S1: Max Lucado is one of America's most read Christian authors.
S1: You know him for his devotionals, but now he invites
S1: us to join him in focusing on future events, world prophecy,
S1: and what happens next. In just a few minutes, we're
S1: going to connect with special guest Max Lucado for a
S1: conversation about what's ahead. Right now, though, I want to
S1: welcome you to the land and the book from Moody Radio,
S1: where we take you to the Middle East and back
S1: with a biblical look at all that's going on. Our
S1: host is Doctor Charlie Dyer, noted Middle East expert, and
S1: I'm John Gieger. Charlie boy Israel certainly in the news again.
S1: And as the Bible is jam packed with end times
S1: prophecies about end times, world events, the regathering of the
S1: Jewish people to their ancient homeland. And Jesus soon returned.
S1: It seems to me it's crucial for us as believers
S1: to have a proper understanding of Bible prophecy. Why? Well,
S1: so our view of the future is shaped by Scripture,
S1: not just stuff we're reading online.
S2: You're absolutely right, John. And with that in mind, our
S2: friends 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. 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: Charlie, a real important announcement right now. We've got a
S1: five book blast giveaway going on right now, five books
S1: we're giving away to anybody who will send in an
S1: email and be part of this drawing by Sunday at midnight.
S1: Enter to win this five book blast. Who's in this
S1: book blast? Well, we've got Charlie Dyer's Experiencing the Land
S1: of the book, a life changing journey through Israel. Just
S1: all kinds of great color photos and stories that you
S1: won't hear anywhere else. We've got wrestling with job, defiant
S1: faith in the face of suffering, a walking tour of
S1: the Gospels. In this way we came to Rome. This
S1: is an interesting book that talks about the geography of
S1: Paul's journeys and ministry. And finally, the chosen novel four
S1: from Jerry Jenkins, all part of our book blast. How
S1: do you enter? Send an email to the land and
S1: the book@moody.edu. Now you can't just say, please enter me,
S1: send me the books you need to tell us how
S1: does the land and the book impact your life? How
S1: does God use the land and the book in your life?
S1: All right, send that answer to us at the land
S1: and the book at Moody Dot. book@moody.edu, and we will
S1: draw at random. One winner by Sunday night at midnight.
S1: The land and the book at Moody dot. Edu. All right.
S1: Our current events. Topics. Story one. In response to the
S1: assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Iran has vowed revenge
S1: on Israel and the world has been holding its breath
S1: since then. What do we know so far about their plans?
S2: Yeah, you know, Israel hasn't officially claimed responsibility for Haniya's assassination,
S2: but apparently they told the US they were behind it.
S2: As the political chief of Hamas, Haniyeh was part of
S2: the leadership that's been targeted by Israel since October 7th.
S2: Iran was embarrassed by the attack, which took place in
S2: Tehran during the inauguration festivities for their new president. And
S2: it happened in a building controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary
S2: Guard Corps. Ayatollah Khomeini ordered a revenge attack on Israel
S2: and Iran met with representatives from other terror groups to
S2: prepare a coordinated attack. Back in April, Iran launched about
S2: 300 rockets, missiles and drones against Israel. Most were shot
S2: down by US, British and Israeli forces, though a few
S2: made it through and caused minor damage to an Israeli
S2: Air Force base. Now at this time, Iran and its
S2: allies wanted to launch a much larger and more sustained
S2: attack of rockets, missiles and drones from multiple directions to
S2: overwhelm Israel's defenses and cause more damage. The US began
S2: an intensive diplomatic effort to cool tensions and to get
S2: Iran and its allies to reconsider. One possible reason for
S2: Iran to hold off on retaliating is the realization that
S2: the assassination wasn't caused by an Israeli missile as initially feared,
S2: but by a bomb smuggled into the room by members
S2: of its own security force working with Israel. As we
S2: record this program to send out to stations, we still
S2: don't know when or even if there's going to be
S2: an attack. It could even happen between the time we
S2: record and the time the program actually airs. Now, if
S2: there is an attack, it could come from Iran, Hezbollah
S2: or both. Iran could also try to attack Israelis traveling
S2: or living abroad. Israel prepared its defenses while telling its
S2: citizens to go about their normal duties and remain diligent.
S2: And in the meantime, all they can do is wait.
S1: Well, the US announced it would help Israel stand against
S1: any Iranian attack. What exactly did we do to help prepare?
S1: And what might we ask of Israel in return? Yeah.
S2: The US deployed multiple warships to the Persian Gulf and
S2: eastern Mediterranean to help repel any threatened attack. These include
S2: aircraft carriers and an amphibious assault team with 4000 Marines.
S2: We also sent fighter jet squadrons and land based ballistic
S2: missile defense systems. This was all intended to send a
S2: strong message to Iran that the US would defend Israel
S2: against attack. What we don't know right now is if
S2: Iran takes the message seriously or not, if Iran refrains
S2: from launching an attack, or if they only launch a
S2: token attack, then that would suggest they got the message.
S2: Another question that hasn't been fully addressed, though, is what
S2: the US will require of Israel in return for all
S2: our help. President Biden was apparently enraged over the assassination
S2: of Haniyeh, characterizing it publicly as unhelpful. He said the
S2: goal in the Middle East needs to be to reduce
S2: tension and secure a hostage deal with Hamas. Israel is
S2: heavily dependent on U.S. funds and equipment, and President Biden
S2: is using that to exert pressure on Israel to accept
S2: a cease fire deal and a hostage deal with Hamas.
S2: If one can be reached from.
S1: Moody Radio, this is the land and the book segment one.
S1: We're going over current events with our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer.
S1: I'm John Geiger, reminding you we've got a book blast
S1: coming until Sunday midnight. You can enter at the land
S1: and the book@moody.edu to win five books. We're giving away.
S1: More on that in a moment. Story number three. Israel's
S1: ongoing war with Hamas has almost gotten lost in the
S1: conflict with Hezbollah and Iran. But the war in Gaza
S1: raises a troubling question why has it been so hard
S1: to eliminate Hamas?
S2: You know, I think there are two primary reasons it's
S2: been so hard to eliminate them. The first is all
S2: the restrictions being placed on Israel throughout the war. They
S2: face charges of genocide, even though they've done more to
S2: minimize civilian casualties than any army in history. And that's
S2: especially true when facing an enemy that has deliberately hidden
S2: behind civilians using them, as well as homes and mosques
S2: and hospitals and schools as shields. The second reason, though
S2: it's been so hard to eliminate Hamas, is that at
S2: its core, this is a religious struggle, not just a
S2: military one. Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the October 7th
S2: massacre and the one leading the fight in Gaza, was
S2: just chosen to succeed Haniyeh as the political leader of Hamas.
S2: This consolidates all the political and military power of Hamas
S2: into the one person who holds some of the strongest
S2: religious views. Over the past ten months. Israel has amassed
S2: a treasure trove of information on Hamas through prisoner interrogations
S2: and the capture of files and computer disks. They discovered
S2: that under the leadership of people like Haniyeh and Sinwar,
S2: Hamas systematically indoctrinated the people in Islamic fundamentalism since taking
S2: control of Gaza in 2007. They've used Islam to justify
S2: their brutal attacks, Western concepts of moral values, of right
S2: and wrong, of what's logical and illogical, blinded us to
S2: the reality of the values espoused by Hamas and other
S2: Islamic fundamentalists. Many secular Israelis thought the root issues with
S2: Hamas were, well, economic or social or political. And that
S2: was all shattered on October 7th. The real cause for
S2: the conflict is the false teaching of Islam. It needs
S2: to be confronted by the truth of God's Word. In
S2: the end, only God can change the human heart. But
S2: we need to remember that faith comes by hearing and
S2: hearing by the Word of God. That's the real battle
S2: that needs to be fought.
S1: Israeli start up Eno valve has been acquired by an
S1: American company for $300 million. Tell us about this medical
S1: success story out of amazing Israel.
S2: You know, I want to approach this story from just
S2: a slightly different angle than we usually do with our
S2: amazing Israel stories. One of the most common heart issues
S2: is mitral valve regurgitation. While the aortic valve can be
S2: replaced using a procedure called taven's transcatheter aortic valve replacement.
S2: My own mother had that procedure, but up until now,
S2: the only effective solution to mitral valve leakage has been open.
S2: Heart surgery and many suffering from the problem can't endure
S2: open heart surgery, which reduces their quality of life and
S2: eventually their life expectancy. So Eno Valve developed a technology
S2: that allows doctors to reach this difficult spot in the
S2: heart and securely anchor a new mitral valve in place
S2: while the heart is still beating. After receiving approval from
S2: the FDA, they began implementing the device in clinical trials.
S2: To date, about 40 people in the United States have
S2: had their mitral valve replaced using their new technology. Its
S2: effectiveness can be seen in the recent purchase of Eno
S2: valve by American medical device giant Edwards Lifesciences, which specializes
S2: in solutions for heart disease patients. The goal now is
S2: to complete the clinical trials and make the device available
S2: to potentially millions of people who suffer with mitral valve leakage,
S2: offering a minimally invasive solution to a major health problem. This, John,
S2: is another real life medical solution that is coming our
S2: way out of amazing Israel.
S1: And that's a look at current events. Charlie, we're excited
S1: about our five book blast, and if you can tell
S1: us how the land and the book impacts you in
S1: a quick email to the land and the book@moody.edu. We
S1: will enter your name for our drawing, which happens Sunday
S1: night at midnight. That's the cut off point. Tell us
S1: how the land of the book impacts you. Maybe it's
S1: personal Bible study that has been enlightened for you. A
S1: Sunday school class, if you're a pastor, maybe a sermon
S1: you're working on, or maybe just a conversation with a friend.
S1: Let us know as you email us at the land
S1: and the book@moody.edu. You could enter and win five books
S1: from this book blast, including Experiencing the Land of the book,
S1: Charlie Dyer's personal stories, personal photos of more than 100
S1: trips to Israel, wrestling with job. Maybe somebody you know
S1: is going through a rough spot right now and could
S1: use that encouragement. A walking tour of the Gospels is
S1: part of this package, as is the chosen novel four
S1: in the series by Jerry Jenkins. Also in this way
S1: We Came to Rome A look at Paul on the
S1: Appian Way. Fascinating stuff. And again, email your entry at
S1: The Land and the book@moody.edu. Let us know how the
S1: land of the book impacts you. Coming up, a conversation
S1: with Max Lucado. What happens next? That's right here on
S1: the land and the book. When my wife and I
S1: are traveling to another country. We first explore it all online,
S1: and then we visit our library and check out several guidebooks.
S1: And we study the.
S3: Maps.
S1: Read the articles, bone up on what to see and
S1: what to skip. But as believers, shouldn't we be at
S1: least as deliberate about preparing for the end of this age?
S1: Thanks for joining us today on The Land and the book.
S1: We're up next. We're going to visit with America's favorite
S1: Christian writer, Max Lucado. First, though, let's sharpen our focus
S1: on ideas for being more intentional with loving our Jewish
S1: friends for Christ. If you're going to share Jesus with
S1: a Jewish friend or any friend you can't really do
S1: the story justice apart from the crucifixion. And the crucifixion,
S1: of course, involves blood. But how do we respond when
S1: our Jewish friends tell us that blood sacrifice is no
S1: longer necessary? West Tabor is with life in Messiah.
S4: We agree. Without a temple and priesthood, sacrifice is no
S4: longer possible. But what makes us think it's no longer necessary?
S4: We understand the God of Israel is the one who
S4: established the Levitical priesthood and the sacrificial system that required
S4: blood for atonement, for the life of the flesh is
S4: in the blood, and I've given it to you on
S4: the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it
S4: is the blood, by reason of the life that makes atonement.
S4: We also find in the Old Testament God's promise of
S4: one who will make atonement.
S1: So where do we go in the scriptures to point
S1: our Jewish friends to biblical truth?
S4: Well, the clearest description of Messiah's atoning work is found
S4: in Isaiah 53, but pointers to Messiah can be found
S4: throughout the Old Testament. Check out Moody's Handbook of Messianic Prophecy.
S1: Thoughts from West Tabor, who is with life in Messiah,
S1: joining us today on the land and the book. Max
S1: Lucado preaches and writes and does both with a unique touch.
S1: His storytelling is poetic and his Bible teaching is just accessible.
S1: He writes books and as he puts it, he does
S1: so for people who don't read books. More than 150
S1: million of his titles have been sold by way of
S1: a day job. Yeah. He serves as a Bible teacher
S1: at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. And we're
S1: here today to talk about his first full book on
S1: the end times, What Happens Next A Traveler's Guide to
S1: the end of the age. It's an honor to connect
S1: with you, sir.
S5: Oh, it's my privilege. You're a very, very kind and
S5: gracious to allow me to be on your program.
S1: Well, you know, a Pew survey shows that 55% of
S1: Americans say they are interested in end times events. What's
S1: got average Americans so interested, Max?
S5: I think a couple of things. That's a that's a
S5: really good question. I think a couple of things. One
S5: is what we're seeing in the world. You know, we've
S5: got uh, especially with Israel and Gaza, but we've also
S5: got a potential conflict between the U.S. and Russia, between
S5: US and China. There's potential conflict between China and Taiwan.
S5: We've got Russia and Ukraine. It just seems like the
S5: global condition is very, very fragile. And it has people anxious. Yeah.
S5: And then I think also just from a spiritual standpoint,
S5: that the Lord is stirring hearts. He's preparing his church.
S5: I'm not the only pastor who has felt a call
S5: in the last several years to really dive deep into
S5: understanding in times and try to unpack it better for
S5: our churches. So I'm hopeful that it's the Lord that's
S5: stirring this, because that's the stirring that matters the most.
S1: A lot of Christians are wondering, is it possible we
S1: are right now living in the end times? What do
S1: you think?
S5: Well, my answer is we're not in the end times.
S5: We're in the end of the end times. To me,
S5: you know, John, and I know this is a vibrant
S5: and robust discussion that we'll all have until the Lord returns.
S5: But to me, everything changed in May of 1948 when
S5: Israel became a nation. I mean, it is simply striking
S5: that a people who were dispersed from their homeland for
S5: 2000 years would fulfill three specific biblical prophecies and be
S5: returned to their homeland. And all of those prophecies had
S5: to be fulfilled for many of the end times prophecy
S5: to be fulfilled. And so the fact that Israel has
S5: been regathered and is in the process of being regathered
S5: to its homeland is important. It is the we often
S5: call it the super sign. But a page of prophetic
S5: history was turned on May 8th, 1948, when Israel was
S5: reinstated to their home country.
S1: It's great to visit today with one of America's most
S1: beloved Christian writers, Max Lucado. I'm John Gager, and we're
S1: talking about what happens next. A Traveler's Guide to the
S1: End of the age here on the land and the book. Well,
S1: we live in an age of disunity, dislike and disinformation.
S1: How does that factor into what the Bible says about
S1: the end times? What do you think?
S5: I'm not at all surprised at the end times that
S5: during these last days that there is a greater sense
S5: of fear and anxiety. You think about it when people
S5: don't know where we are going, then they don't know
S5: where we are. They don't know how to interpret the
S5: many events. You know, there have been occasions when I
S5: got stuck in a subway and the subway line went down,
S5: or one time I got stuck in an elevator and
S5: the elevator quit moving. We've had those experiences and they're
S5: not very pleasant because they're claustrophobic. We wonder what's going
S5: to happen. I wonder if the whole world is in
S5: a claustrophobic state. As we look at these issues and
S5: statistics in which the mental health crisis is happening, depression
S5: is at an all time high. Suicide rates are just
S5: tragically high. Yes, and I wonder how much of it
S5: is simply due to the fact that we don't know
S5: what's about to happen. We feel stuck. We're trapped in
S5: a plane that can't get off the tarmac. And that's
S5: why the Christian gospel, that's why the hope of heaven.
S5: And that's why the promise of eternal life is so
S5: life giving. It tells me that these brief and momentary
S5: problems are not worth comparing with the glory that outweighs
S5: them all. And that's why we have the opportunity to
S5: give so much hope to so many people.
S1: You know, there are many among us, myself being one
S1: of them, who kind of grew up sort of fearing
S1: the rapture, you know? And if fear is not the
S1: right response, what is?
S5: Yes, sir, I know it. And I've talked to many people,
S5: especially when I was preaching through this series. All of
S5: my books are first sermon series. John at our church.
S5: And when I was preaching through this sermon series, I
S5: was surprised how many people came to me and said,
S5: you know, I grew up being afraid of the rapture.
S5: And I understand that the idea of a supernatural call
S5: of God to empty out the graves and the living
S5: will be raised and will be reunited with those who
S5: are in Paradise right now. But the Apostle Paul said
S5: after he taught on this in first Thessalonians four to
S5: encourage one another with these words, I believe it's an
S5: encouraging it's an exciting moment because what it says to
S5: me is that God will deliver his church. He will
S5: rescue his church before the real chaos begins during the
S5: tribulation and in that moment of rapture as well as deliverance,
S5: it will be great healing. I've got so many people
S5: who are friends and members of our congregation, who have
S5: lived their lives in bodies that have never worked well.
S5: I cannot wait for that moment in which they will
S5: be changed from one instant to the next in a perfected,
S5: glorified body in which they will live forever. And so
S5: it's going to be the greatest miracle since the history
S5: of mankind. And so I'm not quite sure how to
S5: calm people's fears except to say Jesus said, do not
S5: let your heart be troubled. Trust in God. Trust also
S5: in me and my father's house. There are many mansions,
S5: and if it were not, so would I have told you?
S5: But I am going there to prepare a place for you.
S5: And when I'm finished, I will come back and get you.
S5: That's his promise. I will come back and get you.
S5: So let's don't be afraid of it. Let's trust the Lord.
S5: Let's trust his goodness and his provision. And let's be
S5: comforted by the fact that he he will rescue us
S5: at the right time.
S1: Max Lucado is a writer whose books you've read or
S1: should have. He joins us today on the land and
S1: the book. What are some typical mistakes that we make
S1: when trying to do our own study of end times events.
S5: Now that is a great question. I've done several interviews
S5: and no one's asked me that, and that's the kind
S5: of question I'd love to answer, because what I've found, John,
S5: as I dug into this, is that we do make
S5: a mistake, and that is we go quickly to the
S5: prophetic books like Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah, of course, the Book
S5: of Revelation. And, well, we should. Well, we should. I
S5: just think we should start in the book of Genesis.
S5: I think the book of Genesis is the most prophetic
S5: book in the Bible, because what God declares in the
S5: beginning is what will happen in the end. The Scripture
S5: tells us he declares the end from the beginning. So
S5: if you want to know how we're going to end up,
S5: let's see how we began. And when you look at
S5: the Garden of Eden, there you see God's intent and
S5: purpose that his people would reign with him in perfect bodies,
S5: in a perfect Paradise. So there's God's plan now, unlike us,
S5: God doesn't change his mind. You know, I may change
S5: my mind 2 or 3 times on a given day.
S5: Not God, he declares the end from the beginning. And
S5: so he's already declared that this is his prototype. This
S5: is his picture and what we see in the lives
S5: of Adam and Eve is a picture of his purpose
S5: for us. So if we do make a mistake in
S5: terms of studying in times, it's that we go to
S5: the end rather than to the beginning. But really, eschatology,
S5: which is the study of end things or last things,
S5: is best understood through proctology, which is the study of
S5: the earliest things. I did that in the book. I
S5: found that and also shared that with the church. And
S5: I kept coming back to that. You know, here's what
S5: God is doing. Here's where he is taking us. So
S5: let's don't get too confused or intimidated by the numbers
S5: and the symbols of the prophetic books until we've laid
S5: the foundation from the first book. And that's God's plan
S5: in the book of Genesis.
S1: Let's move on to a question that's on a lot
S1: of people's minds. Who or what is the Antichrist? And
S1: do you personally think the Antichrist is alive today?
S5: Well, the Antichrist is a figure that Satan will use
S5: in the tribulation or seven years of trouble after the
S5: church is raptured and Satan will indwell that person exactly
S5: the way he moved into the body of Judas on
S5: the evening prior to the crucifixion, and led Judas to
S5: betray Jesus. The Antichrist is a war monger. He'll come
S5: across as a peacemaker during a time of crisis, because
S5: the world will see the sudden vacated graves and the
S5: disappearance of the Christians. They'll say, where are all these people?
S5: It'll send the world into a state of chaos and crisis.
S5: But he will step forth, much like Hitler did, and
S5: be a calming voice and be a magnetic personality. And
S5: people will be irresistibly lured to him, and he will
S5: negotiate a peace treaty that involves the nation of Israel
S5: and involves, I believe, the rebuilding of the temple. But
S5: midway through that peace treaty, he'll break it. He'll set
S5: him up in the in the temple itself and demand
S5: to be worshipped. Daniel called this. And then Jesus called
S5: this the abomination of desolation. And it will take place
S5: during those seven years. So he is the ultimate pawn
S5: of the devil. Now to your question, is he alive today?
S5: I believe a candidate for the Antichrist is alive in
S5: every generation. Remember, Satan is not omnipresent and he's not
S5: omniscient and so he does not know when the rapture
S5: will take place. For that reason, I believe he's had
S5: a candidate in each generation. In the minute that there
S5: is a rapture, then Satan will go to work. I
S5: do not know if the Antichrist will appear immediately like
S5: within minutes after the rapture, but soon thereafter, at some
S5: point he will appear and Satan will have embodied him
S5: or moved into him. And so yeah, a candidate, it
S5: seems to me, is is alive in each generation. So
S5: there's one in our generation, but we who are believers
S5: will be rescued before he comes. Uh, the Scripture has
S5: promised that God will protect us from the wrath, not
S5: lead us to the wrath. And so for that, we
S5: don't have to worry. I'm never going to meet him.
S5: You're never going to meet him? Uh, I don't.
S6: Know if we'll.
S5: Be able to see him from Paradise. If we do,
S5: I don't even want to look at him.
S6: Uh.
S5: So I'm not anxious about it. But I do believe
S5: that those who do not know Christ should be anxious
S5: about it. And for that reason, we've got to be
S5: urgent urging people to trust Christ now, before the end comes.
S1: What happens next? A Traveler's Guide to the End of
S1: the age. We've been talking with author Max Lucado about
S1: that book. So many other questions to tackle, which means
S1: we need to get together again. Would you say we
S1: do it next time? We're looking forward to that conversation.
S1: But right now it's a look at Bible questions with
S1: our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer. That's next here on the
S1: land and the book. Welcome back to the land and
S1: the book. I'm John Gager saying thank you. Thank you
S1: for being with us. And thank you for sharing us
S1: with your friends. Word of mouth is how others find
S1: out about the broadcast or podcast, however you choose to listen.
S1: We're grateful for that. If you're a regular, you know
S1: this is segment three where we tackle questions that have
S1: been emailed to us. Here's a question though Israel has
S1: 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 of course,
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 today's headlines.
S1: Do you have that perspective? Right, Charlie?
S2: That's right. John. In fact, with this in mind, our
S2: friends 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 there to find out how you can receive your
S2: copy of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy. That's life in Messiah.
S1: Org if I had an imaginary button here I could push.
S1: I would go for a drum roll. As we open
S1: today's segment of questions and answers, starting with this one
S1: from Todd, who says, can you help me interpret? First
S1: Samuel 1529 and verse 35 one verse says, the Lord
S1: doesn't regret, and the next says, the Lord regretted. Charlie.
S1: Help us. Yeah.
S2: And both of those passages I see God using imagery
S2: of human emotion to express divine judgment. That is, the
S2: passage isn't suggesting God's fickle or prone to unpredictable changes
S2: in thought or mind. In fact, right in the middle
S2: of this section is verse 29, where Samuel provides a
S2: clear theological statement of God's immutability. He says, he who
S2: is the God of Israel does not lie or change
S2: his mind, for he is not a man, that he
S2: should change his mind. And the word used twice in
S2: that verse, change his mind, is the exact same word
S2: used in those other verses. Now here's how I put
S2: it all together. Verse 29 is that clear explanation of
S2: God's character? God's character and his actions remain consistent. God
S2: always rewards obedience, and he always judges disobedience. When Saul
S2: chose to disobey God, God withdrew his blessing from Saul
S2: and placed Saul under judgment. But to picture that in
S2: human terms it would appear that God relented or regretted
S2: his original decision. By the way, a good example of
S2: this principle can be found in Jeremiah 18, verses 7
S2: to 10. Jeremiah describes how God can appear to relent
S2: or change his mind, but in actual fact, God is
S2: consistent in promising to bless those who turn to him
S2: and to judge those who turn away from him. Historically,
S2: it's the same principle found in the Book of Jonah,
S2: where Jonah's message of judgment against Nineveh didn't take place
S2: because the people repented. In his anger, Jonah said to God,
S2: I knew you were a gracious and compassionate God, slow
S2: to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents
S2: from sending calamity. And the same word for relent is
S2: used in both Jeremiah 18 and Jonah four. That's used
S2: in in Samuel. So starting to go into all that detail.
S2: But I think the way to harmonize the verse is
S2: to recognize God in His essence is immutable. He doesn't change,
S2: but part of his character is God is to judge
S2: sin and disobedience and to reward repentance and submission. And
S2: in Saul's case, God went from blessing him to judging
S2: him based on Saul's actions as king.
S1: Thank you Charlie. Appreciate you clearing that up. Nancy wants
S1: to know, has the Philistine city of Gaza been in
S1: existence continuously since biblical times? Reading Zechariah nine, it's foretold
S1: this area would become a remnant for God. Would this
S1: be after Christ takes rule over all, or has there
S1: been a time previously when that people knew the God
S1: of Israel? Obviously the current territory of Gaza is much
S1: larger and not this remnant. Your perspective?
S2: Yeah, I've got to answer by putting verse seven there
S2: in its larger context. Zechariah nine ultimately points toward the
S2: coming of Israel's Messiah. In fact, verse nine in that
S2: chapter describes his arrival in Jerusalem on the colt, the
S2: foal of a donkey. So the overall imagery in the
S2: beginning of the chapter is of God coming to humble
S2: or judge nations and assume his rightful place as king.
S2: In verses 1 to 7, God pictures this coming as
S2: a march from north to south, and I believe the
S2: historical fulfillment of those verses came to pass when God
S2: sent Alexander the Great against the Gentile powers that are
S2: listed there. Now, when Zechariah then announced in verse seven
S2: that those who are left of the Philistines will belong
S2: to our God and become leaders in Judah, I believe
S2: he's predicting that the remnant will be absorbed into the
S2: nation of Judah. That is, he's saying the Philistines will
S2: lose their national identity and become part of the Jewish nation.
S2: And that's why he also adds that Ekron will be
S2: like the Jebusites. So he's comparing the remaining Philistines to
S2: the remnant of the Jebusites. When David captured Jebus and
S2: made it the capital of Israel.
S1: Here's a question from Mark takes us to numbers three, 42,
S1: and 43, which tell us that the total number of
S1: firstborn male Israelites a month old or more was 22,273.
S1: This total, he says, seems small in light of the
S1: fact that the number of male Israelites 20 years old
S1: or more, who were able to serve in this army
S1: was 603,550. What do I misunderstand? I thought all first
S1: born Israelites includes all. Firstborn is the figure from numbers
S1: three only firstborn under age 20. And if so, how
S1: do we know that? Or did I miss something?
S2: Yeah. This is one of those times when I would
S2: tell students, that's a great question. I wish I had
S2: a great answer to go along with it. And in
S2: this case, I think there are several possible answers, though
S2: none of them right now appears to be completely satisfactory.
S2: Now I take at face value numbers three versus 42
S2: and 43, which says the total number of firstborn males
S2: a month old and upward in Israel was 22,273. And
S2: verse 32 of chapter two says, the total number of
S2: fighting men 20 years old and upward was 603,550. So
S2: if you put those together, the ratio of total fighting
S2: men to firstborn would be something like 27 to 1,
S2: you know, that is, uh, there's 27 fighting men for
S2: every one first born. Now, they did have large families
S2: and many had multiple wives, but that seems like a
S2: large number. But there are several possible solutions, each of
S2: which comes at least with its own potential issues. Some
S2: see this as the key to reducing the population of Israelites.
S2: At the time of the Exodus, from 2 million to
S2: about 250,000. Now, I don't like that response. And here's
S2: part of the reason why there's a little obscure passage
S2: in Exodus chapter 38, where the amount of silver collected
S2: from the half shekel tax imposed on each male, it's
S2: 100 talents and 775 shekels. When you add that up,
S2: it exactly matches 603,550 men. So I really do think
S2: that that's how many fighting men there were, which means
S2: the whole population was around 2 million. Now others say,
S2: well then maybe the 22,000 only refers to first born
S2: male children born after the time of the first Passover possible.
S2: But there's nothing in the passage that would seem to
S2: limit it that way. Others suggest it might be a
S2: textual error, and the number could actually be higher, but
S2: there's no evidence of a textual problem. In fact, the
S2: Septuagint very closely matches the Masoretic Text at this point.
S2: So what do I suggest? Well, I start with the
S2: assumption that it isn't an error in the Bible. There
S2: is a solution. Even if it's not readily apparent to me.
S2: It means I need to hold any proposed solution lightly
S2: until more information is available. I think the possibility of
S2: lowering the total number of Israelites seems the least likely option.
S2: It's possible that the apparent discrepancy can be reduced by
S2: assuming the firstborn male is reckoned from the father, instead
S2: of the case of multiple wives. That is, if a
S2: man had multiple wives and multiple children, it's the first
S2: male child, regardless of which mother gave birth first. And
S2: we know Jacob had 12 sons through four women. David
S2: was the youngest of eight sons born to Jesse. My
S2: point would be that the ratio of firstborn males to
S2: the total number of males could have been 1 to 8,
S2: or 1 to 10, or 1 to 12. It doesn't
S2: completely resolve the problem, but it reduces the disparity. So finally,
S2: it's possible the number of firstborn does exclude the firstborn
S2: males at the time of the exodus, since they were
S2: redeemed by the application of blood on the doorposts of
S2: the houses. But right now I just have to live
S2: with the possibilities until someone comes along with a better
S2: answer that provides a more satisfactory solution.
S1: Charlie, that reference to blood on the doorpost takes us
S1: to Mark's question did the firstborn plague on Egypt take
S1: the lives of only children, or was it the firstborn
S1: of any age?
S2: I believe the plague was all inclusive. It took the
S2: firstborn males regardless of age. Exodus 1229 says it this
S2: way at midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn
S2: of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on
S2: the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner who was
S2: at the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock
S2: as well. But it doesn't have any age limitation. So
S2: they may have been young children, but they may have
S2: been adults. Uh, whoever was the first born male.
S1: Stan has a question about qualifications for elders. He says
S1: it seems clear based on first Timothy three and Titus one,
S1: an elder is to be a man under the headship
S1: issue in Scripture. What is your thought on this as
S1: some churches are debating the issue also same for a
S1: head pastor. Should it be a man?
S2: Yeah, I believe first Timothy three and Titus one do
S2: limit the office of elder to men in first Timothy
S2: three one qualification of an elder is that he be
S2: a husband of one wife. Literally. In Greek it says
S2: he needs to be a one woman man. And the
S2: word for husband or man there is very specific. The
S2: word husband isn't anthropos, which can at times be generically
S2: referring to men and women. It's the word honor which
S2: is man or husband. Uh, so the same is true
S2: of the word he uses for woman or wife. The
S2: elder must be a male, married and characterized by faithfulness
S2: to his wife. Now, I believe the role of the
S2: senior pastor, the head, the lead pastor, whatever the church
S2: uses is someone who's functioning biblically as an elder. So
S2: I see this limited to qualified men.
S1: Well, lots of questions come to our minds as we
S1: read Scripture and yours is welcome any time with an
S1: email to us at the Land and the book@moody.edu. Don't
S1: go away. There's more to come on the broadcast. It's
S1: Charlie Dyer's devotional. He takes a passage in Scripture to
S1: a place in the Holy Land and nails them together. Next.
S1: Right here. From Moody Radio. This is the Land and
S1: the book with our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John Gager,
S1: reflecting on a trip to Kruger National Park in South Africa.
S1: You're there to see the Big Five game. And one
S1: of those, of course, is the Lion and Man. Once
S1: you've heard a lion roar, you never forget it. And
S1: you read about it differently when you read scripture. Charlie. Uh,
S1: I think that's a sense of where you're going in
S1: your devotional today.
S2: That's exactly where we're heading, John.
S1: Much more than something a lion might do or say.
S1: Charlie's got an insight for us in Joel chapter three
S1: verse 16. But before he gets there, let's you and
S1: I listen to this Holy Land experience testimony.
S7: Hello, my name is Jan and my Holy Land experience
S7: was a series of aha moments. You know those moments
S7: where something that you've heard and you've felt, you understand
S7: the little tweak that just tells you this is my
S7: answer to this situation. And we were talking about Jesus baptism,
S7: and Charlie was explaining that that was the one time
S7: in recorded history that God the Father, God the Son,
S7: and God the Holy Spirit were present in one place
S7: for people to see. And so many times people question
S7: the Trinity, or how do you believe in the Holy Spirit?
S7: How can they be three? But to be able to
S7: say in Scripture, there's a part where they were together,
S7: 3 in 1. It was just one of those moments
S7: like that's there. He gave us the proof of that
S7: in his word, and I hadn't seen that before.
S1: All right, Charlie, I'm looking forward to what you got
S1: for us in your devotional today. Uh.
S2: Thanks, John. And if you've heard a lion roar, imagine
S2: what it sounds like when God roars. Well, that's what
S2: we're going to talk about, because this is week two
S2: of our five week series on famous 3/16 of the Bible.
S2: And today finds us once again in Jerusalem. But the
S2: scene in front of us is rather stark. It's late spring,
S2: but the trees are a little more than barren white sticks.
S2: Even the bark has been stripped off the branches. The
S2: fields just outside the city, which should be full of
S2: ripening grain, only have small clumps of stubble poking out
S2: from the ground. And then we spot the reason. As
S2: someone walks toward us through one of the barren fields,
S2: a cloud of insects fly up around him, only to
S2: settle back down and continue their feast. Once he's passed,
S2: Judah and Jerusalem have been invaded by swarms of locusts.
S2: We follow a group of ragged and worn citizens who
S2: are making their way through Jerusalem's streets toward a lone
S2: figure standing near the entrance to Solomon's Temple. He's calling
S2: out to all those who are streaming into the temple
S2: to ask for God's mercy. Declare a holy fast and
S2: call an assembly. Summon the elders and all who live
S2: in the land to the house of the Lord your God,
S2: and cry out to the Lord. Alas, for that day,
S2: for the day of the Lord is near. It will
S2: come like destruction from the Almighty. The man calling out
S2: to the crowd is the prophet Joel, and his message
S2: is a somber declaration of imminent disaster. Like repeated hammer blows,
S2: the nation has experienced a series of locust plagues. What
S2: the gnawing locusts has left, the swarming locust has eaten,
S2: and what the swarming locust has left. The creeping locust
S2: has eaten, and what the creeping locust has left. The
S2: stripping locust has eaten. With the crops and trees devastated,
S2: the nation now faces the very real specter of famine
S2: and death. No wonder Joel announced the day of the
S2: Lord is near. That phrase occurs throughout the Bible. The
S2: day of the Lord was any time God came in
S2: judgment to settle accounts. In that sense, there were many
S2: days of the Lord throughout Israel's history. As the crowd
S2: gathered around listening to Joel, they could see that the
S2: crisis they now faced was just such a day. But
S2: as Joel continued speaking, he used the current crisis as
S2: a springboard to describe an even more frightening day of
S2: the Lord, a still future day when a greater and
S2: more deadly invasion would threaten the land. The prophet described
S2: it as a day of darkness and gloom, a day
S2: of clouds and blackness like dawn spreading across the mountains.
S2: A large and mighty army comes, such as never was
S2: of old, nor ever will be in ages to come.
S2: The horrors of the recent deadly series of locust plagues
S2: will pale in comparison to the ultimate day of the
S2: Lord invasion still to come. As a master orator, Joel
S2: holds his audience in suspense. What is this still future invasion?
S2: Is it another, even greater horde of locusts? But how
S2: could another locust plague do any more damage than that
S2: which we've just experienced? The people focused with laser like
S2: intensity on Joel, waiting for an explanation, and Joel doesn't disappoint.
S2: Beginning in chapter three, he makes it clear that this
S2: future day of the Lord invasion will appear to be
S2: an unstoppable human army, and their destination is Jerusalem. Proclaim
S2: this among the nations. Prepare for war. Rouse the warriors.
S2: Let all the fighting men draw near an attack. Beat
S2: your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears.
S2: Let the weakling say, I am strong. Come quickly, all
S2: you nations from every side, and assemble there. Bring down
S2: your warriors, O Lord. Let the nations be roused. Let
S2: them advance into the valley of Jehoshaphat. That's the valley
S2: where Yahweh the Lord will judge. For there I will
S2: sit to judge all the nations on every side. Joel
S2: describes an invasion in the ultimate day of the Lord,
S2: a time when nations on all sides will focus on
S2: attacking and destroying Jerusalem and the Jewish people. The army
S2: appears to be unstoppable, and they're intent on vengeance. Using
S2: every resource available to arm and outfit their warriors implements
S2: a peace. Plowshares and pruning hooks will be refashioned into
S2: implements of war. How can the tiny country of Israel survive?
S2: One key theme in Joel is the importance of repentance
S2: and turning to the Lord. In chapter two, verses 12
S2: and 13, God calls out, even now, return to me
S2: with all your heart. Rend your heart and not your garments.
S2: Return to the Lord your God. And what does God
S2: promise to do? Well, Joel first deals with the devastation
S2: caused by the recent locust plague. I will repay you.
S2: For the years the locusts have eaten the great locust
S2: and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm.
S2: My great army that I sent among you. But what
S2: about the future day of the Lord invasion by what
S2: seems to be an unstoppable army? God makes a similar
S2: promise to those who will be alive at that time.
S2: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will
S2: be saved. For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there
S2: will be deliverance. But wait, what's the famous 316 in
S2: this story? Ah, patience my friend. We're almost there. As
S2: Joel describes the nations gathering against Jerusalem in chapter three,
S2: he pictures them gathering to wipe out the city and
S2: the people, multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision. For
S2: the day of the Lord is near in the valley
S2: of decision. And then, in response to their desperate plea
S2: for help, God once again intervenes in history. Verse 15
S2: sets the stage. The sun and moon will be darkened
S2: and the stars no longer shine. Supernatural signs in the
S2: heavens prepare the way for God's arrival. And now Joel
S2: delivers his famous 316 the Lord will roar from Zion
S2: and thunder from Jerusalem. The earth and the sky will tremble,
S2: but the Lord will be a refuge for his people,
S2: a stronghold for the people of Israel. With a roar
S2: like a lion as it pounces on its prey, God
S2: will visibly leap back onto the stage of human history
S2: to vanquish the attackers and rescue his people. And this
S2: day of the Lord will alter the entire course of
S2: history for Jerusalem and the people of Israel. Jerusalem will
S2: be holy. Never again will foreigners invade her. That hasn't
S2: yet been fulfilled, but someday it will. Joel then ends
S2: his book by describing the impact of this physical and
S2: spiritual restoration on the land, the city, and the people.
S2: Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations,
S2: their blood guilt, which I have not pardoned, I will pardon.
S2: The Lord dwells in Zion. There is a grand future
S2: awaiting the nation of Israel, because God is a God
S2: who keeps his word. So what difference can Joel 316
S2: make in our lives today? First, I think we need
S2: to remember the principle that underlines the entire book. A
S2: disobedience brings judgment, but repentance brings deliverance and blessing. Have
S2: you placed your trust in Jesus as your Savior and Lord?
S2: If not, turn to him today, confess your sin and
S2: ask him to save you. If you have placed your
S2: trust in Christ but are concerned about the condition our
S2: world seems to be in, just remember that God is
S2: still in control. There is coming a day when Jesus
S2: will return to right all wrongs and deliver those who
S2: look to him. We don't know when he'll return, but
S2: his final words to us in the book of Revelation
S2: are yes, I'm coming soon. And our response ought to
S2: match that of the Apostle John. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
S1: Amen indeed. And thank you, Charlie, for that great devotional. Well,
S1: you can hear it all again at our website. The
S1: land and the book. Org. Not just the devotional, but
S1: the entire program. And we encourage you to do just
S1: that and to share us with a friend. Word of
S1: mouth is a great way to spread this ministry. Thank
S1: you for doing that. Thank you for listening. Today I'm
S1: John Geiger on behalf of our host, Charlie Dyer, our producer,
S1: Dan Anderson. The land and the book is a production
S1: of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.