1 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:10,309 UU: Ruth. Rachel. Mary. 2 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:13,610 S1: These are Bible characters we know. But what about other 3 00:00:13,610 --> 00:00:18,710 S1: lesser known names? Characters like Huldah, Jael, and Damaris? Why 4 00:00:18,710 --> 00:00:21,470 S1: have we missed them? What were their challenges and what 5 00:00:21,470 --> 00:00:24,380 S1: can we learn from their lives and legacies? Coming up, 6 00:00:24,380 --> 00:00:28,520 S1: we'll encounter some God empowered women of the Bible. Welcome 7 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:31,130 S1: to the land and the book with our host, Middle 8 00:00:31,130 --> 00:00:34,640 S1: East expert Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John Gager, and Charlie 9 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:37,040 S1: Israel has been in the news a whole lot this 10 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:39,470 S1: past year. And as we know, the Bible is packed 11 00:00:39,470 --> 00:00:43,700 S1: with end times prophecies about epic world events, the regathering 12 00:00:43,700 --> 00:00:46,640 S1: of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland, and of course, 13 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:50,450 S1: the ultimate event. Jesus soon returned. So it's crucial, I think, 14 00:00:50,450 --> 00:00:53,339 S1: for us as believers to have a proper understanding of 15 00:00:53,340 --> 00:00:56,790 S1: Bible prophecy. So our view of the future is shaped 16 00:00:56,790 --> 00:00:59,460 S1: by Scripture, not today's headlines. Don't you think. 17 00:00:59,460 --> 00:01:02,100 S2: I do, John? You're absolutely right. And with that in mind, 18 00:01:02,100 --> 00:01:04,709 S2: our friends at Life and Messiah have published a book. 19 00:01:04,709 --> 00:01:09,209 S2: It's titled God, Israel and Bible Prophecy, and they're offering 20 00:01:09,209 --> 00:01:11,100 S2: it to listeners of the land in the book for 21 00:01:11,100 --> 00:01:14,820 S2: a limited time. This informative book is focused on providing 22 00:01:14,819 --> 00:01:19,080 S2: readers with a deeper understanding and greater appreciation of what 23 00:01:19,110 --> 00:01:22,380 S2: God has in store for Israel and the nations by 24 00:01:22,380 --> 00:01:25,589 S2: digging into what the scriptures say about these issues. Now, 25 00:01:25,590 --> 00:01:28,170 S2: if you're interested in learning more about what God has 26 00:01:28,170 --> 00:01:32,490 S2: in store, visit Life in Messiah. Org and click on 27 00:01:32,490 --> 00:01:34,920 S2: the Moody Radio button there to find out how you 28 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:39,390 S2: can receive your copy of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy. 29 00:01:39,390 --> 00:01:42,559 S2: That's life in messiah.org. 30 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:46,010 S1: Let's swing our focus toward current events from the Middle East. 31 00:01:46,010 --> 00:01:50,060 S1: As the US absorbed President Biden's announcement to withdraw from 32 00:01:50,060 --> 00:01:53,930 S1: the presidential race and endorse Kamala Harris in his place. 33 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:58,910 S1: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu flew to Washington to speak to Congress. 34 00:01:58,940 --> 00:02:03,440 S1: How did Biden's decision impact Netanyahu's speech to Congress? And 35 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:07,010 S1: who else was Netanyahu able to meet with while in town? 36 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:10,460 S2: You know, this was Prime Minister Netanyahu's fourth address before 37 00:02:10,460 --> 00:02:13,910 S2: a joint session of Congress, eclipsing the previous record of 38 00:02:13,910 --> 00:02:18,080 S2: three that he shared with Winston Churchill. Biden's decision to 39 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:22,340 S2: step down really didn't impact Netanyahu's speech. He thanked the U.S. 40 00:02:22,340 --> 00:02:26,119 S2: for its support. He explained from Israel's perspective, why victory 41 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:29,940 S2: over Hamas and other extremist groups is so crucial? The 42 00:02:29,940 --> 00:02:34,049 S2: response to his speech is mixed, which is expected. There 43 00:02:34,050 --> 00:02:37,800 S2: was opposition to Netanyahu by progressive Democrats who opposed the 44 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,610 S2: war in Gaza and US aid to Israel, but most 45 00:02:41,610 --> 00:02:46,620 S2: senators and congressmen responded warmly. Biden's announcement did make Netanyahu 46 00:02:46,650 --> 00:02:49,200 S2: more cautious in terms of what he would like to 47 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:53,280 S2: have said. Netanyahu and Biden disagree in their approach to 48 00:02:53,290 --> 00:02:56,680 S2: solving the crisis in the region, and Kamala Harris is 49 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,799 S2: even more aligned with the progressive wing of the Democratic 50 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:03,940 S2: Party going forward. That could complicate the relationship between the 51 00:03:03,940 --> 00:03:07,030 S2: two countries. Both Biden and Harris have pushed for a 52 00:03:07,030 --> 00:03:10,840 S2: hostage deal as a pathway forward toward the establishment of 53 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:15,430 S2: a Palestinian state. But days before Netanyahu left for Washington, 54 00:03:15,430 --> 00:03:20,750 S2: Israel's Knesset passed a resolution overwhelmingly opposing a Palestinian state. 55 00:03:20,780 --> 00:03:24,679 S2: Most Israelis feel that pushing for a Palestinian state would 56 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:27,679 S2: be seen as a reward for terrorism, and would encourage 57 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:31,280 S2: Hamas and its supporters. They believe it would only be 58 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:34,550 S2: a matter of time before Hamas would take over any 59 00:03:34,550 --> 00:03:38,150 S2: Palestinian state and turn it into a radical terror base 60 00:03:38,150 --> 00:03:41,390 S2: that would work with Iran to try to destroy Israel. Now, 61 00:03:41,390 --> 00:03:45,350 S2: that concern was reinforced at a recent summit sponsored by China, 62 00:03:45,350 --> 00:03:49,820 S2: where representatives from the Palestinian Authority and Hamas agreed to 63 00:03:49,820 --> 00:03:53,060 S2: work toward a unity government and form a state. In 64 00:03:53,060 --> 00:03:56,180 S2: terms of other meetings, though, Netanyahu did meet with President 65 00:03:56,180 --> 00:03:59,450 S2: Biden and Kamala Harris on Thursday, he thanked them for 66 00:03:59,450 --> 00:04:03,590 S2: their support for Israel. They expressed concerns over the ongoing war, though, 67 00:04:03,590 --> 00:04:07,830 S2: and the negotiations with Hamas over the hostages. Netanyahu was 68 00:04:07,830 --> 00:04:10,800 S2: also able to meet with Donald Trump on Friday. 69 00:04:11,010 --> 00:04:14,880 S1: Last week, the International Court of Justice issued its ruling 70 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:18,930 S1: saying that Israel has illegally occupied the West Bank and 71 00:04:18,930 --> 00:04:22,739 S1: annexed Jerusalem. What are the implications of this ruling on 72 00:04:22,740 --> 00:04:25,620 S1: Israel and its relationship to the rest of the world? 73 00:04:25,650 --> 00:04:27,570 S2: You know, on the surface, this would seem to be 74 00:04:27,570 --> 00:04:30,040 S2: a major blow to Israel. And as such, it was 75 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:34,179 S2: welcomed by the Palestinians. The court declared that Israel's 56 76 00:04:34,180 --> 00:04:38,080 S2: year control over the Palestinian territory is illegal, and that 77 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:40,659 S2: it's obligated to bring its presence in that territory to 78 00:04:40,660 --> 00:04:43,960 S2: an end as rapidly as possible. Now, that includes the 79 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:47,680 S2: West Bank and East Jerusalem. They also ruled that Israel 80 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:51,969 S2: must cease new settlement activity, repeal all legislation and measures 81 00:04:51,970 --> 00:04:56,180 S2: created or maintaining what they call the unlawful situation, and 82 00:04:56,180 --> 00:04:59,930 S2: provide reparations for its wrongful acts. They also said all 83 00:04:59,930 --> 00:05:03,950 S2: UN member states are obligated not to recognize changes to 84 00:05:03,950 --> 00:05:07,160 S2: the status of these territories, or to aid or assist 85 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:10,640 S2: Israel's rule over them. Now, this ruling is only an 86 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:14,600 S2: advisory opinion, and it has no legal consequences on Israel 87 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:18,370 S2: or other UN member states. However, it will add pressure 88 00:05:18,370 --> 00:05:21,520 S2: on Israel, especially to the extent that other countries do 89 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:24,460 S2: accept and act on the court's ruling, even if it's 90 00:05:24,460 --> 00:05:28,900 S2: not binding. There are serious flaws, though, in this decision. First, 91 00:05:28,900 --> 00:05:32,800 S2: the president of the International Court of Justice previously served 92 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:36,820 S2: as Lebanon's ambassador to the UN, where he delivered inflammatory 93 00:05:36,820 --> 00:05:40,870 S2: speeches against Israel and voted 210 times to condemn the 94 00:05:40,870 --> 00:05:43,289 S2: Jewish state. Now it's hard to view him as an 95 00:05:43,290 --> 00:05:47,490 S2: impartial jurist. Second, the facts of history don't align with 96 00:05:47,490 --> 00:05:50,580 S2: the decision. It's hard to demand that Israel leave East 97 00:05:50,580 --> 00:05:53,580 S2: Jerusalem when that includes the Jewish quarter of the Old 98 00:05:53,580 --> 00:05:57,180 S2: City of Jerusalem itself. Jews lived there for centuries until 99 00:05:57,180 --> 00:06:00,539 S2: they were ethnically cleansed from the city by the Jordanians 100 00:06:00,540 --> 00:06:04,620 S2: in 1948. The West Bank was historically part of Judea 101 00:06:04,620 --> 00:06:09,660 S2: and Samaria, Israel's promised homeland, and it was captured in 1967, 102 00:06:09,660 --> 00:06:13,440 S2: in a defensive war when Israel was attacked by Egypt, Syria, 103 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:17,880 S2: and Jordan. International law only prohibits the acquisition of territory 104 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:21,869 S2: acquired by force in illegal or aggressive wars, and to 105 00:06:21,870 --> 00:06:24,960 S2: claim that Israel needs to return to the national boundaries 106 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:28,560 S2: that were in place in 1967, also fails to recognize 107 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:32,580 S2: that there weren't recognized boundaries at that time. Those so-called 108 00:06:32,580 --> 00:06:36,990 S2: boundaries or borders were simply cease fire lines. From 1948, 109 00:06:36,990 --> 00:06:39,960 S2: final borders were to be negotiated, but none of the 110 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:43,140 S2: Arab countries were willing to negotiate the existence of the 111 00:06:43,140 --> 00:06:46,710 S2: State of Israel, let alone negotiate actual borders with it. 112 00:06:46,710 --> 00:06:49,980 S2: Israel has historic claims to the land that extend back 113 00:06:49,980 --> 00:06:53,070 S2: for thousands of years. A ruling by the International Court 114 00:06:53,100 --> 00:06:56,289 S2: of Justice sounds impressive, but in this case, it's a 115 00:06:56,290 --> 00:07:01,270 S2: prejudicial decision that ignores historical reality and recent history, and 116 00:07:01,270 --> 00:07:03,580 S2: that is trying to create a situation that will lead 117 00:07:03,580 --> 00:07:05,469 S2: to even greater conflict. 118 00:07:05,470 --> 00:07:08,680 S1: If you're just joining the conversation, that's Doctor Charlie Dyer, 119 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:11,770 S1: I'm John Jaeger. The program is called The Land and 120 00:07:11,770 --> 00:07:14,590 S1: the book, and that's what we're about. And this opening segment, 121 00:07:14,590 --> 00:07:16,570 S1: we always take a look at current events from the 122 00:07:16,570 --> 00:07:20,070 S1: Middle East. Well, Tel Aviv was rocked last week by 123 00:07:20,070 --> 00:07:23,730 S1: an explosion caused by a drone attack from Yemen. How 124 00:07:23,730 --> 00:07:26,130 S1: did this drone manage to make it all the way 125 00:07:26,130 --> 00:07:30,690 S1: to Israel undetected? And Charlie, does this raise additional security 126 00:07:30,690 --> 00:07:32,610 S1: concerns for Israel? Yeah. 127 00:07:32,610 --> 00:07:35,580 S2: This attack from a single drone caught Israel by surprise, 128 00:07:35,580 --> 00:07:38,640 S2: and it resulted in the loss of human life. The 129 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:42,660 S2: subsequent investigation did help, though, lay initial fears. In spite 130 00:07:42,660 --> 00:07:46,230 S2: of Houthi propaganda, the drone was not a new stealth 131 00:07:46,230 --> 00:07:49,739 S2: model that was able to evade Israeli radar. Rather, it 132 00:07:49,740 --> 00:07:53,970 S2: was an extended range drone that traveled 16 hours from Yemen, 133 00:07:53,970 --> 00:07:57,120 S2: across the Red sea, and then the entire length of Egypt, 134 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:00,210 S2: and then along the Mediterranean until it reached Tel Aviv. 135 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:03,540 S2: That was a distance of some 1600 miles. The drone 136 00:08:03,540 --> 00:08:06,740 S2: itself was picked up on radar about six minutes before 137 00:08:06,740 --> 00:08:09,680 S2: reaching Tel Aviv. But for some reason it wasn't marked 138 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:12,920 S2: as a hostile target. Now that Israel knows the Houthis 139 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:16,130 S2: have tried this roundabout way to reach Israel, they'll be 140 00:08:16,130 --> 00:08:18,590 S2: on the lookout for other drones trying to approach the 141 00:08:18,590 --> 00:08:21,770 S2: country in this way. To put it in perspective, over 142 00:08:21,770 --> 00:08:25,850 S2: the past year, the Houthis have fired over 220 ballistic missiles, 143 00:08:25,850 --> 00:08:29,960 S2: cruise missiles and drones against Israel. This is only the 144 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:32,530 S2: second one that wasn't intercepted and the other hit an 145 00:08:32,530 --> 00:08:35,890 S2: open area near a lot. Israel responded to this drone 146 00:08:35,890 --> 00:08:39,969 S2: attack by attacking oil facilities and a key port in Yemen. 147 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:43,420 S2: Yemen's backed by Iran, which has been supplying them with 148 00:08:43,420 --> 00:08:46,900 S2: training and technology as part of Iran's efforts to extend 149 00:08:46,900 --> 00:08:49,720 S2: their control in the region. The US and Britain have 150 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:53,110 S2: been working to stop attacks on shipping and now Israel 151 00:08:53,110 --> 00:08:57,959 S2: has also responded. Yemen's ability to impact Israel directly is 152 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:01,530 S2: somewhat limited, and Israel has now demonstrated it will respond 153 00:09:01,530 --> 00:09:05,100 S2: forcefully to such attacks. But Israel will also remain on 154 00:09:05,100 --> 00:09:08,160 S2: the lookout for any future attempts at retaliation. 155 00:09:08,190 --> 00:09:11,340 S1: Charlie, how does that impact on the oil facility in Yemen? 156 00:09:11,340 --> 00:09:15,480 S1: Should the Houthis respond? Impact our price at the pump 157 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:16,260 S1: for gas? 158 00:09:16,290 --> 00:09:19,020 S2: Well, so far it hasn't. And part of the reason 159 00:09:19,020 --> 00:09:22,530 S2: is that Yemen doesn't export oil. It imports it. So 160 00:09:22,530 --> 00:09:26,010 S2: what was hit actually impacted that country and their ability 161 00:09:26,010 --> 00:09:29,969 S2: to keep their own machinery and cars running. So it 162 00:09:29,970 --> 00:09:32,699 S2: impacted Yemen, but it really didn't have an impact on 163 00:09:32,700 --> 00:09:33,990 S2: the world oil market. 164 00:09:34,230 --> 00:09:37,800 S1: Our fourth story, US Secretary of State Blinken made headlines 165 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:40,560 S1: when he declared that Iran was just 1 or 2 166 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:44,000 S1: weeks away from producing enough material for a nuclear weapon. 167 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:46,880 S1: Why did he make that statement now? And does this 168 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:50,270 S1: raise the specter of a US attack on Iran? Since 169 00:09:50,270 --> 00:09:53,660 S1: President Biden has said the US will not allow Iran 170 00:09:53,660 --> 00:09:55,459 S1: to develop nuclear weapons? 171 00:09:55,640 --> 00:09:58,970 S2: Well, the statement itself appeared to address three likely audiences. 172 00:09:58,970 --> 00:10:01,429 S2: And the first is Iran. You know, by suggesting the 173 00:10:01,429 --> 00:10:04,520 S2: US knew what Iran was doing in its pursuit of weapons, 174 00:10:04,610 --> 00:10:06,910 S2: he was issuing a warning to them to pull back. 175 00:10:06,940 --> 00:10:09,729 S2: He also reiterated that the US would not allow them 176 00:10:09,730 --> 00:10:13,570 S2: to obtain nuclear weapons, while suggesting we would prefer a 177 00:10:13,570 --> 00:10:16,480 S2: diplomatic route to doing that. But even by saying that 178 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:19,750 S2: he was threatening, a military response is possible. Now. The 179 00:10:19,750 --> 00:10:22,690 S2: second audience being addressed was actually the US voters in 180 00:10:22,690 --> 00:10:26,110 S2: the coming election. A Blinken used the opportunity to blast 181 00:10:26,110 --> 00:10:29,380 S2: Donald Trump and his decision to withdraw from the Iranian 182 00:10:29,380 --> 00:10:31,980 S2: nuclear deal when he was president. In essence, he was 183 00:10:31,980 --> 00:10:35,370 S2: answering Trump's speech at the Republican convention, where he said 184 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:37,829 S2: Tehran was broke when he was in office. But, uh, 185 00:10:37,830 --> 00:10:40,140 S2: now they have money and are getting near this weapon. 186 00:10:40,230 --> 00:10:43,020 S2: The final audience for his remarks were Israel. Iran has 187 00:10:43,020 --> 00:10:46,050 S2: said Israel will cease to exist by 2040. And Israel 188 00:10:46,050 --> 00:10:49,140 S2: takes that threat seriously by saying the US won't allow 189 00:10:49,140 --> 00:10:52,230 S2: them to obtain nuclear weapons. He was assuring Israel will 190 00:10:52,230 --> 00:10:54,530 S2: be behind them. Now, the real question is whether or 191 00:10:54,530 --> 00:10:58,040 S2: not Iran and Israel believe that what he said was 192 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:00,260 S2: a credible threat, and only time will tell. 193 00:11:00,260 --> 00:11:03,020 S1: And that's a look at current events, a full program today. 194 00:11:03,020 --> 00:11:05,390 S1: As always, we encourage you to stick around for our 195 00:11:05,390 --> 00:11:08,960 S1: next segment, 50 God Empowered Women of the Bible that's 196 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:11,089 S1: here on the land and the book. 197 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:27,679 UU: Ruth. Rachel. Mary. 198 00:11:27,710 --> 00:11:30,679 S1: These are Bible characters we know. But what about others 199 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:34,880 S1: like Huldah, Jael and Damaris? Why have we missed them? 200 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:37,550 S1: And what can we learn from their lives and legacies 201 00:11:37,550 --> 00:11:41,960 S1: we're about to encounter? 50. God empowered women of the Bible, 202 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:43,840 S1: and we're always glad to connect with you here at 203 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:47,290 S1: The Land and the book. It's segment two. I'm John Gager, 204 00:11:47,290 --> 00:11:50,080 S1: and before we meet some of these great Bible characters, 205 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:53,650 S1: let's talk about loving our Jewish friends and neighbors for Christ. 206 00:11:54,070 --> 00:11:56,830 S1: God has done an amazing thing in this friendship of 207 00:11:56,830 --> 00:11:59,710 S1: yours with a Jewish friend. Let's say that she or 208 00:11:59,710 --> 00:12:02,410 S1: he wants to take the next step further with you 209 00:12:02,410 --> 00:12:04,780 S1: in some kind of a Bible study. Where in the 210 00:12:04,780 --> 00:12:06,929 S1: world would you take them in the Bible for a 211 00:12:06,929 --> 00:12:09,810 S1: study that would be meaningful to them? Eva Reidel Nick 212 00:12:09,809 --> 00:12:13,380 S1: is an adjunct faculty member at Moody Bible Institute. What's 213 00:12:13,380 --> 00:12:15,660 S1: the passage that you might take on or recommend, or 214 00:12:15,660 --> 00:12:16,530 S1: the book of the Bible? 215 00:12:16,530 --> 00:12:19,200 S3: That's interesting. I think that if you had time, if 216 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:21,870 S3: you had like a long term relationship with this person 217 00:12:21,870 --> 00:12:24,120 S3: and they were willing to invest some time, say, like 218 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:29,040 S3: over a summer or winter solstice or whatever, um, study 219 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:32,510 S3: the book of Matthew with your friend, because Matthew, the 220 00:12:32,510 --> 00:12:35,510 S3: gospel was written for Jewish people, and it is the 221 00:12:35,510 --> 00:12:40,340 S3: most rich with messianic prophecy and pictures of the Messiah 222 00:12:40,340 --> 00:12:43,970 S3: drawn right from the Jewish scriptures. And so if you 223 00:12:43,970 --> 00:12:47,120 S3: have some time in your Jewish friends willing say, okay, 224 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:49,640 S3: this week, let's read these two chapters, let's get together 225 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:52,430 S3: next Tuesday over coffee. And what questions came up for you? 226 00:12:52,460 --> 00:12:53,840 S3: Matthew's a great place to start. 227 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:56,070 S1: What about some resources along the way? Any books you 228 00:12:56,070 --> 00:12:58,080 S1: might recommend, or are there any ways that we should 229 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:01,350 S1: approach these passages? Probably. We don't want to firehose people. 230 00:13:01,350 --> 00:13:03,329 S1: We don't want to read ten chapters in one night. 231 00:13:03,330 --> 00:13:06,060 S3: Right, exactly, exactly. I you know, as you know, I 232 00:13:06,059 --> 00:13:08,250 S3: work with Chosen People Ministries, and we have some great 233 00:13:08,250 --> 00:13:10,980 S3: material that's available with Chosen people about how to share 234 00:13:10,980 --> 00:13:12,900 S3: your faith with your Jewish friends. There was a great 235 00:13:12,900 --> 00:13:15,900 S3: book on Isaiah 53. There's some other material that's just 236 00:13:15,900 --> 00:13:17,880 S3: general material and how to share your faith with your 237 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:20,709 S3: Jewish friends that I think would be helpful for a 238 00:13:20,710 --> 00:13:24,160 S3: person to take a look at before they have those conversations. 239 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:27,699 S3: If you are more visual. My search for Messiah by 240 00:13:27,700 --> 00:13:30,309 S3: Michael Dolnick. Great resource to take a look at and 241 00:13:30,309 --> 00:13:31,870 S3: then give that to your Jewish friends. 242 00:13:31,870 --> 00:13:33,160 S1: And what a great guy he is. 243 00:13:33,309 --> 00:13:35,260 S3: Handsome and nice. Yeah, yeah. 244 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:37,179 S1: And just slightly related to you. 245 00:13:37,179 --> 00:13:37,569 S4: Yeah, yeah. 246 00:13:37,570 --> 00:13:38,050 S3: You know. 247 00:13:38,590 --> 00:13:42,130 S1: Even Reidel Nick, adjunct faculty member and with Chosen People Ministries, 248 00:13:42,130 --> 00:13:46,380 S1: our guest here on the land and the book, Sarah 249 00:13:46,380 --> 00:13:50,610 S1: Parker Rubio edits children's and young adult books by day 250 00:13:50,610 --> 00:13:53,400 S1: and writes them by night. She was born in the 251 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:57,209 S1: United States, grew up in Costa Rica and Ecuador, and 252 00:13:57,210 --> 00:14:00,480 S1: now has a bilingual and bicultural family with her husband, 253 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:04,679 S1: Colombian composer Gary Rubio. They live in Cincinnati with their 254 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:08,449 S1: three wonderful kids and two sassy cats. And we want 255 00:14:08,450 --> 00:14:10,970 S1: to welcome you, Sarah, to the land and the book. 256 00:14:11,270 --> 00:14:12,890 S5: Thank you so much, John. It's so great to be 257 00:14:12,890 --> 00:14:13,580 S5: here with you. 258 00:14:13,610 --> 00:14:16,189 S1: So I've got a copy of your book right here. 259 00:14:16,190 --> 00:14:18,410 S1: And it seems to me that this book comes out 260 00:14:18,410 --> 00:14:21,980 S1: at just the right time. Culturally, young girls are being 261 00:14:21,980 --> 00:14:24,710 S1: presented with all kinds of heroes from the world of 262 00:14:24,710 --> 00:14:28,280 S1: sports and movies, television and social media. And some of 263 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:32,570 S1: those are probably okay role models. Some of them definitely not. 264 00:14:32,570 --> 00:14:36,140 S1: But who is connecting young girls with women from Scripture? 265 00:14:36,140 --> 00:14:39,950 S1: True heroes. What's your thought on all this as we begin, Sarah? 266 00:14:40,250 --> 00:14:43,490 S5: Yeah. Um, I grew up with a love for the 267 00:14:43,490 --> 00:14:47,060 S5: Bible that was really gifted to me by my parents. 268 00:14:47,060 --> 00:14:49,850 S5: My dad would read the Bible to me every night. And, 269 00:14:49,850 --> 00:14:52,190 S5: you know, sometimes people say that, you know, the Bible 270 00:14:52,190 --> 00:14:54,590 S5: is patriarchal or Christianity is patriarchal. But if you read 271 00:14:54,590 --> 00:14:56,740 S5: these stories of these women, you realize how much God 272 00:14:56,740 --> 00:14:59,320 S5: loves women and how much he values women. You know, 273 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:02,080 S5: he made women in his image just like men. And 274 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:05,860 S5: the stories in the scriptures are just so, um, it's 275 00:15:05,860 --> 00:15:08,920 S5: just amazing to see how God cares for women, how 276 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:11,170 S5: he sees them, how he really empowers them. And I 277 00:15:11,170 --> 00:15:14,260 S5: wanted young girls to know. Yes, as you mentioned, some 278 00:15:14,260 --> 00:15:17,020 S5: of these stories are not very well known. And I 279 00:15:17,020 --> 00:15:19,620 S5: just I wanted girls to be aware that this love 280 00:15:19,620 --> 00:15:22,950 S5: and this power and this, um, just amazing sense of, 281 00:15:22,950 --> 00:15:24,900 S5: of purpose is for them as well. 282 00:15:25,050 --> 00:15:28,980 S1: I noticed that every chapter features just one character's story 283 00:15:28,980 --> 00:15:32,340 S1: and opens with a stunning full page illustration. I mean, 284 00:15:32,340 --> 00:15:35,400 S1: to me it almost has a Disney quality. Your thoughts 285 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:37,560 S1: on the importance of this artwork? 286 00:15:37,740 --> 00:15:39,900 S5: Oh yeah. I was so honored and privileged to work 287 00:15:39,900 --> 00:15:44,900 S5: with Anastasia McClure Williams, who's an amazingly talented artist and illustrator, 288 00:15:44,900 --> 00:15:47,630 S5: and I just love how she brought these women to life. 289 00:15:47,660 --> 00:15:51,320 S5: I just feel like she really makes them feel accessible 290 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:53,900 S5: and and like they were they were people that we, 291 00:15:53,900 --> 00:15:55,910 S5: you know, might know, even though, of course, they lived 292 00:15:55,910 --> 00:15:58,940 S5: long ago and far away from most of us. And 293 00:15:58,940 --> 00:16:00,590 S5: that was kind of what I wanted to do in 294 00:16:00,590 --> 00:16:03,050 S5: the book with the words was, I think, especially for 295 00:16:03,050 --> 00:16:05,930 S5: those of us who have grown up familiar with these stories, 296 00:16:05,930 --> 00:16:08,930 S5: they can feel both kind of almost overfamiliar and also 297 00:16:08,930 --> 00:16:11,840 S5: really remote. But these were, you know, these were real 298 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:14,090 S5: women and girls who had, I'm sure, many of the 299 00:16:14,090 --> 00:16:17,660 S5: same emotions that women and girls do today who encountered 300 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:20,240 S5: different situations like we do in our lives. And I 301 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:22,220 S5: just I just wanted to really bring that close to 302 00:16:22,220 --> 00:16:23,120 S5: girls today. 303 00:16:23,150 --> 00:16:27,560 S1: Her story, her strength. That's our conversation today with Sarah 304 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:30,860 S1: Parker Rubio. I'm John Gieger. This is the land and 305 00:16:30,860 --> 00:16:33,880 S1: the book. I also appreciate that at the opening of 306 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:37,450 S1: each story, you include a Bible passage very central to 307 00:16:37,450 --> 00:16:40,210 S1: the character. It really helps to frame things up. You know, 308 00:16:40,210 --> 00:16:43,630 S1: I think sometimes books for children or young adults are 309 00:16:43,630 --> 00:16:46,840 S1: long on story but short on scripture. So thank you 310 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:48,190 S1: for including the scripture. 311 00:16:48,190 --> 00:16:51,160 S5: Yeah, absolutely. It's my hope that anyone who reads the 312 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:53,260 S5: book will be inspired to go back to the Scripture 313 00:16:53,260 --> 00:16:55,860 S5: and look at the story of the women and girls there. 314 00:16:55,860 --> 00:16:57,990 S5: So there's that key verse at the beginning, and then 315 00:16:57,990 --> 00:16:59,730 S5: the sort of the full reference where you can find 316 00:16:59,730 --> 00:17:01,710 S5: her story in Scripture at the end. 317 00:17:01,740 --> 00:17:04,920 S1: Many of the characters in your book are immediately familiar, 318 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:10,590 S1: but others are definitely lesser known. There's Huldah Jehosheba along 319 00:17:10,590 --> 00:17:13,920 S1: with Zelophehad's daughters. Help us to get to know them better. 320 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:16,260 S1: Let's start with Huldah, who was Huldah. 321 00:17:16,410 --> 00:17:19,550 S5: Huldah was one of the prophets in the Old Testament. 322 00:17:19,550 --> 00:17:22,129 S5: You know, we know that many of the more well-known 323 00:17:22,130 --> 00:17:24,740 S5: prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah were men, but they were also 324 00:17:24,740 --> 00:17:28,129 S5: women who served as prophets, who would receive God's Word 325 00:17:28,130 --> 00:17:30,530 S5: and God's messages and then pass them on to the people. 326 00:17:30,530 --> 00:17:33,200 S5: And Huldah lived during the time of King Josiah. 327 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:35,510 S1: Okay. What's a key moment in her life that made 328 00:17:35,510 --> 00:17:38,840 S1: you say, aha, I need to include her in this book. 329 00:17:39,109 --> 00:17:42,440 S5: So during this time, Josiah had become king at a 330 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:47,270 S5: very young age. After a very long time of extremely 331 00:17:47,270 --> 00:17:50,540 S5: bad and evil rule by his father and grandfather, and 332 00:17:50,540 --> 00:17:53,510 S5: during this time, people had just really kind of forgotten 333 00:17:53,510 --> 00:17:56,420 S5: what it meant to follow God, to the point where 334 00:17:56,420 --> 00:17:59,450 S5: the temple had fallen into disrepair. It was not being 335 00:17:59,450 --> 00:18:03,680 S5: used for its purpose, and they had actually lost their scripture. 336 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:08,379 S5: They had lost access to God's Word and God's law, 337 00:18:08,380 --> 00:18:11,950 S5: and Josiah had decided to renovate the temple and bring 338 00:18:11,950 --> 00:18:15,760 S5: it back into its intended purpose. And in the process 339 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,850 S5: of doing that, his workers discovered a scroll containing some 340 00:18:18,850 --> 00:18:21,159 S5: of God's words, and they read it. And Josiah was 341 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:25,270 S5: absolutely devastated when he learned how far his people had 342 00:18:25,270 --> 00:18:29,260 S5: wandered away from God's ways and God's love. And so 343 00:18:29,260 --> 00:18:31,890 S5: he knew. And his officials knew that Huldah was someone 344 00:18:31,890 --> 00:18:34,710 S5: who spoke for God. And so the King sent some 345 00:18:34,710 --> 00:18:38,970 S5: of his advisers to speak to her and get advice 346 00:18:38,970 --> 00:18:40,859 S5: about what they should do now that they had seen 347 00:18:40,859 --> 00:18:41,460 S5: this scroll. 348 00:18:41,910 --> 00:18:46,320 S1: Sarah Parker Rubio has written her story, Her Strength 50. 349 00:18:46,350 --> 00:18:49,890 S1: God empowered women of the Bible. She joins us today 350 00:18:49,890 --> 00:18:52,800 S1: on the land and the book. Okay. Introduce us now 351 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:56,270 S1: to Jehosheba. Now, there's a reason you chose her, I'm sure. 352 00:18:56,720 --> 00:19:00,500 S5: Yes, we know Queen Esther, who's a very famous sort 353 00:19:00,500 --> 00:19:03,350 S5: of Bible Queen royal woman. But most people don't know 354 00:19:03,350 --> 00:19:07,879 S5: about Princess Jehosheba, who played a key role in preserving 355 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:11,300 S5: the family of David and ultimately, the family of Jesus. 356 00:19:11,420 --> 00:19:15,050 S5: She also lived during the time of the Kings, and 357 00:19:15,050 --> 00:19:19,100 S5: during her time, an evil queen came to power and 358 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:24,040 S5: started killing the entire royal family, and Jehosheba was one 359 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:27,940 S5: of the former king's daughters. So she was probably, maybe 360 00:19:27,940 --> 00:19:30,609 S5: a lesser sort of a member of the nobility or 361 00:19:30,609 --> 00:19:33,790 S5: the royalty, who was not as important. So she was 362 00:19:33,790 --> 00:19:36,010 S5: able to kind of move around the palace and maybe 363 00:19:36,010 --> 00:19:38,260 S5: not attract as much attention from the Queen. But she 364 00:19:38,260 --> 00:19:41,260 S5: was able to rescue one of her infant nephews, who 365 00:19:41,260 --> 00:19:45,340 S5: was probably very young, probably a newborn, you know, possibly 366 00:19:45,340 --> 00:19:48,940 S5: the Queen who was carrying out this assassination, didn't know 367 00:19:48,940 --> 00:19:52,000 S5: that he had been born, but she was able to 368 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:55,990 S5: get her little nephew and rescue him and keep him hidden, actually. 369 00:19:55,990 --> 00:19:58,990 S5: And she and her husband, who was a priest, raised him, 370 00:19:58,990 --> 00:20:01,510 S5: and eventually he became the next king of Israel. And that's. 371 00:20:01,510 --> 00:20:05,380 S1: Absolutely huge. What a huge role she had. I mean, 372 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:07,840 S1: think of how things would have been differently without her. 373 00:20:07,930 --> 00:20:11,110 S5: Absolutely. And just the courage she had to show, you know, 374 00:20:11,109 --> 00:20:14,410 S5: this is a huge upheaval, you know, in her government 375 00:20:14,410 --> 00:20:16,660 S5: and her people. And she decides, you know, she's going 376 00:20:16,660 --> 00:20:19,090 S5: to take this action and save this little child. 377 00:20:19,180 --> 00:20:21,970 S1: Well, many listeners will look at your table of contents, 378 00:20:21,970 --> 00:20:26,140 S1: and they're going to wonder who were Zelophehad's daughters. I mean, 379 00:20:26,140 --> 00:20:28,180 S1: we're going to struggle with the pronunciation even. 380 00:20:28,570 --> 00:20:31,760 S5: Absolutely. Yeah. This is a great story. It's a great 381 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:36,830 S5: story of five young sisters who basically became activists in 382 00:20:36,830 --> 00:20:38,630 S5: their time. They lived in the time of Moses, when 383 00:20:38,630 --> 00:20:41,750 S5: the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness and they were 384 00:20:41,750 --> 00:20:45,379 S5: able to change the law. So these sisters, there were 385 00:20:45,380 --> 00:20:47,990 S5: five of them. They did not have any brothers. So 386 00:20:47,990 --> 00:20:51,800 S5: their father died without any sons. And the law said, 387 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:54,020 S5: everyone's going to get an inheritance. Everyone's going to land 388 00:20:54,020 --> 00:20:55,699 S5: when we get to the promised land, but it's going 389 00:20:55,700 --> 00:20:56,889 S5: to go to the men and then it's going to 390 00:20:56,890 --> 00:20:58,899 S5: go to their sons after them. So they went to 391 00:20:58,900 --> 00:21:01,900 S5: Moses and asked, you know, hey, our father didn't have 392 00:21:01,900 --> 00:21:03,609 S5: any sons, but does that mean you know that his 393 00:21:03,609 --> 00:21:05,740 S5: line and his name has to die out? You know, 394 00:21:05,740 --> 00:21:09,429 S5: how can we get our father's inheritance and have it 395 00:21:09,430 --> 00:21:12,490 S5: come to us? And so Moses brought that question to 396 00:21:12,490 --> 00:21:15,040 S5: the Lord, and God said, yes, that's what they're saying 397 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:18,010 S5: is right. Their father's name should continue, and they should 398 00:21:18,010 --> 00:21:20,050 S5: receive the inheritance that he would have gotten. And that's 399 00:21:20,050 --> 00:21:21,879 S5: what happened when they got to the Promised Land. 400 00:21:22,119 --> 00:21:25,930 S1: You know, the story of these five daughters speaks of boldness, 401 00:21:25,930 --> 00:21:30,700 S1: of fairness, and I think a biblical assertiveness and all 402 00:21:30,700 --> 00:21:33,310 S1: of which are appropriate and needed in our day. 403 00:21:33,340 --> 00:21:34,240 S6: Absolutely. 404 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:36,459 S5: And it also speaks in a trust in God and 405 00:21:36,460 --> 00:21:39,790 S5: His justice and in his care for his people. As 406 00:21:39,790 --> 00:21:40,600 S5: a father. 407 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:43,330 S1: From Moody Radio, this is the land and the book. 408 00:21:43,330 --> 00:21:47,370 S1: I'm John Gager, our guest today, Sarah Parker Rubio. She 409 00:21:47,369 --> 00:21:50,730 S1: edits children's and young adult books by day and writes 410 00:21:50,730 --> 00:21:54,209 S1: them by night. I noticed that every character sketch is 411 00:21:54,210 --> 00:21:58,409 S1: broken down into three segments her story, her world, and 412 00:21:58,410 --> 00:22:00,540 S1: her God. Talk about your strategy here. 413 00:22:00,750 --> 00:22:03,929 S5: Yeah. So the first one, her story is sort of 414 00:22:03,930 --> 00:22:07,710 S5: a narrative that's based on the account in the Bible, 415 00:22:07,730 --> 00:22:12,110 S5: Some of these women have very long scriptural accounts devoted 416 00:22:12,109 --> 00:22:14,240 S5: to them. Some of them have very short ones, maybe 417 00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:17,959 S5: just a verse or two. So in that section, I 418 00:22:17,960 --> 00:22:21,109 S5: tried to remain faithful to the details that are in Scripture, 419 00:22:21,109 --> 00:22:24,110 S5: but where the Scripture doesn't give us details. I was 420 00:22:24,109 --> 00:22:27,440 S5: really just using my imagination to try to think of like, 421 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:29,600 S5: what would the woman have felt like in this situation? 422 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:32,709 S5: What would her thoughts might have been? And kind of 423 00:22:32,710 --> 00:22:35,530 S5: to try to bring that into life and into context 424 00:22:35,530 --> 00:22:39,250 S5: for young girls today. And then her world is almost 425 00:22:39,250 --> 00:22:41,170 S5: my favorite section, because it's where I got to do 426 00:22:41,170 --> 00:22:44,050 S5: a lot of research and kind of dig into what 427 00:22:44,050 --> 00:22:46,510 S5: was the world like at her time, because sometimes we 428 00:22:46,510 --> 00:22:48,580 S5: also forget that these women lived in a very different 429 00:22:48,580 --> 00:22:51,399 S5: culture for many of us, and a very different context. 430 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:54,580 S5: And I think it's really important to think about, you know, 431 00:22:54,580 --> 00:22:56,230 S5: some of the details in the story seem very odd 432 00:22:56,230 --> 00:22:58,239 S5: to us because of that. And so I wanted to 433 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:00,790 S5: kind of bring some of that to life. And then 434 00:23:00,790 --> 00:23:04,090 S5: of course, the most important section and really the reason 435 00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:05,860 S5: kind of the core reason that I wanted to write 436 00:23:05,859 --> 00:23:09,310 S5: this book was to try to think of what does 437 00:23:09,310 --> 00:23:11,650 S5: this story teach us about God, about who he is, 438 00:23:11,650 --> 00:23:15,669 S5: about what he does, about how he loves his people 439 00:23:15,670 --> 00:23:18,490 S5: then and now. And you know, what does that mean 440 00:23:18,490 --> 00:23:19,660 S5: for our lives today? 441 00:23:19,710 --> 00:23:21,990 S1: I sat down and shared this book with our seven 442 00:23:21,990 --> 00:23:24,750 S1: year old and five year old granddaughters, both of whom 443 00:23:24,750 --> 00:23:27,689 S1: are a tad younger than your target audience. But I 444 00:23:27,690 --> 00:23:30,689 S1: have to say, both girls were quite intrigued with the stories. 445 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:33,420 S5: Yeah, and, you know, I mean, the Bible is for everyone, right? 446 00:23:33,420 --> 00:23:36,000 S5: So I think that a lot of a really wide 447 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:38,159 S5: range of ages and, you know, both men and women 448 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:41,370 S5: can come to the book and find something. And I 449 00:23:41,369 --> 00:23:44,180 S5: have heard from readers, both men and women of, you know, 450 00:23:44,180 --> 00:23:46,820 S5: ages from two up into their 90s, that they've really 451 00:23:46,820 --> 00:23:47,450 S5: enjoyed the book. 452 00:23:47,450 --> 00:23:50,330 S1: So I noticed the way you tell the stories feels 453 00:23:50,330 --> 00:23:52,520 S1: to me just right. In other words, just the right 454 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:55,669 S1: amount of literal Bible content, just the right amount of 455 00:23:55,670 --> 00:24:00,050 S1: creative imagination, just the right amount of practical application. What's 456 00:24:00,050 --> 00:24:02,330 S1: your secret for achieving that balance? 457 00:24:02,330 --> 00:24:04,820 S5: Oh my goodness. Um, this is a book about God 458 00:24:04,820 --> 00:24:07,580 S5: empowered women, and I really couldn't have written it without 459 00:24:07,580 --> 00:24:09,640 S5: God carrying me through. I did a lot of prayer. 460 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:13,180 S5: I wrote it during a very difficult time in my life. Personally, 461 00:24:13,180 --> 00:24:15,940 S5: I had a young baby at the time I was 462 00:24:15,940 --> 00:24:19,389 S5: being treated for melanoma, so it was really not in 463 00:24:19,390 --> 00:24:21,340 S5: my own strength at all. You know, I would sit 464 00:24:21,340 --> 00:24:24,760 S5: down and, you know, every evening to try to write 465 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:28,330 S5: and just feel completely powerless on my own. And it 466 00:24:28,330 --> 00:24:30,609 S5: was just word by word with lots of prayer. 467 00:24:30,609 --> 00:24:32,950 S1: So what are you hoping to do for moms and 468 00:24:32,950 --> 00:24:36,010 S1: dads and their young girls with this book? 469 00:24:36,430 --> 00:24:39,070 S5: I just I really hope that people who come to 470 00:24:39,070 --> 00:24:42,310 S5: the book and read it will be inspired and motivated 471 00:24:42,310 --> 00:24:45,490 S5: to read the scriptures with more, you know, more deeply, 472 00:24:45,490 --> 00:24:48,250 S5: with more excitement that girls will understand. The Bible is 473 00:24:48,250 --> 00:24:52,119 S5: for them, that God is absolutely for them, that loves 474 00:24:52,119 --> 00:24:55,750 S5: them so much, gives them so much value, and has 475 00:24:55,750 --> 00:24:57,600 S5: a purpose for their life as well. 476 00:24:57,840 --> 00:24:58,080 S6: All right. 477 00:24:58,080 --> 00:24:59,820 S1: Let me ask if you could choose just one of 478 00:24:59,820 --> 00:25:03,750 S1: these 50 Bible characters you've written about 50. Choose one 479 00:25:03,750 --> 00:25:06,300 S1: where you would spend one day with them. Who would 480 00:25:06,300 --> 00:25:07,800 S1: you choose and why? 481 00:25:07,980 --> 00:25:12,540 S5: Oh, man. So that is a really hard question. Um, 482 00:25:13,350 --> 00:25:16,410 S5: you know, I think maybe I would choose the widow 483 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:20,010 S5: that Jesus and his disciples saw in the temple, giving 484 00:25:20,010 --> 00:25:24,770 S5: her little tiny offering. And Jesus pointed her out and said, 485 00:25:24,770 --> 00:25:26,720 S5: there's a lot of wealthy people here who have given 486 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:28,460 S5: a lot of money, but she's given more than all 487 00:25:28,460 --> 00:25:31,160 S5: of them because she joyfully gave from what little she 488 00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:32,990 S5: had to live on. And I think I could probably 489 00:25:32,990 --> 00:25:35,840 S5: learn a lot from that woman and from just her 490 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:39,830 S5: attitude of, you know, joyful generosity and dependence on God. 491 00:25:39,859 --> 00:25:42,409 S1: I love it, joyful generosity. That's a great place to 492 00:25:42,410 --> 00:25:45,639 S1: land this conversation. Thank you for your time, Sarah. 493 00:25:45,850 --> 00:25:47,410 S5: Absolutely. Thank you so much, John. 494 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:50,020 S1: Her story, her strength. A link to the book at 495 00:25:50,020 --> 00:25:53,500 S1: our website. The land and the book org. We're looking 496 00:25:53,500 --> 00:26:07,449 S1: forward to connecting with Charlie Dyer next. Thanks for your 497 00:26:07,450 --> 00:26:09,669 S1: company here at The Land and the book. Nice to 498 00:26:09,670 --> 00:26:12,640 S1: be able to share these segments with you. I'm John Gager, 499 00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:15,550 S1: our host, Charlie Dyer. His Bible is open. Your questions 500 00:26:15,550 --> 00:26:17,859 S1: are here. We're going to get right to them. But first, 501 00:26:17,859 --> 00:26:21,190 S1: Israel has been in the news a lot this past year. 502 00:26:21,190 --> 00:26:24,010 S1: And as we know, the Bible is jam packed with 503 00:26:24,010 --> 00:26:27,969 S1: end times prophecies, epic world events, the regathering of the 504 00:26:27,970 --> 00:26:31,659 S1: Jewish people to their ancient homeland. And of course, Jesus 505 00:26:31,660 --> 00:26:35,260 S1: soon returned. Seems to me it's crucial for us as believers, though, 506 00:26:35,260 --> 00:26:38,469 S1: to have a proper understanding of Bible prophecy. So our 507 00:26:38,470 --> 00:26:40,960 S1: view of the future is shaped by Scripture and not 508 00:26:40,960 --> 00:26:42,550 S1: just the headlines. What do you think, Charlie? 509 00:26:42,580 --> 00:26:45,670 S2: I agree completely, John. And with this in mind, our 510 00:26:45,670 --> 00:26:49,240 S2: friends at Life and Messiah have published a book titled God, 511 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:52,840 S2: Israel and Bible Prophecy, and they're offering it to listeners 512 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:55,060 S2: of the land in the book for a limited time. 513 00:26:55,060 --> 00:26:58,439 S2: This informative book is focused on providing readers with a 514 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:02,699 S2: deeper understanding and greater appreciation of what God has in 515 00:27:02,700 --> 00:27:05,640 S2: store for Israel and the nations by digging into what 516 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:08,640 S2: the scriptures say about these issues. Now, if you're interested 517 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:11,639 S2: in learning more about what God has in store, visit 518 00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:15,060 S2: Life in Messiah. Org and click on the Moody Radio 519 00:27:15,060 --> 00:27:17,760 S2: button there to find out how you can receive your 520 00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:22,040 S2: copy of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy. Now that's life 521 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:24,229 S2: in messiah.org. 522 00:27:24,350 --> 00:27:27,500 S1: As always, no shortage of listener questions, so we'll dig 523 00:27:27,500 --> 00:27:31,189 S1: right in. Charlie, why did God allow events like the 524 00:27:31,190 --> 00:27:34,940 S1: Holocaust or like the attack against Israel on October 7th? 525 00:27:34,940 --> 00:27:36,889 S1: Nothing like starting with a tough question. 526 00:27:36,950 --> 00:27:38,869 S2: Uh, let me start by saying this gets to the 527 00:27:38,869 --> 00:27:40,910 S2: heart of two key issues I think we all need 528 00:27:40,910 --> 00:27:44,570 S2: to face. First, why did God permit evil in the world? 529 00:27:44,570 --> 00:27:49,090 S2: And second, is humanity basically good or evil? Now those 530 00:27:49,090 --> 00:27:51,879 S2: are profound subjects, and even in a book like The 531 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:54,429 S2: Book of Job, which focuses on the subject of the 532 00:27:54,430 --> 00:27:57,639 S2: righteous suffering, but we discovered that job was never told 533 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:00,640 S2: the reason for his suffering. Now we're told the reason, 534 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:03,340 S2: but he's not. And there are some things in life 535 00:28:03,340 --> 00:28:05,469 S2: that I don't think we're going to understand until we 536 00:28:05,470 --> 00:28:09,070 S2: get to eternity and discover how God was indeed able 537 00:28:09,070 --> 00:28:12,100 S2: to work all these things together. Now, having said that, though, 538 00:28:12,100 --> 00:28:14,020 S2: let me try to provide a broad answer to the 539 00:28:14,020 --> 00:28:17,530 S2: question first, in permitting, in some sense the exercise of 540 00:28:17,530 --> 00:28:21,639 S2: free will and human choice and responsibility, God had to 541 00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:24,370 S2: permit both humans and angels the freedom to rebel and 542 00:28:24,369 --> 00:28:27,730 S2: disobey the creator and to do evil. I don't believe 543 00:28:27,730 --> 00:28:31,869 S2: anyone can truly reconcile divine sovereignty and human choice, but 544 00:28:31,869 --> 00:28:35,450 S2: I believe both are true. God is in absolute sovereign 545 00:28:35,450 --> 00:28:38,360 S2: control of the universe and in his sovereign will. He's 546 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:41,420 S2: permitted evil to be part of his creation, but he's 547 00:28:41,420 --> 00:28:44,300 S2: not the author of evil. Second, I think we need 548 00:28:44,300 --> 00:28:47,420 S2: to remember events like the Holocaust and October 7th show 549 00:28:47,420 --> 00:28:50,870 S2: the human capacity for evil. Prior to World War II, 550 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:54,980 S2: there was a growing sense of the evolutionary progress of civilization. 551 00:28:54,980 --> 00:28:58,090 S2: The innate goodness of man and the Holocaust showed that 552 00:28:58,090 --> 00:29:02,050 S2: neither was true, and October 7th shows that continues now, 553 00:29:02,050 --> 00:29:05,530 S2: as Jeremiah wrote. It's 2500 years ago now. The heart 554 00:29:05,530 --> 00:29:09,340 S2: is deceitful above all things and desperately sick. Who can 555 00:29:09,340 --> 00:29:13,750 S2: understand it? Finally, last big picture thing here God shows 556 00:29:13,750 --> 00:29:16,600 S2: his amazing power and goodness by being able to use 557 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:20,350 S2: the evil actions of humans to accomplish his larger good, 558 00:29:20,350 --> 00:29:23,280 S2: while still condemning those evil actions. Now, he used the 559 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:26,460 S2: hardness of Pharaoh's heart to bring about the deliverance from 560 00:29:26,460 --> 00:29:30,150 S2: Egypt for Israel. He used the satanically controlled greed of 561 00:29:30,150 --> 00:29:33,090 S2: Judas to bring about his plan of salvation through the 562 00:29:33,090 --> 00:29:36,270 S2: death and resurrection of Jesus. He used the Holocaust in 563 00:29:36,270 --> 00:29:38,550 S2: at least two ways. I'm sure there are many more, 564 00:29:38,550 --> 00:29:41,640 S2: but the events prompted the world to recognize the Jewish 565 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:45,090 S2: people's right to a homeland in Israel and the blackness 566 00:29:45,090 --> 00:29:47,070 S2: of the Holocaust. I think it allowed the light of 567 00:29:47,070 --> 00:29:51,120 S2: sincere believers like Corrie Ten Boom, say, to shine more brightly. 568 00:29:51,150 --> 00:29:54,540 S2: Her life and testimony recounted in The Hiding Place, is 569 00:29:54,540 --> 00:29:57,239 S2: even more powerful because she lived out her faith in 570 00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:00,600 S2: those dark times. Now, beyond those thoughts, though, I really 571 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:03,630 S2: don't have a profound answer to those questions. When all 572 00:30:03,630 --> 00:30:05,190 S2: is said and done, I think we just need to 573 00:30:05,190 --> 00:30:08,040 S2: trust in the God who does have those answers. 574 00:30:08,070 --> 00:30:11,900 S1: Thank you, Charlie boy, that's very thought provoking. Anthony asks, 575 00:30:11,900 --> 00:30:15,830 S1: does the word kill in thou shalt not kill mean murder? 576 00:30:15,830 --> 00:30:19,280 S1: If so, is killing in self-defense okay? 577 00:30:19,460 --> 00:30:19,940 S6: Yeah. 578 00:30:19,940 --> 00:30:22,130 S2: You know, numbers 35 is one of those passages I 579 00:30:22,130 --> 00:30:24,050 S2: think of that gets to the heart of this matter 580 00:30:24,050 --> 00:30:26,870 S2: of intent. It says there if the action was premeditated, 581 00:30:26,870 --> 00:30:30,290 S2: if it was deliberate, if it was intended to cause harm, well, 582 00:30:30,290 --> 00:30:33,340 S2: then Moses says the one responsible is guilty of murder. 583 00:30:33,340 --> 00:30:36,010 S2: But if there wasn't a premeditated plan to kill or 584 00:30:36,010 --> 00:30:39,040 S2: harm or hurt a person, it's unintentional. But even in 585 00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:42,280 S2: that passage, Moses doesn't deal with the issue of self-defense. 586 00:30:42,310 --> 00:30:44,950 S2: The question he asks is whether the one taking a 587 00:30:44,950 --> 00:30:47,680 S2: life was doing so out of anger or hatred, and 588 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:50,200 S2: only God really knows the person's heart. Now here's what 589 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:53,530 S2: we do know, though God considers all life to be important, 590 00:30:53,530 --> 00:30:57,240 S2: even in the case of unintentional murder or legitimate self-defense, 591 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:00,030 S2: there is a heavy price to pay in terms of 592 00:31:00,030 --> 00:31:03,510 S2: human suffering. I know some who've acted in self-defense and 593 00:31:03,510 --> 00:31:06,780 S2: then wish they could turn back the clock and relive 594 00:31:06,810 --> 00:31:10,050 S2: the experience because they now regret their action. At the 595 00:31:10,050 --> 00:31:12,000 S2: same time, there are others who can sleep well at 596 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:15,240 S2: night because they know their actions resulted in lives being 597 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:18,150 S2: saved that otherwise might have been lost. Now, I don't 598 00:31:18,150 --> 00:31:21,570 S2: have a nice, clean, clear cut response for this, but 599 00:31:21,570 --> 00:31:24,390 S2: that's because it's not an easy issue, and I feel 600 00:31:24,390 --> 00:31:26,820 S2: deeply for those who do have to face it. 601 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:30,180 S1: Philip asks, does the United States play a role in 602 00:31:30,180 --> 00:31:33,780 S1: the end times? Are the calamities affecting America now a 603 00:31:33,780 --> 00:31:37,050 S1: result of God's judgment for not supporting Israel? 604 00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:39,480 S2: Well, actually, I hear two questions there. So let me 605 00:31:39,480 --> 00:31:42,150 S2: try and answer both first. Does the US play a 606 00:31:42,150 --> 00:31:44,190 S2: role in End Times? And I know there are some 607 00:31:44,190 --> 00:31:46,460 S2: who try to find us there, but I don't see 608 00:31:46,460 --> 00:31:49,520 S2: the US mentioned in End Time prophecy. The focus of 609 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:51,800 S2: the world in the end times is back on Israel, 610 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:55,490 S2: the Middle East, a revived Roman Empire. And so if 611 00:31:55,490 --> 00:31:57,980 S2: we're there, we're a follower country. We're one of those 612 00:31:57,980 --> 00:32:01,640 S2: supporting the end time ruler called the Antichrist. Now, that 613 00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:03,800 S2: used to be hard to picture America not playing a 614 00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:06,110 S2: major role, but I think it's getting easier as we 615 00:32:06,110 --> 00:32:10,870 S2: watch our country implode economically, morally, and spiritually. Now the 616 00:32:10,870 --> 00:32:13,780 S2: second question, though, is what we're seeing in America today 617 00:32:13,780 --> 00:32:17,200 S2: God's judgment for not supporting Israel. And I don't think 618 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:19,630 S2: I can say that with certainty. Here's why. We don't 619 00:32:19,630 --> 00:32:22,480 S2: have a specific word from God telling us that what's 620 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:25,810 S2: happening in our country is his judgment. In the past, 621 00:32:25,810 --> 00:32:28,690 S2: God would send a prophet to announce his judgment first. 622 00:32:28,690 --> 00:32:31,120 S2: You know, like Jonah going to Nineveh. But in the 623 00:32:31,120 --> 00:32:33,810 S2: absence of a direct word from God like that, I'm 624 00:32:33,810 --> 00:32:36,210 S2: very reluctant to say that what we're seeing is God's 625 00:32:36,210 --> 00:32:38,970 S2: direct judgment. Uh, also, I think we're still the most 626 00:32:38,970 --> 00:32:42,150 S2: supportive country of Israel, and I'm concerned by what I 627 00:32:42,150 --> 00:32:44,580 S2: see as an erosion of that support. But we've not 628 00:32:44,580 --> 00:32:47,940 S2: yet turned against Israel. Someday all nations are going to 629 00:32:47,940 --> 00:32:50,520 S2: turn against Israel and will be judged by God for 630 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:53,190 S2: doing so. But I don't see that happening here at 631 00:32:53,190 --> 00:32:56,010 S2: least just yet. But still, Genesis 12 three is a 632 00:32:56,010 --> 00:32:59,020 S2: good reminder. Uh, God promises to bless those who bless 633 00:32:59,020 --> 00:33:01,240 S2: Israel and to curse those who curse Israel. 634 00:33:01,270 --> 00:33:04,300 S1: This is the land and the book from Moody Radio 635 00:33:04,300 --> 00:33:07,810 S1: segment three Questions and Answers. Seth asks, why does it 636 00:33:07,810 --> 00:33:11,739 S1: seem that God sometimes answers prayers, but at other times doesn't? 637 00:33:11,890 --> 00:33:13,360 S2: Let me see if I can give a simple answer. 638 00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:15,760 S2: These are real tough questions today, John. Uh, but this 639 00:33:15,760 --> 00:33:17,500 S2: is going to. I'll try and be simple without being 640 00:33:17,500 --> 00:33:20,680 S2: too simplistic. I start with three biblical facts. The first 641 00:33:20,680 --> 00:33:23,750 S2: is found in John 514 and 15. This is the 642 00:33:23,750 --> 00:33:26,420 S2: confidence we have. If we ask anything according to his will, 643 00:33:26,450 --> 00:33:28,790 S2: he hears us, and if we know he hears us 644 00:33:28,790 --> 00:33:30,830 S2: in whatever we ask, we know we have the requests 645 00:33:30,830 --> 00:33:33,260 S2: we have asked of him. So one part of God's 646 00:33:33,260 --> 00:33:35,300 S2: answering prayer is to make sure that what we're asking 647 00:33:35,300 --> 00:33:37,850 S2: for lines up with the will of God. You know, 648 00:33:37,850 --> 00:33:39,680 S2: if I ask him to help me win the lottery 649 00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:42,410 S2: or to murder someone or do something that's contrary to 650 00:33:42,410 --> 00:33:45,850 S2: his character or his plan, God's not going to answer that. 651 00:33:45,970 --> 00:33:49,090 S2: The second biblical fact is that we sometimes ask for 652 00:33:49,090 --> 00:33:50,950 S2: things with the wrong motive. And I go back to 653 00:33:50,950 --> 00:33:54,160 S2: James four three. Now you ask and don't receive because 654 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:56,560 S2: you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend 655 00:33:56,560 --> 00:33:59,290 S2: it on your pleasures. Well, since God knows the thoughts 656 00:33:59,290 --> 00:34:01,840 S2: and intents of our heart, he knows if our motive 657 00:34:01,840 --> 00:34:04,660 S2: is selfish or impure. And James says, God won't answer 658 00:34:04,660 --> 00:34:07,030 S2: those prayers. But what if we know that what we're 659 00:34:07,030 --> 00:34:09,750 S2: asking aligns with God's will, and it isn't based on 660 00:34:09,750 --> 00:34:12,630 S2: selfish motives? Will God then answer those prayers? And I 661 00:34:12,630 --> 00:34:15,390 S2: think the answer is yes. But the answer won't always 662 00:34:15,420 --> 00:34:17,640 S2: be what we expect, and it won't always be according 663 00:34:17,670 --> 00:34:20,370 S2: to our timetable. And sometimes it can appear as if 664 00:34:20,370 --> 00:34:22,980 S2: God isn't answering our prayers, when in fact he might 665 00:34:22,980 --> 00:34:25,319 S2: very well be doing so. And that's when we just 666 00:34:25,320 --> 00:34:27,900 S2: need to keep praying and then wait for God's answer. 667 00:34:27,989 --> 00:34:30,300 S2: It leads to a the final biblical fact, which is 668 00:34:30,300 --> 00:34:34,920 S2: that God's answer can sometimes be no. Second Corinthians 12 669 00:34:34,920 --> 00:34:37,290 S2: Paul says he prayed and asked God three times to 670 00:34:37,290 --> 00:34:39,930 S2: have a thorn in the flesh, which he doesn't specifically 671 00:34:39,930 --> 00:34:43,860 S2: identify removed. And God's final answer was no, my grace 672 00:34:43,860 --> 00:34:46,770 S2: is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect 673 00:34:46,770 --> 00:34:47,730 S2: in weakness. 674 00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:50,640 S1: Gabe says, I've gotten the opportunity to get to know 675 00:34:50,640 --> 00:34:54,149 S1: a Jewish friend at my gym. He's a rabbi in training. 676 00:34:54,150 --> 00:34:57,239 S1: I'm a brand new pastor, so we enjoy talking about 677 00:34:57,239 --> 00:34:59,810 S1: the Tanakh. Well, as I talked to this guy, it's 678 00:34:59,810 --> 00:35:02,810 S1: clear that the way they view the Old Testament is 679 00:35:02,810 --> 00:35:05,719 S1: light years different than what we understand the Old Testament 680 00:35:05,719 --> 00:35:08,600 S1: to be about. He said things like, well, God always 681 00:35:08,600 --> 00:35:10,640 S1: intended Adam and Eve to eat the fruit of the 682 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:13,700 S1: knowledge of good and evil. And Moses was the first 683 00:35:13,700 --> 00:35:16,819 S1: to practice Kabbalah. Frankly, I've got no idea where I 684 00:35:16,820 --> 00:35:19,940 S1: would ever start. I'm afraid that wherever I jumped into 685 00:35:19,940 --> 00:35:22,660 S1: the Bible, he'd say that I'm misrepresenting it because I'm 686 00:35:22,660 --> 00:35:25,840 S1: a Christian and haven't read the oral traditions. So what 687 00:35:25,840 --> 00:35:27,370 S1: advice can you give me? 688 00:35:27,460 --> 00:35:29,859 S2: Well, several thoughts come to mind. The first, you're doing 689 00:35:29,860 --> 00:35:32,140 S2: a great job at building a relationship with him. You know, 690 00:35:32,140 --> 00:35:35,890 S2: most Jewish individuals think Christians dislike Jews and view them 691 00:35:35,890 --> 00:35:38,380 S2: as Christ killers and letting them know you're a pastor 692 00:35:38,380 --> 00:35:41,770 S2: while also demonstrating that care is great. But second, don't 693 00:35:41,770 --> 00:35:44,020 S2: worry too much about the differences in approach to the 694 00:35:44,020 --> 00:35:47,370 S2: Old Testament or Tanakh. It's typical a rabbi would focus 695 00:35:47,370 --> 00:35:50,250 S2: more on the Talmud than on the Bible. It's likely 696 00:35:50,250 --> 00:35:51,960 S2: you know as much or even more about what the 697 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:54,840 S2: Bible actually says than he does. And all that leads 698 00:35:54,840 --> 00:35:58,830 S2: me to offer two suggestions. First, contact Life in Messiah 699 00:35:59,040 --> 00:36:01,380 S2: org and request the tracks they have that share the 700 00:36:01,380 --> 00:36:04,230 S2: gospel with Jews. They'll give you some good specific ways 701 00:36:04,230 --> 00:36:07,320 S2: to share your faith in a respectful way. And then second, 702 00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:09,790 S2: use the Word of God itself, for example, should the 703 00:36:09,790 --> 00:36:12,940 S2: opportunity arise, ask him how he would interpret a passage 704 00:36:12,940 --> 00:36:16,570 S2: like Isaiah 53. He'll probably say it refers to Israel. 705 00:36:16,630 --> 00:36:18,790 S2: If he does, then ask, why does it sound like 706 00:36:18,790 --> 00:36:21,489 S2: the servant being described there as an individual and not 707 00:36:21,489 --> 00:36:24,250 S2: a collective reference to the nation? And why in verses 708 00:36:24,250 --> 00:36:27,009 S2: 4 to 6, does it sound like he's being punished 709 00:36:27,010 --> 00:36:30,340 S2: for us? Which does sound like the nation, you know, 710 00:36:30,340 --> 00:36:32,410 S2: through it all, just ask God to help you demonstrate 711 00:36:32,410 --> 00:36:34,440 S2: your love for him. And what you want to do, though, 712 00:36:34,440 --> 00:36:36,180 S2: is get him to look at the Word of God, 713 00:36:36,180 --> 00:36:37,890 S2: and then let the Word of God make the change 714 00:36:37,890 --> 00:36:38,790 S2: in his life. 715 00:36:38,820 --> 00:36:41,969 S1: Thank you Charlie. Our program is far from over. It's 716 00:36:41,969 --> 00:36:44,910 S1: Charlie's devotional and I'm looking forward to that. I hope 717 00:36:44,910 --> 00:36:47,130 S1: you will too, as you stay with us. Now for 718 00:36:47,130 --> 00:37:03,130 S1: more on Moody Radio's The Land and the book. From 719 00:37:03,130 --> 00:37:07,330 S1: stockbrokers to fortune tellers to average folks like us. Everybody 720 00:37:07,330 --> 00:37:10,660 S1: seems to want to know about tomorrow. But what does 721 00:37:10,660 --> 00:37:14,950 S1: the Bible say about wanting to know tomorrow? I'm John Gager. 722 00:37:14,980 --> 00:37:17,529 S1: This is the land and the book. And, Charlie, I 723 00:37:17,530 --> 00:37:19,840 S1: understand that's your focus for today's devotional. 724 00:37:20,260 --> 00:37:21,730 S2: Indeed it is. John, we're. 725 00:37:21,730 --> 00:37:25,540 S1: We're heading for Proverbs 1921 and 27, but not until 726 00:37:25,540 --> 00:37:28,750 S1: we hear another Holy Land experience testimony. I love these 727 00:37:28,750 --> 00:37:31,090 S1: thoughts from folks who've who've been to the Holy Land 728 00:37:31,090 --> 00:37:33,399 S1: and and want to share an experience or impression with 729 00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:34,510 S1: us right now. 730 00:37:38,530 --> 00:37:41,800 S7: My name is Michelle and today we went to a site, 731 00:37:41,800 --> 00:37:45,339 S7: the Wadi Kilte. It overlooks the wilderness where Jesus spent 732 00:37:45,340 --> 00:37:48,500 S7: 40 days. It was one of the most amazing things 733 00:37:48,500 --> 00:37:51,350 S7: I've ever seen. You could see Jericho and Jerusalem from 734 00:37:51,350 --> 00:37:54,230 S7: where we were standing. It was an amazing time of 735 00:37:54,230 --> 00:37:56,870 S7: thanking and reflecting that the God we serve is always 736 00:37:56,870 --> 00:38:00,710 S7: in complete control of every detail of our lives. Charlie 737 00:38:00,710 --> 00:38:03,470 S7: was reading out of Isaiah 40, talking about the verse 738 00:38:03,469 --> 00:38:06,140 S7: that says, those who wait on the Lord will renew 739 00:38:06,140 --> 00:38:09,620 S7: their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. 740 00:38:09,890 --> 00:38:12,590 S7: He explained that he once saw an eagle at this 741 00:38:12,590 --> 00:38:15,319 S7: very place, and as he observed it, he noticed that 742 00:38:15,320 --> 00:38:17,930 S7: as the eagle flew, he just soared through the air. 743 00:38:17,960 --> 00:38:21,440 S7: He was not flapping his wings, but just soaring. In 744 00:38:21,440 --> 00:38:24,380 S7: this passage, God calls us to just rest on him, 745 00:38:24,380 --> 00:38:26,779 S7: that he is the one that will take care of us. 746 00:38:26,810 --> 00:38:29,210 S7: We don't have to do all the work. We don't 747 00:38:29,210 --> 00:38:31,969 S7: have to worry. We don't have to understand. We just 748 00:38:31,969 --> 00:38:34,819 S7: have to rest on him. As I looked out over 749 00:38:34,820 --> 00:38:37,430 S7: the desert that Christ spent 40 days of his life, 750 00:38:37,430 --> 00:38:40,640 S7: I was reminded that in all things, God is always 751 00:38:40,640 --> 00:38:43,580 S7: there for us. He just wants us to soar on 752 00:38:43,580 --> 00:38:45,800 S7: his wings, and he will guide us and see us 753 00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:47,420 S7: through each and every day. 754 00:38:49,670 --> 00:38:51,710 S1: All right, Charlie, I'm looking forward to this lesson from 755 00:38:51,710 --> 00:38:53,690 S1: the Proverbs in your devotional. 756 00:38:53,719 --> 00:38:57,259 S2: Thanks, John. Back in the summer of 1972, I was 757 00:38:57,260 --> 00:38:59,880 S2: part of a two person gospel team from the Bible 758 00:38:59,880 --> 00:39:02,310 S2: college I was attending. It was a fun summer for 759 00:39:02,310 --> 00:39:04,710 S2: both my roommate and for me. We had the use 760 00:39:04,710 --> 00:39:07,980 S2: of the school's van, a matching wardrobe of suits, shirts 761 00:39:07,980 --> 00:39:11,759 S2: and ties, and all the enthusiasm of youth. Gary played 762 00:39:11,760 --> 00:39:14,549 S2: the piano and I played a tenor banjo. We would 763 00:39:14,550 --> 00:39:18,540 S2: teach and preach at local churches while also providing special music. 764 00:39:18,570 --> 00:39:21,060 S2: We also went to church camps and other week long 765 00:39:21,060 --> 00:39:24,029 S2: events When someone would contact us and ask if we 766 00:39:24,030 --> 00:39:27,390 S2: could come, we gave the same stock answer. We'll be there, 767 00:39:27,390 --> 00:39:30,390 S2: Lord willing, and the creek don't rise. Now, if you're 768 00:39:30,390 --> 00:39:33,930 S2: old enough to remember the summer of 1972, especially if 769 00:39:33,930 --> 00:39:37,500 S2: you lived on the East Coast, you might remember Hurricane Agnes. 770 00:39:37,530 --> 00:39:40,950 S2: We spent a waterlogged week at a church camp trying 771 00:39:40,950 --> 00:39:43,290 S2: to think up games we could play in the one 772 00:39:43,290 --> 00:39:46,620 S2: covered area that didn't get inundated. We also had to 773 00:39:46,620 --> 00:39:49,590 S2: contact several other venues to let them know the creek 774 00:39:49,590 --> 00:39:51,780 S2: had indeed risen, and we wouldn't be able to get 775 00:39:51,780 --> 00:39:54,420 S2: to them with the van. I learned an important lesson 776 00:39:54,420 --> 00:39:56,759 S2: that summer that goes all the way back to the 777 00:39:56,760 --> 00:40:00,720 S2: German cleric Thomas a Kempis. The English translation of his 778 00:40:00,719 --> 00:40:05,940 S2: saying goes like this man proposes, but God disposes. We 779 00:40:05,940 --> 00:40:09,029 S2: can develop wonderful plans for tomorrow, but they are all 780 00:40:09,030 --> 00:40:12,879 S2: subject to what God ultimately decides. As believers, we all 781 00:40:12,880 --> 00:40:15,340 S2: know that in our heads, but we tend to forget 782 00:40:15,340 --> 00:40:17,859 S2: and look forward as if our plans for tomorrow are 783 00:40:17,860 --> 00:40:21,669 S2: set in stone. And then God sends reminders that he 784 00:40:21,670 --> 00:40:24,940 S2: controls the future, not us. Try to think back to 785 00:40:24,940 --> 00:40:28,989 S2: January 1st, 2020. What were your plans for the new year? 786 00:40:28,989 --> 00:40:32,050 S2: I had five trips to Israel lined up. In fact, 787 00:40:32,050 --> 00:40:34,120 S2: my wife and I were sitting in our living room 788 00:40:34,120 --> 00:40:36,180 S2: waiting to be picked up for the very first of 789 00:40:36,180 --> 00:40:39,510 S2: those trips in March when the world closed down because 790 00:40:39,510 --> 00:40:43,080 S2: of Covid. For the next 15 months, Israel was closed. 791 00:40:43,080 --> 00:40:47,040 S2: It wasn't until June 2021 when I finally got to 792 00:40:47,040 --> 00:40:49,740 S2: go again. Four of us made that trip and we 793 00:40:49,739 --> 00:40:55,589 S2: had most sites all to ourselves. Man proposes, but God disposes. 794 00:40:55,620 --> 00:40:58,339 S2: Now that might seem like a one off, a fluke, 795 00:40:58,340 --> 00:41:02,660 S2: something that could never be repeated. And then came 2023. 796 00:41:02,690 --> 00:41:05,600 S2: Tourism in Israel was pushing toward all new records in 797 00:41:05,600 --> 00:41:09,290 S2: 2024 looked like it would be even more amazing. And 798 00:41:09,290 --> 00:41:11,930 S2: then on October 7th, a group of Hamas terrorists from 799 00:41:11,930 --> 00:41:16,640 S2: Gaza came across the border to massacre 1200 Israelis. Israel 800 00:41:16,640 --> 00:41:20,509 S2: declared war on Hamas and tourism plummeted once again. Almost 801 00:41:20,510 --> 00:41:24,290 S2: all tours for the first half of 2024 were cancelled. 802 00:41:24,320 --> 00:41:29,270 S2: Man proposes, but God disposes. In the Book of Proverbs, 803 00:41:29,270 --> 00:41:33,800 S2: Solomon presented this wise truth about life 1400 years before 804 00:41:33,800 --> 00:41:38,750 S2: Thomas a Kempis. In Proverbs 1921, Solomon wrote, many are 805 00:41:38,750 --> 00:41:41,180 S2: the plans in a man's heart, but it is the 806 00:41:41,180 --> 00:41:45,680 S2: Lord's purpose that prevails. And then later in Proverbs 27 one, 807 00:41:45,680 --> 00:41:48,609 S2: he wrote, do not boast about tomorrow, for you do 808 00:41:48,610 --> 00:41:52,300 S2: not know what a day may bring forth. Solomon balances 809 00:41:52,300 --> 00:41:55,660 S2: two important truths in those two sayings. The first is 810 00:41:55,660 --> 00:41:58,779 S2: a reminder that no matter what we might plan, it's 811 00:41:58,780 --> 00:42:02,320 S2: God's plan that will ultimately be accomplished. And the second 812 00:42:02,320 --> 00:42:05,739 S2: truth looks at the future from our limited perspective. But 813 00:42:05,739 --> 00:42:07,930 S2: we need to be careful in boasting about what we 814 00:42:07,930 --> 00:42:11,610 S2: have planned. Because we're not omniscient, We can't see over 815 00:42:11,610 --> 00:42:15,480 S2: the time horizon to know what tomorrow really holds. God 816 00:42:15,480 --> 00:42:18,990 S2: can because he controls tomorrow. But we can't. And that's 817 00:42:18,989 --> 00:42:21,719 S2: why we need to hold our plans loosely and be 818 00:42:21,719 --> 00:42:24,810 S2: sure to align them with God's will. It's amazing to 819 00:42:24,810 --> 00:42:27,420 S2: me how often this truth is repeated in the Bible. 820 00:42:27,420 --> 00:42:32,220 S2: Solomon repeated it again in Ecclesiastes 911, when he reflected 821 00:42:32,219 --> 00:42:35,819 S2: from a purely human perspective on the apparent fickleness of life, 822 00:42:35,820 --> 00:42:38,460 S2: I have seen something else under the sun. The race 823 00:42:38,460 --> 00:42:40,710 S2: is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, 824 00:42:40,710 --> 00:42:43,020 S2: nor does food come to the wise, or wealth to 825 00:42:43,020 --> 00:42:46,319 S2: the brilliant or favor to the learned. But time and 826 00:42:46,320 --> 00:42:49,589 S2: chance happen to them all at some point. We have 827 00:42:49,590 --> 00:42:52,589 S2: all seen our best laid plans for the future, brought 828 00:42:52,590 --> 00:42:56,010 S2: to ruin by time and chance that Jesus told the 829 00:42:56,010 --> 00:42:58,260 S2: story of the man who had such a remarkable harvest 830 00:42:58,260 --> 00:43:00,590 S2: that he decided to tear down his old barns to 831 00:43:00,590 --> 00:43:03,320 S2: build new, larger ones. And then he sat back and 832 00:43:03,320 --> 00:43:06,140 S2: said to himself, you have plenty of good things laid 833 00:43:06,140 --> 00:43:09,590 S2: up for many years. Take life easy, eat, drink and 834 00:43:09,590 --> 00:43:13,730 S2: be merry. Sadly, Jesus describes a very different outcome for 835 00:43:13,730 --> 00:43:17,360 S2: the future than that envisioned by the wealthy farmer. But 836 00:43:17,360 --> 00:43:20,570 S2: God said to him, you fool! This very night your 837 00:43:20,570 --> 00:43:23,140 S2: life will be demanded of you. Then who will get 838 00:43:23,140 --> 00:43:27,700 S2: what you have prepared for yourself? Once again, man proposes, 839 00:43:27,700 --> 00:43:32,710 S2: but God disposes. Jesus's half brother James described a similar 840 00:43:32,710 --> 00:43:36,610 S2: mistaken perspective on life. In James four he writes, now listen, 841 00:43:36,610 --> 00:43:38,710 S2: you who say, today or tomorrow we will go to 842 00:43:38,710 --> 00:43:41,290 S2: this or that city, spend a year there, carry on 843 00:43:41,290 --> 00:43:43,900 S2: business and make money. Why? You do not even know 844 00:43:43,900 --> 00:43:47,230 S2: what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are 845 00:43:47,230 --> 00:43:50,770 S2: a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, 846 00:43:50,770 --> 00:43:53,230 S2: you ought to say, if it is the Lord's will, 847 00:43:53,230 --> 00:43:56,320 S2: we will live and do this or that. Never forget 848 00:43:56,320 --> 00:44:02,110 S2: man proposes, but God disposes. When God chooses to repeat himself, 849 00:44:02,110 --> 00:44:05,110 S2: it's wise to pay attention to what he said. So 850 00:44:05,110 --> 00:44:09,160 S2: what's the lesson for us from these repeated truths? Actually, 851 00:44:09,160 --> 00:44:12,110 S2: I see two very important lessons God wants us to master. 852 00:44:12,140 --> 00:44:15,319 S2: The first is to guard against assuming we control our 853 00:44:15,320 --> 00:44:18,680 S2: lives and destiny. Now, the Bible isn't saying we should 854 00:44:18,680 --> 00:44:21,650 S2: never plan for the future. The book of Proverbs itself 855 00:44:21,650 --> 00:44:24,650 S2: reminds us to be as wise as ants and diligently 856 00:44:24,650 --> 00:44:27,830 S2: planning for the future. Ants are creatures of little strength, 857 00:44:27,830 --> 00:44:31,940 S2: yet they store up their food in the summer. Proverbs 3025. 858 00:44:31,969 --> 00:44:34,880 S2: The problem isn't planning. It's assuming that we are the 859 00:44:34,880 --> 00:44:37,759 S2: masters of our fate and the captains of our soul. 860 00:44:37,790 --> 00:44:40,880 S2: We're not. God is. We need to live with the 861 00:44:40,880 --> 00:44:44,600 S2: realization that he controls the future, not us. He knows 862 00:44:44,600 --> 00:44:47,450 S2: what tomorrow holds. We don't. We need to hold on 863 00:44:47,450 --> 00:44:50,719 S2: to our plans loosely, knowing that ultimately it will be 864 00:44:50,719 --> 00:44:54,560 S2: his plans that prevail. But there's a second important lesson 865 00:44:54,560 --> 00:44:57,440 S2: I believe God wants us to learn from these passages. 866 00:44:57,440 --> 00:45:00,760 S2: It's the importance of trusting God for the future, rather 867 00:45:00,760 --> 00:45:04,510 S2: than confidently boasting about what we assume we'll be doing tomorrow. 868 00:45:04,540 --> 00:45:07,120 S2: We need to develop a spirit that is submissive to 869 00:45:07,120 --> 00:45:10,330 S2: God's ultimate plan for our lives. And sometimes that can 870 00:45:10,330 --> 00:45:13,660 S2: be scary because we're secretly afraid that God might delight 871 00:45:13,660 --> 00:45:16,779 S2: in bringing us sadness and disappointment. We don't want to 872 00:45:16,780 --> 00:45:19,930 S2: relinquish the steering wheel of our lives because we're afraid 873 00:45:19,930 --> 00:45:22,690 S2: he'll drive us into the ditch. And this really comes 874 00:45:22,719 --> 00:45:25,360 S2: down to the issue of trust. Can I trust God 875 00:45:25,360 --> 00:45:28,480 S2: with my future? Can I really believe that my Heavenly 876 00:45:28,480 --> 00:45:33,550 S2: Father really knows best? IRA Stanfill was a pastor, songwriter, 877 00:45:33,550 --> 00:45:37,180 S2: and musician at a particularly difficult point in his ministry. 878 00:45:37,210 --> 00:45:40,120 S2: IRA sat down to put his thoughts and struggles on paper. 879 00:45:40,120 --> 00:45:43,210 S2: What he wrote captures both lessons described in the Book 880 00:45:43,210 --> 00:45:46,420 S2: of Proverbs. Listen to the first verse and chorus of 881 00:45:46,420 --> 00:45:50,100 S2: I Know who holds Tomorrow. I don't know about tomorrow. 882 00:45:50,130 --> 00:45:52,560 S2: I just live from day to day. I don't borrow 883 00:45:52,560 --> 00:45:55,650 S2: from its sunshine. For its skies may turn to gray. 884 00:45:55,680 --> 00:45:58,290 S2: I don't worry for the future. For I know what 885 00:45:58,290 --> 00:46:02,100 S2: Jesus said. And today I'll walk beside him. For he 886 00:46:02,100 --> 00:46:04,980 S2: knows what is ahead. And then he adds in the chorus, 887 00:46:04,980 --> 00:46:08,820 S2: many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand, but 888 00:46:08,820 --> 00:46:11,660 S2: I know who holds tomorrow. And I know who holds 889 00:46:11,660 --> 00:46:17,870 S2: my hand. Remember, man proposes, but God disposes. Don't foolishly 890 00:46:17,870 --> 00:46:21,259 S2: assume you know what tomorrow holds. You don't. But one 891 00:46:21,260 --> 00:46:23,899 S2: thing you can know for certain is that you can 892 00:46:23,900 --> 00:46:27,530 S2: trust the God who does know what tomorrow holds. 893 00:46:27,800 --> 00:46:31,130 S1: Great thoughts as always, Charlie. Thank you for that devotional. 894 00:46:31,130 --> 00:46:34,219 S1: Here's an invitation. If you've got a question or comment, 895 00:46:34,219 --> 00:46:37,600 S1: our email inbox is always open to you. Write us 896 00:46:37,600 --> 00:46:43,630 S1: at the land and the book@moody.edu. Our time is gone, 897 00:46:43,630 --> 00:46:45,640 S1: but we thank you so much for your company. Always 898 00:46:45,640 --> 00:46:47,980 S1: a pleasure to have you with us. I'm John Gieger 899 00:46:47,980 --> 00:46:50,230 S1: hoping you'll join us again next week for The Land 900 00:46:50,230 --> 00:46:53,380 S1: and the book. A production of Moody Radio, a ministry 901 00:46:53,380 --> 00:46:55,060 S1: of Moody Bible Institute.