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:35,109 S4: So it's a very well preserved building. So we were 393 00:21:35,109 --> 00:21:39,590 S4: uncovering those walls on the. The eastern side of the site, 394 00:21:40,030 --> 00:21:43,030 S4: and then also finishing up some work in the gate 395 00:21:43,030 --> 00:21:46,230 S4: area where we had these huge pillars that have survived 396 00:21:46,230 --> 00:21:49,390 S4: from the gate complex, and a new one had just emerged. 397 00:21:49,910 --> 00:21:52,270 S4: And then we had already finished our work in the 398 00:21:52,270 --> 00:21:54,990 S4: Fafsa for the season. So it was those two main areas. 399 00:21:55,390 --> 00:21:57,670 S4: And then of course, we knew there was a war 400 00:21:57,670 --> 00:22:00,109 S4: when we went to Israel. It was the same situation 401 00:22:00,109 --> 00:22:03,350 S4: last year, but we weren't expecting to have a war 402 00:22:03,350 --> 00:22:04,270 S4: within a war. 403 00:22:04,390 --> 00:22:08,470 S1: Yeah. So there you are. Excavating rockets started coming in 404 00:22:08,470 --> 00:22:11,750 S1: from Iran. How did your group respond to that? 405 00:22:12,270 --> 00:22:15,790 S4: Well, I tell you what, people respond differently, right? Human 406 00:22:15,790 --> 00:22:19,870 S4: beings all sort of have unique makeups. But overall, when 407 00:22:19,869 --> 00:22:23,950 S4: it first started, uh, which was about 3 a.m. on 408 00:22:23,950 --> 00:22:27,230 S4: Friday of week four of our excavation, uh, you know, 409 00:22:27,270 --> 00:22:29,310 S4: our phone started blowing up, and then we heard the 410 00:22:29,310 --> 00:22:33,500 S4: sirens outside. Of course, everybody's getting instantaneous news. And the 411 00:22:33,500 --> 00:22:36,859 S4: news sometimes, you know, gives you the worst case scenario 412 00:22:36,900 --> 00:22:39,780 S4: and puts fear in people's hearts. But I just talked 413 00:22:39,780 --> 00:22:42,180 S4: with our group about what we were going to do, 414 00:22:42,220 --> 00:22:44,860 S4: which is we were going to operate out of faith, 415 00:22:44,859 --> 00:22:47,060 S4: not out of fear. And of course, we would do 416 00:22:47,060 --> 00:22:49,659 S4: our due diligence, but we were going to stay in 417 00:22:49,660 --> 00:22:52,540 S4: our routine and we came to do this work. There 418 00:22:52,540 --> 00:22:54,620 S4: was no reason to think that we would be less 419 00:22:54,619 --> 00:22:57,540 S4: safe at Shiloh than we would anywhere else. In fact, 420 00:22:57,580 --> 00:23:00,380 S4: probably more safe. No one's going to target a small 421 00:23:00,380 --> 00:23:03,860 S4: site like that. And, um, you know, I told them 422 00:23:03,859 --> 00:23:05,900 S4: we would figure out the flights. We would help them 423 00:23:05,900 --> 00:23:09,260 S4: raise money to cover extra costs if people were stranded 424 00:23:09,260 --> 00:23:12,460 S4: there and, you know, begin to lead from the front 425 00:23:12,460 --> 00:23:15,860 S4: and you could see faith building in everybody. As our 426 00:23:15,859 --> 00:23:18,580 S4: team continued to do the work that we came there 427 00:23:18,580 --> 00:23:21,660 S4: to do. And then three days later, finally, the Antiquities 428 00:23:21,660 --> 00:23:25,540 S4: Authority said, okay, guys, that's that's enough. You're the only ones. 429 00:23:25,619 --> 00:23:29,100 S4: You're the only ones excavating in Israel right now. And, uh, 430 00:23:29,100 --> 00:23:31,770 S4: you know, let's call it a season. And so I 431 00:23:31,810 --> 00:23:34,330 S4: was that was fine with me. We worked from the 432 00:23:34,330 --> 00:23:37,690 S4: hotel for the next couple of days processing fines while 433 00:23:37,690 --> 00:23:41,410 S4: I was arranging what I called the reverse exodus, because 434 00:23:41,570 --> 00:23:43,930 S4: I had to get our team out through Egypt like 435 00:23:43,930 --> 00:23:47,530 S4: the Holy Family, you know, in, in and out of Egypt. And, 436 00:23:47,570 --> 00:23:50,530 S4: you know, there were options of going to Amman, Jordan, 437 00:23:50,530 --> 00:23:53,570 S4: but which was closer, but they were opening and closing 438 00:23:53,609 --> 00:23:57,090 S4: their airspace. And I didn't want people to be stranded there. Right. 439 00:23:57,130 --> 00:23:59,730 S4: And then there were boats going to Cyprus. But that 440 00:23:59,730 --> 00:24:02,690 S4: was complicated. And by this point, the government had gotten 441 00:24:02,690 --> 00:24:06,050 S4: involved and was trying to help folks who were stranded. 442 00:24:06,330 --> 00:24:09,090 S4: But really, I didn't need help at that point. We 443 00:24:09,130 --> 00:24:12,890 S4: we had an excellent route figured out. Our company, Net Tours, 444 00:24:12,930 --> 00:24:15,530 S4: has offices on both sides of the border in Israel 445 00:24:15,530 --> 00:24:18,450 S4: and Egypt. So we had a bus take us four 446 00:24:18,450 --> 00:24:21,370 S4: hours to the Egyptian border, less than two hours to 447 00:24:21,410 --> 00:24:24,530 S4: cross another bus waiting for us on the other side 448 00:24:24,690 --> 00:24:28,090 S4: with friendly faces. And, um, then we had an 11 449 00:24:28,090 --> 00:24:33,200 S4: hour bus ride up to Cairo through some beautiful, beautiful terrain. Um, 450 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:37,080 S4: lunch at the beach. And, um, I decided to turn 451 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:40,160 S4: a negative into a positive. And I had. Fortunately, some 452 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:42,600 S4: people had given me money to help with this process, 453 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:45,200 S4: and I told our group just this was on a Saturday. 454 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:48,680 S4: Plan your return flights for Monday and Sunday. I'm taking 455 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:52,919 S4: everyone to the pyramids and to the New Egyptian Museum. And, uh, 456 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:57,240 S4: so turned out people had this tremendous experience in Egypt 457 00:24:57,240 --> 00:24:59,760 S4: and then were able to get back home. And so 458 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:02,400 S4: once everybody was on their flights, then I took off 459 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:03,680 S4: and made it back home. 460 00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:06,479 S1: Scott, for somebody listening and saying, man, I'd like to 461 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:09,440 S1: be part of the next Shiloh excavation you got going on. 462 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:10,320 S1: What should they do? 463 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:15,280 S4: Yeah, our website is Dig Shiloh and they can get 464 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:17,960 S4: all the details there as far as dates and costs 465 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:20,960 S4: and protocols and things like that. But we take people 466 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:24,640 S4: of all ability levels and ages, and there's so many 467 00:25:24,640 --> 00:25:27,200 S4: things on the modern excavation that need to be done. 468 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:30,270 S4: It's not all like labor intensive down in the square, 469 00:25:30,510 --> 00:25:33,149 S4: things that have to be labeled and washed and, you know, 470 00:25:33,470 --> 00:25:37,510 S4: carefully gone over. So we would welcome anyone to do that. 471 00:25:37,510 --> 00:25:39,550 S4: And they would take the first step by going to 472 00:25:39,590 --> 00:25:40,750 S4: dig Shiloh. Org. 473 00:25:40,830 --> 00:25:44,310 S1: All right. Thank you, Scott. Scott Stripling archaeologist. Joining us 474 00:25:44,310 --> 00:25:46,910 S1: today on the land and the book. Thanks for your time. 475 00:25:47,510 --> 00:25:49,950 S4: Hey, thank you, John. Blessings to you and your listeners. 476 00:25:50,190 --> 00:25:52,710 S1: You have a great day. Bible questions and answers. That's 477 00:25:52,710 --> 00:25:55,550 S1: our next segment here on the land and the book. 478 00:26:10,150 --> 00:26:12,389 S1: The fact that God created you with a sense of 479 00:26:12,390 --> 00:26:16,270 S1: curiosity is proof that you should question when you read 480 00:26:16,270 --> 00:26:19,070 S1: the Bible. Hey, welcome to the land and the book. 481 00:26:19,070 --> 00:26:22,750 S1: It's segment three questions and answers, not mine. Yours. Did 482 00:26:22,750 --> 00:26:25,310 S1: you email us? Yours? If you haven't yet, you can 483 00:26:25,310 --> 00:26:27,859 S1: do that by writing us at the land and the 484 00:26:27,859 --> 00:26:33,660 S1: book at the land and the book@moody.edu who, uh, who 485 00:26:33,700 --> 00:26:35,859 S1: looks at those questions? Who gives you an answer? The 486 00:26:35,859 --> 00:26:39,379 S1: one and only Doctor Gerald Peterman of Moody Bible Institute faculty. 487 00:26:39,380 --> 00:26:41,820 S1: How long have you been hanging around Moody as a prof. Wow. 488 00:26:42,060 --> 00:26:46,580 S5: This, uh, since 2002. Fall of 2002. So what's the math? 489 00:26:46,619 --> 00:26:46,860 S5: You know. 490 00:26:47,140 --> 00:26:48,659 S1: 23 years, 23 years. 491 00:26:48,660 --> 00:26:49,100 S5: Wow. 492 00:26:49,140 --> 00:26:51,260 S1: I bet you've encountered an awful lot of questions in 493 00:26:51,260 --> 00:26:51,740 S1: those times. 494 00:26:51,940 --> 00:26:55,419 S5: I have questions are one of my favorite things. 495 00:26:55,460 --> 00:26:58,260 S1: Yeah, well, as believers, there's a great need for us 496 00:26:58,260 --> 00:27:00,900 S1: to share the gospel with the Jewish people. In fact, 497 00:27:01,060 --> 00:27:03,860 S1: many of our listeners faithfully pray for and partner with 498 00:27:03,859 --> 00:27:07,379 S1: ministries that are doing just that. But what if you 499 00:27:07,380 --> 00:27:11,820 S1: could personally take part in bringing the gospel to Jewish people? Well, 500 00:27:11,859 --> 00:27:14,619 S1: our friends at Life in Messiah love the opportunity to 501 00:27:14,660 --> 00:27:18,660 S1: get believers involved in Jewish ministry. And they regularly organize 502 00:27:18,660 --> 00:27:22,500 S1: outreach teams to Brooklyn, New York, South Florida, even to 503 00:27:22,540 --> 00:27:26,410 S1: Israel outside of times of conflict, and these ministry trips 504 00:27:26,410 --> 00:27:29,570 S1: will equip you to understand how to share the gospel 505 00:27:29,570 --> 00:27:32,330 S1: with Jewish people. They'll give you the opportunity to actively 506 00:27:32,330 --> 00:27:34,970 S1: share your faith, and you'll come away with tools and 507 00:27:34,970 --> 00:27:37,730 S1: resources that you can use back home. If you want 508 00:27:37,730 --> 00:27:42,010 S1: to get hands on training and practical experience in Jewish evangelism, 509 00:27:42,130 --> 00:27:45,090 S1: you can learn more. When you visit Life in Messiah 510 00:27:46,170 --> 00:27:49,530 S1: and click on the Moody Radio button. That's life in Messiah. 511 00:27:51,130 --> 00:27:53,929 S1: All right, Jerry, let's start out with Marlene's question here. 512 00:27:53,930 --> 00:27:56,730 S1: She says, I've always thought that the Holy Spirit convicted 513 00:27:56,730 --> 00:27:59,810 S1: the world of sin, but also helped the Christian in 514 00:27:59,810 --> 00:28:03,570 S1: the sanctification process by convicting of sin. Well, I recently 515 00:28:03,570 --> 00:28:06,050 S1: looked for scripture for both of these, but didn't find 516 00:28:06,050 --> 00:28:08,690 S1: any about the Christian conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit. 517 00:28:08,690 --> 00:28:11,530 S1: So I'm wondering if I'm incorrect in my thinking. Or 518 00:28:11,530 --> 00:28:13,930 S1: maybe you've got scriptures that address this issue. 519 00:28:14,570 --> 00:28:17,970 S5: Well, I appreciate this so much because we have one 520 00:28:17,970 --> 00:28:22,330 S5: of our listeners searching the scriptures and then maybe coming 521 00:28:22,369 --> 00:28:25,990 S5: to a A conclusion that's different, you know, because being taught, 522 00:28:25,990 --> 00:28:28,149 S5: I just I just love this. So the short answer 523 00:28:28,150 --> 00:28:33,910 S5: is Marlene is correct. In John 16 verses eight and nine, 524 00:28:33,910 --> 00:28:37,150 S5: Jesus says that when the spirit comes, he will convict 525 00:28:37,150 --> 00:28:41,990 S5: the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment concerning sin, 526 00:28:42,430 --> 00:28:45,550 S5: because they do not believe in me. That is what 527 00:28:45,550 --> 00:28:48,830 S5: is the sin of the world. It's not believing in Jesus. 528 00:28:49,030 --> 00:28:54,510 S5: So John 16 is about the spirit convicting non-believers of non-belief. 529 00:28:55,310 --> 00:28:58,190 S5: There's no verse in the New Testament that explicitly mentions 530 00:28:58,230 --> 00:29:01,990 S5: the spirit convicting Christians of their sin. Of course, thanks 531 00:29:02,030 --> 00:29:03,910 S5: be to God, the spirit works in us in so 532 00:29:03,910 --> 00:29:06,670 S5: many different ways. Yes, right. You know, he's he gives 533 00:29:06,670 --> 00:29:10,070 S5: us gifts. He gives us fellowship. So I'm not talking 534 00:29:10,070 --> 00:29:12,510 S5: about the spirit not being at work. Sorry for all 535 00:29:12,510 --> 00:29:16,590 S5: the negatives in that sentence. This verb we find in 536 00:29:16,590 --> 00:29:21,990 S5: John 16 when Jesus says, the spirit will convict the world. 537 00:29:22,260 --> 00:29:23,620 S5: Let me give it to you in a couple of 538 00:29:23,620 --> 00:29:28,020 S5: other places in Scripture. Revelation 319 Jesus, the faithful and 539 00:29:28,020 --> 00:29:32,580 S5: true witness, says to the lukewarm church in Laodicea, those 540 00:29:32,580 --> 00:29:36,660 S5: whom I love, I reprove. That's it. That's our word. 541 00:29:37,060 --> 00:29:43,060 S5: So Jesus reproves us. And Ephesians five Paul says to 542 00:29:43,100 --> 00:29:48,740 S5: the church, do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, 543 00:29:48,740 --> 00:29:55,020 S5: but instead even expose them. That's the same word for conviction. 544 00:29:55,140 --> 00:29:57,620 S5: So it's something that Jesus does toward us. It's something 545 00:29:57,620 --> 00:30:01,340 S5: we should do toward each other. But no explicit text 546 00:30:01,340 --> 00:30:04,980 S5: that talks about the spirit himself convicting us of sin. 547 00:30:05,340 --> 00:30:08,340 S1: Well, thanks for that question, Marlene. Hope that's helpful. Gary 548 00:30:08,380 --> 00:30:12,260 S1: wants to know, are Muslims descendants of Ishmael? And if so, 549 00:30:12,420 --> 00:30:16,140 S1: is the hostility between Muslims and Jews a negative consequence 550 00:30:16,140 --> 00:30:18,780 S1: of Abraham's and Sarah's sin of trying to have a 551 00:30:18,780 --> 00:30:22,090 S1: child of the promise through Sarah's handmaiden, Hagar. 552 00:30:22,530 --> 00:30:26,250 S5: Wow. Well, it's true that many Muslims consider themselves to 553 00:30:26,250 --> 00:30:29,090 S5: be descendants of Ishmael, and I don't wish to get 554 00:30:29,090 --> 00:30:32,209 S5: into an argument with any Muslims. But my question becomes, 555 00:30:32,210 --> 00:30:36,530 S5: what does the Bible say? The Bible mentions Ishmaelites, the 556 00:30:36,530 --> 00:30:40,610 S5: descendants of Ishmael, and it mentions Arabs, but it does 557 00:30:40,610 --> 00:30:43,530 S5: not join the two of them together. Let's go to 558 00:30:43,810 --> 00:30:49,770 S5: Genesis 37. The Bible links Ishmaelites with Midianites, using the 559 00:30:49,770 --> 00:30:54,090 S5: two names as if they're synonymous. Remember, Genesis describes Joseph 560 00:30:54,090 --> 00:30:58,810 S5: being sold to a caravan of camel riding Ishmaelites and 561 00:30:58,810 --> 00:31:04,010 S5: their later called Midianites. Again, Genesis 37, verses 25 to 28. 562 00:31:04,050 --> 00:31:08,090 S5: See also. Judges 822 to 24. Arabs are mentioned several 563 00:31:08,090 --> 00:31:11,730 S5: times in Scripture. They're mentioned in Isaiah. They're mentioned in Jeremiah. 564 00:31:11,970 --> 00:31:16,170 S5: They mentioned in Nehemiah. But folks, that is centuries later 565 00:31:16,330 --> 00:31:21,720 S5: and no connections made between Ishmaelites and Arabs, so are 566 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:24,960 S5: Muslims descendants of Ishmael? The Bible does not verify that. 567 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:27,920 S5: And then what about the hostility between Muslims and Jews? 568 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:31,480 S5: Is it based on Abraham and Sarah's having a child 569 00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:36,200 S5: through Hagar? Nowhere does Scripture itself make that connection. I 570 00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:38,080 S5: know that that's very common for us to do, to 571 00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:40,920 S5: say this is the basis of the hostility, and it 572 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:43,880 S5: makes sense for us to say that. But nowhere does 573 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:47,440 S5: Scripture itself explicitly draw the conclusion. So I'm going to say, 574 00:31:47,880 --> 00:31:48,920 S5: I'm not sure. 575 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:51,560 S1: This is the land and the book. I appreciate your 576 00:31:51,560 --> 00:31:54,360 S1: honesty there, doctor Gerald Peterman answering your questions, and he 577 00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:57,000 S1: welcomes yours when you write to us at The Land 578 00:31:57,000 --> 00:32:02,560 S1: and the book at the land and the book at Moody. 579 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:06,920 S1: This is a fascinating question. Next from Susan. She takes 580 00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:10,000 S1: us to revelation 21 one, where it says there will 581 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:13,200 S1: be no longer any sea on the new Earth. She 582 00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:15,240 S1: wants to know, does this mean that there will not 583 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:19,030 S1: be any oceans for boating, sailing, fishing, swimming, or sea 584 00:32:19,070 --> 00:32:21,230 S1: creatures like dolphins and sea otters. 585 00:32:21,910 --> 00:32:23,670 S5: You know, for those of us who like the beach. 586 00:32:23,710 --> 00:32:26,590 S5: I think I think this is an important question. And, 587 00:32:26,630 --> 00:32:29,790 S5: you know, I have pondered it and I've wondered about it, 588 00:32:30,230 --> 00:32:32,910 S5: but it's hard to know with any detail. But there's 589 00:32:32,910 --> 00:32:36,710 S5: another place we can go. Uh, revelation itself doesn't give 590 00:32:36,710 --> 00:32:40,710 S5: us a lot more information, but let's go to Isaiah 65, 591 00:32:40,870 --> 00:32:45,150 S5: because the prophet Isaiah also talks about the new heavens 592 00:32:45,150 --> 00:32:47,310 S5: and the new earth. And I take it when John 593 00:32:47,310 --> 00:32:50,550 S5: talks about the revelation, it's the same new heaven and 594 00:32:50,550 --> 00:32:54,830 S5: new earth that Isaiah is talking about, particularly Isaiah 65 595 00:32:54,990 --> 00:32:57,350 S5: verse 22 says, in the new heaven and the new earth, 596 00:32:57,350 --> 00:33:00,830 S5: they will build houses and inhabit them. They shall plant 597 00:33:00,830 --> 00:33:05,710 S5: vineyards and eat their fruit. And in Isaiah 6525 it says, 598 00:33:06,030 --> 00:33:10,030 S5: the wolf and the lamb shall graze together. The lion 599 00:33:10,030 --> 00:33:13,950 S5: will eat straw like an ox. So based on Isaiah 65, 600 00:33:14,390 --> 00:33:16,910 S5: I take it that the new heaven and new earth, 601 00:33:17,020 --> 00:33:19,700 S5: there's going to be plenty of righteous activity. We're going 602 00:33:19,740 --> 00:33:22,220 S5: to have stuff to do, and we're going to enjoy 603 00:33:22,260 --> 00:33:25,860 S5: doing it before God. And I also take it that 604 00:33:25,860 --> 00:33:29,860 S5: there's going to be animals we recognize, but will there 605 00:33:29,900 --> 00:33:32,940 S5: be dolphins and otters? I'm sorry. My answer is I 606 00:33:32,940 --> 00:33:33,580 S5: don't know. 607 00:33:33,620 --> 00:33:37,140 S1: Right. Bible doesn't make it clear. Thank you. Tim says 608 00:33:37,140 --> 00:33:40,460 S1: after reading the Gospels again, it struck me that Jesus says, 609 00:33:40,460 --> 00:33:43,540 S1: peace I give to you. My peace I give to you. 610 00:33:43,540 --> 00:33:45,580 S1: That's up in the upper room. But then he says 611 00:33:45,580 --> 00:33:48,060 S1: in Matthew 1034, do not think that I have come 612 00:33:48,060 --> 00:33:49,820 S1: to bring peace to the earth. I have not come 613 00:33:49,820 --> 00:33:52,820 S1: to bring peace, but a sword. Whole different audience. But 614 00:33:52,820 --> 00:33:56,340 S1: those were his words. In John 1427, Jesus says, peace 615 00:33:56,340 --> 00:33:58,660 S1: I leave with you. My peace I give to you, 616 00:33:58,700 --> 00:34:00,540 S1: not as the world gives do I give to you. 617 00:34:00,820 --> 00:34:03,620 S1: Don't let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 618 00:34:03,700 --> 00:34:05,420 S1: What's up with all this peace talk? 619 00:34:05,820 --> 00:34:10,100 S5: Yes, I appreciate that question. Um, I had to rethink this. 620 00:34:10,140 --> 00:34:13,980 S5: It might sound like a contradiction, but it isn't. We've 621 00:34:13,980 --> 00:34:18,330 S5: got two different contexts. Jesus says, on the one hand, 622 00:34:18,330 --> 00:34:21,330 S5: Matthew ten, don't think I came to bring peace. I 623 00:34:21,370 --> 00:34:23,290 S5: came to bring a sword. Here's what's going to happen 624 00:34:23,290 --> 00:34:25,690 S5: in the household. In the household, it's going to be 625 00:34:25,690 --> 00:34:29,209 S5: two against three, three against two, father against son, mother 626 00:34:29,210 --> 00:34:31,290 S5: in law against daughter in law. Why is that going 627 00:34:31,290 --> 00:34:34,690 S5: to be the case? Because I will come. Some will believe, 628 00:34:34,690 --> 00:34:38,370 S5: some will not. That's a division that's going to happen 629 00:34:38,370 --> 00:34:40,489 S5: in the household. That's going to be hostility. That's going 630 00:34:40,489 --> 00:34:42,890 S5: to happen in the household. But wait, wait, wait, what 631 00:34:42,890 --> 00:34:46,730 S5: happens when Jesus says in John 14 when he says, 632 00:34:46,730 --> 00:34:48,850 S5: peace I leave with you? Well, we have a wholly 633 00:34:48,850 --> 00:34:53,330 S5: different audience. We have the 11 in the upper room 634 00:34:53,530 --> 00:34:56,609 S5: just before Jesus gets arrested and Jesus talks about the 635 00:34:56,610 --> 00:35:00,049 S5: coming of the spirit, the counselor, the helper, the advocate. 636 00:35:00,410 --> 00:35:03,770 S5: And what will this comforter do? He will bring us peace. 637 00:35:03,770 --> 00:35:07,370 S5: He will bring us guidance. When Jesus is in the 638 00:35:07,370 --> 00:35:11,210 S5: upper room talking about leaving the disciples are all, what's happening? 639 00:35:11,250 --> 00:35:14,450 S5: You know they have grief. Yeah. And he says, peace 640 00:35:14,550 --> 00:35:17,629 S5: I leave with you. Not as the world gives my 641 00:35:17,630 --> 00:35:20,430 S5: peace I give to you. So we have two different audiences, 642 00:35:20,430 --> 00:35:24,070 S5: two different kinds of peace or conflict, if you will. 643 00:35:24,110 --> 00:35:25,110 S5: I hope that's helpful. 644 00:35:25,710 --> 00:35:29,790 S1: Ron takes us to job chapter 42, verses seven through nine. 645 00:35:29,790 --> 00:35:32,469 S1: God tells Eliphaz the Temanite that he and his two 646 00:35:32,510 --> 00:35:37,030 S1: friends have misrepresented God, and therefore must present a sacrifice 647 00:35:37,030 --> 00:35:40,390 S1: to job, and job will pray for them. I notice 648 00:35:40,390 --> 00:35:44,030 S1: that God did not include Elihu in his reprimand. Elihu 649 00:35:44,030 --> 00:35:46,150 S1: was the youngest of the four. He and his comments 650 00:35:46,150 --> 00:35:49,870 S1: are toward the end. Does this mean God validated Elihu's words? 651 00:35:50,110 --> 00:35:53,750 S5: Yes, I think so, because Elihu spoke the truth about job. 652 00:35:53,750 --> 00:35:57,950 S5: Job's three friends spoke falsely about job as if he sinned, 653 00:35:57,950 --> 00:36:01,390 S5: and we know he didn't. But you spoke the truth 654 00:36:01,390 --> 00:36:04,950 S5: about job and tried to encourage him not to be self-righteous, 655 00:36:05,390 --> 00:36:09,029 S5: not to be proud of himself. And this is job's problem, 656 00:36:09,070 --> 00:36:11,109 S5: because what is the what does the Lord God say 657 00:36:11,110 --> 00:36:14,339 S5: at the end? You know, you have impugned my righteousness 658 00:36:14,340 --> 00:36:18,100 S5: and defended your own. So yes, I think this lack 659 00:36:18,100 --> 00:36:23,020 S5: of rebuke is an implicit approval of Liu's statements. 660 00:36:23,060 --> 00:36:25,420 S1: Okay, that's great assessment there. Thank you for your your 661 00:36:25,460 --> 00:36:27,779 S1: study on that. Hey, thanks for your questions. And if 662 00:36:27,780 --> 00:36:30,219 S1: you didn't hear yours, we welcome you to email it 663 00:36:30,219 --> 00:36:35,259 S1: to the land and the book at. The land and 664 00:36:35,260 --> 00:36:39,459 S1: the book at. And our website, by the way, is 665 00:36:39,460 --> 00:36:42,379 S1: the land and the book. Love to see you. Check 666 00:36:42,380 --> 00:36:45,060 S1: out what's There for you at the land and the book. 667 00:36:46,900 --> 00:36:49,779 S1: Charlie Dyer's devotional is next right here on the program. 668 00:36:49,820 --> 00:37:05,060 S1: Hope you stick around for more. Well, they say that 669 00:37:05,060 --> 00:37:08,780 S1: when you travel, the view is everything. I'm John Geiger, 670 00:37:08,780 --> 00:37:10,779 S1: this is the land and the book with our host, 671 00:37:10,780 --> 00:37:13,810 S1: doctor Charlie Dyer. And, you know, think about that when 672 00:37:13,810 --> 00:37:15,450 S1: you book a hotel. Isn't it nice to have a 673 00:37:15,450 --> 00:37:17,690 S1: nice view? My wife likes to look out at the 674 00:37:17,690 --> 00:37:20,089 S1: ocean if we can do that. But, Charlie, there's a 675 00:37:20,090 --> 00:37:22,330 S1: there's an exquisite view that we enjoy when we travel 676 00:37:22,330 --> 00:37:25,609 S1: to Israel at a hotel called the Dan Jerusalem. And 677 00:37:25,610 --> 00:37:27,930 S1: somehow that factors into today's devotional. 678 00:37:27,930 --> 00:37:30,570 S2: It is going to be a major part of today's devotional, John. 679 00:37:30,610 --> 00:37:33,210 S1: All right. I'm intrigued, and we'll get to it after 680 00:37:33,210 --> 00:37:36,330 S1: we pause for a testimony from someone who's been to Israel, 681 00:37:36,330 --> 00:37:39,129 S1: enjoyed their own view, and wanted to share this with 682 00:37:39,130 --> 00:37:39,770 S1: you and me. 683 00:37:44,210 --> 00:37:46,730 S6: Yeah, I'm calling in regards to those who've been to 684 00:37:46,730 --> 00:37:50,330 S6: the Holy Land and the highlight of favorite experience. For me, 685 00:37:50,850 --> 00:37:54,370 S6: it was standing on the Mount of Olives, looking west 686 00:37:54,930 --> 00:37:58,650 S6: over the Kidron Valley toward the Temple Mount, and there 687 00:37:58,650 --> 00:38:01,210 S6: being able to take in so much of what occurred 688 00:38:01,210 --> 00:38:04,009 S6: in just that area, to be able to see the 689 00:38:04,010 --> 00:38:08,730 S6: pinnacle of the temple, the southeastern corner of the wall, 690 00:38:09,090 --> 00:38:12,680 S6: where there it's believed that Satan had taken Jesus and 691 00:38:12,680 --> 00:38:14,759 S6: said that if he's the Son of God, that he 692 00:38:14,760 --> 00:38:16,880 S6: should jump and God would send his angels to watch 693 00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:19,520 S6: over him. Um, to be able to look up to 694 00:38:19,560 --> 00:38:22,960 S6: the northeast corner of the Temple Mount, where Pilots Pictorium 695 00:38:22,960 --> 00:38:27,239 S6: was to be able to look to the southwestern side 696 00:38:27,239 --> 00:38:29,920 S6: of the Temple Mount, over toward Mount Zion, where the 697 00:38:29,920 --> 00:38:32,319 S6: upper room was located, and to be able to look 698 00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:35,120 S6: down low or a little bit to the north and 699 00:38:35,160 --> 00:38:39,240 S6: see the the Garden of Gethsemane, just so much occurred 700 00:38:39,239 --> 00:38:41,880 S6: in that that area. And that was the highlight for me. 701 00:38:44,200 --> 00:38:48,200 S1: We're headed for First Samuel chapter 22, in today's devotional. Charlie, 702 00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:48,920 S1: what you got? 703 00:38:49,120 --> 00:38:53,239 S2: Well, John, if I say Nob Hill, what city comes 704 00:38:53,239 --> 00:38:57,600 S2: to mind for most? The answer is San Francisco. Nob 705 00:38:57,600 --> 00:38:59,640 S2: Hill is one of the original seven hills on which 706 00:38:59,640 --> 00:39:03,200 S2: the city was founded, and it got the name Nob Hill. 707 00:39:03,200 --> 00:39:06,600 S2: When the four major owners of the Central Pacific Railroad 708 00:39:06,600 --> 00:39:10,589 S2: built mansions there in the mid 1800s. Hundreds was a 709 00:39:10,590 --> 00:39:13,549 S2: shortened form of the word nobility, and it was a 710 00:39:13,550 --> 00:39:17,310 S2: slang term for someone rich or wealthy. But there's also 711 00:39:17,310 --> 00:39:20,750 S2: a Nob Hill in Israel. Actually, it was a village 712 00:39:20,750 --> 00:39:23,629 S2: named Nob, but it was built on a hill and 713 00:39:23,630 --> 00:39:26,790 S2: the hill had quite a view. Nob was located on 714 00:39:26,790 --> 00:39:29,670 S2: the northern extension of the Mount of Olives, on a 715 00:39:29,710 --> 00:39:33,550 S2: hill that today is called Mount Scopus. And someone standing 716 00:39:33,550 --> 00:39:36,629 S2: at Nob had a good view south to Mount Moriah 717 00:39:36,630 --> 00:39:39,469 S2: and the city of Jerusalem. About a mile and a 718 00:39:39,510 --> 00:39:44,510 S2: half away. Today, Hebrew University and that very popular tourist 719 00:39:44,510 --> 00:39:48,430 S2: hotel are located there. And for our devotional, you need 720 00:39:48,430 --> 00:39:51,470 S2: to follow me through that hotel lobby and out onto 721 00:39:51,469 --> 00:39:54,390 S2: its rooftop deck, where we can see the dome of 722 00:39:54,390 --> 00:39:57,589 S2: the rock glinting in the sunshine off to the south. 723 00:39:57,830 --> 00:40:01,710 S2: This is definitely a hotel roof with a view. But 724 00:40:01,710 --> 00:40:04,069 S2: as nice as the view is, I want us to 725 00:40:04,110 --> 00:40:07,350 S2: use this spot to focus on two dramatic events in 726 00:40:07,350 --> 00:40:12,940 S2: Israel's history that took place here. Both involved destruction and deliverance. 727 00:40:13,219 --> 00:40:16,460 S2: So let's look at these two portraits of Israel's Nob Hill. 728 00:40:16,900 --> 00:40:20,580 S2: Our first portrait takes us into first Samuel 21 and 22, 729 00:40:20,820 --> 00:40:23,100 S2: and to a very dangerous time in the life of 730 00:40:23,100 --> 00:40:26,419 S2: young David. David was a fugitive on the run from 731 00:40:26,420 --> 00:40:30,259 S2: a vengeful King Saul as he ran south from Gibeah, 732 00:40:30,300 --> 00:40:33,259 S2: Saul's capital. He came to the village of Nob, where 733 00:40:33,260 --> 00:40:36,620 S2: he met Ahimelech, the priest. But what was the priest 734 00:40:36,620 --> 00:40:40,420 S2: doing here at Nob? After the destruction of Shiloh by 735 00:40:40,420 --> 00:40:44,100 S2: the Philistines many years before, the parts of the tabernacle 736 00:40:44,100 --> 00:40:46,900 S2: had been scattered. The Ark of the covenant ended up 737 00:40:46,900 --> 00:40:50,780 S2: in Kiryat Ye'arim, and the altar of Sacrifice was carried 738 00:40:50,820 --> 00:40:54,379 S2: to Gibeon. Evidently a group of priests also carried away 739 00:40:54,380 --> 00:40:57,460 S2: the table of showbread to Nob. Even though the parts 740 00:40:57,460 --> 00:41:00,859 S2: of the tabernacle were scattered, these priests at Nob kept 741 00:41:00,860 --> 00:41:04,739 S2: preparing sacred bread for the table every week, just as 742 00:41:04,739 --> 00:41:08,050 S2: if it were still present Inside the tent of Meeting, 743 00:41:08,570 --> 00:41:11,489 S2: David approached the priests at Nob and asked them for 744 00:41:11,489 --> 00:41:14,730 S2: bread and for any weapons they might have. Certainly it 745 00:41:14,730 --> 00:41:16,930 S2: must have seemed strange to the priest to see a 746 00:41:16,930 --> 00:41:21,450 S2: high profile servant of Saul show up hungry and defenseless. 747 00:41:21,770 --> 00:41:24,890 S2: But David explained his unusual condition by saying he was 748 00:41:24,890 --> 00:41:27,969 S2: on an urgent mission from King Saul. The only bread 749 00:41:27,969 --> 00:41:31,210 S2: available was the consecrated bread, which had been taken from 750 00:41:31,210 --> 00:41:34,049 S2: the table of showbread, and the only weapon was the 751 00:41:34,050 --> 00:41:36,569 S2: Sword of Goliath, which was being kept there as a 752 00:41:36,570 --> 00:41:40,690 S2: reminder of God's victory over the Philistines. David took the 753 00:41:40,690 --> 00:41:44,169 S2: bread and the sword and left. Unfortunately, he did not 754 00:41:44,170 --> 00:41:48,609 S2: get away unnoticed. Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul's shepherds, 755 00:41:48,610 --> 00:41:51,689 S2: happened to be in Nob as David came through. He 756 00:41:51,690 --> 00:41:55,010 S2: later reported to Saul what he had seen. Saul summoned 757 00:41:55,010 --> 00:41:57,850 S2: the priests of Nob to his capital and ordered them 758 00:41:57,850 --> 00:42:01,410 S2: to be executed for treason. Everyone was afraid to put 759 00:42:01,410 --> 00:42:05,009 S2: these priests to death, so Doeg the Edomite carried out 760 00:42:05,010 --> 00:42:10,399 S2: Saul's gruesome command and killed 85 innocent priests. He then 761 00:42:10,400 --> 00:42:12,960 S2: led a party of soldiers to Nob to kill every 762 00:42:12,960 --> 00:42:17,840 S2: remaining man, woman, child and animal in the town. Only 763 00:42:17,840 --> 00:42:21,680 S2: one person escaped to share the news with David. David 764 00:42:21,680 --> 00:42:25,800 S2: responded to this slaughter by composing Psalm 52, a psalm 765 00:42:25,800 --> 00:42:30,040 S2: focusing on God's hesed, his loyal love or loving kindness 766 00:42:30,080 --> 00:42:32,960 S2: even in the face of evil. Why do you boast 767 00:42:32,960 --> 00:42:35,959 S2: in evil, O mighty man? The loving kindness of God 768 00:42:35,960 --> 00:42:39,759 S2: endures all day long. So what happened to Doeg the 769 00:42:39,800 --> 00:42:42,759 S2: Edomite but were never told? But we do know that 770 00:42:42,760 --> 00:42:46,879 S2: once David became king, he launched a campaign against the Edomites. 771 00:42:47,080 --> 00:42:51,600 S2: And as first Chronicles 18 reports, his army defeated 18,000 772 00:42:51,640 --> 00:42:54,759 S2: Edomites in the Valley of Salt. I just wonder if 773 00:42:54,800 --> 00:42:58,200 S2: Doug might not have been one of those casualties. Our 774 00:42:58,200 --> 00:43:01,560 S2: second portrait of Nob comes from the time of King Hezekiah. 775 00:43:01,760 --> 00:43:06,620 S2: 300 years after David. In the 14th year of Hezekiah's reign, 776 00:43:06,620 --> 00:43:09,739 S2: the Land of Judah was invaded by the Assyrians. Their 777 00:43:09,739 --> 00:43:13,020 S2: military juggernaut rolled through the land, and by the king 778 00:43:13,060 --> 00:43:18,060 S2: of Assyria's own count, destroyed 46 walled towns and countless 779 00:43:18,060 --> 00:43:23,780 S2: villages and deported over 200,000 inhabitants of Judah as slaves. 780 00:43:24,180 --> 00:43:27,500 S2: The Assyrian army bottled up Hezekiah in Jerusalem, he says, 781 00:43:27,500 --> 00:43:31,020 S2: like a bird in a cage. Isaiah ten records the 782 00:43:31,020 --> 00:43:34,580 S2: approach of the Assyrian army from the north against Jerusalem. 783 00:43:34,940 --> 00:43:44,020 S2: Every city along the road south toppled like dominoes. Ith. Migron. Michmash. Geba. Ramah. 784 00:43:44,140 --> 00:43:51,260 S2: Gibeah of Saul. Galim. Lecha. Anathoth. Madman. Jabin. Every victory 785 00:43:51,260 --> 00:43:55,460 S2: brought the army of Assyria closer to its final objective. Jerusalem. 786 00:43:56,140 --> 00:43:59,500 S2: But then the list stops. Yet today he will halt 787 00:43:59,500 --> 00:44:02,540 S2: at nob. He shakes his fist at the mountain of 788 00:44:02,540 --> 00:44:06,530 S2: the Daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. The Assyrians 789 00:44:06,530 --> 00:44:09,330 S2: made it right to the spot where we're now standing. 790 00:44:09,610 --> 00:44:14,650 S2: Jerusalem was so close and yet so far away. What happened? 791 00:44:15,250 --> 00:44:18,689 S2: Second Kings 19 has the answer. Then it happened that 792 00:44:18,690 --> 00:44:20,850 S2: night that the angel of the Lord went out and 793 00:44:20,850 --> 00:44:25,250 S2: struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when 794 00:44:25,250 --> 00:44:27,649 S2: men rose early in the morning, behold, all of them 795 00:44:27,650 --> 00:44:32,810 S2: were dead. So Sennacherib, king of Assyria, departed and returned home. 796 00:44:33,650 --> 00:44:36,730 S2: As the king left, he shook his fist at the city, 797 00:44:36,730 --> 00:44:39,930 S2: which just the day before seemed to be within his grasp. 798 00:44:40,290 --> 00:44:43,370 S2: Perhaps as he shook his fist, he shouted, you've not 799 00:44:43,370 --> 00:44:47,450 S2: won yet. I'll be back. But he never returned. He 800 00:44:47,450 --> 00:44:50,930 S2: was murdered inside a temple in Nineveh. Nob was as 801 00:44:50,930 --> 00:44:53,930 S2: close as he got to the city of Jerusalem. The 802 00:44:53,930 --> 00:44:57,089 S2: devastation he brought to Judah was great. But in the 803 00:44:57,090 --> 00:45:00,049 S2: middle of that terrible time, God gave one of the 804 00:45:00,050 --> 00:45:04,200 S2: greatest demonstrations of his loyal love and protection. And it 805 00:45:04,200 --> 00:45:08,520 S2: happened at Nob. Well, it's time to leave this balcony 806 00:45:08,520 --> 00:45:11,640 S2: and head back out to the bus. But before we go, 807 00:45:11,840 --> 00:45:15,200 S2: take one last look at Jerusalem and picture in your 808 00:45:15,200 --> 00:45:18,560 S2: mind how close Nob was to the city. Nob was 809 00:45:18,560 --> 00:45:23,480 S2: a place of tragedy and triumph of destruction and deliverance. 810 00:45:23,760 --> 00:45:27,000 S2: Nob was where David was spared. But the families living 811 00:45:27,000 --> 00:45:30,200 S2: there were killed. Nob marked the farthest point of advance 812 00:45:30,200 --> 00:45:32,760 S2: for the army of Assyria, as well as the spot 813 00:45:32,800 --> 00:45:36,560 S2: where God unleashed one of the greatest miracles of deliverance 814 00:45:36,560 --> 00:45:39,839 S2: in all the Old Testament. Nob is a reminder that 815 00:45:39,840 --> 00:45:43,239 S2: life can be tough, but that God is good. Even 816 00:45:43,239 --> 00:45:46,239 S2: if we don't understand all that's taken place, we can 817 00:45:46,239 --> 00:45:49,080 S2: trust him. Perhaps the best way to end our time 818 00:45:49,080 --> 00:45:51,680 S2: at Nob is to focus on the lesson David drew 819 00:45:51,680 --> 00:45:55,400 S2: from this spot in Psalm 52. But as for me, 820 00:45:55,719 --> 00:45:57,399 S2: I am like a green olive tree in the house 821 00:45:57,400 --> 00:46:00,120 S2: of God. I trust in the loving kindness of God 822 00:46:00,190 --> 00:46:02,910 S2: forever and ever. I will praise you forever for what 823 00:46:02,910 --> 00:46:05,589 S2: you've done in your name. I will hope for your 824 00:46:05,590 --> 00:46:08,230 S2: name is good. I will praise you in the presence 825 00:46:08,230 --> 00:46:10,669 S2: of your saints. Or to put it in the words 826 00:46:10,670 --> 00:46:14,750 S2: of the great songwriter Iris Stanfill, many things about tomorrow 827 00:46:14,790 --> 00:46:17,510 S2: I don't seem to understand, but I know who holds 828 00:46:17,510 --> 00:46:21,270 S2: tomorrow and I know who holds my hand. 829 00:46:21,830 --> 00:46:24,109 S1: Boy, that's a reassuring word. You think of that very 830 00:46:24,110 --> 00:46:27,310 S1: dramatic showdown that occurred. Thank you, Charlie, for taking us 831 00:46:27,310 --> 00:46:30,350 S1: to First Samuel chapter 22. If you'd like to explore 832 00:46:30,350 --> 00:46:34,310 S1: that story for yourself. First Samuel chapter 22. Well, our 833 00:46:34,310 --> 00:46:36,190 S1: time has gone, but it's been a pleasure hanging out 834 00:46:36,190 --> 00:46:38,670 S1: with you. We just love having you with us. And 835 00:46:38,950 --> 00:46:40,750 S1: so we thank you for spending part of your day 836 00:46:40,750 --> 00:46:43,509 S1: with us. I'm John Gager for our host, Charlie Dyer. 837 00:46:43,550 --> 00:46:46,029 S1: Our producer, Dan Anderson. Thank you to the team at 838 00:46:46,030 --> 00:46:49,110 S1: this station for providing airtime as well for this broadcast 839 00:46:49,469 --> 00:46:50,910 S1: and the land and the book comes to you as 840 00:46:50,910 --> 00:46:54,870 S1: a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.