S1: He's just back from a trip to Israel. But he
S1: wasn't touring. He was learning, observing, and a lot of
S1: what he saw was, quite frankly, shocking. How profound is
S1: the impact of the Hamas war on Israel? What's next
S1: for the nation that Hamas and others want to destroy completely?
S1: Coming up, an update from Israel, plus all the top
S1: stories of the Middle East. Welcome to the land and
S1: the book. It's the one hour broadcast that takes you
S1: to the Holy Land and back without a passport or
S1: plane ticket. Our tour guide is Doctor Charlie Dyer, who,
S1: by the way, has led more than 100 actual trips
S1: to Israel. And I'm John Gager. Well, Israel, of course,
S1: has been in the news a lot over the past year.
S1: And as we know, the Bible is jam packed with
S1: end times prophecies about epic world events, the regathering of
S1: the Jewish people to their ancient homeland, and and then ultimately,
S1: Jesus soon returned. It is crucial for us as believers
S1: to have a proper understanding of Bible prophecy. So our
S1: view of the future is shaped by Scripture, not just
S1: headlines from today.
S2: That's right. And with this in mind, our friends at
S2: Life in Messiah have published a book titled God, Israel
S2: and Bible Prophecy, and they're offering it to listeners of
S2: the land in the book for a limited time. This
S2: informative book is focused on providing readers with a deeper
S2: understanding and greater appreciation of what God has in store
S2: for Israel and the nations by digging into what the
S2: scriptures say about these issues. Now, if you're interested in
S2: learning more about what God has in store, visit Life
S2: in Messiah. Org and click on the Moody Radio button
S2: there to find out how you can receive your copy
S2: of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org.
S1: And now let's take a look at current events from
S1: the Middle East. Israel's war with Hamas is no longer
S1: headline news, but the war is still continuing. Charlie, what
S1: exactly has been happening?
S2: Well, the level of intensity in that war has dropped,
S2: but Israel is continuing to put pressure on Hamas by
S2: attacking remaining pockets of resistance. On Monday, a barrage of
S2: 20 rockets was launched from Gaza against southern Israel. They
S2: landed in open areas near the border but did no damage.
S2: But it was a reminder that the war isn't over.
S2: Israel continues to target Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets. They
S2: want to keep pressure on Hamas to help secure a
S2: hostage deal, but they're also continuing to search for and
S2: destroy tunnels leading from Egypt to Gaza. Those are the
S2: supply lines that were used to arm Hamas, and Israel
S2: wants to cut off their ability to resupply. The number
S2: of tunnels was far more extensive than initially thought. Some
S2: believe that operation could actually take many more months to complete.
S2: The next phase of the war also involves creating some
S2: kind of a government alternative to Hamas. Israel is trying
S2: to place Palestinians not affiliated with Hamas over some administrative functions. Meanwhile,
S2: the US is trying to recruit other Arab countries to
S2: participate in a post-war Gaza security force. Secretary of State
S2: Blinken has said Egypt and the United Arab Emirates are
S2: on board to serve as part of that force. However,
S2: both conditioned their participation on plans to establish a pathway
S2: to a future Palestinian state, and the UAE is also
S2: demanding that the US be involved in the security force
S2: in some way. There's one other item of note on
S2: what's been happening in Gaza. A few months ago, the
S2: UN and the International Court of Justice were accusing Israel
S2: of genocide by creating a catastrophic food shortage in Gaza.
S2: At the time, they claimed a full blown famine would
S2: break out between March and July. Well, a new report
S2: was released saying those previous assumptions were wrong. This new
S2: UN linked report found no mortality data to prove famine
S2: is present. The previous projection was based on wrong assumptions
S2: on the amount of food entering the territory, instead of
S2: decreasing the supply increased. Those earlier claims made the headlines,
S2: but the new factual data debunking those claims has barely
S2: been acknowledged. It's a good reminder that one of the
S2: first casualties in war is the truth. Hamas has been
S2: caught numerous times announcing so-called Israeli atrocities that turned out
S2: to be false, but the reports were uncritically picked up
S2: and broadcast by mainstream media. The level of coverage on
S2: the war in Gaza is continuing to drop as the
S2: press shifts its focus to other areas, but the war
S2: still continuing, and Israel is still doing everything it can
S2: to defeat Hamas, bring back the remaining hostages, and doing
S2: so while harming as few civilians as possible. And that
S2: is worth noting. Charlie, what.
S1: About time frame here? Any thoughts on this? We're talking
S1: about more tunnels to destroy, obviously hostage negotiations still going on.
S1: What are what's the latest thinking on a time frame
S1: for an end or some sort of a a stalled resolution.
S2: Well, the one number that was thrown about was it
S2: would take at least six months to a fully get
S2: rid of all the tunnels that are leading in from
S2: Egypt to Gaza. But the reality is they don't know
S2: what they don't know. So that's just the best guess.
S2: And it may be wildly optimistic or pessimistic.
S1: Well, the conflict with Hamas may be sliding into the background,
S1: but Israel's threatened conflict with Hezbollah and Iran seemed to
S1: be taking its place. Is a peaceful resolution even possible,
S1: or is war just simply inevitable at some point?
S2: Well, war is definitely a possibility, though I wouldn't say
S2: it's inevitable, though the headlines make it seem like that
S2: in a speech, though, Israeli National Unity Party head Benny
S2: Gantz said the Israeli Defense Force can destroy Hezbollah's military
S2: capabilities in a matter of days. The former defense minister
S2: did admit that Israel would pay a price in any war,
S2: but the price paid by Lebanon and Hezbollah would be
S2: far greater. For its part, Iran warned of obliterating Israel
S2: if Israel attacks Hezbollah. It threatened to act against Israel
S2: with full force and to include the full involvement of, quote,
S2: all resistance fronts alluding to their allies in Iraq, Yemen
S2: and Syria. Israel's foreign minister responded with his own threat,
S2: saying A regime that threatens destruction deserves to be destroyed.
S2: Israel's defense minister said Israel isn't looking for war but
S2: is ready for it. He also said he hopes a
S2: diplomatic solution could be reached. Now, the key to any
S2: settlement is the implementation of UN Security Resolution 1701, which
S2: created a demilitarized zone between the border and the Litani
S2: River in Lebanon. This requires Hezbollah to remove its fighters
S2: away from Israel's border to the north of that river.
S2: This would allow the 60 to 80,000 Israeli citizens, who
S2: have been displaced since October to return to their homes,
S2: and it would allow Lebanese civilians who fled their homes
S2: to return as well. A peaceful resolution is possible, but
S2: the final decision rests with Hezbollah. One thing's for certain,
S2: though Israel won't allow Hezbollah fighters to remain on their
S2: border indefinitely. And a cut off time, if you will,
S2: might be sometime in July or August.
S1: Charlie, if you're Lebanon, you know you can't be thrilled
S1: about what's happening either. What is the leverage that continues
S1: to keep them from simply being reasonable?
S2: Well, sadly for them, it's the fact that Hezbollah is
S2: better armed than even the Lebanese army. No matter what
S2: they say, they really don't have much of a voice
S2: over Hezbollah because it is so well armed from Iran.
S1: Story number three an archaeologist claims to have discovered evidence
S1: of a Syrian army camps in Israel dating back to
S1: the time of King Hezekiah. Where are these camps? How
S1: reliable is the evidence and how would this discovery connect
S1: to claims in the Bible?
S2: You know, it's amazing. There are so many passages in
S2: Second Kings 18 to 20, Isaiah 36 to 39, Second
S2: Chronicles 32, and Isaiah ten. Micah one, along with others,
S2: describe the invasion of Judah during the time of Hezekiah
S2: by King Sennacherib of Assyria. Archaeological evidence from the ancient
S2: city of Lachish matches that description, and so does a
S2: relief on display in the British Museum that was originally
S2: from the palace in Nineveh that depicts the Assyrian army
S2: camp during its siege of Lachish. Now the camp in
S2: that relief is oval shaped, and it's protected by a
S2: wall with guard towers at regular intervals. So they have
S2: some idea of what that camp would have looked like.
S2: Using that relief, along with early photos from Israel and
S2: some modern mapping techniques. Stephen Compton claims to have discovered
S2: the location of the Assyrian army camps, both at Lachish
S2: and just to the north of Jerusalem. If those proposed
S2: sites are indeed Assyrian camps, it would be additional support
S2: for the biblical accounts describing those attacks. However, I can't
S2: get too excited about this announcement, at least not yet.
S2: No actual excavations have been done at either site, so
S2: he's basing his identification on Arabic names along with maps
S2: and photos. But in the area where Lachish is located, well,
S2: there are a lot of hills that would fit this description,
S2: and it's not clear from the relief in the British
S2: Museum that the Assyrians even put their camp on a hill. Now,
S2: I believe the Assyrian camps are near Lachish, as shown
S2: in that relief in the British Museum, and that they
S2: were on the north side of Jerusalem, because Isaiah ten
S2: says that. But, uh, the problem is right now we
S2: don't know where they are. Someday his proposed locations might
S2: be validated through excavations, but for right now, all we
S2: can say is his proposed locations are in the right
S2: general area, and that the Assyrians did indeed camp there
S2: based on what the Bible says.
S1: Well, six months ago, you reported on an Israeli medtech
S1: company's innovative headset that could reduce delirium in ICU patients,
S1: and an interim report now suggests the system is having
S1: a positive impact on severely injured soldiers. So tell us
S1: about this latest update from Icontrol control medical technology.
S2: Yeah, this is a great story. You know, they originally
S2: developed this headset as an alternative to communicate with people
S2: who have ALS. But they saw an opportunity to try
S2: and use it with those in ICU who are under
S2: sedation and on a ventilator. And their hope was it
S2: could help reduce or eliminate delirium and post-traumatic stress disorder.
S2: The headset has an infrared camera that follows the eye,
S2: a bone conduction earphone, and it's connected to the cloud
S2: via Wi-Fi. Sedated patients are in a state of artificial sleep,
S2: but the brain still works to fill in gaps, which
S2: is what leads to nightmares, PTSD, and delirium. So playing
S2: familiar sounds in this headset, like favorite music or hearing
S2: verbal messages from the family, is what they were hoping
S2: would fill in the gaps. And indeed, that's what is happening.
S2: One seriously wounded patient awoke after six months in intensive
S2: care and asked the nurse to listen to his favorite music,
S2: which they had been playing. The innovative use of this
S2: system is really having a positive impact on those in ICU.
S1: And that's a look at current events from the Middle
S1: East with our host, doctor Charlie Dyer. Coming up, a
S1: conversation where we're going to head inside Israel with a
S1: guy who's just back, fresh insights, perspectives you need to hear.
S1: That's all ahead on today's edition of The Land and
S1: the book. When it comes to the war with Hamas,
S1: facts have ceased to matter in America. A generation that
S1: claims to measure everything with science has thrown science out
S1: the window. What's left is narrative, and that narrative is viciously,
S1: sometimes violently, opposed to Israel. What's really going on? Troy
S1: Miller of the National Religious Broadcasters was just in Israel.
S1: He joins us today with fresh insights in just a
S1: moment here on the land and the book. Welcome. I'm
S1: John Gager, and before we join Troy, let's think about
S1: ways that we can model Christ for our Jewish friends
S1: and neighbors. Helping you help your Jewish friend find Yeshua
S1: in the Old Testament. That's our challenge. As we sit
S1: down with Michael Riedel, general editor of the Moody Handbook
S1: of Messianic Prophecy. Where would you take us?
S3: I would say, you know, so often people say Jesus
S3: was some sort of victim. No, this was a choice
S3: that the Hebrew prophets said he would make to suffer
S3: for us. It says in Isaiah 50 when it talks
S3: about the suffering servant, it's a first person kind of statement,
S3: a poem written in the first person. He says. I
S3: gave my back to those who beat me and my
S3: cheeks to those who tore out my beard. I did
S3: not hide my face from scorn and spitting. Isaiah 50,
S3: verse six. What he is saying is, I willingly suffered.
S3: I did not go to the cross as a victim.
S3: It was my choice. That's what the Lord Jesus taught.
S3: No man takes my life, but I lay it down willingly.
S3: He gave himself for us because it was his choice.
S3: He was not a victim of oppression. He was one
S3: who chose. He could have called those angels to deliver him,
S3: but he chose to die for us.
S1: Our thanks to Michael Radiogenic, professor of Jewish studies here
S1: at the Moody Bible Institute, joining us on the land
S1: and the book. Troy Miller is president and CEO of
S1: the National Religious Broadcasters. He's enjoyed a distinguished and varied career,
S1: including 15 years with the US Navy. He worked for
S1: Personal Computer Gateway Incorporated for ten years, was involved in
S1: leading several business start ups, including Gateway's expansion into Europe
S1: and Asia. Troy has also served as the executive vice
S1: president and chief operating officer for James Kennedy Ministries. And
S1: as I mentioned earlier, he recently returned from a trip
S1: to Israel, which is the focus of today's conversation. Hey,
S1: welcome to the land and the book, Troy.
S4: Thanks, John. I'm glad to be with you.
S1: So what was the nature of your visit to Israel?
S4: So we took a group of Christian communicators, uh, people
S4: that were in Christian media over for what we called
S4: a solidarity and fact finding tour. We were able to
S4: meet with a number of officials and a number of
S4: organizations while we were there, to really get a good
S4: perspective of what's going on in Israel today with the
S4: war on Hamas, and also what's going on in the
S4: northern border with Hezbollah. So that was kind of the
S4: whole gist of our mission. But we also met with
S4: a number of religious leaders so that we could show
S4: the solidarity that Christians have for Israel and for our
S4: brothers and sisters there. As you know, there's a lot
S4: of opposition going on in the U.S. right now. And
S4: so that was an important message we wanted to bring.
S1: Well, you did a lot of walking, a lot of touring.
S1: Tell me about an experience you had that felt like
S1: a kick in the stomach. What comes to mind?
S4: Yeah, I think the two biggest kicks in the stomach
S4: that we had one. We visited the Nova music Festival
S4: grounds and were able to talk to a few survivors.
S4: And when you really understand what happened on that music grounds,
S4: that festival there, it really is just heart wrenching for
S4: you to understand that these young kids woke up that morning,
S4: they were listening to music. They were getting ready to
S4: kind of head home for the day. And then they
S4: heard the sirens. But the sirens quickly turned into gunfire.
S4: And just the horrific events there, and the number of
S4: young adults that lost their lives, that had promising lives.
S4: It's just a heartache. Just gut wrenching, as you said.
S1: National Religious Broadcasters President and CEO Troy Miller is just
S1: back from a trip to Israel, and we appreciate his
S1: updates today on the land. And the book. Sounds like
S1: traveling to Israel right now in particular, is a whole
S1: lot different than talking about Israel, particularly the way the
S1: mainstream media has covered the current war. What are your thoughts?
S4: Oh, absolutely. The mainstream media, somehow I don't I'm not
S4: sure how has turned Israel into, you know, the enemy here,
S4: as if Israel was the perpetrator on October 7th and
S4: has forgotten that that it was Hamas who launched this
S4: horrific attack on these very peaceful and for the most part,
S4: very liberal communities that were down in the South. A
S4: lot of these communities were working very hard on the
S4: behalf of Palestinians and Palestinian citizens, trying to employ them,
S4: educate them, help them get medical coverage. Just a number
S4: of things there. And those are messages that the mainstream
S4: media is just not talking about. And also the fact,
S4: you know, just as, uh, not too long after we
S4: got back, Israel, you know, rescued four hostages. Two of
S4: those hostages were being held by Palestinian civilians. They weren't
S4: being held by, you know, the Hamas militants, the terrorists,
S4: they were being held by civilians. And this is just
S4: a message that mainstream media is not reporting. And they're
S4: also not reporting, John, on what's going on on the
S4: northern border. Until recently, Hezbollah on the northern border has
S4: launched well over a thousand rocket attacks into Israel. And
S4: so there's a lot going on in Israel that we
S4: want people to be aware of.
S1: Troy, the question is why? What's the payoff? What's the
S1: pressure point that is creating this kind of false reporting?
S4: Well, I think it just falls in line with the
S4: problem we have here in the U.S., the indoctrination on
S4: critical race theory and intersectionality and some of these things
S4: that have been taught in these colleges and universities. And
S4: now they see Israel, you know, portrayed Israel as the aggressor,
S4: as the evil in this, as the colonial power. And
S4: people don't realize that, you know, the land that God
S4: gave Israel way back, all the way back that he
S4: promised Abraham. Jews have been in that land continuously. There
S4: has never been a time where the Jewish people have
S4: not been in the land. There's been a remnant. Of course,
S4: we know there's a dispersion, but the Jewish people were
S4: there long before 1948, before Israel was declared a state.
S4: And I think that it just fits into this socialist
S4: Marxist indoctrination that they're doing, and they don't know how
S4: to back away from it now. We met with some
S4: protesters and people who, like those who deny the Holocaust,
S4: were even denying that October 7th even happened in Israel,
S4: and that it's just the narrative there is really, really
S4: hard to understand.
S1: Well, if you joined us midstream, this is the Land
S1: and the book from Moody Radio, I'm John Gager, joined
S1: by Troy Miller, who is president of the National Religious
S1: Broadcasters here in the US. Troy polling has shown a
S1: precipitous drop in support for Israel among young evangelicals impacted
S1: by both social media and their peers over the images
S1: coming from Gaza. So how do you suggest we counteract
S1: all of this?
S4: It's a topic that pastors and leaders, elders and churches
S4: need to talk about and Christian media is talking about.
S4: And I'm so glad that you're covering this topic today.
S4: And we really need to get Christian influencers on these
S4: social media platforms, particularly TikTok, where the young adults, young
S4: evangelicals really get their information from and communicate the truth
S4: about what's really going on in Israel and what's really
S4: behind these attacks, and the fact that Hamas really simply
S4: wants the elimination of the Jewish people in the Middle East.
S1: Well, one bright spot in this discussion. You've observed that
S1: when American students who have a strong faith based background,
S1: when they're presented with the full picture, they're more inclined
S1: to be supportive of Israel than their secular counterparts. Give
S1: us a story or example here.
S5: Yes.
S4: So my daughter actually went out to the University of
S4: California with Concerned Women of America to march on behalf
S4: of Israel, and they were able to meet some of
S4: the protesters, and particularly some of the protesters who were
S4: Christians out there and have these dialogues, have a conversation
S4: and talk about, okay, here's what happened October 7th. Here's
S4: what Israel's facing. Did you know that Israel has given
S4: the Palestinian people complete autonomy to run their cities and
S4: to run their areas? And as she had those conversations,
S4: she found out that very quickly the evangelical students said, oh,
S4: we didn't know any of that. The Christians that were
S4: there marching on behalf of Palestine. So we didn't really
S4: realize any of that. And she said several of them
S4: just walked away from the protest.
S1: Mm. That's great. Hey, let's talk a bit more about
S1: the anti-Semitic wave that's rolling over college campuses. You've written
S1: the actions of an extremist minority on college campuses across
S1: the United States have created a backlash that is bringing
S1: Christians and Jews together against the woke driven, anti-Israel ideology
S1: permeating the mainstream media. Give us an example of this
S1: coming together.
S5: Yeah.
S4: So again, look at my daughter. You know, she's 23
S4: years old. She flies out to California to go and
S4: rally on behalf of the Jewish and Israeli students at
S4: the University of Southern California. And we also saw this
S4: down at many of the southern universities, University of Mississippi,
S4: where there was a march down there by a number
S4: of anti-Israeli march, a pro-Palestinian march and a group from
S4: one of the Christian student bodies was a group that
S4: helped surround some of the monuments so that they could
S4: not be defaced. And these are groups that are groups
S4: across this country that have volunteered to escort Jewish students
S4: to their classes. And these are predominantly Christian groups. These
S4: are predominantly young Christian adults who come alongside their Jewish
S4: brothers and sisters on the campuses to show that solidarity
S4: and protect them. And that is really, as you said,
S4: that's a really hopeful thing that we're actually seeing Christians
S4: stand up today and protect our Jewish brothers and sisters.
S1: What's happening now in Israel and how it's being portrayed
S1: here in America. That's our focus on the land and
S1: the book as we dialogue today with Troy Miller, president
S1: of the National Religious Broadcasters, just back from Israel, it
S1: feels very much like Israel has just plain lost the
S1: media war. At least, you know, in the mainstream media.
S1: How can we take seriously though, the claim of genocide
S1: against Israel when the Hamas charter talks specifically about the
S1: destruction of Israel? Why does this get no mention, no
S1: traction in the media? And what can believers do to
S1: change that?
S4: Look, the mainstream media has a message that they want
S4: to send out. And I think we're seeing this today,
S4: as we've seen a lot of these anti-Israel pro-Palestinian marches
S4: really morph into anti-American marches. And even in some cases,
S4: some of these marches have called, you know, for violence
S4: on Christians. And I think one of the things that
S4: Christian media can do is Christian media needs to keep
S4: reminding people of the truth, and especially us as Christians,
S4: we understand, we look in our Bible, we can read
S4: from Exodus, we can read the promises that were made
S4: to Abraham in Genesis. We can read Joshua's conquest. And
S4: we understand that the land that God, this is the
S4: creator of the universe. He carved out this one place
S4: of all the earth. God took this land and carved
S4: it out for his people. And so one of the
S4: initiatives that we've launched also is an initiative called Keep
S4: God's Land, which is we change the rhetoric and we
S4: don't talk about things like the West Bank. There is
S4: no such thing as a West Bank. That's a made
S4: up term. This land is Judea and Samaria. This is
S4: the land that Christ walked himself in. And this was
S4: the land that was given to the Jewish people. And
S4: so we need to keep that narrative going. You know,
S4: so many young people can't even name when they chant
S4: from the river to the sea. They can't even name
S4: the river. They don't even understand what's going on there.
S4: And as you said, we don't talk enough about Hamas,
S4: who recently just got on. The Hamas leader who's in
S4: Qatar recently just got on the the mainstream media, got
S4: on Al Jazeera and called for the elimination of all
S4: homosexuals across the Middle East, and talked about how there's
S4: no repentance for that. And that's the difference between Christianity
S4: and radical Islam. We understand that God forgives, there is repentance.
S4: There is a way back to Christ, has paid the
S4: penalty for our sins, and we need to talk more
S4: about that. As a church, we need to talk about
S4: this is God's land, and we need to talk about
S4: really the difference that's going on here between Islam, Judaism
S4: and Christianity.
S1: Troy, I read a Pew Research report, This is fresh,
S1: in which people were asked about speech that supports Israel's
S1: right to exist, among other questions. Should that type of
S1: speech be allowed, meaning Israel's right to exist? Should that
S1: be allowed? Get this 7% of Americans said no and 21%
S1: were unsure. Why are we not more outraged by this
S1: apparent desire to shut down even speech about these things?
S5: Yeah, well, look.
S4: We should be completely outraged that we can't talk about
S4: something as simple as the right for the Israeli state
S4: to exist, a right that was given to them in 1948,
S4: a right that has been there, as we said, from
S4: God from the beginning. And this is very indicative of
S4: what's going on in society today. We see the weaponization
S4: of the mainstream media. Mainstream media today is not media.
S4: They're a propaganda generation, factories generating factories that are out there.
S4: And we see this weaponization of the government. And I
S4: think people I really would hope that people would have
S4: a bigger backlash to this after the whole Covid pandemic mess,
S4: where we found out that so much of what they
S4: called misinformation really turned out to be real information. And today,
S4: I don't know why we don't, but we need our
S4: pastors need to talk about the value of our First
S4: Amendment rights, our God given rights. The values that the
S4: Founding Fathers understood were rights given to us not by
S4: the government, but given to us by our creator.
S1: National Religious broadcasters. Broadcasters President and CEO Troy Miller has
S1: joined us today on the land and the book. We're
S1: up next. Charlie Dyer takes a look at your questions.
S1: I'm looking forward to what's puzzling you on the land
S1: and the book. Hope your day is going well. This
S1: is the land and the book from Moody Radio with
S1: our host, Charlie Dyer. I'm John Gager, and this is
S1: segment three, Bible Questions and Answers. We have a great
S1: time because it's not us doing the scripting, the asking,
S1: it's you. The questions are all yours. They're all real.
S1: They come to us via email at The Land and
S1: the book@moody.edu. You know, Charlie Israel has been in the
S1: news a lot over the past year and as we know,
S1: the Bible is jam packed with end times prophecies about
S1: epic world events, the regathering of the Jewish people to
S1: their ancient homeland, and Jesus return. It's crucial for us, though,
S1: as believers, to have a proper understanding of Bible prophecy.
S1: So our view of the future is shaped by Scripture, right?
S1: Not today's headlines.
S2: That's exactly right. And with this in mind, our friends
S2: at Life and Messiah have published a book titled God,
S2: Israel and Bible Prophecy, and they're offering it to listeners
S2: of the land in the book for a limited time.
S2: This informative book is focused on providing readers with a
S2: deeper understanding and greater appreciation of what God has in
S2: store for Israel and the nations by digging into what
S2: the scriptures say about these issues. Now, if you're interested
S2: in learning more about what God has in store, visit
S2: Life in Messiah. Org and click on the Moody Radio
S2: button to find out how you can receive your copy
S2: of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy. That's life in Messiah org.
S1: All right. Thank you. Charlie. Let's dig into our first question.
S1: This one from Sue she says, is time one of
S1: God's attributes or did he create time? And if he
S1: created time, when did he do so? Is God just
S1: present in this moment or does he simultaneously exist in
S1: the past, present, and future? How does God see the future? Yeah, I.
S2: Don't see time as being an attribute of God. A
S2: time seems to be a function of the created order.
S2: It's a property of creation, kind of like the second
S2: law of thermodynamics or the speed of light. You know,
S2: passages like Psalm 90 put God outside the created order.
S2: It says there before the mountains were born, or you
S2: brought forth the whole earth from everlasting to everlasting, your God.
S2: That Psalm also describes, I think, in poetic fashion, how
S2: God's view of time is so vastly different than ours.
S2: It says A thousand years in your sight are like
S2: a day that's just gone by, or like a watch
S2: in the night. Now, in terms of God's relationship to time,
S2: I like what God himself said in Isaiah 46. He says,
S2: remember the former things those of long ago I'm God,
S2: there is no other. I'm God, there's none like me.
S2: I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times.
S2: What is still to come. So trying to determine how
S2: time relates to God, at least to me, seems to
S2: be irrelevant since time itself, past, present, future exists within
S2: the plan he designed before time, as we even understand it, began.
S2: One last passage though it's from the New Testament. First
S2: Timothy one nine. There Paul describes God's gracious plan of
S2: salvation through his son. He says it was given in
S2: Christ Jesus before the beginning of time. Literally. It says
S2: before time eternal. We might say before the eons of time.
S2: But the key here is that this was before those
S2: eons of time even began. God was there, and he
S2: had a plan prior to the foundation of time itself.
S1: Interesting. Robin takes us to Romans 826, which says, the
S1: Holy Spirit intercedes for us. But verse 34 says, Jesus
S1: Christ intercedes for us. Now how are these two roles
S1: similar and or different?
S2: Well, I see them as complementary, you know, in verses
S2: 22 to 28. In that section, Paul uses three forms
S2: of a word for groan or groaning. In verse 22,
S2: the whole creation groans together. In verse 23, we groan
S2: within ourselves, and then in verse 26, the spirit intercedes
S2: for us, he says with groanings that words can't express.
S2: His point here is that the world around us is
S2: full of struggles. We experience struggles as well. And he
S2: says in verse 26, the spirit comes to our aid
S2: by taking all the prayer concerns we struggle over and
S2: bringing them to God the Father with an intensity with
S2: groanings that we can't even begin to imagine. And he
S2: does it in accordance with God's will. So as a result,
S2: we have confidence God will work all things together for
S2: the good of those who love him. Because of the
S2: role of the spirit in praying for us and taking
S2: our feeble prayers and translating them into those powerful and
S2: passionate words that align with God's will. Now the second part,
S2: verses 31 to 35. The focus isn't on prayer, but
S2: it's on the issue of our acceptance by God. And
S2: he says, no charge can be made against us that
S2: can stand because God has predestined, called, justified and glorified us.
S2: And we know that because God gave His Son to
S2: pay the penalty for our sin. So Paul's arguing from
S2: the greater to the lesser. If if God already has
S2: given us his son, won't he also meet all our
S2: other needs by his grace? And then he says, how
S2: can charges be made against us since God justifies us?
S2: Christ died for us, was raised from the dead, and
S2: intercedes for us. And now in those verses, the intercession
S2: isn't focused on answering prayer, but on answering any objections
S2: someone might raise about our salvation.
S1: Questions and answers. With Charlie and John here on the
S1: land and the book. Charlie's answering those questions. I get
S1: to ask your questions, and that's kind of fun. Here's
S1: one from Joe, she says, considering the great importance that
S1: the tabernacle and temple sacrifices had for the Jewish people,
S1: how did they transition out of all that? A ritual
S1: that was so incredibly significant?
S2: Well, from a human perspective, the sacrifices and temple system
S2: ceased because the temple was destroyed by the Romans in
S2: AD 70. In Deuteronomy 12, God gave specific requirements on
S2: where they were to offer their sacrifices. He says, you
S2: can't just choose any place. You've got to go to
S2: the one which your Lord, your God will choose. So
S2: initially the tabernacle was set up at Shiloh. That's the
S2: place chosen by God. But then it became Jerusalem when
S2: Solomon's Temple was built. There are Jewish individuals today who
S2: believe they need to rebuild the temple now, since they're
S2: back in the land. But until a new temple is built,
S2: they're prohibited from offering sacrifices and performing those other rituals.
S1: From Brian this question some Christians believe that nations should
S1: be non-resistant and never enter a war. Others think we
S1: shouldn't start one but have a right to defend ourselves
S1: and or other nations. Still, others might feel Christians shouldn't fight,
S1: but it's all right for non-Christians to fight. What can
S1: we conclude from Scripture?
S2: Yeah, and this is one where I've got to watch
S2: very carefully, because to fit everything in, I could go
S2: a mile a minute speaking. So I want to try
S2: and speak slowly, but we're going to cover a lot
S2: of ground because good and godly people do disagree. So
S2: I'm going to offend some listeners and what I'm going
S2: to say. and it's my opinion. And here's what I
S2: believe the Bible teaches. So if you don't like it
S2: I'm sorry, but God does prohibit murder. We can all
S2: agree on that. That's the intentional taking of an innocent life.
S2: That's the sixth commandment thou shalt not kill. But second,
S2: I don't believe that command is intended to be absolute
S2: without exception. In this sense, in Genesis nine six, God
S2: established capital punishment for deliberate murder. Whoever sheds the blood
S2: of man by man shall his blood be shed. For
S2: in the image of God, God has made him. A
S2: human life is to be held sacred, and the penalty
S2: for deliberately taking a human life for committing murder is
S2: the forfeiture of the life of the one who commits
S2: that murder. Now that principle is repeated in both the
S2: Old and New Testaments. In Leviticus 2417, God said, if
S2: anyone takes the life of a human being, he must
S2: be put to death. And in Romans 13, verses three
S2: and four, Paul said, you know, rulers don't hold terror
S2: for those who do, right? But if you do wrong,
S2: you do because he's God's servant to do you good
S2: if you do right. But he's an agent of wrath
S2: to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. You know, God did
S2: establish capital punishment to judge those who commit murder. I
S2: go beyond that. Third. I believe God provides human government
S2: to help hold evil in check. And a legitimate role
S2: of government is to provide safety for its citizens. And
S2: sometimes that includes going to war. A God sent Israel
S2: to war on multiple occasions. Now how does that impact believers?
S2: Here's the bottom line. I think this is where it
S2: becomes a matter of personal conviction. Can a believer join
S2: the military and fight for his country? I believe that's
S2: possible if the individual understands the differences between not seeking vengeance,
S2: but seeking to promote justice and national protection. Uh, the
S2: same thing is true for someone serving as a police officer,
S2: in the sense that they're given authority by the state
S2: to maintain order and help bring lawbreakers to justice. And
S2: at times, that includes the power to take the life
S2: of someone threatening others. Does a Christian have a right
S2: to defend himself or herself or others if attacked? Well,
S2: Psalm 82 says, we're to defend the cause of the
S2: weak and fatherless, maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed,
S2: rescue the weak and needy, deliver them from the hand
S2: of the wicked. And that suggests to me we can
S2: step in to defend those being attacked. But how about us?
S2: How does this impact us if we're the one being attacked?
S2: And the answer depends on how we take passages like
S2: Jesus's words in Matthew five. You've heard it was said,
S2: an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
S2: But I say, do not resist an evil person. If
S2: someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him
S2: the other also. So as you can see, there isn't
S2: one simple answer, but what I would encourage you to
S2: do is study all those different passages and ask the
S2: Lord to give you wisdom to know how he wants
S2: you to respond in a way that best honors him. Huh?
S1: What a complex question and a great answer. Thank you. Charlie.
S1: Stan says that my men's Bible study last week, somebody
S1: mentioned that Jesus will be the only one in heaven
S1: with scars on his eternal body as a result of
S1: the crucifixion. They support this view with revelation five verse six,
S1: where Jesus is represented as a lamb looking as if
S1: it had been slain. Also, Jesus had nail and spear
S1: marks when he appeared to Thomas after the resurrection. I'm
S1: not sure I agree with this position. What are your thoughts?
S2: Well, I see two separate questions here, so let me
S2: answer each one first. Does Jesus bear the marks of
S2: his crucifixion in his resurrection body? And the Bible says
S2: he does. In fact, you you referenced Jesus's post-resurrection encounter
S2: with Thomas. That's in John chapter 20, where he mentions
S2: the imprint of the nails in Jesus's hands and the
S2: wound in his side. So I do see that. Now.
S2: The second question, though, is whether Jesus will be the
S2: only one with identifiable marks on the resurrection body. And
S2: as far as I can see, we're simply not told
S2: we must be identifiable in some way in our new bodies,
S2: but we're not told what those identifiable characteristics might be.
S2: This is a case, I think, where we need to rest.
S2: In Paul's words in first Corinthians 15, you know, he
S2: talked about some are wondering, how will the dead be raised,
S2: what kind of body will they have? And he says,
S2: the body that's sown is perishable, it's raised imperishable. It's
S2: sown in dishonor, raised in glory, sown in weakness, raised
S2: in power, sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body.
S2: Beyond his general description, we really don't know exactly what
S2: our new bodies are going to be like, but whatever
S2: they are, I think they're going to be pretty amazing
S2: and I think we'll be pleased with them.
S1: And that's an amazing set of questions that have come
S1: our way. Yours. Welcome. Any time when you email us
S1: at The Land and the book@moody.edu. Hey, Charlie Dyer's devotional
S1: is next. It's going to be great right here. Welcome
S1: back to the land and the book. I'm John Gager asking,
S1: don't you love a great coincidence? I've got one for you.
S1: This morning in my Bible study time, I was reading
S1: through Proverbs eight, and now I find out. Charlie, you're
S1: about to take us to Proverbs 14. Is that.
S2: Correct? That's right.
S1: John, and we've titled this devotional What is Versus What
S1: Should Be? That's an interesting title. We'll get to the
S1: content after this quick Holy Land experience moment. Let's give
S1: it a listen.
S6: My name is Nita Tin and I was on the
S6: Moody tour and it was such a wonderful experience. If
S6: you want to get closer to the Lord, what better
S6: place than to come to where he walked? And as
S6: I think of the song I walked today where Jesus walked,
S6: that became so real. And just reading the Bible is
S6: going to make it so different. Just because you've been
S6: there in the land where Jesus was and, uh, especially
S6: for me, was, um, where Jesus was in the Garden
S6: of Gethsemane and where he cried, not my will, but
S6: thine be done. And that was so special to me
S6: because of what he has done for me and how
S6: he has saved me.
S1: Boy, it just no end to the different reactions to
S1: what people encounter as they travel to Israel. Thank you
S1: for sharing that. Well, I'm looking forward to this discussion.
S1: Charlie Solomon in the book of Proverbs. That's a great
S1: place to be.
S2: It is. And that's where we're going to spend the
S2: month of July. Now, one of my all time favorite musicals, John,
S2: is Fiddler on the roof. The story itself is full
S2: of pathos, and the songs evoke the emotions experienced by
S2: the different characters. You know? For example, in the movie version,
S2: Tevye is in the barn feeding his animals. When he turned,
S2: he looks to heaven and says in a tired prayer, Lord,
S2: you made many, many poor people. I realize, of course,
S2: it's no shame to be poor. And then he adds
S2: as something of an afterthought. But it's no great honor either.
S2: So what would have been so terrible if I had
S2: a small fortune? And then he launches into if I
S2: were a rich man. Now, most listening today can resonate
S2: with Tevye's words, at least emotionally. I think we've all
S2: felt at times how nice it would be to have
S2: just a small fortune. You're not enough to rival Bill
S2: Gates or Warren Buffett, but just enough to buy that
S2: car or house we've always wanted, or to not get
S2: stressed out at the end of each month when the
S2: different bills arrive or or, well, you can finish the sentence.
S2: Part of the problem is that we tend to compare
S2: ourselves with those who are more well off, not against
S2: those who are less fortunate. We seem to be attracted
S2: to the lifestyles of the rich because it helps fuel
S2: our desire to become more wealthy ourselves. And yet, compared globally,
S2: most Americans are already exceptionally blessed. In a 2024 poverty
S2: ranking by country in the United States, less than 2.2%
S2: of the population live on less than $10 a day.
S2: In Canada, it's even lower. Less than 1.2% of the
S2: population live on less than $10 a day. Now compare
S2: that to the 4.4 billion people in the rest of
S2: the world who live on less than $10 a day,
S2: or the nearly 700 million who live on less than
S2: $2 per day. To help put our thinking in perspective,
S2: let's pay a visit to Wise King Solomon and focus
S2: on what is versus what should be, but follow along closely,
S2: because the point of the story might not be what
S2: you think. In Proverbs 1420, Solomon presents a sad reality
S2: of life. The poor are shunned even by their neighbors,
S2: but the rich have many friends. A stark reality in
S2: life is that people like to hobnob with the haves
S2: while trying to avoid the have nots. In Proverbs 19 seven,
S2: Solomon paints an even grimmer picture. A poor man is
S2: shunned by all his relatives. How much more do his
S2: friends avoid him? Though he pursues them with pleading, they
S2: are nowhere to be found. The Hebrew literally says, all
S2: the brothers of the poor man hate him, and his
S2: friends abandon him. And it's not just that this unfortunate
S2: relative had slipped their mind. They actively seek to avoid him.
S2: Solomon continues. Though he pursues them with pleading, they are
S2: nowhere to be found. As Solomon so wisely observed in life,
S2: people often try to avoid the poor, even when those
S2: who are poor are relatives. Perhaps they're embarrassed, perhaps they're
S2: greedy or selfish. The reasons can vary, but the end
S2: result is that most prefer not to think about, be
S2: associated with, or extend help to the poor. Now I
S2: do need to add two crucial points. First, Solomon is
S2: not preaching an ancient form of socialism, as we'll see
S2: next week. Solomon also has much to say about someone
S2: whose poverty is the result of laziness or idleness. Such
S2: behavior wasn't to be rewarded. Solomon's words match those written
S2: almost 900 years later by the Apostle Paul in Second
S2: Thessalonians three. Keep away from every brother who is idle.
S2: If a man will not work, he shall not eat.
S2: Neither Solomon nor Paul condone supporting someone's Slothfulness the poverty
S2: being pictured by Solomon isn't the result of laziness or inactivity. Rather,
S2: circumstances can arise that lead to poverty. Ruth and Naomi
S2: were in poverty because of a famine followed by the
S2: deaths of their husbands. Job lost his wealth to a
S2: satanic attack. Illness. Fire. Flood. economic calamity, war and a
S2: host of other causes can lead to poverty. I believe
S2: Solomon's focus in Proverbs 14 is on those who find
S2: themselves in poverty, not caused by their own foolish actions.
S2: And that leads to the crucial point in Proverbs. I've
S2: quoted part of two proverbs that describe what is, and
S2: by that I mean Solomon is picturing what is often
S2: true in life. People do tend to ignore or not
S2: think about those who are in poverty. But now let's
S2: go back to see the other side of the coin,
S2: the what should be that? Solomon also stresses in 1420.
S2: Solomon said the poor are shunned even by their neighbors,
S2: while the rich have many friends. But then look at
S2: what he says in the very next verse. He who
S2: despises his neighbor sins. But blessed is he who is
S2: kind to the needy. Having pictured what might be considered
S2: normal by the world, Solomon quickly adds that it is
S2: not normal from God's perspective. I'm reminded of Jesus's parable
S2: of the Good Samaritan, given in response to someone trying
S2: to justify himself by saying, well, who is my neighbor?
S2: If the second greatest command is to love your neighbor
S2: as yourself, then despising and refusing to help one's truly
S2: needy neighbor is indeed a sin. And the one who
S2: does reach out to help receives God's blessing. In Proverbs 19,
S2: Solomon does something very similar, having described how even brothers
S2: and friends will abandon and shun the poor. Solomon then
S2: goes on in verse 17 to say, he who is
S2: kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he
S2: that is the Lord will reward him for what he
S2: has done. People didn't want to lend to the poor
S2: because it was almost certain they would never get repaid.
S2: But Solomon turns the equation on its head in helping
S2: the poor. You're not lending to them, but to the Lord.
S2: And God always pays back those who lend to him.
S2: It might be in this life, or it might be
S2: in the life to come. But picturing a gift to
S2: the poor as a loan to God puts an entirely
S2: different spin on the action. So what's the practical application
S2: of Solomon's wise words for us today? First, he didn't
S2: write to guilt us into giving to every panhandler holding
S2: up a sign at a stoplight. I like the signs
S2: posted in a number of cities that say it is
S2: okay to say no to panhandlers. Give instead to agencies
S2: that help those in need. Your local rescue mission can
S2: provide physical and spiritual help that will do far more
S2: good with your contribution. A second be wise. Do you
S2: personally know the circumstances that caused a family member or
S2: neighbor to be in financial need? Was it caused by
S2: a genuine calamity or is it the result of poor
S2: or even sinful life choices? You don't want to subsidize
S2: or encourage such a lifestyle, but you do want to
S2: help someone with a genuine need. Finally, be as generous
S2: and helpful as you can be without harming yourself or
S2: your family. If you're on a fixed budget, give what
S2: you can without going into poverty yourself. You can give
S2: directly to an individual, but you can also give to
S2: your church's assistance fund if it has one. Churches often
S2: have such a fund to minister to those in the
S2: congregation and community with physical needs, or give instead to
S2: a ministry that focuses on providing physical and spiritual support
S2: in times of need. Samaritan's purse and The Salvation Army
S2: are two groups that come immediately to mind. It's a
S2: reality of life that people tend to look up to
S2: those with wealth and power, and to ignore those in poverty.
S2: God wants us to demonstrate generosity and grace to those
S2: with legitimate needs. That requires wisdom on our part. But
S2: in reaching out to share with those in genuine need,
S2: just remember that God views it as a loan you're
S2: making to him, and he promises to someday reward your generosity.
S2: And that's part of Solomon's instruction for how to live
S2: life wisely.
S1: I love that nudge toward generosity. Thank you Charlie, if
S1: you want to hear today's program again, any of it
S1: or all of it, you can do that at our website,
S1: the land and the book.org information Information there about our guest,
S1: past programs, future programs, and more. The land and the book.
S1: Org that'll do it for today's edition of the broadcast
S1: for our host, Charlie Dyer. Our producer, Dan Anderson, I'm
S1: John Geiger, thanking you for your company. Nice to have
S1: you along the land. And the book is a production
S1: of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.