S1: Scripture commands us to serve one another, but most of
S1: us are only so-so at serving. That may be good
S1: in small bursts, but not really immersed in a lifestyle
S1: of service. So what's the answer? Coming up, we'll look
S1: at servants in Scripture and learn their secrets. Later on,
S1: we'll find out what listeners are wondering about as they
S1: read scripture. Plus, we'll take a drive down the Jordan Valley. Hey,
S1: welcome back to the land and the book. It's Moody
S1: Radio's one hour flyover of the Middle East in the
S1: pilot seat. As always, Doctor Charlie Dyer, one of the
S1: most respected Israel experts you'll ever meet. And I'm John Geiger.
S1: As believers, as a great need for us to share
S1: the gospel with the Jewish people. In fact, many of
S1: our listeners faithfully pray and partner with ministries doing just that.
S1: But what if you could personally take part in bringing
S1: the gospel to Jewish people.
S2: Yeah. And that's why our friends at Life in Messiah
S2: would love the opportunity to get believers involved in Jewish ministry.
S2: They regularly organize outreach teams to Brooklyn, to South Florida,
S2: and even to Israel outside times of conflict. These ministry
S2: trips will equip you to understand how to share the
S2: gospel with Jewish people, give you the opportunity to actively
S2: share your faith, and provide tools and resources that you
S2: can take home with you. If you want to get
S2: hands on training and practical experience in Jewish evangelism, you
S2: can learn more by visiting Life in messiah.org and clicking
S2: on the Moody radio button there. That's life in messiah.org.
S1: If you're new to the program, this opening segment is
S1: always devoted to a fresh look at current events, all
S1: based in the Middle East from this week. And it
S1: seems like the Gaza peace plan seems to be unraveling.
S1: Who is at fault and what exactly can be done
S1: to keep it moving forward?
S2: Well, according to eight countries, and that includes Turkey, Egypt, Jordan,
S2: the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Israel is at fault.
S2: They point to Netanyahu's public rejection of the proposal and
S2: Israel's continuing strikes at Hamas targets in Gaza. Israel's response
S2: is that they'll keep their part of the bargain once
S2: Hamas disarms and decommissions its terrorist infrastructure, something they promised
S2: to do but haven't yet done. Israel also pointed out
S2: that Hamas has continued to plan and launch attacks against
S2: Israeli forces, including an attack where they used an explosive
S2: device against a tank. U.S. envoy Jared Kushner and others
S2: met with a Hamas delegation in Cairo this past week,
S2: and he was blunt in telling Hamas that promises alone
S2: weren't enough. They needed to begin disarming. Kushner then met
S2: with Israeli officials, and while he did encourage Israel to
S2: follow through on its commitments, he agreed that the ball
S2: was now in Hamas's court. Disarmament comes first. The bottom
S2: line right now is that everyone has said Hamas needs
S2: to disarm for the process to move forward. Hamas says
S2: they agree, but they've not really taken any concrete steps
S2: to make that a reality. After the events of October 7th,
S2: Israel is justified in digging in its heels and not
S2: moving forward until that happens. Hamas has shown in the
S2: past that pledges and agreements aren't really worth the paper
S2: they're written on. Israel won't allow Hamas to reach the
S2: point where it can begin again to rearm and reassert
S2: control over Gaza. And by the way, the same thing
S2: is also true right now in Lebanon. With Iran's help,
S2: Hezbollah has been trying to reassert itself up there, and
S2: Israel has struck back hard. In response, Hezbollah and Hamas
S2: are hoping they can wear down the U.S. and get
S2: us to force Israel to honor their part of the
S2: agreements based on promises alone. Right now, Israel is standing firm.
S2: And in light of the past three years, I think
S2: that's what we would want our government to do if
S2: it were our citizens who had been attacked.
S1: Charlie, I've been reading a lot about munitions supplies and
S1: stockpiles and so on. And of course, that also impacts Israel,
S1: where I have read that they are now developing internally
S1: their own sources to manufacture weapons and that kind of thing.
S2: For Israel's case. That's exactly right. In fact, part of
S2: the reason is that they're concerned about U.S. and Europe
S2: withholding supplies at crucial points, which happened in the past.
S2: They're also concerned about some of our low stockpiles that
S2: we may not be able to supply even if we want.
S2: So they're developing their own, and they're also looking for
S2: alternative sources, including India, which has now become one of
S2: their suppliers.
S1: In addition to the situation in Gaza. There have also
S1: been a growing number of clashes between Israelis and Palestinians
S1: in the West Bank. Help us understand this very complex
S1: and confusing situation.
S2: Well, I'll try to give a broad overview, but the
S2: situation really is complex and there's enough blame to go
S2: around on all sides. It starts by how we even
S2: label the area. Is it the West Bank or is
S2: it Judea and Samaria? West Bank was the modern name
S2: given to the country when Jordan annexed that land in 1948.
S2: Judea and Samaria are the biblical names for the region,
S2: but which are rejected by much of the world because
S2: of their connection to Israel. After Israel captured the area
S2: in the Six Day War in 1967, Jewish groups began
S2: moving into the area. And right now there are just
S2: over half a million Jews living there. The vast majority
S2: are in major towns, most of which are right around Jerusalem.
S2: The world might call them settlements, but those are really
S2: bedroom communities for those living and working in and around
S2: the capital. But others do live in isolated settlements and
S2: outposts on land that was largely unoccupied and owned by
S2: the state. Some of the Arabs living in those areas
S2: have taken to attacking these settlements, causing physical injury and
S2: some deaths. At the same time, a small group of
S2: settlers has responded with revenge attacks on Arab villages and homes,
S2: also causing physical injury and some deaths. U.S. ambassador Mike
S2: Huckabee called those individuals Israeli terrorists. These excesses on both
S2: sides are wrong, and the government there needs to step
S2: in and put a stop to it before it spirals
S2: out of control. This is a case where the government
S2: just needs to do what's right. Stop the violence and
S2: punish those on all sides who are responsible. This includes
S2: guaranteeing the safety of those living there legally, including Arabs
S2: and Jews. Now, that's not politics. That's a biblical mandate
S2: from Leviticus 2422 where God said very clearly, you're to
S2: have the same law for the alien and the native born.
S2: I'm the Lord your God.
S1: From Moody Radio. This is the land and the book
S1: with our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John Geiger. A
S1: look at current events is how we always start out.
S1: In a recent op ed in The Jerusalem Post, the
S1: writer argued that Jewish educators should stop basing Israel's right
S1: to the land on archaeology. Was he making a valid
S1: point or giving away a strong historical argument?
S2: Yeah, I found this fascinating. The writer was saying that
S2: basing Israel's claims to the land solely on archaeology can
S2: be a two edged sword. Archaeology isn't a hard science,
S2: and some discoveries are capable of multiple or different interpretations.
S2: And even when there's clear evidence like that being uncovered
S2: in Jerusalem, for example, showing the historical connection doesn't mean
S2: the connection is still valid. When I worked on a
S2: farm growing up, I found several arrowheads left by Native
S2: Americans who had lived and hunted there. But their past
S2: connection to the land doesn't give them a right to
S2: that land today. And archaeology alone can't answer that objection. Now,
S2: what archaeology can do is answer the critics who say
S2: there was never a connection between the Jewish people and
S2: the land inscriptions like the one mentioning the House of
S2: David or the one from Hezekiah's tunnel are recent finds
S2: like the pool of Siloam and the Pilgrim Roadway are
S2: just some of the many archaeological finds that clearly connect
S2: the Jewish people to the land, historically. But the writer argued,
S2: and I agree, that there's an even more compelling argument
S2: the clear statements in the Bible that show God gave
S2: the land to the people of Israel. One example among many.
S2: Genesis 17 I will establish my covenant between me and
S2: you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. For
S2: an everlasting covenant I will give to you and to
S2: your offspring after you all the land of Canaan, for
S2: an everlasting possession. Now that promise is reaffirmed multiple times
S2: throughout the Old Testament, and Paul affirms it. In the
S2: New Testament, archaeology is simply a visible reminder that Israel's
S2: connection to the land promised them by God clearly extends
S2: back thousands of years, even as it continues on into
S2: the future. Sure.
S1: At times Israeli elections take on the character of a
S1: three ring circus. What are some of the most recent
S1: items and how might they impact the results?
S2: Oh man, this one is really wild. Jon. My personal
S2: favorite this week were the different poll results. Two polls
S2: were released on the same day. In the first, Netanyahu's
S2: party surged to 30 seats while Eisenkot Yashar party remained
S2: at 23. In the second poll, Eisenkot, his party rose
S2: to 25 seats while Likud sunk to just 21. The
S2: first poll had Netanyahu's coalition having a total of 59 seats.
S2: The second gave him just 50. And then polls later
S2: in the week gave the current right wing bloc either 52,
S2: 58 or 63 seats. Those numbers show how wildly inaccurate
S2: polls are, especially right now. And then there was a
S2: scenario being floated by some suggesting disgruntled Knesset members from
S2: Netanyahu's own party might plan a coup to oust him
S2: by presenting a no confidence motion in the Knesset. Netanyahu
S2: would be removed from office and replaced by Benny Gantz,
S2: who would agree well to serve only until the election,
S2: when he'd retire from politics. Of course, that scenario assumes
S2: other party members would go along with the plan, and
S2: no one would try to hijack that vote. And then
S2: there's the push to establish a new ultra-Orthodox party that
S2: would promote the drafting of yeshiva students into the military,
S2: and supporters say it could attract tens of thousands of
S2: younger ultra-Orthodox voters. And then finally, there's a growing legal
S2: battle over offering discount airline tickets to overseas Israelis to
S2: get them to fly back to Israel for the vote. Obviously,
S2: all these sides see this as a crucial election, and
S2: that means the wild maneuvering and speculation is sure to
S2: continue as the October 27th vote draws closer.
S1: Well, more to come, and we'll keep you posted as
S1: you stick with us here at the land and the book.
S1: Coming up, an interesting conversation with Gordon Jackson. I'll be
S1: your server. Scripture commands us to serve one another and
S1: we're good at it. Maybe in small bursts. How do
S1: we learn to adopt that, though, as a lifestyle? Fascinating insights.
S1: Coming up next on the land and the book. Scripture
S1: commands us to serve one another, but most of us
S1: are only so-so at serving good in small bursts, maybe,
S1: but not really immersed in a lifestyle of service. So
S1: what's the answer? Coming up, we'll look at servants in
S1: Scripture and learn from their secrets. Welcome back to the
S1: land and the book. I'm John Geiger, and before we
S1: meet our guest, let's think through this creative idea on
S1: loving our Jewish friends and neighbors for Christ. You hear
S1: us talking about reaching out to your Jewish friends, and
S1: you say, I don't know any Jewish people in my neighborhood.
S1: Don't know any on the job. How would you respond? Well,
S1: that's a question for Eva Rediclinic, who serves as adjunct
S1: faculty member for the Moody Bible Institute. Eva, what would
S1: you say?
S3: I'd say that most people surprisingly know more Jewish people
S3: than they realize. Perhaps there's a car dealer in town,
S3: as there was in Lowell, Indiana, when I was a kid.
S3: Smith Chevrolet, but they were actually Jewish or Miller's Pharmacy,
S3: actually Jewish. And you don't have to have an outstandingly
S3: stereotypical Jewish name to be a Jewish person. The other
S3: thing is, sometimes people expect Jewish people to be identified
S3: by distinctive Orthodox type clothing. But most Jewish people in
S3: America are not Orthodox. They are basically secular. And so
S3: you wouldn't be able to pick them out of a
S3: crowd because of the kind of dress they wear or
S3: the way they cut their hair. So most Jewish people
S3: are among us, even though we don't recognize who they are.
S1: So you just you just need to look a little harder,
S1: look a little further, maybe.
S3: Pay a little more attention, right? Just pay a little
S3: more attention and you'll find that people that you never suspected,
S3: perhaps are Jewish, and people who the Lord loves and
S3: has given you an opportunity to be in their life,
S3: to share that love of the Lord with them.
S1: And don't you think that's where a relationship has to
S1: begin in the first place? Opening your eyes, beginning with
S1: intentionality and caring to want to care.
S3: Exactly. I think that the key to any type of
S3: communication of the gospel is intentional friendships, where we have
S3: intentional relationships, and especially in terms of Jewish people who
S3: are going to be surprised that you as a non-Jewish person,
S3: a follower of Jesus, a person who loves Jesus, love
S3: and care about them everyday.
S1: Is an adjunct faculty member with the Moody Bible Institute.
S1: Doctor Gordon Jackson is a South African born educator and author.
S1: He grew up in Cape Town, which is a beautiful city,
S1: I have to say, where he received his undergraduate education.
S1: He then completed his master's degree at Wheaton College and
S1: a doctorate in mass communication at Indiana University. For many years,
S1: he was on the faculty of Whitworth University, a liberal
S1: arts institution in Spokane, Washington. He retired in 2015 but
S1: has remained active as an author. And I'll Be Your
S1: Server is his 20th book. He and his wife have
S1: two adult children and identical twin granddaughters as well. Hey,
S1: welcome to the land and the book, Gordon.
S4: Yes. Thank you for your welcome.
S1: So I have to ask you, how would you rate
S1: the evangelical church today in terms of this idea of serving?
S1: You're a professor. So what kind of grade would you
S1: give us?
S4: Oh, that's a tough question because I'd need to see
S4: the homework handed in. And I think that it would
S4: be a really mixed bag. I think that the role
S4: of service is absolutely critical to Christian ministry, and I
S4: think most Christians understand that, at least at a head level,
S4: at a heart level, there are so many distractions from
S4: our capacity to serve, just keeping the rent paid, keeping
S4: the kids on soccer schedules, getting a grand to her
S4: appointments with the doctor. All of these things get in
S4: the way. But at the heart of it, we need
S4: to be adhering to Jesus's invitation to be his friends.
S4: And friends do things for each other. So yes, taking
S4: the kids to soccer, getting grand to her doctor's appointments,
S4: those are all acts of service. But my question would
S4: be how much of that is consciously Christian service? Or
S4: how are we different from our secular neighbors who are
S4: doing the same things with soccer runs and with taking
S4: family members to the doctor? A Christian service needs to
S4: be distinguished by our overall motivation, and that motivation is
S4: to serve our Lord. So to answer your question, John,
S4: I'm just going to be evasive and say, I don't
S4: know how I would give it a grade, but I
S4: would want to emphasize that Christians everywhere ought to have
S4: a mindset of service.
S1: Yeah. Well, let me ask, why are we comfortable in
S1: finding so much service in the life of Christ, but
S1: so little service in our own lives?
S4: Oh, I hope we're not comfortable with that. We're flawed people.
S4: We are sinful people, and we will never attain the
S4: heights that Jesus modeled for us. But we need to start,
S4: and we need to keep going at that. And to
S4: see him as our role model in the realm of
S4: service is absolutely crucial.
S1: What does it mean to serve people biblically? That's our
S1: focus today on the land and the book as we
S1: talk with Gordon Jackson, South African born educator and author. Well,
S1: you've mentioned the book. Take us to one of the
S1: favorite servants in the book that you present us with.
S4: I've always been charmed by two of the characters. The
S4: one is the little Israelite girl who is captured and
S4: is enrolled as a maid in the Syrian general's household.
S4: Naaman gets leprosy, and this young girl, we don't know
S4: how old she is. She tells him, look, there's this
S4: prophet in Israel who can help you. He will heal you.
S4: Here's a little girl whose life has been turned upside down.
S4: She's in slavery, and yet she has the big minded,
S4: the big hearted thinking of I can serve this man
S4: who is my master. And that example of magnanimity is
S4: something that really strikes me in a very different category.
S4: I've always chuckled over the New Testament story of Rhoda,
S4: the servant who's in the home where the disciples are gathered.
S4: Peter is miraculously released from prison, shows up at the house,
S4: knocks on the door. Rhoda sees him, and then runs
S4: away to the back of the house to tell the disciples,
S4: Peter's here, Peter's here, and leaves him knocking on the door.
S4: I say in the book that maybe she hadn't finished
S4: watching the video training series of what to do when
S4: someone comes in response to a miraculous release and knocks
S4: on your front door. But she shows us how she's
S4: just an ordinary, probably a very simple young woman who
S4: wanted to serve. And eventually they let Peter in. But
S4: I think it's a charming story that is included in scripture.
S1: All right. I have to make a confession to you here.
S1: One of my servant issues is I can possibly be
S1: reasonably decent at it for a time. A concentrated project,
S1: a special season. But then my heart can become strangely
S1: cold toward service. Otherwise, how can we move toward an
S1: everyday service mindset?
S4: That's a tough question, I think. What I said a
S4: moment ago about having Jesus as our role model is
S4: one part of it. Perhaps another part might be each
S4: morning to say a simple prayer about Holy Spirit, direct
S4: me today. Help me to see opportunities to serve you
S4: and not to walk by them.
S1: Biblical servanthood. That's what we're talking about today on the
S1: land and the book with our guest, Doctor Gordon Jackson.
S1: What's another servant story in Scripture that models something that
S1: maybe we can borrow from today.
S4: I think I want to give a negative example, because
S4: the book has several studies of people we know well,
S4: servants like David and the, uh, arch Angel, Gabriel, Mary Moses, etc.
S4: these are all very familiar characters, but there are other
S4: characters whose names we may not know, or perhaps they
S4: are faintly familiar to us. One of them is Gehazi,
S4: and you say, who's that? Well, he's the greedy servant
S4: who works with Elisha, who heals Naaman the prophet, and
S4: he goes off and lies about what rewards cash, rewards
S4: his master would like. And Naaman gives him a whole
S4: lot of loot. And Gehazi is a really reprehensible servant
S4: because he is driven by greed. Another one is the
S4: military fellow dog. DOEG. We don't know much about him,
S4: except that he was a ruthless fellow, obeying the order
S4: of King Saul in slaughtering about 80 of the priests
S4: who had helped young David. Doug is a truly reprehensible figure,
S4: yet he is a servant who was a ruthlessly following
S4: what his boss told him. And they are examples of
S4: human people in Scripture whose bad deeds are shared for
S4: our example. Now, I don't think any of your listeners
S4: are wanting to rush out and kill 80 priests, but
S4: there are things that we can do that are very
S4: displeasing to God, and we are all his servants. And
S4: we need to be very clear on the actions that
S4: could bring dishonor to our Lord.
S1: Well, what do you think we misunderstand or maybe underestimate
S1: about biblical servanthood.
S4: The need for a Christian mindset and a willingness to
S4: sacrifice our own well-being. We are not just servants. There
S4: are lots of people in the secular world who do
S4: wonderful things as acts of service. But Christians should be
S4: motivated by their love for God and act out of
S4: gratitude for what Jesus has done for us on the cross.
S4: I want to read a quotation that is at the
S4: beginning of the book, because it serves as something of
S4: an anchor for what follows. It's by a fellow named
S4: Frank Warren who said this if you wish to be
S4: a leader, you will be frustrated for very few people
S4: wished to be led. If you aim to be a servant,
S4: you will never be frustrated. Now, I imagine plenty of
S4: us who are servants have moments of frustration. But his
S4: point is focus on serving rather than leading. If you
S4: don't have followers, if you don't have servants, then all
S4: you're doing is going out and taking a walk. If
S4: no one's following you.
S1: This is the land and the book. I'm John Geiger.
S1: Our guest today, Gordon Jackson. He's written, I'll be your server. Hey,
S1: what role do you think authentic servanthood plays in our
S1: Witness to Non-Believers? You've already pointed out. Many of them
S1: are are excellent servants in a restaurant, in the hotel business,
S1: wherever they might be. How does authentic servanthood help our
S1: witness for Jesus?
S4: Let me tell you a story about World War Two.
S4: The short version Is that a whole bunch of Westerners
S4: were in a concentration camp or a detention camp that
S4: the Japanese set up in China after they'd conquered China.
S4: And one of them was Eric Liddell's home. Many of
S4: you will remember him as that wonderful Scottish athlete who
S4: was a missionary. His story was told in Chariots of Fire.
S4: One of the most marvelous Christian themed movies of all time,
S4: Eric Liddell, was in that camp, and he led an
S4: exemplary life working with the young kids, the teenagers who
S4: were bored and frustrated. And because of his Christian commitment,
S4: he stepped forward and worked with these kids. But he
S4: wasn't the only one. There were a bunch of Catholic
S4: priests who were in the camp as well, and they
S4: were the ones who stepped forward to clean the toilets
S4: that had become clogged, and it was an absolute mess.
S4: No one was willing to take on this task, but
S4: these Catholic priests stepped forward and said, this is a
S4: job that needs to be done. We will do it.
S4: So in that one setting, you have a couple of
S4: examples of people motivated by selfless Christian love stepping forward
S4: to do what needs to be done. And it reminds
S4: me of the time management consultant, a man named Allen Larkin,
S4: who said the question we should constantly be asking ourselves is,
S4: what is the best use of my time right now?
S4: And I think that fits in very well with the
S4: Christian mandate to be available to serve whatever's coming up.
S4: We need to be ready. If this seems to be
S4: God calling us. We need to be ready to act.
S1: And that's a great place to land this conversation. Lots
S1: more to discover, and we encourage you to check out
S1: the book. I'll Be Your server. There's a link at
S1: our website, The Land and the book.org. Gordon, thanks so
S1: much for joining us.
S4: Oh, it's been my pleasure.
S1: And up next on the land in the book, it's
S1: your friend and mine, doctor Gerald Peterman. To answer some
S1: of your Bible questions. Stick around for more on the
S1: land and the book. This is the land and the
S1: book from Moody Radio. I'm John Gieger, and we know
S1: it's a fact because we hear from you. And so
S1: for many listeners, this next segment, number three is their
S1: all time favorite. It's Bible questions and answers. I'm seated
S1: across from one of my all time favorite people, Doctor
S1: Gerald Peterman. I love him because he loves the word
S1: of God knows the Word of God, but he never
S1: makes me feel like I'm somehow mentally impaired when I
S1: ask simple questions that I should really know the answers to. Anyway,
S1: thank you for being with us.
S5: Oh, it's my pleasure. Thanks for the encouragement, John. I
S5: appreciate that.
S1: And thank you for your humility not just toward me,
S1: but to our listeners as well. We're grateful for your
S1: taking the time and just explaining things simply and easily.
S5: Well thank you.
S1: You can, by the way, start that process with an
S1: email to the land and the book@moody.edu. The land and
S1: the book@moody.edu. We'll get to our first question after this
S1: quick thought. As believers, there's a great need for us
S1: to share the gospel with the Jewish people, and many
S1: of our listeners are already faithfully praying for and partnering
S1: with ministries that are doing just that. But here's the
S1: deal what if you could personally take part in bringing
S1: the gospel to Jewish people? Well, our friends at Life
S1: and Messiah would love the opportunity to get you involved
S1: in Jewish ministry. And they regularly organize outreach trips and
S1: teams to Brooklyn, South Florida, even to Israel outside of
S1: conflict times. And these ministry trips will equip you to
S1: understand how to share the gospel with Jewish people, give
S1: you the opportunity to actively share your faith and provide
S1: tools and resources you'll take home with you and keep
S1: on using if you want to get hands on training.
S1: Practical experience in Jewish evangelism. Learn more by visiting Life
S1: in messiah.org and click on that moody radio button there.
S1: You Can't miss at Life in messiah.org. Barb starts us
S1: out taking us to Mark chapter 12. Jesus said, the
S1: greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart
S1: and mind. He also said that if we love him,
S1: we will obey him. She says, I'm thinking this kind
S1: of love is not emotional, but a matter of will.
S1: Could you explain, please, what it means when Jesus talks
S1: about loving God?
S5: Wow, that is a deep and wide question. I'll do
S5: the best I can.
S1: In 30s or less. Of course. Yes.
S5: Sure. It's a question we need to ask ourselves and
S5: we ask ourselves. So let's think about this for just
S5: a moment. Is love an action? Is love a matter
S5: of the will? Wait wait wait wait wait. Okay. Love
S5: has to include action, right? Love must include action. But
S5: is love an act of the will? Ah! Imagine a
S5: husband and wife, and they're having a conversation. And so
S5: the husband says to the wife, wife, my love for
S5: you is an act of the will that has spoiled
S5: the moment, that has, that has, that has totally spoiled
S5: the moment. It's got to be more than that. So
S5: when we think about love, I think we should think
S5: about two things. Love includes action and love is a
S5: heartfelt motivation. Love for God is about appreciation for him.
S5: Love for God is about is about feeling grateful to him,
S5: being astounded by him, enjoying him. Love for our neighbor
S5: is having compassion on them, feeling for them as we
S5: would feel for ourselves. So I think love must be
S5: both a motivation part, emotional, and an action. Let's go
S5: to one example from Jesus and this comes from John
S5: chapter 14 verse 15. Jesus said, if you love me,
S5: you will obey my commandments. Now what does love mean?
S5: Does love mean only an action here? So if love
S5: is only an action here, it means something like if
S5: you do an action, you do an action. No, this
S5: can't be what it means. If you love me, that is,
S5: you have this astounding gratitude to me. That is, you
S5: feel attached to me. You feel obligated to me. You
S5: find me astounding. Then if you love me, you'll obey
S5: my commandments. So this is hard for us sometimes. We're just.
S5: We're just driven by duty.
S1: Yeah. I think of First John and it says, you know,
S1: if you see somebody in great need and you have
S1: no pity on him, how can the love of God
S1: be in that person?
S5: Right?
S1: So that's, that's a sense of action. It's compassion. Again,
S1: it's something you do.
S5: And it's a full orbed response. You see, you see
S5: the need you have, you have heartfelt mercy, then you
S5: do something.
S1: Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue,
S1: but with actions and in truth. This then is how
S1: we know that we belong to the truth and how
S1: we set our hearts at rest whenever our hearts condemn us.
S1: So yeah, good perspectives there. Thank you for that question, Barb. Trust.
S1: It's helpful. Let's go to Jim, who says, I've always
S1: thought the Lord is merciful and gracious and forgiving. And
S1: then I ran into second Kings 24, verse four that says,
S1: the Lord was not willing to forgive. How do we
S1: make sense of that?
S5: Well, you know, sometimes when our minds just aren't quite
S5: in the place where they ought to be, we treat
S5: Scripture as if it's a textbook, as if it's a
S5: mathematical book, as if it's a book of physics. You know,
S5: you you push one button, you get this as an action.
S5: And it's not. The book of Scripture is about a relationship.
S5: It's about knowing God and responding to God. So anytime
S5: you're in a relationship, sometimes their ups and sometimes there
S5: are downs. So yes, Psalm 103. The Lord is merciful
S5: and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in loving kindness.
S5: He forgives our iniquity. Yes, but there will come a
S5: time when God's patience runs out. And the passage that
S5: Jim has taken us to comes from this time when
S5: Manasseh was King of Israel. Have you read about Manasseh?
S5: Oh my, oh my goodness. He was horrible and evil, evil,
S5: evil man. And so largely because of Manasseh sins, his idolatry,
S5: his leading the nation astray, then the Lord comes to
S5: the place to fulfill his promise. And the promise is exile.
S5: If you go way back into Deuteronomy 28, what we
S5: hear from God is you go into the land. But
S5: if you go in the land and you consistently disobey me,
S5: there will come a time when I will take you
S5: out of the land. In other words, I'm telling you
S5: in advance, there will be a limit to my very
S5: gracious patience. So God both forgives, but he has a
S5: limit to his patience.
S1: This is the land and the book from Moody Radio
S1: doctor Gerald Peterman serves on the Faculty of Moody Bible Institute,
S1: knows the word, loves talking with you and answering your questions.
S1: You connect with him via email at the land and
S1: the book@moody.edu, the land and the book@moody.edu. Let's go to
S1: Heather's question. Can you tell me how we as Christians,
S1: can know which promises of God are meant for the
S1: Jewish people and which are pertinent to us as non-Jewish believers?
S5: Well, I can answer this question simply. It's it's actually
S5: not simple, but I can answer this question. Get us started. Simply,
S5: we ask the question as we read, to whom is
S5: God speaking or about whom is Scripture talking? Is Scripture
S5: talking about the one who has received Christ? Is Scripture
S5: talking to the Christian or a Scripture talking to the Israelite,
S5: or a scripture talking to the Jewish non-believer? So there's
S5: a bit of overlap here that is promises made to
S5: Gentile Christians. Messianic Jews get to enjoy those as well.
S5: But Messianic Jews would have then their own promises. I take,
S5: for instance, one of these promises is something like this.
S5: Joshua one verse two. Moses, my servant is dead. Now
S5: therefore go, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all
S5: this people into the land I am giving to them
S5: the people of Israel. Who's being talked about? The people
S5: of Israel. But this is not just something that happens
S5: in the Old Testament. How about we go to Romans 11?
S5: We get to Romans 11 and Paul says this in 1125,
S5: I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery.
S5: Brothers and sisters, a partial hardening has come upon Israel,
S5: who's being talked about until the fullness of the Gentiles
S5: has come in, and in this way all Israel will
S5: be saved. As it is written, Isaiah 59, the deliverer
S5: will come from Zion. He will banish ungodliness from Jacob.
S5: So the principle is, to whom is Scripture speaking? Stop, think,
S5: pray carefully. Read again who's being talked about?
S1: All right. Those are good tips. Stop. Think, pray. Who
S1: is this being written to? Who is God speaking to?
S1: A question here from Alex who takes us to Psalm eight.
S1: This is a beautiful Psalm, one of the. One of
S1: the shortest ones in the Bible. Let's. Let's think about
S1: it together. Psalm eight. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic
S1: is your name in all the earth. You have set
S1: your glory above the heavens from the lips of children
S1: and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies,
S1: to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider
S1: your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and
S1: the stars which you have set in place, what is
S1: man that you are mindful of him, the Son of
S1: man that you care for him. You made him a
S1: little lower than the heavenly beings, and crowned him with
S1: glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works
S1: of your hands. You put everything under his feet, all
S1: flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the
S1: birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
S1: all that swim, the paths of the sea. O Lord,
S1: our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth. Amen. Alex.
S1: Question is. This appears to be quoting from Genesis one,
S1: verses 26 and 28. Is this Psalm, though, talking about
S1: man as created by God, or is he also referring
S1: to Jesus?
S5: I think the primary reference is man. Adam and Eve,
S5: to whom God has given care for creation so that
S5: we're working with him and caring for creation. And then
S5: when we come later to the book of Hebrews, we
S5: find that Jesus is the man. What has happened there? Well, see,
S5: we get this commission to manage the earth and we're
S5: not doing it very well. So we need a new man,
S5: a new humanity, someone who will properly obey God and
S5: be the steward that he ought to be.
S1: Well said. And you're welcome to be a part of
S1: the conversation with your question at the land and the book@moody.edu.
S1: It's Charlie Dyer's devotional and it's next on the land
S1: and the book. This is the land in the book.
S1: Segment four. I'm John Yeager. Welcome back. You know, Charlie,
S1: one thing I have noticed is that our Bible does
S1: not lack for names that are difficult for us English
S1: speakers to pronounce. AM I right?
S2: Oh, you're exactly right, John. It's a mouthful. In fact,
S2: we tend to skip over them as a result.
S1: I'm guilty as charged. But I think you have two
S1: unpronounceable names for cities that are at the heart of
S1: your devotional. Is that fair?
S2: That's exactly right. And I hope by the time we're done,
S2: people will never forget them.
S1: I'm looking forward to that after we hear this Holy
S1: Land experience.
S6: One thing that really hit me spiritually was being at
S6: the Mount of Beatitudes and hearing the message. Just reading
S6: the scriptures, we're in the same place that Jesus taught
S6: the scriptures was just so impactful for me. The second
S6: thing that just, I think points out to Charlie's expertise
S6: is being at Mount Carmel with, um, where Elijah was, uh,
S6: tested against the prophets of Baal and the victories Elijah had.
S6: And just seeing all of the geography that Elijah encountered
S6: there being on top of the hill. Seeing the plain
S6: with Charlie talking about, um, just all the factors and
S6: the timing involved in the, uh, the whole episode and
S6: the rains that came and the chariots that got bogged
S6: down and the mud and, uh, just could picture the
S6: whole episode happening. So Charlie's geography knowledge is just outstanding.
S6: So it had an excellent time.
S1: All right, let's press onward with two unpronounceable names of
S1: places we're never gonna forget. Charlie. It's all yours.
S2: Thanks, John. Yeah. Our drive down the Jordan Valley from
S2: the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea is almost over.
S2: The past few hours have taken us from tropical vegetation
S2: to barren desert. The date palms and bougainvillea around the
S2: Sea of Galilee gave way to fields of vegetables near
S2: Beit She'an, the northernmost crossing point of the Jordan River.
S2: And as we traveled further south, those cultivated fields gave
S2: way to grassy slopes, and farms yielded to flocks midway
S2: down the Jordan Valley was the atom crossing point, the
S2: perfect place for the patriarchs to move their flocks and
S2: herds across the Jordan and into the Promised Land. But
S2: as we've continued driving south, grass for grazing has become
S2: increasingly sparse and the hills more barren. We're still driving
S2: through the land of shepherds, but the land is far
S2: more harsh and rugged. And just before the bus tops
S2: this next rise, I want the driver to pull off
S2: to the side of the road. Okay. Hop off the
S2: bus and follow me to the top of the hill.
S2: Now it's quite warm and the sun is very intense,
S2: but there's not a lot of haze today. So our
S2: view down the Jordan Valley really is quite clear. If
S2: you look off in the distance, you can actually make
S2: out the northern shore of the Dead Sea. We've almost
S2: arrived at our final destination. Now look into the valley
S2: between where we're standing and the Dead Sea. Do you
S2: see that large area of dark vegetation? It's difficult to
S2: make out specific details, but that large region is the
S2: oasis of Jericho. When we get closer, those dark patches
S2: will become palm trees and fields. A very powerful spring
S2: provides life giving water to this oasis in the desert.
S2: And our third and final crossing point on the Jordan
S2: River gave this location its strategic significance. Now look down
S2: toward the left edge of the Dead Sea. Do you
S2: see the highest peak? Just behind on the mountains? That's
S2: Mount Nebo, where Moses gazed into the Promised Land before dying.
S2: And do you see the flat plain right across the
S2: Jordan River from Jericho? That's the plains of Moab, where
S2: Israel camped before crossing the Jordan River. Picture the nation
S2: of Israel camped in their tents on that side of
S2: the Jordan, with the people of Jericho watching from this
S2: side and separating the two was the rushing Jordan River
S2: overflowing its banks during the annual spring flood. As I said,
S2: the broad area where Israel was camped is called the
S2: plains of Moab in numbers 22. But the spot also
S2: had another name. A few chapters later, the Book of
S2: Numbers says Israel was staying in Shittim, and in Joshua
S2: two and three, the spies were sent from Shittim to
S2: check out the land, including Jericho. Now there's no discrepancy
S2: in the Bible. The plains of Moab looked at the
S2: general geographical region where Israel camped, while Shittim identified the
S2: specific location. Now, I grew up in the Susquehanna Valley
S2: in Pennsylvania, but I also grew up just outside Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.
S2: One name described the region, the other the specific location.
S2: And that's what Moses did with the children of Israel
S2: when Israel crossed the Jordan River. They started out at
S2: Shittim on the plains of Moab and ended up at Gilgal,
S2: just north of Jericho. Each name has significance. Shittim is
S2: the Hebrew word for acacia trees. These are the type
S2: of trees from which the Ark of the covenant and
S2: the other objects in the tabernacle had been crafted. And
S2: Gilgal comes from the Hebrew word that refers to rolling something.
S2: I talked about Gilgal just two months ago. Joshua five
S2: nine says the place was named Gilgal because God had
S2: rolled away the reproach of Egypt after Joshua circumcised those
S2: born during the wilderness, wandering. All these details might seem
S2: like little more than historical trivia, but they're really quite
S2: important for today's study. Micah six is sometimes referred to
S2: as a prophetic lawsuit, a chapter where God took Israel
S2: to court for breach of contract in verses 3 to 5.
S2: God demonstrates his faithfulness to Israel from the time he
S2: brought them out of Egypt until the time he brought
S2: them into the land, he ransomed them from slavery, provided
S2: godly leadership through Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, and refused to
S2: let kings or profits rise up against or pronounce a
S2: curse on his people. Then God rests his case by
S2: asking them to remember what he had done from Shittim
S2: to Gilgal. Now most skip over those words, but don't
S2: do that. Instead, look back over at the other side
S2: of the Jordan. That's the location of Shittim. Probably a
S2: place named for a large group of acacia trees growing
S2: there and down below us, just above Jericho, was the
S2: location of Gilgal. Now picture the Jordan River in flood stage.
S2: It's dark, muddy water spilling over its banks, extending out
S2: a half mile in both directions. Then think about God's
S2: concluding remark. He led Israel out of Egypt, guided them
S2: through the wilderness, guarded them from all their enemies, and
S2: then brought them from Shittim to Gilgal. In short, God
S2: kept every promise he had made. The final obstacle was
S2: a raging torrent that separated the children of Israel from
S2: the Promised land, and God pushed back those waters to
S2: allow his people to enter from Shittim to Gilgal is
S2: more than just a geographical reference. It's a reminder that
S2: God kept his word and that no obstacle was too
S2: big for him to handle. So what has God done
S2: for you lately? Have you found yourself depressed, anxious, hurting?
S2: Has your personal journey taken you through the desert or
S2: seemingly left you stranded at the edge of life's raging torrent?
S2: If so, remember four words from Shittim to Gilgal. From
S2: one side of life's impossibilities to the other. God can
S2: take you through, just like he did for Israel. Take
S2: some time this coming week to get by yourself and
S2: think back over those times in your life when God
S2: has brought you through what seemed to be impossible circumstances.
S2: Make a list of your past Shittim to Gilgal moments
S2: and place that list in your Bible at Micah six
S2: and the next time you begin to feel discouraged or anxious,
S2: pull out the list to review what God has done
S2: in the past. Then ask God to help provide another
S2: Shittim to Gilgal moment in your life that you can
S2: add to your list. But just be sure to thank
S2: him when he does.
S1: And I thank you, Charlie, for that great devotional. Maybe
S1: some of the reason for the angst, the upset, the
S1: the tenseness in some of our listeners souls is that
S1: they've never really come to Jesus as Savior. What does
S1: that mean, Charlie? To have Jesus as your Savior.
S2: It means that you've placed your trust for your eternal
S2: destiny in his hands. You say, I know that I
S2: can't get to heaven on my own. I'm not good enough. I've.
S2: I've sinned. I've fallen short of God. And that's why
S2: God sent his Son Jesus to earth to pay the
S2: penalty for my sin. And I want to place my
S2: trust in him. Turn for myself to Jesus as my
S2: sin bearer and Savior. And when someone does that, they
S2: pass from death to life and become part of God's
S2: eternal family.
S1: There's a volunteer who can answer your questions further right now.
S1: I mean, right now, they're honored to talk with you,
S1: pray with you to receive Jesus as you call 888.
S1: Need him? Let me slow that down. Eight. Eight. Eight.
S1: Need him. There's no cost, no obligation. There's nothing to buy.
S1: So there's nothing to sell. It's just an honest conversation
S1: about what it means to know Jesus. So call 888.
S1: Need him. Well, the clock says we're just about out
S1: of time. But we want to say thank you to
S1: you for hanging out with us today at the land
S1: of the book. Want to say thanks as well to
S1: the management at this station? They've got lots of programs
S1: who would love to be on, but they've kindly shared
S1: this slot with us and we say thank you. Our
S1: website is The Land and the book.org, and your emailed
S1: question is always welcome at the land and the book@moody.edu.
S1: For our producer, Dan Anderson, our host, Charlie Dyer, I'm
S1: John Yeager, the land and the book is a production
S1: of Moody Radio, a Ministry of Moody Bible Institute.