S1: It's great to think about Jesus as a baby, Jesus
S1: in the manger and Jesus on Mary's lap, but we
S1: dare not forget that he was also born king. Coming up,
S1: special guest Alistair Begg helps us understand that Christ's first
S1: coming was also about his second coming. He was born King,
S1: but Jesus will soon return as King of Kings. And
S1: with that we say welcome to the land and the book.
S1: Our host is a widely recognized Middle East Authority doctor,
S1: Charlie Dyer, and I'm John Geiger. Boy, Charlie. This week
S1: it feels like somebody is agitating the entire globe like
S1: a salt shaker, don't you think?
S2: Exactly right, John. It's like they have the mixer on
S2: and they have it on. Activate and just turning it around. Well, we're.
S1: Going to swing our focus toward current events after we
S1: think about the fact that as this end of the
S1: year approaches, many world events really have left us wondering
S1: what God's plan is for the future, and this is
S1: especially true when it comes to Israel, despite its small size.
S1: People around the world are intensely focused on what takes
S1: place there. Our today's headlines somehow connected with prophecies in
S1: the Bible. And how should followers of Jesus interpret current
S1: events as we await his second coming? Yeah.
S2: To help answer those and other crucial questions, our friends
S2: at Life and Messiah encourage you to check out their
S2: new book, God, Israel, and Bible Prophecy with Scripture as
S2: its foundation. This book will take you on a journey
S2: into what God has in store for the Jewish people
S2: and the nations. This book is for anyone who wants
S2: to explore where modern day events fit on God's prophetic timeline.
S2: If that's you or someone you know, this could be
S2: a great resource or gift. Visit Life and Messiah. Org
S2: and click on the Moody Radio button to find out
S2: how you can receive your copy of God, Israel and
S2: Bible Prophecy. That's life in Messiah. Org.
S1: Well, Charlie, it's almost impossible to wrap your brain around
S1: the fact that in a single week, the 50 year
S1: rule over Syria by the Assad family collapsed. How did
S1: this regime fall so suddenly? And what might happen next
S1: in Syria?
S2: Yeah, the Syrian military was a house of cards. It
S2: was propped up by Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. They were
S2: the ones ten years ago who rescued Assad from almost
S2: certain defeat at that time. But this time, none of
S2: them were able to come to Assad's aid. Russia's bogged
S2: down in Ukraine. Hezbollah was decimated by Israel, and Iran's
S2: axis of resistance collapsed, leaving them vulnerable to attack. Rebel
S2: forces took advantage of this to gain territory in northwest Syria,
S2: but the Syrian army just simply disintegrated before them. Other
S2: rebels joined in, and in just a matter of days,
S2: they all reached Damascus. Assad fled to exile in Russia,
S2: leaving the world stunned. Now what happens next, though, I
S2: think is anyone's guess. First, there are multiple rebel groups.
S2: The leader of the main one is Abu Mohammad Al-julani,
S2: or that last name could be Ghailani since he was
S2: from the Golan region. He's the commander of Hayat Tahrir
S2: al-Sham we talked about last week, but that's known by
S2: its initials, HTS. Now, in addition to HTS, though, there's
S2: the Syrian National Army, an umbrella group generally aligned with
S2: and supported by Turkey. It has some connections to the
S2: Muslim Brotherhood and shares political and religious goals that are
S2: similar to Hamas. Still another group are the Syrian Democratic Forces,
S2: a coalition of primarily Kurdish fighters supported by the United States.
S2: They control northeast Syria. About the only thing these groups
S2: share in common is a hatred for Assad. Iran and Hezbollah.
S2: And then there are significant ethnic minorities like the Kurds,
S2: the Druze, the Alawites, who have a vested interest in
S2: the outcome. Now another problem is the religious component. He
S2: was an Islamic military group connected to al Qaeda. Abu
S2: Mohammad Al-julani now claims to be a moderate and is
S2: assuring others he is no longer a jihadist. But can
S2: he be trusted? You know, when I heard all this,
S2: I thought of Jeremiah 13, where the prophet asked if
S2: the leopard can change his spots, or if those accustomed
S2: to doing evil can do good. And the answer generally
S2: is no. So can Syria become a vibrant democracy? Or
S2: will the majority democratically vote in an Islamic Sharia state
S2: with groups aligned religiously with ISIS, Al Qaeda, and Hamas
S2: vying for control? Well, right now the answer is we
S2: just don't know. But we do need to remember that
S2: the Arab Spring, which took place 14 years ago, is
S2: what brought about ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and
S2: Syria just three years later. This situation is incredibly complex
S2: and definitely needs our prayer as we watch to see
S2: what's going to take place.
S1: Charlie from a 30 zero zero zero foot level. Am
S1: I accurate here in assessing that Assad's government, essentially he
S1: being Shiite was taken out by a Sunni dominated power.
S1: Is that correct?
S2: That's a that's a good explanation of it. And indeed,
S2: he was not even just a Shiite but an Alawite,
S2: which is a subset of the Shiite. So it was
S2: a minority ruling over the majority. And the majority of
S2: Syria is Sunni, which just chafed under his rule.
S1: Well, with just five weeks left until president elect Trump
S1: assumes office and his deadline for Hamas to release the hostages,
S1: what has been happening with all the negotiations we're hearing about,
S1: and what might the U.S. do if Hamas refuses to
S1: release them?
S2: Egypt submitted a proposal to Hamas that offered an extended
S2: 60 day ceasefire, during which the children, elderly women and
S2: badly wounded hostages would be released in exchange for Palestinian
S2: security prisoners. Now, the talks have reached the stage where
S2: both sides are discussing the specific timetable and the lists
S2: of those to be released. Now, Israel believes 96 hostages
S2: still remain in Gaza, though at least 34 of them
S2: are confirmed to be dead. So what might the US
S2: do if, in the end, Hamas refuses to move forward
S2: and release the hostages? Well, it's unlikely the US would
S2: directly attack Gaza. However, we might allow Israel to become
S2: more aggressive by supplying additional weapons or by supporting them
S2: in the UN against any repercussions for further attacks. Or
S2: Trump could give a green light for Israel to annex
S2: some or all of the West Bank to officially make
S2: it part of Israel. That's not very likely, but it's
S2: certainly a possibility. It's also possible we could allow Israel
S2: to attack Iran, or even join in such an attack
S2: ourselves on Iran's nuclear facilities or oil production facilities, or
S2: its military. With the fall of their ally in Syria,
S2: Iran is facing difficult times militarily and economically, and we
S2: could threaten to punish them if they don't pressure Hamas
S2: to cooperate. However, it's unclear right now how much influence
S2: they actually have on Hamas. The bottom line is, we
S2: don't know how Hamas is going to respond or how
S2: Trump will react if the hostages aren't released, but we
S2: do know the clock is ticking.
S1: This is the land and the book from Moody Radio.
S1: Our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John Gager. You can
S1: tell a lot has been going on in the Middle East.
S1: Lots we need to know about. Well, Charlie, Israel's drawn
S1: out war against Hamas and Hezbollah placed a strain on
S1: its armed forces and highlighted the problem with ultra-Orthodox Jews
S1: refusing to enlist. What's the reason for their refusal? And
S1: what steps are being taken to resolve all of this? Yeah.
S2: From the founding of the State of Israel, most ultra-Orthodox
S2: Jews have refused to serve in Israel Defense Forces. Part
S2: of the reason is that they believe they're real service
S2: to the Jewish people is to study and preserve the
S2: Torah and the Talmud. The other part of the reason
S2: is that they believe the secular nature of the IDF
S2: is incompatible with their religious lifestyle. This includes things like, well,
S2: maintaining religious purity, eating strictly kosher food, gender separation accommodations,
S2: and having specific times for study and prayer. The current
S2: arrangement worked for years because the ultra-Orthodox were a relatively
S2: small portion of the population, and because Israel's military philosophy
S2: was to have a small army able to fight short wars.
S2: But the current wars lasted over a year, exhausting those
S2: in the army, as well as the reservists who had
S2: been called up multiple times. They need more manpower, and
S2: many Israelis are now demanding that the ultra-Orthodox step up
S2: and do their fair share. But this confrontational approach isn't working.
S2: The religious are serious about remaining faithful to God, and
S2: they're willing to resist for their faith. The current government
S2: is looking for ways to compromise. The former mayor of
S2: Jerusalem said more do need to be conscripted, but that
S2: it needs to be done with the appropriate sensitivity. He
S2: believes steps can be taken to alleviate the fear of secularization,
S2: while providing incentives for those who do agree to serve.
S2: With Hanukkah coming up in two weeks, the IDF has
S2: announced the formation of a new combat brigade named after
S2: the Hasmonean dynasty who led the Maccabean Revolt. This new
S2: brigade would incorporate adherence to strict religious lifestyle. They've also
S2: formed the first Air Force ground technical crew of certified
S2: technicians for F-16 fighter jets. The IDF provided adjustments to
S2: allow them to maintain their religious lifestyle, including gender separation,
S2: strictly kosher food, and a synagogue on the base. Now, hopefully,
S2: the two sides can work out more creative compromises that
S2: will enable the ultra-Orthodox to serve their country without having
S2: to abandon their religious principles.
S1: Charlie, any early reactions that we're reading about from the
S1: ultra-Orthodox on these these changes that are being made?
S2: There are some positive comments, but they're just a minority
S2: right now. They I think most ultra-Orthodox are still fearful
S2: of where the IDF ultimately wants them to go.
S1: Well, archaeologists now believe the cave at ancient Caesarea Philippi
S1: was transformed from a sacred site to a banquet hall
S1: by King Herod Agrippa the Second. What have they discovered
S1: that led them to this conclusion?
S2: Yeah, they believe this cave was repurposed during the reign
S2: of King Herod Agrippa the Second. That's the one mentioned
S2: with Paul in the Book of Acts during the Jewish Revolt.
S2: He fled Jerusalem and sided with the Romans, and part
S2: of his kingdom included this area, and they believe he
S2: converted the cave into a nymphaeum triclinium, a venue for
S2: Roman style banquets. During the recent excavations, they uncovered a
S2: large aqueduct and water installations in the outer courtyard, with
S2: niches flanking the eastern and western sides. They found similar
S2: examples of this in Italy, and what they believe is
S2: that he did this so that when Titus came up
S2: to Caesarea Philippi, he was hosted there by Agrippa. The
S2: archaeologists hope at some point in the future to recreate
S2: how the site might have looked as a Roman dining area.
S1: Wow, that's an interesting development. Thank you. Charlie, that's a
S1: look at current events coming up on the land and
S1: the book A conversation with Alistair Begg. Let earth receive
S1: her King here on the land and the book. Of.
S1: Christmas has a problem. And it might just be us.
S1: That's right. We who love and worship Jesus often overlook
S1: or ignore the fact that the Christmas story is much
S1: bigger than a chapter or two in the Gospels. The
S1: first coming of Christ is the grand story arc of
S1: the entire Old Testament, and of course, the heart of
S1: the Gospels. And all of that points to his second
S1: coming up next, a call for you and me to
S1: let Earth receive her King. Hey, welcome back to the
S1: land and the book. I'm John Gager really pumped about
S1: connecting you with today's special guest, Alistair Begg. But what
S1: about connecting first with our Jewish friends and neighbors. Here's
S1: an idea. Well, there you are. And you have started
S1: a friendship with a Jewish friend. And you're wondering what's
S1: a first step in reaching out to them with Messiah Jesus?
S1: That's a question we'll throw at Eva Rydell. Nick, what
S1: do you say? What's a first.
S3: Step? I think the first step is to have a
S3: genuine personal relationship. You know, just to begin communication. And
S3: I think this is true with non-Jewish people as well
S3: as Jewish people, that if you want to share the
S3: person that you love the most in the world with
S3: a person that you're just getting to know, it has
S3: to begin with friendship.
S1: I think of former Moody Bible Institute President Michael Easley.
S1: He said, for a friendship to develop, you have to
S1: have two things common interests and time. Yes.
S3: Got to spend time together. Exactly. Common interest in the time.
S3: So what you look for are things that you have
S3: in common. And then look for opportunities to spend time together.
S3: And as a result of those two elements, then conversation
S3: will come up. And, you know, prayerfully that conversation can
S3: be directed toward the Messiah.
S1: It's interesting what you're saying, because I think a lot
S1: of times we want to jump right to that conversation
S1: so quickly, and that might well be ill advised. You're saying.
S3: Right, because if you go right to the conversation before
S3: they're ready to hear, the door closes and it's very
S3: hard to pull that door open once it's shut.
S1: How to take a good first step? That's Eva Riedel,
S1: adjunct faculty member at the Moody Bible Institute here on
S1: the land and the book. Pastor Alistair Begg has been
S1: in ministry since 1975. Following graduation from the London School
S1: of Theology, he served eight years in Scotland at both
S1: Charlotte Chapel and Edinburgh and Hamilton Baptist Church. In 1983
S1: he became the senior pastor at Parkside Church near Cleveland, Ohio.
S1: Alistair has written a number of books and is heard
S1: daily and weekly on the radio program truth for life.
S1: I hear it Often. He and his wife Susan have
S1: three grown children. Hey, a warm welcome to the land
S1: and the book.
S4: Pastor Alistair John, thank you very much. It's a privilege
S4: to get to talk with you.
S1: Well, our conversation today is focused on your new Christmas devotional,
S1: let Earth Receive her. King and I have to confess
S1: to you up front. I kind of wanted to sort
S1: of merely peruse it quickly, but every page I read
S1: made me want to linger, ponder, read more. So thank
S1: you upfront for this very powerful look at the season
S1: of advent.
S4: Well thank you. I actually have done the same thing
S4: and begun to read it through because I if I
S4: ask others to, I would imagine that I should do
S4: the same. And although I don't find it difficult to understand,
S4: it causes me to really think things through.
S1: Yeah, well, you divide the book into five sections and
S1: we're going to take a look at each one of
S1: them briefly, starting with Christmas in the beginning. That's section one.
S1: You point out that Christmas has its roots in the
S1: Garden of Eden, and you write that in Genesis three,
S1: the evil one was warned even as humanity was cast
S1: out of the garden, that someday a male would undo
S1: his evil schemes and would be born. That there to
S1: me is enough to send chills down our spines. The
S1: advent story right in the Garden of Eden at our
S1: lowest point. Why, though, do so many of us miss this?
S4: Well, I think perhaps because of the way that we
S4: tend to tackle Christmas. It finally comes around. It bounces
S4: out just after Thanksgiving, and we give very little time
S4: to preparation for it, usually, no matter what our advent
S4: perspective might be. And so I think we're caught off
S4: guard by realizing that, as you said, by way of introduction,
S4: this actually has a huge arc to it. And when
S4: we read the early chapters of the Bible, we realize
S4: that everything is looking forward to something and to someone.
S1: You've titled the second section of your devotional, Christmas in
S1: the land. What are you referring to in this?
S4: Well, Want us to see that the child is born,
S4: a son is given. The government will be upon his shoulder.
S4: All of the prophecies of the Old Testament are once
S4: again looking forward to. Not an idea, but to a person.
S4: And the story of that period of time is involving Samuel.
S4: It's involving the Chronicles. The great question of Solomon, you know,
S4: will God really dwell on earth with men? And that's
S4: what the emphasis is in that little section, that the
S4: tidings of comfort, the tidings of joy are going to
S4: actually take place in the land. So, for example, Micah.
S4: But you, Bethlehem, though you be the least, and so on.
S4: That's the emphasis in that little section.
S1: It seems to be the comfort and joy are not
S1: Christmasy things. They're things that we need all year long.
S1: And the fact that they're so closely associated with the
S1: birth of Jesus and His birth in us when we
S1: become born again. That's a real word of encouragement that
S1: maybe also escapes us at times. We minimize comfort and joy.
S4: Yes, I think so, because especially when you think about Christmas,
S4: if we attach too much significance to that actual day,
S4: then and I think we mentioned this towards the end
S4: of the book, you know that when Christmas is over
S4: and the decorations are removed, unless we have found true
S4: comfort and true joy in the one of whom Christmas speaks,
S4: then of course, we've really got nothing left.
S5: Yeah.
S1: From Moody Radio. This is the land and the book.
S1: I'm John Gager. Our guest is a voice you almost
S1: certainly recognize. Pastor Alistair Begg heard on truth for life.
S1: Christmas in the Gospels is the focus of segment three. Obviously,
S1: we're familiar with the accounts in Matthew and Luke. Mark
S1: and John seem to take a pass, though, on covering
S1: the actual birth narrative. What's your best guess as to
S1: why they do that?
S4: Well, I think it's the awareness of what everybody else
S4: is doing that if you think about newspapers covering the
S4: same events and tackling them from different angles, then really
S4: that's what we find. You know, Matthew starts with this big,
S4: long list of names with a genealogy which may at
S4: first seem not very good. But then when we think
S4: about it, we're discovering the way in which God has
S4: been unfolding all the way through history. And the emphasis,
S4: for example, in Luke is all on that which is supernatural.
S4: And so you have this wonderful balance between this has
S4: come down through a normal lineage, if you like, but
S4: the supernatural dimension of it is made clear. That's why
S4: John begins actually back in eternity, in the beginning was
S4: the word, and the word was with God. And if
S4: someone says, well, I wonder how that all works if
S4: they go back to Matthew chapter one, and then they
S4: begin to read the genealogy, they realize the way the
S4: pieces of the jigsaw fit together. Yeah.
S5: Well, as.
S1: Familiar as I think we believe we are with the
S1: birth story in Matthew and Luke, we've read it a
S1: hundred times. Is there a detail or two, though, that
S1: sort of surfaced for you in a fresh new way
S1: as you, as you wrote the book, something maybe we've overlooked?
S4: Well, you know, I don't know because I'm so old
S4: now and I've had so many Christmases, I, I wish
S4: there was something that I had discovered that, that nobody
S4: else had had figured out. You know, I've never really,
S4: from childhood ever got over the notion of these wise men.
S4: You know, we've sort of created little models of them
S4: and so on, but they're enigmatic figures in many ways
S4: and where they actually came from, and all that is
S4: wrapped up in their notion of seeing a star. All
S4: of that stuff is quite fascinating. And then when you
S4: realize that in these supernatural, in these, if you like,
S4: almost extraterrestrial dimensions, God is also at work, so that
S4: the same God who has orchestrated the story of the
S4: genealogy is the one who controls the heavens and the earth,
S4: and so that people start from all kinds of places
S4: in discovering who Jesus is, including these wise men who
S4: may well have come from, you know, contemporary China, for
S4: all we know.
S1: Pastor Alistair Begg serves at Parkside Church near Cleveland, Ohio.
S1: He's written lots of books, is heard daily and weekly
S1: on truth for life. And we're talking today about his
S1: new devotional, Let Earth Receive Her King. If you'd like
S1: to get a copy. You'll find it online at truth
S1: for life.org/store. And the ministry is offering it to you
S1: at cost because they believe the message is that significant
S1: and I agree with them. We'll link you to their
S1: website when you visit ours. The land and the book. Org. Well,
S1: Christmas in the letters is your focus in section four
S1: of the book. You're referring here to the advent story
S1: in the rest of the New Testament. What are some
S1: takeaways for you and me here?
S4: Well, for a while in the UK, when I was
S4: a student, I worshipped in an Anglican church and in
S4: the use of the Book of Common Prayer in their
S4: section in advent, I was always struck by the fact
S4: that the verse that was always read on Christmas Day
S4: was Titus chapter two, verse 11, for the grace of
S4: God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men. And I
S4: think that that awareness of the if you like, when
S4: we read the Bible backwards, if you start back in
S4: the letters and you say to yourself, okay, the grace
S4: of God has appeared to all men, how is the
S4: grace of God appeared to all men? Well, then you
S4: go into Philippians and we have this picture of the
S4: incarnate God of God, emptying himself, stepping down into time.
S4: And as you go through all of that, you realize
S4: the vastness of God's purpose, that the reason that he
S4: came was in order to set us free from a
S4: captivity that we don't immediately acknowledge in ourselves. And he
S4: came to adopt us into his family, which is a
S4: wonderful thought, especially for people who are considering Christmas this year.
S4: And they're aware of the fact that they're alone or
S4: they don't have the family members that they once had,
S4: or perhaps they've never had a sense of family or
S4: of fatherhood. And so the story of Christmas for them,
S4: if it's all like bells and tinkles and joys and presents,
S4: may seem a rather empty thing. Yes. But then when
S4: they read it here, you know, for example, in Galatians
S4: that he came forth to adopt us into his family.
S4: It's a wonderful thought.
S1: Part five directs our focus toward awaiting a new advent.
S1: And some listeners might be saying, what do you mean?
S1: Fill us in here?
S4: Well, the king who came is the king who's coming.
S4: So that advent traditionally, if you like, I was going
S4: to say normal churches, but that wouldn't be the right
S4: thing to say. But I think people who have approached
S4: advent in light of the totality of Scripture, realize that
S4: it is a celebration which looks backwards to the King
S4: who came and which looks forward to the King who
S4: will come, and that the impact of the discovery of
S4: the king who came is to then propel us out
S4: into the world, to tell our friends and neighbors that
S4: there is a king who's going to come. And that,
S4: I think, is the great impetus when you get, for example,
S4: to the book of revelation. I think that's why people
S4: love it when they go to the orchestra and they
S4: they stand for the Hallelujah chorus. They may not actually
S4: know what it is they're celebrating, but what they're celebrating
S4: is the fact that the king is coming.
S1: Just joining us, we're talking with Pastor Alistair Begg about
S1: his Christmas devotional Let Earth Receive her King. They're offering
S1: to you. They're offering it to you at cost at
S1: their website, which we will link you to when you
S1: visit the land and the book. Org. Alistair, you write
S1: my prayer is that these advent devotions will cause you
S1: to wonder at all that God has done, and I
S1: think that's absolutely huge. I mean, there isn't a single
S1: syllable in the Christmas story that isn't drenched in wonder.
S1: Yet so often we approach it like an old yellowed newspaper.
S1: What is wrong with our wonder, Alistair?
S4: Well, I think what is wrong is that we start
S4: with ourselves almost inevitably, often in our worship. It's about
S4: who I am, how I'm feeling, and what I'm looking for,
S4: as opposed to beginning with God and His glory. The
S4: story of the gospel is not of us seeking God,
S4: but is of God coming to seek us. That the
S4: invisible boundary between ourselves and a holy God can only
S4: be crossed by God himself. And that's the wonder of it.
S4: And I and I think when we, you know, stand
S4: back far enough and think about the big, big picture,
S4: then we realize how wonderful it is that the most
S4: wonderful thing about Christmas Day is that the story of
S4: Christmas Day is true every day. Yes, that Immanuel is Immanuel,
S4: that he is actually the one that we need. And
S4: he promises his presence with us. And so, you know,
S4: when Christmas ends and the children go back to school
S4: and everything quotes returns to normal. Normal for the Christian
S4: in light of Christmas, is to enjoy the presence of
S4: the living Lord who came to Bethlehem as a King
S4: whose kingdom is being extended throughout the world all day
S4: and every day as the gospel is proclaimed. And one
S4: day that kingdom will come in triumph. And universally, and
S4: as we keep our eyes on that in the future,
S4: It gives us a perspective in the present.
S1: Wow, that's a great way to land this conversation. We're
S1: talking with Alistair Begg, his devotional, Let Earth Receive Her
S1: King available to you at cost when you visit their website,
S1: which will link you to at the Land and the book. Org.
S1: Thank you so much for this conversation. It's been very encouraging. Alistair.
S4: Well, thank you John.
S1: And we look forward to re-engaging with Charlie Dyer on
S1: our next segment here on the land and the book.
S1: Welcome back to the land and the book. I'm John
S1: Gager asking our host, Charlie Dyer, all your Christmas cards
S1: mailed out, all your Christmas gifts purchased and wrapped. Charlie.
S2: Uh, as much as I can. Yes.
S1: Now, that's a rather evasive answer. I'll just. I'll just
S1: give you the benefit of the doubt, though, and we'll
S1: just move right along here to another question As the
S1: end of the year approaches, many world events have left
S1: us wondering what God's plan is for the future, and
S1: this is especially true when it comes to Israel. Despite
S1: its small size, people around the world are just intensely
S1: focused on what takes place. There are today's headlines, though
S1: connected in any way with prophecies in the Bible. Are
S1: we getting that close? How should followers of Jesus interpret
S1: current events as we await his second coming?
S2: And to help answer those important questions, our friends at
S2: Life and Messiah encourage you to check out their book, God, Israel,
S2: and Bible Prophecy with Scripture as its foundation. This book
S2: will take you on a journey into what God has
S2: in store for the Jewish people and the nations. The
S2: book is for anyone who wants to explore where modern
S2: day events fit on God's grand timeline. Now, if that's
S2: you or someone you know, this would be a great
S2: resource or gift and perhaps a Christmas gift as we
S2: were just talking about. Well, visit Life in Messiah. Org
S2: and click on the Moody Radio button there to find
S2: out how you can receive your copy of God, Israel
S2: and Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org.
S1: All right, let's get right into the essence of segment
S1: three questions and answers, starting with this one from Mark,
S1: who says, I understand what it means for God to
S1: bless us, but I am not as clear about what
S1: it means for us to bless God. And he takes
S1: us to Psalm 19 that says, I will bless the
S1: Lord who gives me counsel. Can you clarify what it
S1: means to bless the Lord?
S2: Well, I'll start with this reality. The Hebrew word for bless, Barak,
S2: comes from the word for knee barak. The initial meaning
S2: of this verb bless is to kneel. When God blesses us.
S2: It's as if we're kneeling before the sovereign who reaches
S2: out to extend his favor to us. But when we
S2: bless God, the images of us kneeling down before him
S2: to offer our recognition and praise and adoration for all
S2: God has done. Psalm 103 is what comes to mind
S2: when I think of this. Bless the Lord, O my soul,
S2: and all that is within me. Bless his holy name.
S2: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all
S2: his benefits. Then, in verses 3 to 5, David lists
S2: five gracious acts God has done for us that should
S2: cause us to offer such praise and adoration. He ends
S2: the psalm by announcing that God has established his throne
S2: in the heavens, and his sovereignty rules over all. As
S2: a result, David calls on the angels to bless the
S2: Lord in the sense of offering praise and worship to
S2: God for his sovereign rule. And then he calls on
S2: the works of creation itself to bless the Lord. And
S2: he finally ends as he began by calling on his
S2: own soul to bless the Lord. Now take all that together.
S2: I think the idea of blessing God is praising, adoring,
S2: and worshiping him for who he is and for what
S2: he's done, especially what he's done for us.
S1: Question number two from Jackie. We're studying Ruth and also
S1: reading Deuteronomy 25 as background information. And this all spurred
S1: the following questions. Does anything happen to the brother or
S1: kinsman redeemer who refuses to wed the widow, and if
S1: he does refuse, is the widow, then free to marry
S1: somebody else.
S2: Yeah, if he's the only available kinsman redeemer, the shaming
S2: in Deuteronomy 25 evidently would take place. Now, we're not
S2: told what would happen if the man refuses, but another
S2: eligible kinsman redeemer takes his place. I'm assuming he might
S2: be spared the public humiliation of Deuteronomy 25, but everyone
S2: at the time would still know he had refused to
S2: fulfill his obligation. It's interesting that the one who refuses
S2: is given a new name, and the name literally is
S2: House of the Removed Sandal. In terms of being free
S2: to marry someone else, Deuteronomy 25 five says the widow
S2: must not marry outside the family. Now that's a direct prohibition,
S2: and it isn't conditioned on whether a potential kinsman redeemer
S2: might or might not be there or do something. So
S2: I take it she was expected to remain single unless
S2: and until someone in the extended family was able and
S2: willing to fulfill the role. And with large families, I
S2: suspect there would have been a number of potential candidates
S2: as they moved down the line.
S1: Here's an interesting question based in Luke ten. When Jesus
S1: sent out the 72, he instructed, say to them, The
S1: kingdom of God has come near to you. Well, of
S1: course it had. This writer says, Through Jesus, the Son
S1: of God, our Messiah. But wasn't it later that Jesus
S1: revealed himself as the Son of God and Messiah? So
S1: how would they explain that the kingdom of God has
S1: come near to you?
S2: Well, I see Jesus presenting Himself as Messiah and the
S2: Son of God. Actually, prior to Luke ten, his phrase
S2: Son of Man is a messianic phrase that comes from
S2: Daniel chapter seven, where one like a son of man,
S2: comes with the clouds of heaven. Jesus heals the paralytic
S2: to show them. He says in Luke five that the
S2: Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.
S2: In the next chapter, Jesus announced that the Son of
S2: Man is Lord of the Sabbath in chapter six, verse five.
S2: In response to the question from John the Baptist in
S2: Luke seven, Jesus tells John's disciples to report back and
S2: tell John what they had seen and heard from him.
S2: And then he quotes Isaiah 35, which describes the miraculous
S2: deeds that will take place when God comes to deliver
S2: his people. Once John's disciples leave, Jesus quotes Malachi three
S2: one and says, it refers to John. Well, that passage
S2: describes the messenger who's going to come to prepare the
S2: way for the Messiah. And then suddenly the Lord you
S2: are seeking it says, will come to his temple, the
S2: messenger of the covenant whom you desire will come. Finally,
S2: after sending out the 12, Jesus gathers him and asks
S2: them who the crowds were saying he was. He then
S2: asks who they thought he was. Peter responded by saying
S2: Jesus was the Christ that is the Messiah of God.
S2: That's Luke 920. So it seems clear that even though
S2: most of the people might not have understood Jesus through
S2: his words, actions, and miracles was fulfilling what the Old
S2: Testament prophets said would take place in the days of
S2: the Messiah and the arrival of his kingdom. So in
S2: Luke ten nine, then when he tells the 72 to
S2: announce that the kingdom of God is near you, I
S2: believe the expectation is that they should have understood and
S2: responded since he was on his way through these villages
S2: heading to Jerusalem.
S1: Thank you for being a part of the land and
S1: the book. Segment three Questions and Answers Mary takes us
S1: to a friend who suffers from muscular dystrophy. Wondering about
S1: what it's like when one goes to be with the Lord.
S1: He asks if it's being born again. And this is
S1: not a reference necessarily to Bible doctrine, rather, the fact
S1: that he knows he won't have his physical earthly body.
S1: Making him wonder what form he will take in heaven.
S2: Yeah, and we don't have the full answer to those questions,
S2: but we do know enough to have a good basic
S2: idea of what it'll be like for believers when we
S2: receive our resurrection bodies. Revelation 20 says, those who are
S2: martyred by being beheaded will come to life and reign
S2: with Christ. For that to happen, their new resurrection bodies
S2: will need to be restored to wholeness. The final two
S2: chapters of revelation also tell us there will be no
S2: more night, no more curse, no tears, no mourning, no crying,
S2: no pain. In first Corinthians 15, Paul describes the resurrection
S2: body this way. He says it'll be with the resurrection body.
S2: The body that is sown is perishable, it's raised imperishable.
S2: It's sown in dishonor. It's raised in glory. It's sown
S2: in weakness. It's raised in power. It's sown a natural body,
S2: it's raised a spiritual body. And then in verse 49
S2: he says, and just as we have borne the likeness
S2: of the earthly man, so we shall bear the likeness
S2: of the man from heaven. And finally, in first John
S2: three two, John wrote, dear friends, now we are children
S2: of God. And and what we will be has not
S2: yet been made known. But we know that when he
S2: appears we shall be like him, for we shall see
S2: him as he is.
S1: Sadie has a bunch of questions about Romans 11. Paul
S1: uses the language of beloved for the sake of their fathers.
S1: Does this mean beloved for the sake of the covenants?
S1: And if so, is this some kind of favoritism? And
S1: does God have feelings? Or is this sort of a
S1: poetic way of saying the covenant must be fulfilled in
S1: this way as well, not only to the church, but
S1: also in this other way also? Is Romans written to
S1: a pagan audience? And is this kind of saying don't
S1: be racist?
S2: Well, Romans was actually written to both Jews and Gentiles,
S2: and let me try to answer the rest of the
S2: questions this way. First, when Paul says Israel is beloved
S2: on account of the patriarchs, I believe the next verse
S2: supplies the answer. Israel had a special place before God,
S2: because God's gifts to and call of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac,
S2: and Jacob. So in that sense, it's not all the
S2: Old Testament covenants, but the Abrahamic covenant that I believe
S2: Paul has in view. In Genesis 12, God called Abraham.
S2: And as the covenant develops in future chapters, it includes
S2: the Promised Land, the Promised Seed, and a promise that
S2: the world would be blessed through Abraham and his descendants.
S2: Paul's arguing that there's a future for Israel, because God's
S2: gifts to and call of Israel's patriarchs was irrevocable. Now
S2: for the other part of your question, God does have emotions,
S2: but we need to be careful not to reduce God
S2: merely to a divine parallel to our emotions. We do
S2: know that love is one of God's attributes. In Jeremiah
S2: 31 three, God said to Israel, I've loved you with
S2: an everlasting love. And in the same way John 316
S2: reminds us, God so loved the world, he gave his
S2: one and only son as part of his plan for redemption.
S2: So I don't see this as favoritism, since the offer
S2: to Israel was to all, even though only a remnant responded,
S2: and in the same way, Christ's death was sufficient for all,
S2: even though not all choose to accept it. I wouldn't
S2: say Paul's letter to the Romans was written to pagans,
S2: since in one seven he says he's writing to all
S2: in Rome who are loved by God and are called
S2: to be saints.
S1: Got time for just one more regarding King Solomon's rule
S1: over the surrounding nations? What was the justification? Was it
S1: basically conquer or be conquered, or was it just an
S1: unjust conquest?
S2: Well, this answer is just a little bit complex, but
S2: some of the nations over which Solomon ruled had been
S2: captured by his father, David, and a number of them
S2: were captured in response to their own actions of the Philistines,
S2: the Arameans, the ammonites, the Edomites, the Moabites. They were
S2: historic enemies of Israel, and they attacked Israel. And we
S2: can read about that in the book of Judges and
S2: in the first part of Samuel? So in that sense,
S2: I don't see Israel's control over them as being unjust.
S2: And when it came to King Solomon, some of his
S2: connections to other nations are based on common interests. For example,
S2: he entered into a joint venture with tyre that involved
S2: using their sailors to man ships. Solomon had built Solomon,
S2: and the Queen of Sheba apparently developed a trade relationship,
S2: and Solomon collected tribute and taxes from surrounding nations, which
S2: also likely received goods or services in return from him.
S1: Whether you've got a question or a comment, we'd love
S1: to hear from you. Email us at. The land and
S1: the book@moody.edu. Let us know how the program is connecting
S1: with you at the land and the book@moody.edu. We're not
S1: done yet. Charlie's devotional is coming up right here on
S1: the land. And the book. Depression. It's a real thing
S1: affecting many, many people. This is the land and the
S1: book I'm John Geiger. Welcome back to segment four, our devotional,
S1: Charlie Depression. Our focus in your devotional coming up.
S2: That's right. And God's solution for.
S1: Depression I love it. We're not going to just stay negative.
S1: We're going to talk about what God says. All right.
S1: Before we get to that, though, let's pause for this
S1: Holy Land experience testimony. I love hearing how God impacts
S1: people as they travel to the Holy Land.
S6: Hello! I went to Israel a few years back and
S6: didn't have any expectations, but as we went through the
S6: places that Jesus walked and where he lived and ministered,
S6: we just felt the presence of the Lord so strongly,
S6: and it was a place that we could actually begin
S6: to connect with him in such a personal way, because
S6: we were in the same place that he did these things.
S6: The exciting thing was, um, especially the via de la
S6: Delarosa because it was just so emotion packed and then
S6: going to the Sea of Galilee. And that's where the
S6: Lord just spoke to me and began to reveal himself
S6: to me in such a personal way that he loves me,
S6: and I just could not get enough of him. I
S6: have desired to go back ever since, and I think
S6: it just touched me personally so much. And my walk
S6: with Christ, I did not come back the same and
S6: have not been since.
S1: Second Timothy chapter four is where we're headed for today's devotional.
S1: And with that, Charlie, I'll turn it over to you.
S2: Well, thanks, John. Those of us in the northern hemisphere
S2: are coming up on the shortest day of the year.
S2: In another week, the Earth's pole reaches its maximum tilt
S2: away from the sun. Of course, those in the southern
S2: hemisphere are approaching their longest day of the year. They
S2: bask in the sunshine while we struggle through the long,
S2: dark nights. This is the time of year when many
S2: in the Northern hemisphere struggle with sad seasonal affective disorder,
S2: the shorter days and less daylight triggers a chemical reaction
S2: in the brain that can actually lead to symptoms of depression.
S2: Treating depression has become big business for drug companies. I'm
S2: amazed by the number of commercials on television for various
S2: antidepressant drugs. It's also somewhat disconcerting when those commercials then
S2: list all the possible side effects like decreased alertness, diabetes,
S2: or suicidal feelings. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not
S2: speaking against such drugs or those who take them. For
S2: many taking antidepressants, the drugs have proved to be a
S2: great help to enable a person to feel as if
S2: he or she has returned to the land of the
S2: living emotionally. But imagine what it was like before such
S2: drugs existed. How was someone able to face those anxious,
S2: dark times of life without selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors? For
S2: the answer, I want us to visit someone who faced
S2: just such a time before introducing him. Let me tell
S2: you a little bit about him. He's in prison, Facing execution.
S2: No television, no books, no reading material. Not even a
S2: warm coat to fight back against the growing chill in
S2: his unheated prison cell. As the autumn days grow short
S2: and cold, most of his former friends have deserted him.
S2: At his trial, no one even showed up as a
S2: character witness in his defense. He's alone, facing a bleak,
S2: uncertain future and with nothing to distract him from what
S2: he knows will soon happen once his execution date is
S2: finally set. Sound depressing? Well, the men were visiting with
S2: is the Apostle Paul, and even as he sits in
S2: this dank, dark prison facing death, Paul is anything but depressed.
S2: Let's visit with him to see what he discovered about
S2: God's solution for depression. The first thing we learn about
S2: Paul is that he hasn't retreated into some fantasy world
S2: where he spends his time dreaming about a miraculous escape.
S2: He fully understands the reality he's facing. I am already
S2: being poured out like a drink offering and the time
S2: has come for my departure. Paul clearly realizes that his
S2: physical life here on earth is about to end, but
S2: he is able to put his impending death in perspective
S2: by focusing on the reality of life beyond death. I
S2: have fought the good fight. I have finished the race.
S2: I have kept the faith. Now there is in store
S2: for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the
S2: righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and
S2: not only to me, but also to all who have
S2: longed for his appearing. As the old expression goes, some
S2: people are so heavenly minded that there are no earthly good,
S2: but others are so focused on living in the here
S2: and now that they're absolutely unprepared when they suddenly come
S2: face to face with the reality of their impending death.
S2: Paul stayed balanced by keeping his feet firmly planted in
S2: both realities. While he was here on Earth, he kept
S2: moving forward. He tackled life like a honed athlete, fighting
S2: the good fight, Running the race until finally crossing the
S2: finish line. But at the same time, Paul lifted his
S2: gaze to remember that this life isn't all there is
S2: to life. There's a life to come. And that reality
S2: allowed Paul to face the struggles in this life, including
S2: his own impending death. A second way Paul was able
S2: to keep from becoming depressed was to focus on his friends.
S2: He wrote to Timothy saying, do your best to come
S2: to me quickly. After describing those who had deserted him,
S2: Paul quickly adds, Only Luke is with me. But don't
S2: miss the point. Luke was still there and he encourages
S2: Timothy to get Mark and bring him with you, because
S2: he's very helpful to me in my ministry. Paul wants
S2: to be surrounded by his trusted circle of friends, not
S2: simply to offer emotional support, as important as that was,
S2: but also to help advance the ministry. The end of
S2: the race might have been in sight, but Paul was
S2: still moving forward and these friends could help. Paul also
S2: kept from being depressed by addressing both his physical and
S2: spiritual needs. Winter was on the way, and the cold
S2: and damp conditions in the prison could wear on Paul physically.
S2: His solution? In his letter to Timothy, he writes when
S2: you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus
S2: at Troas. That tiny addition to second Timothy four is
S2: a reminder that Paul understood the importance of taking care
S2: of his own physical needs, but his spiritual needs were
S2: just as important. The next request was for Timothy to
S2: bring my scrolls, especially the parchments. We're not told the
S2: specific content of those scrolls and parchments, but it seems
S2: almost certain that they were his collection of God's Word.
S2: The Bible wasn't a single bound book as we know
S2: it today. Individual books or sections of the Bible were
S2: copied by hand on parchment scrolls. Paul wanted to have
S2: God's Word close by to receive the spiritual comfort it offered. Finally,
S2: Paul was able to keep from being depressed by dealing
S2: biblically with the negative stresses and traumas of life. He
S2: recounted that at my first defense, no one came to
S2: my support, but everyone deserted me. But rather than dwelling
S2: on this, Paul chose to forgive. May it not be
S2: held against them, he wrote. There were evil men who
S2: actively sought to harm Paul during his imprisonment and trial. Alexander,
S2: the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. But
S2: rather than allowing bitter or vengeful thoughts to eat away
S2: at him emotionally, Paul turned the entire matter over to
S2: the Lord. The Lord will repay him for what he
S2: has done. But while that sounds good in theory, how
S2: did Paul forgive friends who hurt him or enemies who
S2: actively attacked him? Paul did so by having a clear
S2: understanding of the person and work of Christ. Friends might
S2: have deserted him, but the Lord stood by my side
S2: and gave me strength. Enemies sought to harm him, but
S2: the Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and
S2: will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. Paul wasn't alone,
S2: nor was he defenseless. Instead of obsessing on his problems,
S2: he focused with laser like intensity on the person and
S2: power of the god he served. In fact, instead of
S2: becoming depressed, Paul ended with a doxology to him be
S2: glory for ever and ever. Amen. But how are you
S2: doing today? We all face stresses and struggles in life.
S2: You might be struggling with depression or simply with sadness
S2: and heartache. You might be taking antidepressant medication or trying
S2: to cope on your own, but whatever your circumstances, let's
S2: head home from our visit with the Apostle Paul with
S2: another arsenal to help us face life's struggles. Face life
S2: head on, but do so while remembering that this life
S2: isn't all there is to life. Death isn't the end.
S2: It's only a transition from here to eternity. Connect with
S2: your circle of friends to gain their emotional support. And
S2: if you don't have any friends, find a group at
S2: your church where you can fellowship. Eat right. Don't allow
S2: yourself to become run down physically. Spend time reading God's
S2: Word and don't allow thoughts of anger, revenge, or betrayal
S2: to eat away at your soul. Instead, hand the matter
S2: over to God while you forgive those who failed you,
S2: and finally, pull out your Bible and read second Timothy four.
S2: Here are the Apostle Paul's final practical words to you
S2: on how to face whatever life throws your way.
S1: It's such an encouragement. This life isn't all there is
S1: to life. Thank you, Charlie for that devotional. Thanks for
S1: hanging out with us today at The Land and the book.
S1: Hope you enjoyed the program. Love to hear from you.
S1: Our email address is The Land and the book@moody.edu. That's
S1: the land and the book@moody.edu. Want to say thanks to
S1: Charlie Dyer? To Dan Anderson? I'm John Gager, and thank
S1: you to this station for creating space for the land
S1: and the book. A production of Moody Radio, a ministry
S1: of Moody Bible Institute.