S1: There's an end coming, you know. Our spinning globe has
S1: an end date as certain as the expiration date on
S1: a milk carton. Now, should that sour our stomachs or
S1: bring us comfort, just how should we respond? Well, these
S1: are the questions we're going to dig into in just
S1: a minute as we talk with special guest Max Lucado.
S1: Welcome to the land and the book from Moody Radio.
S1: Our host, author and Israel expert, Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm
S1: John Geiger. Charlie Fall is here again. And that means
S1: the Jewish high holidays are just around the corner. These
S1: biblical feasts have been celebrated for thousands of years, but
S1: this year, of course, has added weight and significance as
S1: Jewish people around the world mark one year since that
S1: brutal attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists.
S2: Yeah, absolutely. That's why our friends at Life in Messiah
S2: want to help you learn more about the fall feasts,
S2: the significance they have for us as believers in Jesus
S2: and how to stand with Jewish people during this time.
S2: They're offering a live zoom teaching session where they're knowledgeable.
S2: Field staff will walk you through the history and significance
S2: of the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and
S2: the Feast of Tabernacles. You'll also hear how you can
S2: use these holidays as a point of connection with your
S2: Jewish friends and neighbors, to show and share the love
S2: of Jesus with them. To sign up for this free teaching,
S2: all you have to do is visit Life in Messiah.
S2: Org and click on the Moody Radio logo there to
S2: sign up. Be sure to sign up today to discover
S2: the fascinating connections between these feasts and Jesus at Life
S2: in messiah.org.
S1: And now a look at current events from the Middle East.
S1: Story number one fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continues to escalate,
S1: as we saw this week. Is Israel planning to take
S1: on Hezbollah militarily, or will the conflict in the North
S1: remain at sort of a low level for the foreseeable future?
S2: Well that conflict in the north is heating up. Prime
S2: Minister Netanyahu has said the situation can't continue, with over
S2: 60,000 Israelis still living as refugees from their own homes
S2: and towns. Hours after Israel foiled a second plot by
S2: Hezbollah to kill a former senior defense minister, thousands of
S2: encrypted pagers used by Hezbollah exploded, killing 12 and wounding
S2: nearly 3000, including some top officials. Israel hasn't claimed responsibility,
S2: but this has all the earmarks of one of their
S2: clandestine operations. Several other events also suggest a major conflict
S2: could be close at hand. This past week, Israel's defense
S2: minister met with both the US secretary of defense and
S2: a senior US adviser who's been trying to broker a
S2: deal with Hezbollah. He stressed that the time for a
S2: diplomatic solution is running out. Israel's top general in the
S2: north has been actively pushing to begin the ground operation,
S2: and some of the forces that were fighting in Gaza
S2: are now being moved to the north, with the winter
S2: rainy season set to begin in October. The time to
S2: move forward is before bad weather sets in. In fact,
S2: the first rain of the year actually fell this past Tuesday,
S2: reminding them that the time is short. The US is
S2: trying to keep Israel from attacking at least until after
S2: our presidential elections. But if Israel waits too long, it
S2: could be another six months before the weather would cooperate
S2: to make a full scale land and air operation possible.
S2: The Israeli attack on Hezbollah missile positions on August 25th
S2: was a major success, with Israel destroying the majority of
S2: rockets and drones being prepared by Hezbollah before they could
S2: be fired. And last weekend, Israel launched a surprise attack
S2: in Syria, destroying an Iranian missile production facility built to
S2: provide Hezbollah with precision missiles. There are three major differences
S2: between an attack against Hezbollah versus the war against Hamas. First,
S2: Hamas had the element of surprise. They captured all those hostages,
S2: which complicated the way Israel could respond. Well, that's not
S2: true here. By moving Israelis off the border to the north.
S2: Israel kept Hezbollah from capturing civilian hostages. A second, the
S2: fight in Gaza was in a densely populated urban area,
S2: but much of the region in the north, not all
S2: but much, is more mountainous and less populated. The third difference, however,
S2: is that Hezbollah has more sophisticated rockets and drones and
S2: as a result will be a more formidable foe.
S1: Story number two as America focuses on our upcoming elections,
S1: the U.S. appears to be quietly shifting its priorities in
S1: the Middle East. What's happening and what impact could this
S1: have on Israel?
S2: Yeah, and it actually started more than a decade ago.
S2: The U.S. began shifting its focus from the Middle East
S2: to the Far East to protect against a growing threat
S2: from China. Making a nuclear deal with Iran and pulling
S2: our forces out of Afghanistan were all part of that
S2: larger repositioning. However, things didn't go according to According to plan,
S2: Iran has pushed to extend its control over large parts
S2: of the Middle East, while the Taliban have retaken Afghanistan.
S2: As a result, Israel remains stuck in a very bad neighborhood.
S2: The US temporarily re-engaged to help Israel face the threatened
S2: attacks from Iran and Hezbollah, but now things could be
S2: changing again. The US and Iraq have reached an understanding
S2: on plans to withdraw US forces from Iraq over the
S2: next year, while they've been there officially to fight against ISIS.
S2: They've also served as a blocking force to stop Iran's
S2: push to the west. Iran linked groups continue to attack
S2: US forces in Iraq, including a recent attack on a
S2: US diplomatic compound in the Baghdad airport. The US had
S2: positioned two aircraft carriers in the region as a warning
S2: to Iran against attacking Israel, but one of those carriers
S2: is now being sent home in Jordan's elections this past week.
S2: Islamists affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood made significant gains in parliament.
S2: Their political goals include supporting Hamas and scrapping Jordan's peace
S2: treaty with Israel and in Afghanistan. The Taliban have allowed
S2: two of Osama bin Laden's sons to re-establish Al-Qaeda bases
S2: once again. The bottom line here is that as the
S2: US pulls back from its leadership role in the Middle East,
S2: the holes were leaving behind are being filled by Islamic
S2: fundamentalist groups. Israel could end up feeling as if we're
S2: abandoning them to face these threats alone. And that would
S2: not be good.
S1: Not at all. This is the land and the book
S1: from Moody Radio. Our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer, has traveled
S1: to the Holy Land more than 100 times. He's been
S1: to Iraq, he's been to Jordan, he's been to Turkey.
S1: He understands what's at play here. Story number three. Still,
S1: another project has surfaced to bring help to restore the
S1: water level of the Dead Sea. What's so unusual about
S1: this latest proposal, Charlie? And does it have any chance
S1: of becoming reality?
S2: Well, several things make this project unique. First, it seeks
S2: to bring water from the Mediterranean rather than the Red
S2: sea to the Dead Sea. And second, it wants to
S2: combine technologies to use green energy to make the project
S2: both sustainable and ecologically beneficial. It starts with the reality
S2: that the Dead Sea is actually 1400 feet below sea level.
S2: The plan is to install a series of pumping stations
S2: to bring water from the Mediterranean into the hill country,
S2: where several desalination plants would be built. The fresh water
S2: produced by the plants would enter a large reservoir, while
S2: the brine left over would be temporarily stored in special
S2: pools during the day. The pumping stations would use electricity
S2: from solar panels, then at night, the brine would be
S2: released from the pools to flow down into the Dead Sea,
S2: and along the way the brine would cascade through a
S2: series of hydropower stations to generate additional electricity. The electricity
S2: from the solar panels and the energy from the hydropower
S2: stations would more than offset the energy needed to pump
S2: the water up to the desalination plants. So what are
S2: the chances of this ever becoming a reality? Well, the
S2: researchers stress stressed the benefits, including additional fresh water, halting
S2: the decline in the water level at the Dead Sea,
S2: and possibly doing all this with a project that's energy self-sufficient.
S2: But the project now needs to move into scientific trials
S2: to see if it can accomplish its goals. And then
S2: Israel would need to determine how it can pay for
S2: such a project at a time when its economy is
S2: taking a beating from the war. Now, all that to say,
S2: don't expect this engineering marvel anytime soon.
S1: Well, an Israeli father's quest to help his son has
S1: led to a new stroke recovery technology. Tell us about
S1: this encouraging story out of amazing Israel.
S2: And this really is an encouraging story. It began when
S2: an Israeli physicist had a son who, at the age
S2: of three months, was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder.
S2: The father decided to devote his energy, his passion, his
S2: intellect into finding an effective treatment. Now he's still searching
S2: for that cure for his son. But in the process,
S2: he made some remarkable discoveries about the brain's ability to
S2: repair itself. And in fact, it's resulted in treatment proven
S2: to help stroke victims. Now, he believes this same technology
S2: will at some point be able to help people with depression, PTSD, ADHD,
S2: spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries and familial dysautonomia,
S2: the condition that impacts his son. Now, he's developed a
S2: cloud based brainwave helmet that activates a low intensity electromagnetic
S2: field around a patient's head. The artificial brainwaves mimic healthy
S2: neural networks to encourage the growth of new links between
S2: brain cells. The company he started is called brain Q,
S2: that is, brain with a letter Q following it. The
S2: helmet has been approved by the European Union, has been
S2: designated by the US Food and Drug Administration as a
S2: breakthrough device in clinical trials in India. Patients who wore
S2: the helmet for 45 minutes a day for two months
S2: recovered more quickly from strokes than those who did not.
S2: The treatment doesn't affect the brain directly. It affects the
S2: ability of the brain to regenerate connections between cells. The
S2: father is still hopeful he's going to find a way
S2: to regrow neural links in people with his son's condition. Meanwhile,
S2: he's gratified that technology has been able to aid stroke victims.
S2: The dedication and compassion of this one father in amazing
S2: Israel is hopefully going to impact the lives of stroke
S2: victims around the world, but.
S1: That's a great story, very encouraging, and we'll look forward
S1: to further developments there. Thank you, Charlie, and for the
S1: update on the news as well. You know, as you
S1: listen to the program, maybe you've never been to our website.
S1: We welcome you to check it out. It's the Land
S1: and the book.org. Program summaries, previews of things to come.
S1: Links to Charlie's books and a lot more at the
S1: land and the book.org. Well, what's happening next? Oh, not
S1: just in the program. I'm talking about the end of
S1: the world. It's coming. The question is, you know, what's
S1: going to happen for you personally? Are you ready for that?
S1: Should our stomachs sour when we think about these things
S1: or be comforted. Our special guest, Max Lucado, sits down
S1: for a conversation you don't want to miss. That's next.
S1: Right here on the land and the book. There is
S1: an end coming, you know, an end to this age.
S1: In fact, this spinning globe of ours has an end
S1: date as certain as the expiration date on a milk carton.
S1: And could it be just as soon, hey, should that
S1: sour our stomachs or bring us comfort, just how should
S1: we respond? Well, these are the questions we'll dig into
S1: next as we talk with Max Lucado here on the
S1: land and the book. Welcome. I'm John Gager, and before
S1: jumping into today's conversation, I want you to think with
S1: me briefly about a creative idea for showing your Jewish
S1: friend something of the love of Jesus for them as
S1: followers of Messiah, one of the wonderful texts that we
S1: love to refer to again and again by way of
S1: prophetic evidence from the Old Testament as Isaiah 53. And yet,
S1: if you've ever had a conversation with a Jewish friend,
S1: you're aware that many Jewish people look at that text
S1: quite a bit differently than we do. How do we
S1: bridge the gap and understand their understanding? That's a question
S1: for Justin Crone of Chosen People Ministries.
S3: Well, a lot of Jewish people today believe is that
S3: Isaiah 53 is speaking of the nation of Israel, that
S3: they are the suffering servant. And yes, in many respects,
S3: the people of Israel throughout the centuries, including Israel today,
S3: has suffered. But if you look at the context of
S3: that passage, it really seems to be clearly speaking of
S3: an individual, of of a person. In fact, if you
S3: were to have a Jewish person who really doesn't know
S3: scripture all that well, read Isaiah 53. In my experience,
S3: nine times out of ten they say, oh, that's speaking
S3: of Jesus. We also, I think, really need to note
S3: here too, that it wasn't until a thousand years or
S3: so after the time of Jesus that the normative view
S3: within the Jewish community was that Isaiah 53 was speaking
S3: of Israel. So prior to that time, uh, there was
S3: debate over it. In fact, the closer you get to
S3: the time of Jesus, the consensus was that Isaiah 53
S3: was speaking of a person, not the nation of Israel.
S1: That's Justin Crone helping us see Isaiah 53 through the
S1: eyes of your Jewish friend today on the land and
S1: the book. If you haven't read one of Max Lucado's books,
S1: you are in a shockingly small minority and you've missed out.
S1: Max has the unique ability to share the plain truths
S1: of the Bible, but also comfort us with the kindness
S1: of Christ. It's a recipe so effective 150 million of
S1: his titles have been sold. Max is also a Bible
S1: teacher at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. And
S1: we're here today to continue our conversation about his first
S1: full book on the end times, What Happens Next? A
S1: Traveler's Guide to the end of the age. Thanks for
S1: connecting again, Max.
S4: Oh, it's my privilege, John. It's just a joy to
S4: be on your program, and I'm very honored to spend
S4: this time with you.
S1: You've written so many devotional books, people might wonder why
S1: this book now? Why write it at this time?
S4: I found, you know, on my next birthday will require
S4: 70 candles on a cake. And I don't know if
S4: any cake can hold that many. But as I've gotten
S4: older and my bald spots gotten bigger and my hair's
S4: gotten grayer and my gate's gotten slower, I find myself, John,
S4: just thinking about end times. I'm genuinely, personally curious what's
S4: going to happen. You know, when I when I take
S4: my final breath, what's the next thing I will see
S4: when my life is over on this earth. What awaits
S4: me in God's plan? And, um, I've always had those questions.
S4: But as I've gotten older, uh, realizing that so much
S4: more sand on the bottom of the hourglass than there
S4: is on the top, I have been personally very interested.
S4: And as I found myself reading and studying more, I
S4: found other people who are genuinely curious as well. Maybe
S4: not because they're getting older, but. But just because they
S4: look around the world and they see it such a mess.
S4: There's so much tragedy, so much heartache, and many of
S4: the prophecies that we read in Scripture we're seeing come true.
S4: And that's why so many people believe we are living
S4: in the end times or the end of the end times.
S4: I'm one of them, and it just makes sense. You know,
S4: if you go on a trip, you want to know
S4: all you can about your destination. How much more as
S4: we're preparing for the next life, should we know all
S4: we can About what Christ has in store for his church.
S1: Well, despite the cataclysmic world events that we're seeing around us,
S1: a lot of Americans still have it pretty good right now.
S1: And frankly, they can't get real excited about the return
S1: of Christ. It seems to me that's a problem. How
S1: do we realign our affections?
S4: That's really a great question. And maybe that's why, you know,
S4: the apostle Paul said, set your affections on things above.
S4: It's an act of discipleship, John, to set our affections
S4: on things above. To think about what is to come
S4: and not allow the blessings of this life, or the
S4: burdens of this life to be the dominant thought of
S4: this life. Every good thing about your life, whether it
S4: be health or wealth, all of those good things that's
S4: going to pass away, all of these things are passing away.
S4: And also, I can say that just as quickly about
S4: all the burdens in this life, the sickness or the
S4: anxiety or the burdens, the bad relationships, those are going
S4: to pass away as well. We must see that this
S4: life is just a vapor. It's just here for a
S4: moment and then it's gone. It could not be any
S4: briefer than it is. I mean, it is an instant
S4: in comparison with eternity. So don't get too caught up
S4: in either what's good or what's bad about right now.
S4: Let your focus be on what's about to happen, because
S4: that's what's going to matter the most.
S1: Max Lucado is a writer whose books you've read, and
S1: he joins us today on the Land and the book. Well,
S1: God is certainly not captive to his own emotions still.
S1: And I don't want to, you know, beat this to
S1: a pulp. You can't help but wonder if he doesn't
S1: feel a sense of hurt over our lack of anticipation,
S1: our lack of excitement at the thought of what's to come.
S1: Your thoughts?
S4: I think we see that when Jesus, you know, on
S4: the one of his final messages before his own betrayal
S4: and crucifixion. You know, he looked out over the city
S4: of Jerusalem and said, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you have stoned the
S4: prophets and the preachers. How many times would I have
S4: gathered you as a as a hen gathers her chicks,
S4: but you would not come? I hear a lot of sorrow, John,
S4: and in his voice. And I can't help but think
S4: that as he looks upon the earth and sees how
S4: quickly we are to turn to pleasures or possessions for
S4: our fulfillment. How often, he says, how many times have
S4: I called you? How many times have I called you?
S4: And maybe somebody listening today, and you're sensing that nudging
S4: of the spirit that's telling you to quit turning to
S4: stuff or to people or to approval for your satisfaction?
S4: It's not going to last. It doesn't work. It's not
S4: because God doesn't love you. It's just the opposite. He
S4: does love you and it's because he loves you. He's
S4: telling you, don't set your affections on things of the earth,
S4: but set them on things to come in heaven.
S1: There are others who genuinely want to feel excited about
S1: the end of the age and the coming of Christ,
S1: but they are either intimidated by what they read or
S1: just plain fearful. What's your counsel there?
S4: Well, I can understand because we're talking about, um, in
S4: the book I call prophecy the Serengeti of Scripture. It's vast,
S4: it's wild. And for many people, it's unexplored. And you're
S4: afraid of what awaits you. And yet prophecy, appropriately received
S4: and appropriately taught, is really a tool to encourage the church,
S4: not to intimidate the church. There are many books and
S4: many Bible teachers who have an approachable form of prophecy.
S4: Now there are those, I understand. There are those who
S4: like to use prophecy and end times as a way
S4: to Self-promote, just like they use other topics. So stay
S4: away from those, but find a trustworthy teacher. Find an
S4: approachable book. Find a sermon series and you'll you'll soon
S4: see there are differing opinions about a variety of things
S4: like the millennium or the rapture. And that's okay. We
S4: all agree that Christ is coming, that the dead will
S4: be living and will be reigning with him. That's what
S4: we all agree. We agree right there. Now, the other
S4: topics we're going to have discussions about until the until
S4: the Lord returns. But dive in, explore, and I think
S4: you'll you'll find your heart stirred as you try to
S4: imagine or envision what awaits us.
S1: What happens next? A Traveler's Guide to the end of
S1: the age. That's our focus today on the land and
S1: the book. It is the latest from Max Lucado. I'm
S1: John Geiger, joined today by best selling author Max Lucado.
S1: And since you brought it up, many people wonder, Max,
S1: why couldn't God have been just a little bit more
S1: clear in laying out the future. Why so much imagery?
S1: Why so much left open for debate and discussion?
S4: My goodness, what a good question. You know, when I
S4: was growing up, you can probably tell by my Texas
S4: twang I can't quite get rid of it, but I
S4: grew up in a small West Texas town, and and
S4: I remember my dad, uh, promising to take us on
S4: a camping trip from the flatlands. And I mean, seriously
S4: flat as a skillet flatlands of West Texas to the
S4: Rocky Mountains. And, um, I recall we were, I think
S4: I was eight years old, and my dad sat my
S4: brother and me down and tried to describe what it
S4: was going to be like to see mountains, to see
S4: big trees, to breathe thin air. And because he had
S4: he had made several trips there. Well, I was just overwhelmed.
S4: I couldn't get my mind around it, you know, my
S4: little eight year old brain. Yeah. And, uh, I don't
S4: know if my dad said it, but somewhere either he
S4: said it or I thought it and that is just
S4: got to trust him. Just got to trust the father.
S4: So maybe that's it. Maybe our little puny brains simply
S4: don't have the capacity to receive or embrace and comprehend
S4: all the great things that God has prepared for us.
S4: I have found it to be a fascinating subject to study.
S4: I'm genuinely excited about it. Over the years, I think
S4: I've trends changed in some of my opinions. I know
S4: I have, and I've come to embrace a more literal
S4: interpretation of the book of Revelation as opposed to an
S4: allegorical interpretation. And those are good exercises for us, John.
S4: We need to work through those kind of questions. Again,
S4: it's where we're going to spend eternity. So it's very,
S4: very important. We do our best to try to understand
S4: what God has in store for us.
S1: So what's a good and godly way to resolve the
S1: disagreements believers sometimes have over which images in revelation are
S1: metaphorical versus those that may be literal.
S4: Well, I lean literal, and here's why. You know, Daniel,
S4: the Old Testament prophet, was a prophet, of course. And
S4: Daniel chapter nine includes one of the great prayers of
S4: the Bible. And the reason that Daniel was praying is
S4: because he had read the prophecy from a prophet of
S4: a prior generation, and Jeremiah prophesied that the children of
S4: Israel would be in captivity for 70 years. And so
S4: toward the end of those 70 years, more specifically, at
S4: about year 67 or 68, Daniel prayed this prayer for
S4: God to keep his promise and deliver his people and
S4: return them to Jerusalem. So here's a prophet reading the
S4: words of a prophet teaching us how to interpret prophecy.
S4: Daniel didn't read the number 70 and say, well, that's
S4: probably allegorical or symbolic. He said, you know, that's a
S4: real number. So when I flip my Bible over to
S4: revelation chapter 20 and read about a thousand year reign
S4: of Christ, I used to interpret that as a symbol
S4: or a picture. No longer John, I say, well, I
S4: think Daniel would have said, if John says a thousand years,
S4: then I'm going to reign with Christ for a thousand years.
S4: And so I came to embrace that as my tool
S4: in understanding prophecy. I lean literal now, not always can
S4: we do that, but when possible, and unless there's a
S4: prevailing reason not to, I try to lean literal in
S4: my understanding of prophetic books.
S1: Well, we're talking with Max Lucado about what happens next.
S1: It's a traveler's guide to the end of the age.
S1: You've got, let's say, 30s. It seems to me the
S1: number one thing we have to do to be ready
S1: is to know Jesus, to receive Jesus as Savior. Talk
S1: to that listener right now who's been dancing on the edges,
S1: is interested, but has never really crossed that bridge. What
S1: would you say to them?
S4: I would say cross has done all the work. He's
S4: done the heavy lifting. He came for you. He showed
S4: his love for you. He taught you. He died for you.
S4: And he raised from the dead to show you that
S4: he has authority over life and death. So trusting. All
S4: you need to do is turn your heart to him.
S4: Say a simple prayer like, Lord, I'm a sinner, I
S4: admit it. I need a Savior, I trust you, I
S4: give you my heart. In Jesus name.
S1: Amen. And if you just prayed that prayer, we welcome
S1: your email to the land and the book@moody.edu. That's the
S1: land and the book@moody.edu. Speaking of books, Max's is titled
S1: What Happens Next? A Traveler's Guide to the end of
S1: the age. We'll link you to that book when you
S1: visit our website. The land and the book.org. It has
S1: been a pleasure to speak with you the last couple
S1: of weeks. Max, thanks for carving out time to be
S1: with us.
S4: John, it's my privilege. I hope we get to do
S4: it again someday.
S1: And we're looking forward to more. There's more in this
S1: series than just this book, I understand.
S4: We're going to keep revealing. And as God reveals to us,
S4: keep writing and and revealing. So I pray that it'll
S4: be an encouragement to others.
S1: That's Max Lucado here on the land and the book.
S1: We're coming up. It's a visit with our friend Doctor
S1: Charlie Dyer and his answers to your Bible questions. That's
S1: next on the land and the book. Welcome back to
S1: the land and the book. Fall is here. And that
S1: means the Jewish High Holidays are right around the corner.
S1: These biblical feasts have been celebrated for thousands of years,
S1: but this year kind of has added weight, added significance
S1: because Jewish people around the world are marking one year
S1: since the brutal attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists.
S2: Yeah, John, that's why our friends at Life in Messiah
S2: want to help you learn more about the fall feasts,
S2: the significance they have for us as believers in Jesus,
S2: and how to stand with Jewish people during this time.
S2: They're offering a live zoom teaching session where their knowledgeable
S2: field staff will walk you through the history and significance
S2: of the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and
S2: the Feast of Tabernacles. You'll also hear how you can
S2: use these holidays as a point of connection with your
S2: Jewish friends and neighbors, to show and share the love
S2: of Jesus with them. To sign up for this free teaching,
S2: all you have to do is visit Life in Messiah org.
S2: Click on the Moody Radio logo and sign up. Be
S2: sure to sign up today and discover the fascinating connection
S2: between these feasts and Jesus at Life in messiah.org.
S1: And with that, we'll dig into our question and answer segment,
S1: beginning with somebody who's a bit of a critic. Charlie
S1: Williams says, I disagree with people like you, David Jeremiah,
S1: Michael Wright, and others who only give generalizations on Bible prophecy,
S1: you don't know or see the details happening before your eyes.
S1: For example, when the Bible prophesied and the Trump will sound,
S1: it was predicting President Trump would declare Jerusalem the capital
S1: of Israel. So many theologians, churches and Christians are just
S1: blind to what is happening. Charlie, your reactions?
S2: Well, I'm happy to be associated with Michael Rolnick and
S2: David Jeremiah. In fact, I would issue a caution right now.
S2: I'd caution you to be very careful about reading into
S2: the Word of God by pulling words and phrases out
S2: of context. I see two major dangers in the way
S2: some people approach Bible prophecy. Some become prophetic agnostics. They're
S2: afraid to accept the reality that God did predict events
S2: that are future. In Second Peter three, Peter talks about
S2: those who say, where's the promise of his coming? For
S2: ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as
S2: it was from the beginning of creation. That's a danger.
S2: But the second danger is that some go the opposite
S2: direction and develop what I would call prophetic ADHD. They
S2: run from current event to current event and try to
S2: find each event in the Bible, pulling verses out of
S2: context to do so. Just for example, your reference to
S2: the trump will sound. It's only found in first Corinthians
S2: 15 and it refers to the rapture, not to Mr. Trump.
S2: The bottom line is that God shared enough about the
S2: future to keep us from being unnerved by world events,
S2: but he left enough out to keep us walking by faith,
S2: not by sight. Take what God said literally, at face
S2: value in its context, and don't try to find some
S2: deeper hidden meaning. That's what I believe it means when
S2: we're told to be workmen who don't need to be ashamed,
S2: accurately handling the word of truth.
S1: Deb has a question for us about dates in biblical history.
S1: In First Kings, chapter six, Solomon began to construct the
S1: temple in the fourth year of his reign, 480 years
S1: after the people of Israel were rescued from slavery in
S1: Egypt in Acts 1317 through 20. In Paul's sermon at
S1: Antioch in Pisidia, he said all this took about 450 years.
S1: Talking about the 40 years in the wilderness, plus the
S1: destroying of seven nations and Canaan, and giving their land
S1: to Israel as an inheritance. So how can these dates
S1: be reconciled?
S2: Well, I think the key is recognizing that they can
S2: be harmonized. If we look at two things. First, first
S2: Kings six one. The 480 years is an exact time.
S2: It's a timestamp in the Bible that marks the length
S2: of time between when Israel came out of the land
S2: of Egypt. That's 1446 B.C., and the date when Solomon
S2: began to build the house of the Lord. That was
S2: 966 BC. It's one of the fixed dates we have
S2: that actually helps us date the time of the Exodus. Now,
S2: in acts 13, Paul is giving a broad historical overview
S2: covering three connected time periods. He talks about Israel's stay
S2: in the land of Egypt, the Exodus and the time
S2: of the conquest when God overthrew the nations in Canaan.
S2: So Paul, starting with Israel's entrance into Egypt and ending
S2: with Joshua's conquest twice. In those verses, Paul uses the
S2: Greek word hosts, which is translated about indicating he's speaking
S2: in a broad, general time frame. And in that broad sense,
S2: Israel's sojourn in Egypt, its time in the wilderness and
S2: its years of conquest under Joshua did take about 450 years.
S2: So basically one passage is very specific and focuses on
S2: time all the way down to the time of Solomon.
S2: The other passage is more general. Each one is referring
S2: to a different starting point and a different ending point
S2: in the accounts.
S1: Sharon says, I'm teaching job, and a question came up
S1: about what it means to curse God. We spoke about
S1: blessing God, then went on to cursing. And as I
S1: got into the study of cursing, I learned there are
S1: six common words for curse. What is God teaching us
S1: by using all these different words for curse?
S2: Yeah, and a lot of the words are synonymous, just
S2: like we have synonyms in our language. But I did
S2: find something fascinating in all this. Let me start with
S2: the words that are found in chapters one and two.
S2: This might come as a surprise, but one word is
S2: used there three times. It's actually the normal Hebrew word
S2: for bless. It comes from the idea of kneeling down.
S2: And while that's how the word is used most often,
S2: it can be rather infrequently, like here mean just the opposite.
S2: An illustration in English would be something like a person
S2: who's extremely disappointed in what someone's done for them, and
S2: they respond by saying sarcastically, that's great, thanks a lot. Well,
S2: the tone of their voice makes it clear it's not
S2: great and they're not thankful. The bottom line is, though,
S2: most of the words for curse are just synonyms in
S2: the Bible. But the most unusual aspect in job, especially
S2: is that word used in chapters one and two. That's
S2: translated curse, but really means bless. And it's used in
S2: that context by Satan twice and once by job's wife.
S2: And I think in all three cases there's a strong
S2: sense of sarcasm being used.
S1: Well with all the options you have in listening today,
S1: whether online or on air. Here you are with us
S1: at The Land and the book. And we're honored that
S1: you've chosen to do that. Thank you for your company.
S1: Our host, doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John Gager. Buddy wants
S1: to know our Bible study group is studying Genesis. We're
S1: in chapter one. Can you give us any of your
S1: ideas or comments on issues such as the dinosaurs and
S1: their timing, how they fit into the biblical account? The
S1: worldview is that dinosaurs died much earlier than Adam was formed,
S1: and that brings up the issue of when did death
S1: enter the world before or after Adam and Eve's fall?
S1: And how did sin enter God's world? Did he create
S1: it and allow sin to enter the world and tempt man,
S1: knowing that he would fail? How does all this work together?
S2: Yeah, I wish I could answer all those questions you asked. However,
S2: that would take up this whole program. Probably the next
S2: one as well. Now, when it comes to creation, though,
S2: I just accept the reality of the creation account in Genesis.
S2: I believe in a seven day A literal creation. However,
S2: I also don't believe we have all the details that
S2: we might need to answer all those questions. For example,
S2: God created angels before he created the universe as we
S2: know it. I think that's clear in job chapter 38,
S2: verses 1 to 7 there. God asked job. He says,
S2: where were you when I created the world? When the
S2: morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy.
S2: Now my point here is that the angels were evidently
S2: created before the creation of the world as we know it,
S2: that created order. That angelic order is also likely when
S2: Satan rebelled against God before the creation of the world
S2: as we see it. That's why an evil serpent can
S2: suddenly appear in the Garden of Eden right after creation. Now,
S2: could other animals, like dinosaurs, have been part of that
S2: earlier creation that was destroyed when God judged Satan and
S2: his followers? The answer is we don't know. Or could
S2: dinosaurs have existed on Earth prior to the time of
S2: the flood and died out with the flood and and
S2: climate change that took place at that time? Again, we
S2: don't know, but I'm content in knowing that there are
S2: at least two reasonable explanations that can help explain how
S2: dinosaur fossils came into being. Now, if I start with
S2: what the Bible clearly says, I end up with a
S2: seven day creation that fashioned the universe as we see
S2: it today. And that culminated in the creation of humanity.
S2: And I believe that that creation was marred when Adam
S2: and Eve sinned in the garden. And that's when sin
S2: and death entered our current world. Now, in terms of
S2: how sin entered the world, we do know that God's
S2: not the author of sin. In describing the fall of
S2: Satan in Ezekiel 28, God's very careful. He says about Satan.
S2: He says, you were blameless in your ways from the
S2: day you were created, till wickedness was found in you.
S2: God didn't create him evil. Satan chose to rebel against God.
S2: So I suggest you give yourself permission in your Bible
S2: study to say something like, you know, we don't have
S2: all the answers to all these questions. So at least
S2: right now, let's focus on what we do know and
S2: give ourselves permission to hold the other things off to
S2: the side until we have more information. Now here's also
S2: some good resources you asked about. The Institute for Creation
S2: Research is a great source online that can help and
S2: provide scientifically respectable answers in support of a young earth.
S2: And Henry Morris wrote a book called The Genesis Record.
S2: It's also a great commentary on the Book of Genesis
S2: that provides additional information, and you can find access to
S2: it at the Institute for Creation Research.
S1: I love Todd's question. Do you think the designation of
S1: Judah's kings as good or bad, corresponds to them having
S1: salvation or not? I know that everybody's a mixed bag,
S1: so I'm wondering about how the writer of First and
S1: Second Kings determined, under the Spirit's guidance, of course, what
S1: designation to give each king. Your thoughts? Yeah.
S2: I'm not sure we can say there's a one for
S2: one correspondence between that phrase and personal salvation. The phrase
S2: is a summary of the specific actions taken by each king,
S2: but were not given the details of their heart motivation. Now,
S2: in general, I probably assume that when they did evil
S2: in the sight of the Lord, or did what was
S2: right in the sight of the Lord, that does somehow
S2: translate spiritually. So I suspect there's at least some general
S2: summary there of their spiritual character. But just because someone's
S2: not saved, they can still live a good moral life.
S2: So it is possible that those kings who even did
S2: what was right may not spiritually have been in a
S2: right relationship with God. Though I like to think that
S2: they were.
S1: And that's a look at the questions that have come
S1: into us here at the land and the book. Again,
S1: our email address for your question. The land and the book@moody.edu.
S1: Our program isn't done. No. We got one more segment.
S1: It's Charlie's devotional. Stick around for that here on the
S1: land and the book. Let's be honest, there are things
S1: in life we dislike, strongly dislike. And then there are
S1: those things that we detest. Welcome back to the land
S1: and the book. I'm John Gager, confessing that one of
S1: those things I detest is creamed corn. I know it
S1: might be your favorite, but I detest creamed corn. We've
S1: had many a conversation about this around the office. But Charlie,
S1: some things are detestable to our God, and it's a
S1: whole lot more serious than a can of creamed corn. Right?
S2: Ah, you're right, John.
S1: Okay, that's the subject of your devotional, which takes us
S1: to Proverbs 15. I'm looking forward to that. After we
S1: listen to a Holy Land experience testimony, what does somebody
S1: who's been to Israel take back with them? Listen.
S5: Hi. My name is Beth. I'm from Texas and going
S5: to Hungary and seeing the waterfall and the difficulty of
S5: the passage for Ruth and Naomi. I've always loved that story,
S5: but it really deepened my understanding of the difficulties that
S5: Ruth went through in being there for Naomi and brought
S5: home again How richly God blessed her for her faithfulness.
S5: There were a number of stories that seeing where they
S5: happened deepened my understanding and helped me to fully appreciate
S5: what they went through.
S6: Hi, I'm Michelle from Philadelphia, and one of the things
S6: I loved about this trip was Masada. And I think
S6: it was because Masada was a stronghold for David and
S6: so many of his Psalms. He mentions God being his
S6: stronghold and looking out over the Dead Sea, the mountains
S6: and the valleys. It was just it brings new meaning
S6: to those Psalms as you read them, that his stronghold,
S6: that big, huge rock we were on, is really God.
S1: All right. Proverbs 15 is our focus. Creamed corn is
S1: not the subject. So, Charlie, what is John?
S2: Well, I'm on the opposite of you. On the creamed corn.
S2: I love creamed corn. But there are things in life
S2: that we all dislike, even though those dislikes might differ.
S2: Now I'm part of a small group that dislikes coffee.
S2: I tried to drink a cup of coffee twice in
S2: my life, once when I was 16 and the second
S2: time about 50 years later. I couldn't finish either cup.
S2: I love the smell of coffee, but I can't overcome
S2: that taste now. My wife loves a good cup of coffee,
S2: but if I offer her a taste of my Diet
S2: Coke with a fresh squeezed slice of lime, well, let's
S2: just say that particular beverage is all mine. She dislikes
S2: the taste of lime in a Diet Coke, and I'd
S2: ask each person listening, what are your particular dislikes? It
S2: can be a food or a beverage, or a particular
S2: texture or fragrance. Sometimes it can even be a person
S2: who just seems to rub us the wrong way. But
S2: let's face it, we all have things that we just
S2: dislike or don't care for. Likes and dislikes can be
S2: a matter of personal preference. Often they can be traced
S2: back to experiences we had in our younger days, but
S2: there are times when something or someone moves from a
S2: personal dislike to an intense abhorrence. The action or item
S2: or person becomes detestable. The name Adolf Hitler generates that
S2: kind of response in most people. So does the smell
S2: of a skunk. Did you ever notice that there are
S2: also things that God detests? And I'm not talking about
S2: personal preferences here. I mean things that God dislikes intensely,
S2: so much so that a Hebrew word is used, which
S2: is translated detests in some Bibles and abomination in others.
S2: In fact, this word is used three times in Proverbs
S2: 15 to describe things that are detestable to God. So
S2: travel back with me to the time of King Solomon
S2: to see what generates such a negative reaction from God.
S2: In Proverbs 15 eight, Solomon writes, the Lord detests the
S2: sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright
S2: pleases him. That's the NIV translation. The New American Standard
S2: Bible translates the Hebrew this way the sacrifice of the
S2: wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer
S2: of the upright is his delight. So what is it
S2: that God finds so detestable that it can be called
S2: an abomination to him. It's a morally corrupt person, someone
S2: who's wicked, who believes that simply offering a sacrifice will
S2: somehow clear things with God. Ritual is no substitute for
S2: genuine repentance. Offering an animal sacrifice didn't atone for sin
S2: if it wasn't accompanied by a heart of genuine sorrow.
S2: Isaiah used the same word in Isaiah one As God
S2: rebuked the nation for their sin. Bring your worthless offerings
S2: no longer. Incense is an abomination to me. The prophet
S2: goes on to describe the impact such hypocritical worship had
S2: on God. When you spread out your hands in prayer,
S2: I will hide my eyes from you. Even if you
S2: offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are
S2: full of blood. Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your
S2: evil deeds out of my sight. So in Proverbs 15 eight,
S2: if a religious ritual offered from an impure heart is
S2: detestable to God, what will please him? Will. The second
S2: half of the verse provides the answer, The prayer of
S2: the upright is his delight. The word upright comes from
S2: a word having the idea of straight or level, as
S2: opposed to the wicked, who are constantly deviating from God's
S2: pathway of righteousness. The upright try to follow God's standards
S2: of right and wrong. To summarize verse eight, God is saying,
S2: it doesn't matter how much religious stuff you try to do,
S2: if you're unwilling to submit to God and follow him,
S2: he will detest anything you try to do to buy
S2: him off. He hates religious hypocrisy, but if you want
S2: God to listen to your prayers, then focus on being
S2: a faithful follower living in obedience to him. The very
S2: next verse describes the second thing God dislikes intensely. The
S2: Lord detests the way of the wicked, but he loves
S2: those who pursue righteousness. If the first proverb focused on
S2: religious hypocrisy, this one focuses on specific actions and activities.
S2: The pathway of life chosen by the wicked is an
S2: abomination to the Lord. The word for way is the
S2: Hebrew word derekh, which pictures a roadway or a course
S2: of action. We can try to fool others or make excuses,
S2: but God can see into our hearts to know our
S2: thoughts and motives. And he dislikes intensely someone who deliberately
S2: chooses to follow a pathway that leads away from God.
S2: In contrast, God loves a person who pursues righteousness rather
S2: than choosing the roadway of the wicked which leads away
S2: from God. The one whom God loves is someone who
S2: passionately seeks after righteousness. Righteousness is demonstrated in the way
S2: we act, the way we speak, the way we live
S2: according to God's ethical and moral standards. It's aligning our
S2: lives with the righteous standards set by God. But Solomon
S2: has one more example of something God dislikes intensely. In
S2: this chapter. It's found in verse 26. The NIV expresses
S2: the verse this way the Lord detests the thoughts of
S2: the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to him.
S2: The New American Standard provides a slightly more literal translation
S2: evil plans are an abomination to the Lord, but pleasant
S2: words are pure. So what is it that God detests? Well,
S2: the word evil has the idea of something being bad
S2: or malignant or causing pain or misery. It's used of
S2: figs that had become rotten. God, who can see into
S2: the human heart, detest the evil, wicked thoughts that can
S2: creep into a person's mind. What kind of thoughts might
S2: these be? Perhaps thoughts of revenge or vengeance or wishing
S2: ill on someone if God detests. Thoughts contemplating anger or
S2: wishing evil on others. What's the opposite? What is it
S2: that pleases God? Pure and pleasant thoughts, especially when they're
S2: communicated to that person rather than wishing a person harm.
S2: God looks with favor on those who seek to build
S2: up others and encourage them. So what is it that
S2: God dislikes intensely? He dislikes a hypocritical individual who tries
S2: to pretend he or she is religious. God dislikes a
S2: person who pursues an ungodly lifestyle rather than seeking to
S2: arrange his or her life according to God's standards, and
S2: God dislikes a person who tries to harm others rather
S2: than build them up. So how does your life align
S2: with the likes and dislikes of God? Two pathways that
S2: diverge in opposite directions that might not always be visible
S2: to others, but are clearly visible to the God of
S2: the universe, who can peer into the human heart. The
S2: author of Psalm one described the same two pathways and
S2: their results. So let's end by looking at his description
S2: of these two pathways the one God dislikes and the
S2: one God chooses to bless. Blessed is the man who
S2: does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or
S2: stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the
S2: seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law
S2: of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day
S2: and night. He is like a tree planted by streams
S2: of water, which yields its fruit in season, and whose
S2: leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Not so
S2: the wicked. They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
S2: Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor
S2: sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord
S2: watches over the way of the righteous, but the way
S2: of the wicked will perish.
S1: Sobering words and words we need to hear. Thank you. Charlie.
S1: Maybe you'd like to play today's program again. Or specifically
S1: this devotional again. You can hear it all at the
S1: Land and the book.org. We'd love to get your email.
S1: How is this program impacting your life? Helping you see
S1: Scripture differently? Maybe teach a Bible passage differently? We'd love
S1: to hear that story. And you can email us anytime
S1: at The Land and the Book at Moody Dot. Edu.
S1: The land and the book at Moody dot. Edu. Well,
S1: our time has gone too quickly, but we sure appreciate
S1: your spending part of your day with us. On behalf
S1: of our host, Charlie Dyer, our producer, Dan Anderson, I'm
S1: John Gager. The land and the book is a production
S1: of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.