S1: When Ruth's husband died, she was tempted to feel alone
S1: when she moved to another country. She was tempted to
S1: feel alone. But the biblical story of Ruth is a
S1: striking reminder that with God, we are never alone. Today
S1: we're going to meet this famous Bible character in a fresh,
S1: new way. Welcome to the land and the book. If
S1: you're new to the program, a special welcome to you.
S1: Our host is Doctor Charlie Dyer, a noted Old Testament scholar,
S1: frequent Israel traveler. I'm John Gager kind of along for
S1: the ride. And Charlie, help a new listener understand how
S1: we divide up this one hour broadcast.
S2: Oh, yeah. John, this is actually a one hour trip
S2: to Israel. Uh, we start with current events. You know
S2: what's been happening there. And certainly there's a lot in
S2: the news taking place in Israel today. Uh, then we
S2: have an interview. And as you just mentioned, uh, somebody
S2: wants to learn more about Ruth today. Uh, but every
S2: week you have a just a fascinating person there. Uh,
S2: the third segment is question and answer. Once you read
S2: the Bible, you have questions. Well, you can write your
S2: questions to us, send them to us, and we'll answer
S2: them on air. And then the final segment is where
S2: we marry together, the land and the book. That is,
S2: we take you to a spot in the land, open
S2: up the Word of God and help you understand what
S2: God meant there. Today we're going to visit with Solomon
S2: and talk about the lazy days of summer. All right.
S1: So lots of variety, never stuffy or boring. I think
S1: you'll appreciate what you hear. Let's dig into our current events.
S1: Topics for the week. Israel's war with Hamas continues, though
S1: this past week saw a surge of optimism that a
S1: hostage deal and possible end to the conflict might be
S1: just over the horizon. What's been happening and how quickly
S1: could the conflict end if a deal is reached?
S2: Yeah, well, in spite of the optimistic predictions, it's likely
S2: that a deal, if it finally happens, is several weeks
S2: or more away. The main point that got everyone excited
S2: is that Hamas has dropped its upfront demand for a
S2: permanent ceasefire prior to the first phase of a hostage deal,
S2: but several major obstacles remain. Hamas will still likely push
S2: for a permanent cease fire as part of the deal.
S2: Before the release of all the hostages, Prime Minister Netanyahu
S2: tried to temper the optimism. He issued a list of
S2: non-negotiable demands from Israel's side, and one is a guarantee
S2: that Israel could still resume fighting should their demands not
S2: be met. War weary Israelis, including those who oppose Netanyahu
S2: even before the start of the war? Well, they accused
S2: him of attempting to sabotage the negotiations. Netanyahu is actually
S2: fighting a two front war. One is the actual fight
S2: against Hamas, which Israel has been winning. One reason Hamas
S2: was willing to change its initial bargaining position were the
S2: losses they've sustained in Gaza. But the second front Netanyahu
S2: has to face is an internal battle with dissension and
S2: distrust in Israel itself. and it extends even into his coalition.
S2: Recent polls suggest the majority of Israelis are willing to
S2: end the war, even leaving Hamas in control of Gaza
S2: if that would secure the return of the hostages. And
S2: the ruling coalition is displaying deep fractures between the ultra-Orthodox
S2: and the far right parties, their sparring is threatening to
S2: bring down the government. Now, even if Israel and Hamas
S2: can reach agreement on the main points of the deal,
S2: it doesn't mean the conflict is over. It'll take several
S2: weeks to hammer out all the details of an agreement.
S2: In the past, Hamas has suddenly demanded last minute changes,
S2: and the closer the two sides get to reaching a
S2: final agreement, the greater the pressure will be on Israel
S2: to cave in in those key points. All that to say,
S2: a deal might be reached, but it could take longer
S2: than most expect, and the final outcome for Israel could
S2: be less than what they wanted when the fighting first began,
S2: and it could result in new elections sooner rather than later.
S1: Related to the war in Gaza is the ongoing tension
S1: between Israel and Hezbollah. Are these two enemies heading toward
S1: peace or war? Reports coming out of northern Israel and
S1: Lebanon are definitely mixed. So what might the future hold
S1: on this front?
S2: Yeah, the situation is still extremely unsettled, though I think
S2: there were positive hints over the past week. Hezbollah has
S2: said it will stop fighting if a ceasefire between Israel
S2: and Hamas takes effect. This places additional pressure on Israel
S2: to reach that agreement. Both Israel and Hezbollah have avoided
S2: taking any actions that would force the other to launch
S2: an all out war, but at the same time, each
S2: has been trying to put pressure on the other side.
S2: Israel has attacked Hezbollah's rocket launch sites, their outposts, their camps,
S2: their weapons sites and control centers. They've killed over 350
S2: Hezbollah fighters and several senior commanders, along with more than
S2: 150 terrorists from other allied organizations in Lebanon. For its part,
S2: Hezbollah has launched over 5500 rockets and missiles at Israeli
S2: towns and military bases along the border since October 8th,
S2: killing about 20 Israeli soldiers and ten civilians. Hezbollah's rockets
S2: and missiles have also sparked fires in the same area.
S2: Around 22,000 acres have been burned in northern Israel, and
S2: they released video footage from drones. They've flown over Israeli bases,
S2: suggesting they have the ability to attack those sites. So
S2: what's next? Well, if a cease fire takes effect between
S2: Hamas and Israel, Hezbollah could very well stop its attacks,
S2: bringing a tense truce to the north. Otherwise, Israel has
S2: threatened to launch an attack against Hezbollah to push the
S2: group off the border. And we just need to hope
S2: that there can be some peaceful solution to that problem.
S1: You know, Charlie, I think of myself being, let's say,
S1: a resident up there in the North and let's say
S1: an agreement is finally reached with Hezbollah. I just am
S1: not sure how anxious I would be to move back home.
S1: I would like to, but can you trust what do
S1: you think about all that?
S2: That's why the key, I think, is going to be
S2: Hezbollah has to move off the border. In fact, they're
S2: saying that they have to move north of the Litani River,
S2: about 6 to 8 miles away from Israel's border, and
S2: pull all of their forces out, pull all of the
S2: equipment and all their weapons out of that area. That's
S2: what it will take for Israelis to feel safe going
S2: back to the border.
S1: That's doctor Charlie Dyer, Israel expert. I'm John Gieger. This
S1: is the land in the book. And as we know,
S1: the Bible is jam packed with end times prophecies about
S1: epic world events, the regathering of the Jewish people to
S1: their ancient homeland, and Jesus soon returned. It is crucial
S1: for us as believers, Charlie, to have a proper understanding
S1: of Bible prophecy. So our view of the future is
S1: shaped by Scripture, not today's headlines. Right?
S2: That's right John. And that's why, with this in mind,
S2: our friends at Life and Messiah have published a book
S2: titled God, Israel and Bible Prophecy, and they're offering it
S2: to listeners of the land and the book for a
S2: limited time. Now, this informative book is focused on providing
S2: readers with a deeper understanding and greater appreciation of what
S2: God has in store for Israel and the nations by
S2: digging into what the scriptures say about these issues. Now,
S2: if you're interested in learning more about what God has
S2: in store, visit Life in Messiah. Org and click on
S2: the Moody Radio button there to find out how you
S2: can reserve your copy of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy.
S2: That's life in messiah.org.
S1: As we continue our look at current events from the week,
S1: Egypt has been largely absent from our news. Apart from
S1: its role in trying to broker an agreement between Hamas
S1: and Israel. But they've been facing their own internal struggles.
S1: So what's been happening in Egypt that isn't being widely reported?
S2: Yeah, Egypt is facing rising discontent from several economic challenges
S2: brought on by years of economic mismanagement. And this mismanagement
S2: was compounded first by the pandemic, which devastated the tourism industry,
S2: and then by the war between Russia and Ukraine, which
S2: raised the price of grain. Egypt is the world's largest
S2: importer of grain, and both countries were two of its
S2: major suppliers. The central Bank of Egypt devalued the Egyptian pound,
S2: which helped boost Egyptian exports, but also increased the price
S2: of essential goods like food and fuel. Now all that
S2: is combined to force nearly 30% of Egyptians into poverty.
S2: And to add insult to injury. Extreme heat this summer
S2: has plagued the country, just as the government was forced
S2: to implement rolling electrical blackouts because of a shortage of
S2: fuel needed to power the turbines. In the face of
S2: mounting public discontent, Egypt recently swore in a new cabinet.
S2: The Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources promised to stop
S2: the power cuts during the summer, but only beginning July 21st.
S2: That's when sufficient shipments of natural gas and diesel will
S2: arrive to help keep those generators operating at higher capacity. Now,
S2: electricity is obviously important during the hot summer, but another
S2: problem is water. Egypt depends on the Nile River for 97%
S2: of its water, and Ethiopia continues to divert water from
S2: the Nile to fill the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which
S2: is going to be Africa's largest dam. Egypt views this
S2: project as a threat to its very existence. Egypt's government
S2: is now under pressure to act quickly to preserve the
S2: country's water rights before it's too late. So water, power,
S2: food three essentials that the government is rushing to address
S2: before they create even greater unrest among Egypt's 114 million inhabitants.
S1: Well, could detecting cancer be as easy as taking a
S1: saliva test? A partnership between cell Agnostics and Sheba medical
S1: center are working on just such a test for oral
S1: cavity cancer. Tell us about this innovation from Amazing Israel.
S2: Yeah, this is a work in progress. But it's not
S2: simply wishful thinking. It's a collaborative effort between the Innovation
S2: Center at Israel's largest hospital and agnostics. This Jerusalem based
S2: startup that's already developed several saliva based tests, including the
S2: world's first saliva based pregnancy test. Now, because saliva comes
S2: into contact with infected oral tissue. They're working on the
S2: assumption that saliva very likely carries disease markers, and a
S2: simple saliva test increases the chances of detecting oral cavity
S2: cancer at an earlier stage. In addition to testing for
S2: oral cavity cancer, they also plan to develop saliva based
S2: tests for the early detection of head and neck cancer.
S2: On the company's website, they highlight some of the research
S2: where a saliva test can be useful, including a report
S2: on possible biomarkers for the detection of pancreatic cancer. Now
S2: imagine John someday undergoing early cancer detection through the use
S2: of a simple saliva test. That's another innovation being developed
S2: today by researchers in amazing Israel.
S1: And that's a look at current events. Thank you Charlie.
S1: Looking forward to our program. Up next, a conversation about
S1: the life of Ruth, what you and I can learn
S1: from her, her journey, her experience, plus Bible questions and
S1: answers and Charlie's devotional to finish things out. Lots to
S1: listen to and I hope you'll be here for all
S1: of it. On the land and the book from Moody Radio.
S1: Faraway lands, hostile roads. Not enough water. Way too many robbers.
S1: Think of all the obstacles that Ruth and Naomi faced
S1: in their trek to Bethlehem. When you give it further thought,
S1: the biblical story of Ruth paves the way for our story. Hey,
S1: welcome to segment two. Here on the land and the book,
S1: I'm John Gager, and we're about to connect with one
S1: of my favorite Bible characters. But what about the characters
S1: in your neighborhood specifically? How can you and I be
S1: more intentional in sharing the love of Jesus with our
S1: Jewish friends? Here's an idea worth considering. Finding Yeshua in
S1: the Old Testament. Wouldn't you want your Jewish friend to
S1: find him there? But that's my heart. And we're talking
S1: with Michael Redlich, who has the editor of the Moody
S1: Handbook of Messianic Prophecy. Some wisdom from you, Michael. What
S1: would you say?
S3: Well, it's not enough to point out that the Psalms
S3: say that Jesus died for us by crucifixion. Psalm 2216
S3: but also that he was raised. It is crucial to
S3: see that the prophets foretold, and particularly the Book of Psalms,
S3: foretold the Messiah would be raised from the dead in
S3: Psalm 1610. This is not talking about David. It says,
S3: for you will not abandon me to she'll. She'll is
S3: the place of the dead. That's all it really means
S3: in the Hebrew Bible. You will not allow your faithful
S3: one one of the most common terms for the Messiah
S3: to undergo decay. Not only will he not stay dead
S3: in Sheol, but he will be raised before he actually
S3: undergoes any kind of decay, sees any kind of corruption,
S3: no bodily decay. And so it's saying just very rapidly,
S3: there will be a resurrection that will happen. And so
S3: right there, that was one of the key points. Peter
S3: mentions it in acts two and Paul mentions it in
S3: acts 13. I think this is one of the crucial
S3: psalms that was pointed out that the Messiah not only
S3: would die for us, but that he would be raised
S3: from the dead.
S1: Finding Yeshua in the Old Testament. A great tool to
S1: share with your friend as well. That's Doctor Michael Redlich,
S1: professor of Jewish studies at Moody Bible Institute on the
S1: land and the book. Jessica Manfrey is a licensed master
S1: social worker, author, and co-founder of a nonprofit called Inspire Up.
S1: She spent her childhood years on the west coast of
S1: Florida and comes from a big Italian family. Jessica is
S1: a proud United States Coast Guard spouse of 15 years
S1: and mom of two beautiful children. She's also written the
S1: Moody Publishers book Never Alone. Hey, welcome to the land
S1: and the book, Jessica.
S4: Thank you so much for having me.
S1: So you've made an unusual connection, I think, between the
S1: biblical character of Ruth and the lives of modern military spouses.
S1: What led you to this insight?
S4: Well, I knew that I was going to write this book.
S4: I really wanted to target loneliness and bring it to
S4: the forefront and have an open discussion about it. And really,
S4: Ruth has always been my favorite book of the Bible.
S4: It's probably because it's very rich in narration. I love
S4: a good story more than that, I guess. You know, honestly,
S4: I was I was reading it over coffee and I
S4: just it was an aha moment, you know, that we
S4: sometimes hear. And I just found that connection like, you know,
S4: the way, the way we follow our service members, the
S4: way we, you know, cleave to our friendships again, faraway
S4: lands and don't know where you're going. I mean, so
S4: much of it was parallel to our lives.
S1: I think too often when we read the story of Ruth,
S1: some of us want to jump to the happily ever
S1: after moment where she and Boaz get married. You know,
S1: all the land is, you know, appropriated. But that's a mistake.
S1: It seems to me. It minimizes the long season of anxiety,
S1: unfulfillment and uncertainty that that she lived through. What are
S1: your thoughts?
S4: No, I completely agree. And you know, when I wrote this,
S4: you know, the introduction clearly states you don't need to
S4: be a military spouse to read this, that I'm talking
S4: to everyone because we've all gone through it, you know, loneliness, despair,
S4: you know, bitterness really in our situation. I mean, there's
S4: such honesty in it, you know, and I've heard people say,
S4: oh my gosh, like, how could she have these moments?
S4: But you know what? We're all human and we've been there.
S4: And then to have someone come in like Ruth, you know,
S4: so unexpected, right? A pagan woman to be the one
S4: to bring her back to faith. It's really a beautiful story,
S4: you know, a friendship, redemption and just the goodness that's there,
S4: even when we can't see it.
S1: What does that say of us, though, as a as
S1: a culture that we do want to rush to the
S1: happily ever after? I mean, it was a long trek,
S1: a long desert, a hot desert, and and there were
S1: a whole lot of unanswered questions for Ruth and Naomi.
S4: Well, I mean, I can laugh with you and talk
S4: about just the changes in technology, but the reality is
S4: we've become this instant gratification society. I don't even know
S4: if my children could handle dial up internet, let alone
S4: a desert trek, you know? But we really are like,
S4: if it doesn't happen instantly, you know, we're frustrated. Think
S4: about being in the car and traffic is bad. I mean,
S4: it really, really puts a lens on. Are we putting
S4: those expectations of instant for God to, you know, in
S4: our lives?
S1: Jessica Manfrey has written the Moody Publishers book Never Alone.
S1: Her husband is with the United States Coast Guard for
S1: more than 15 years. She's got two beautiful kids, and
S1: she joins us again on the land and the book. Hey,
S1: let me ask you what you personally most admire about Ruth.
S1: What character quality of hers do you wish you had
S1: more of?
S4: Oh my gosh. Um, she strikes me as just such
S4: a courageous woman without fear, you know? Um, she's lost
S4: her husband. Everything is going wrong. And suddenly, you know,
S4: her mother in law is essentially asking her to, you know,
S4: abandon her. And despite the fact that she probably had
S4: family to go back to, you know, she made the decision. No, like,
S4: this is the right way. This is the right path.
S4: I'm going to go essentially completely alone, you know, with
S4: no ties to where they were going. So I would
S4: say the courage, just undeniable courage. I wish I had
S4: more than that because I definitely hesitate a lot. I mean,
S4: you know, I'm a mom, so I'm like, fear, what's
S4: going to get broken? You know, what's going to happen.
S4: You know, I overanalyze. So her courage is just beautiful.
S5: Yeah.
S1: Where do you think she got that courage? I mean,
S1: as part of that natural born personality or is it
S1: a God given gift that was uniquely hers, or is
S1: it a combination or byproduct of of lessons learned?
S4: Young you know, we can speculate so much. And this
S4: is one of those stories that I'm like, man, I
S4: wish we had more meat to it. You know what
S4: I mean? To really understand because we can just imagine,
S4: I would I mean, we know she lost her husband.
S4: We know that she immediately was like, no, where you go,
S4: I go. So you have to wonder. I think it
S4: was a character thing. I definitely think, you know, there
S4: were some God moments there of encouraging her, because why
S4: else would this woman with with no God say no?
S4: Your God is my God without any hesitation or need
S4: a moment, you know, to to think about it. So yeah,
S4: I would say combination of those two things character and
S4: definitely got involved.
S1: You've titled the book Never Alone. Elaborate on what you
S1: or or maybe Ruth even are trying to say here
S1: in that title.
S4: You know, this story can correlate to so much, you know,
S4: when I was writing it and then when I released it,
S4: the Surgeon General of the United States labeled loneliness as
S4: an epidemic. You know, the world with the pandemic and,
S4: you know, just the restrictions that were placed and, you know,
S4: the isolation that was felt. But I think it started
S4: long before that. You know, we've stopped connecting, you know,
S4: with one another. We've stopped having faith in our fellow
S4: human being or knowing our neighbors. And so I would
S4: hope that this will be a reminder that no matter
S4: how desperate your circumstances are or how alone you feel,
S4: God is right there with you, you know, waiting, you know,
S4: to guide you. If you just listen.
S1: Today on the Land and the book, it's a conversation
S1: with Jessica Manfrey, who has written the Moody Publishers book
S1: Never Alone. Hey, let's envision a conversation unfolding now between
S1: Ruth and a concerned wife, perhaps a military spouse. What
S1: kind of counsel might she offer to that person? And
S1: the point really is loneliness. I mean, I you know,
S1: she says, I, I thought I was geared for this,
S1: ready for this, but I'm not. What would you say
S1: to me, Ruth? What would Ruth say?
S4: Oh my gosh. Um, I think number one would be
S4: hold fast to your faith. You know, that is something
S4: that if we can just, you know, treat it like
S4: an anchor, that's something that's always going to be present
S4: for us and know I'm not going to be light
S4: hearted and say, you know, nothing else matters because we
S4: know it does. We know that being a military spouse
S4: carries a sacrifice and a weight, especially when you are
S4: far from family and supports. But if we hold fast
S4: to faith, and I imagine Ruth would be encouraging them,
S4: you know, look how far you've come. Look at the
S4: journey that's ahead of you. You don't have to do
S4: it alone. He's right here. There's so much richness, you know,
S4: in this word to help guide you. That's what I
S4: would hope she would say.
S1: What do you think is an aspect of Ruth's life
S1: that we don't really focus on, but maybe should? What
S1: are we what are we missing?
S5: Um.
S4: I mean, there's a lot there. I wish we had
S4: more of her early years to understand. I also think
S4: sometimes when we go through this story, we don't focus
S4: on their arrival. Right. And what that must have been
S4: like her, her being a stranger, not knowing anyone, but
S4: immediately saying, I'm going to work. I'm going to figure
S4: this out. I'm going to I'm going to care for you.
S4: You know, we are not alone. We're going to make
S4: it through. And she wasn't just, you know, pursuing a
S4: life for herself, but she was taking care of another
S4: human being. And so when you just think of what
S4: can we be doing? You know, for others are we
S4: like Ruth in that way? It just begs that question.
S1: You know, I think of that iconic statement of Ruth's,
S1: you know, where you go, I'm going to go and
S1: your God will be my God. You have to ask yourself,
S1: is that declaration of faith in God something that that
S1: she reached at that moment? Was it something she had
S1: already possessed, or was it? I'm launching into this here
S1: and now. You know, we don't know, as you say,
S1: all the details, but it does make you wonder, doesn't it?
S4: It really does. And I've thought about that often. I'm like,
S4: was this something that was a slow build for her?
S4: And we just didn't know because we don't have that context?
S4: Or was it in that moment, you know, she was
S4: just filled with the Holy Spirit and just knew with,
S4: you know, wavering conviction. This is it. You know, your
S4: God is my God. It's such a beautiful thing to ponder.
S4: I like to envision that maybe it was a slow build,
S4: maybe being, you know, around the family and coming to
S4: these conclusions. And, you know, what a beautiful thing. But
S4: just given how fast it happened in the story, the
S4: other thing is certainly possible and how remarkable, right, that
S4: God would use her that way.
S1: Thanks for being a part of the land and the book.
S1: I'm John Gager with our guest, Jessica Manfrey, a military
S1: spouse who has written the Moody Publishers book Never Alone.
S1: You know, Ruth is nothing if not a story of redemption.
S1: We cheer for her, but talk to the spouse who
S1: isn't feeling much of that redemption right now. Maybe there
S1: is no happily ever after. Maybe separation from her military
S1: spouse is leading to, you know, a separation in marriage
S1: or worse, encourage them. What would you say to them?
S4: Well, I would say that this chapter is not your
S4: whole story, you know, and one of the things that
S4: I try to do, you know, really intentionally with, with
S4: this book is that I infused my own backstory, you know,
S4: traumas that I had endured, things that went on. And
S4: I really try, even in my practice as a therapist,
S4: to get, you know, my patients to come to the reconciliation,
S4: not your worst day is not your only day. The
S4: worst mistake you've ever made, you know, doesn't define you.
S4: And so whatever that spouse is walking through, or even
S4: someone who's not a military spouse, just know that you
S4: are more you are so much more. And God has
S4: called us to be more. And so yes, you know, seek,
S4: you know, redemption and, you know, work towards, you know, good. Absolutely.
S4: I know you're going to have to sit in a
S4: bad space, but you've got to help guide you.
S1: You also write extensively about the wounds of despair, as
S1: you put it. Address that in a military context, and
S1: maybe also for civilian spouses, those who definitely feel the
S1: wounds of despair.
S4: Despair is such a oh my gosh, that's such a
S4: heavy emotion, right? I mean, you can feel it in
S4: the loss, you know, of a family member of a
S4: child in the separation. You know, if you are a
S4: military spouse who's undergoing a deployment and everything is going wrong,
S4: it's really, really hard to see the light in that
S4: kind of darkness. Right? And those wounds can can leave scars, right.
S4: You feel like they're healed, but maybe they're not really.
S4: They're still present. They're still there. They're pulling. Right. And
S4: so it's just kind of up to us to be really,
S4: really honest with ourselves and recognize those things that are
S4: that are maybe building and address them accordingly, whether that's
S4: with your pastor, you know, a good friend. I'm always
S4: an encourager of therapy because, you know, therapist is going
S4: to be that third party. They're unbiased. They're going to
S4: help you unpack things and do it in a way
S4: that allows you to do some really, really deep work.
S1: I noticed in the book, you also kind of introduce
S1: us to a conversation about preparing for loss. What does
S1: this look like for military spouses and and how can
S1: the rest of us prepare for loss? Obviously, in the
S1: military world, you know, we we jump immediately to people
S1: who are in harm's way. But give us your own
S1: particular spin on that.
S6: Yeah.
S4: So for us, you know, as a military spouse, I moved,
S4: you know, nine, ten times. I've kind of lost count. And,
S4: you know, that means saying goodbye to people and that hurts.
S4: Oh my gosh. You know, when you when you've turned
S4: a place that you've never been to suddenly to home
S4: and it's filled with people that you love Walking away
S4: from that is incredibly difficult, as is leaving your family
S4: and friends from, you know, your place of origin and
S4: missing out on so much. And so you kind of
S4: have to prepare yourself. And I say this for a
S4: lot of reasons. Grief can really be the anchor that
S4: we don't want, so we can find ourselves almost going
S4: down a rabbit hole and letting it determine our entire life.
S4: And so preparing your heart for loss really just, you know,
S4: essentially is building a backpack with really, really healthy coping.
S4: And it develops us into really gritty people who, yes,
S4: something bad and horrific has happened. And we're going to
S4: acknowledge that. But now what are we going to do?
S4: You know, we're in charge of how we proceed, you know,
S4: do we proceed, you know, with looking, you know, beyond
S4: that and knowing that goodness is going to come, that
S4: this grief and, you know, these feelings are going to subside,
S4: they'll always be that missing piece. But we still have
S4: the rest of our lives that we have to contend
S4: with and hopefully, you know, love and and live through well.
S1: Well, this sounds like a conversation that a whole lot
S1: of listeners are going to want to be a part of.
S1: And we invite you to visit our web site, The
S1: Land and the Book org, where we'll link you to
S1: Jessica's book and to her website as well, the land
S1: and the book. Org thanks for your time, Jessica.
S4: Thank you for having me. This was such a wonderful conversation.
S4: I surely appreciate it.
S1: And we're looking forward to a visit from Charlie Dyer
S1: next on the Land and the book. It's that time again.
S1: Time to take a look at questions that have come
S1: into our email inbox from listeners just like you. Kind
S1: of fun to get an answer to a question that
S1: you've been puzzling over. And that's your experience every time
S1: you email us at The Land and the book@moody.edu. Our host,
S1: Doctor Charlie Dyer, has his Bible open. And Charlie, you know,
S1: Israel has been in the news a lot over the
S1: past year. And as we know, the Bible is jam
S1: packed with end times prophecies about epic world events, the
S1: regathering of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland. And
S1: then Jesus soon returned. It is crucial for us as believers, though,
S1: to have a proper understanding of Bible prophecy. So our
S1: view of the future is shaped by Scripture, not today's headlines. Right?
S2: That's exactly right. And with this in mind, our friends
S2: at Life and Messiah have published a book titled God,
S2: Israel and Bible Prophecy, and they're offering it to listeners
S2: of the land in the book for a limited time.
S2: This informative book is focused on providing readers with a
S2: deeper understanding and a greater appreciation of what God has
S2: in store for Israel and the nations by digging into
S2: what the scriptures say about these issues. Now, if you're
S2: interested in learning more about what God has in store,
S2: visit Life in Messiah. Org and click on the Moody
S2: Radio button there to find out how you can receive
S2: your copy of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy. That's life
S2: in messiah.org.
S1: Well, as always, we've got a wide range of questions today.
S1: They're all over the map. Fasten your seat belts will
S1: dig in. Here we go. Question one does the Holy
S1: Spirit still give the gifts of apostles, prophets and tongues today?
S2: Yeah, well, I believe the answer is no. And I
S2: say that for two reasons. First, Paul specifically said some
S2: of the gifts of the Holy Spirit were temporary. In
S2: first Corinthians 13 eight he specifically mentions prophecy and tongues.
S2: He says love never fails, but if there are gifts
S2: of prophecy, they'll be done away. If there are tongues,
S2: they will cease. If there's knowledge, it'll be done away.
S2: And the second reason I say this is the gift
S2: of apostleship seems specifically to have been related to actually
S2: having seen the risen Lord Jesus Christ. In first Corinthians 911,
S2: Paul wrote, am I not an apostle? Have I not
S2: seen Jesus our Lord? Now, I don't want to minimize,
S2: you know, people who claim to have these gifts. But
S2: as I read the Bible, it looks to me like
S2: these were temporary gifts related to the foundation of the
S2: early church. Once the church was established and the Bible
S2: was completed, then there was no need any longer for
S2: these temporary gifts. Can a person.
S1: Lose his or her salvation is question two.
S2: Yeah, well, the short answer is someone who's been truly
S2: born again cannot lose their salvation. And I say that
S2: because of two key passages of Scripture in John ten
S2: verses 27 to 30. Jesus said, my sheep hear my voice.
S2: I know them, and they follow me, and I give
S2: eternal life to them, and they shall never perish, and
S2: no one shall snatch them out of my hand. My father,
S2: who has given them to me is greater than all,
S2: and no one is able to snatch them out of
S2: my father's hand. I and the father are one. Jesus
S2: says that He and God the Father have teamed up
S2: together to keep his sheep safe forever, and that's a
S2: powerful combination. The second passage is first John 511 to 13.
S2: There John wrote, the witness is this that God has
S2: given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
S2: He who has the son has life. He who does
S2: not have the Son of God does not have the life.
S2: These things I've written to you, who believe in the
S2: name of the Son of God, in order that you
S2: may know that you have eternal life. If we can
S2: lose it, then it's not eternal. Now I need to
S2: add one other word of caution, though. It's possible for
S2: someone to make a false profession of faith in Christ.
S2: They say the right words, but they don't truly turn
S2: from their sins to accept him as their Savior and Lord. Right?
S2: And Jesus made that clear in Matthew seven. He said,
S2: A time will come when people will say, uh, Lord, Lord.
S2: And he says, depart from me. I never knew you.
S2: Those people didn't lose their salvation. They just never had
S2: it to begin with.
S1: Here's an interesting question what kind of food did Jesus
S1: and the disciples eat? Did they have pita bread, Charlie?
S2: Well, pita bread? Yes. Big Macs? No. Uh, yeah. But
S2: on a serious note, we do have a relatively good
S2: idea of what they ate. You know, the seven species
S2: of the land, as they're called in Deuteronomy eight, uh,
S2: were the main foods a wheat, barley, vines, which means
S2: grapes and wine and figs, pomegranates, olive oil, and date
S2: palm honey. So they ate a lot of what we'd
S2: say are whole grains and fruit. Now, they also kept
S2: sheep and goats, but they ate relatively little meat. Remember,
S2: the fatted calf wasn't killed until a feast was held
S2: when the prodigal son returned. They used the milk, though,
S2: from those animals. For milk and for cheese and for yogurt. Now,
S2: in Ezekiel eight, we're also given a list of other
S2: grains they would have eaten in picturing a time of famine.
S2: Ezekiel was told to mix together these grains, which normally
S2: would have been eaten separately, and he mentions wheat and
S2: barley and beans and lentils and millet and spelt. So
S2: the bottom line in all this the primary diet was
S2: whole grains, fresh vegetables with olive oil, some dairy products
S2: and very little meat or sweets. They combine all that
S2: with a great deal of physical exercise, and they were
S2: generally in pretty good health.
S1: This listener wants to know is Psalm 22 a prophecy
S1: of Jesus praying to God on the cross?
S2: Yeah, I believe you're heading in the right direction. Jesus
S2: quoted the very words of Psalm 22, verse one, when
S2: he was on the cross, My God, my God, why
S2: have you forsaken me? The psalm was written by David
S2: to describe his experience, but I believe it was also
S2: intended to give us a prophetic glimpse into the suffering
S2: of Jesus. And I say that because of all the parallels,
S2: they're just too dramatic to ignore. You know, David mentions
S2: the mocking of those who were watching. He mentions the
S2: enemies piercing my hands and my feet. He mentions them
S2: casting lots for my clothing. You know, a thousand years
S2: before the events of Calvary, I believe David described perfectly
S2: what Jesus experienced on the cross.
S1: This listener wants to know why do we bow our
S1: heads and close our eyes when we pray? When Jesus
S1: looked up to heaven when he prayed.
S2: Yeah, it's actually a great question. The first thing that
S2: comes to mind I do believe it's related more to
S2: tradition than anything else. I think bowing our heads was
S2: intended to show reverence and respect and humility, and closing
S2: our eyes was to help blot out distractions. But in
S2: the Bible, you find people prostrating themselves on the ground
S2: and standing upright. You find them raising their hands and
S2: beating their breasts. At least in the case of Jesus
S2: illustration of the public and praying to God in the temple,
S2: no one position is demanded, though the most common probably
S2: is lifting our hands toward heaven. I believe Jesus's words
S2: in the sermon on the Mount are most helpful here.
S2: It's not so much where we pray or how we pray,
S2: as it is what we pray and our heart attitude
S2: when we're doing it.
S1: From Moody Radio, This is the Land and the book,
S1: a fast paced set of questions today that we're looking
S1: at yours. Welcome. Any time when you email us at
S1: The Land and the Book at book@moody.edu. Maybe it's a
S1: Bible study. You're in a sermon. You heard a passage
S1: you just read. That question is welcome at the land
S1: and the book@moody.edu. First, Samuel 17 has the story of
S1: David and Goliath, and this listener wants to know, did
S1: David pick up five smooth stones, as we're told, because
S1: Goliath had four other brothers.
S2: You know, second Samuel 21, does appear to say that
S2: Goliath had four brothers. But that passage does have a
S2: few problems, depending on the translation of verse 19. It
S2: either says the the person killed was Goliath or the
S2: brother of Goliath. But I think there's a better answer, though,
S2: as to why David chose five smooth stones as he
S2: prepared to fight Goliath, and it has to do with
S2: biblical wisdom. Although David was certain God was on his side,
S2: he had no guarantee that God would give him victory
S2: on his very first attempt. I suspect that David's past
S2: experience had taught him to fill his pouch with stones,
S2: so that he would have a backup ready, just in case. Now,
S2: that's not a lack of faith on David's part, as
S2: much as it is a realization of trying to hit
S2: a target in battle, conditions can be hard. He had
S2: plenty of faith in God, but he was allowing for
S2: his own human frailty in planning for the possibility of
S2: missing on his first attempt.
S1: All right. Our next question. Why do eastern cultures seem
S1: to be more in tune with spirituality than Western cultures?
S2: I think it probably has to do with the rise
S2: of rationalism in the West. During the late Middle Ages,
S2: we became more enamored with science, the scientific method, observation, experimentation,
S2: your logic. And in one sense, these are good things.
S2: They've brought about major advances in science and medicine. But
S2: the downside is that many in the West have neglected
S2: that part of life, which can't be subject to scientific analysis.
S2: But let me add, though, that spirituality alone isn't necessarily
S2: a good thing. A feeling and experience divorced from knowledge
S2: can lead to serious error. Second Timothy three. The apostle
S2: described the end times as a time when people would
S2: hold to a. He says a form of godliness, but
S2: deny its power. That is, they'll appear to be spiritual,
S2: but it'll be a delusional spirituality that's divorced from God's revelation.
S2: And in Second Peter two, Peter makes it clear that
S2: the apostles didn't follow cleverly devised tales, but he says
S2: they were eyewitnesses of the events. In short, he's saying
S2: that the spirituality of the Christian faith is a rational
S2: Christianity based on actual factual events.
S1: And here's an interesting question. When was the Sabbath changed
S1: to Sunday? Well, the.
S2: Sabbath, the seventh day of the week. And that's never changed.
S2: But the time when people gathered to worship did change
S2: from Saturday to Sunday in the early church. And I
S2: think it was related to the fact that Jesus rose
S2: from the dead on the first day of the week,
S2: which is Sunday. Matthew 28 one now after the Sabbath,
S2: as it began to dawn toward the first day of
S2: the week, that's when Mary Magdalene and the others came
S2: to the tomb. Acts 20. Verse seven. On the first
S2: day of the week, when we were gathered together to
S2: break bread, Paul begins talking to the people at the
S2: church in Troas. And first Corinthians 16 two Paul says,
S2: on the first day of every week, let each of
S2: you put aside and save as he may prosper, that
S2: no collections be made when I come. So he writes
S2: that to the church in Corinth. But it seems like
S2: the early church from very early on began worshiping on
S2: the first day of the week, because that was the
S2: day Jesus rose from the dead.
S1: Back to Genesis after he killed Abel, who did Cain marry?
S2: I think the Bible gives a fairly straightforward answer. Genesis
S2: five four says, Adam and Eve had other sons and daughters.
S2: After the birth of Cain and Abel, Cain, after killing
S2: his brother, must have married one of his sisters.
S1: Okay, boy, we've covered the ground here today, wide and deep.
S1: Your question is always welcome at the land and the book@moody.edu.
S1: Charlie's devotional is next. Whether you're watching online or on television,
S1: it seems like the images almost encourage you to chill
S1: out and be lazy during the summer. But should we
S1: be lazy during the summer? What do you say, Charlie Dyer?
S2: My answer will be no, but you'll be surprised how
S2: I say it.
S1: You'll be surprised as you listen to his devotional, Avoiding
S1: the Lazy Days of Summer. That's what's next here on
S1: the land and the book in this fourth segment. Welcome back,
S1: by the way. And before we get to that devotional,
S1: let's get to this testimony from an Israel traveler.
S7: Hi, my name is Linda. And one of the things
S7: that when we were traveling right from the beginning on
S7: the Sea of Galilee was the realization that you get
S7: out there on that water and you think, you look
S7: this way and you look that way, and you look
S7: all around you, and you see how the things that
S7: Jesus did, Charlie presented things of the different things that
S7: took place just around the Sea of Galilee, and then,
S7: of course, on the sea with Peter walking and all
S7: of that type of thing. And what a wonderful thing
S7: to be able to see all of this, to be
S7: aware of where Jesus was and the things that he
S7: accomplished around that sea.
S1: All right, let's get on with Charlie Dyer's devotional, Avoiding
S1: the Lazy Days of Summer. We're headed for Proverbs 24
S1: and 26. And Charlie, it's all yours. Ah.
S2: Thank you. You know, John, way back in 1963, Nat
S2: King Cole released a song titled Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy
S2: Days of Summer. The song became a top ten single,
S2: and it ended 1963 at number 59 on the list
S2: of Billboard Hot 100 singles for the year. Even now,
S2: six decades later, it's still occasionally receives airtime, usually connected
S2: with comments about the warm summer weather. Well, today we're
S2: heading back to Israel to talk with Solomon about wisdom
S2: for life. And in many ways, today's conversation is the
S2: flipside of his wisdom from last week. That's where Solomon
S2: shared what is versus what should be in our response
S2: to those struggling in poverty. But this week, Solomon is
S2: focusing on how to avoid the lazy days of summer.
S2: But I'm getting ahead of myself. So let's head out
S2: to meet Solomon and hear his wise observations. We're outside
S2: Jerusalem on the road that leads south toward Bethlehem. On
S2: both sides of the dirt road are terraced fields covered
S2: with ripening barley and wheat, interspersed with vineyards. And coming
S2: toward us is Solomon, deep in thought. He stops and
S2: we ask where he's been. His answer is direct, but
S2: also rather cryptic. I went past the field of the sluggard,
S2: past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment. Thorns
S2: had come up everywhere. The ground was covered with weeds
S2: and the stone wall was in ruins. I applied my
S2: heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from
S2: what I saw. A little sleep, a little slumber, a
S2: little folding of the hands to rest. And poverty will
S2: come on you like a bandit. And scarcity like an
S2: armed man. The combination of words he uses for sluggard
S2: can literally be translated lazy man, and lacking sense is
S2: literally lacking heart, with the heart representing here the seat
S2: of knowledge, thought, and reflection. Solomon characterized the person by
S2: observing the field that he owned. Nettles and thistles, a
S2: common agricultural problem in Israel, had totally overgrown the grain
S2: and vines, and the stone wall built to both mark
S2: the field's boundaries and to keep out wild animals, was
S2: completely broken down In agriculture, there is a great deal
S2: of work that must be done long before the crops
S2: can be harvested. And having worked on farms for a
S2: few summers while growing up, I can definitely say that
S2: it is hard work. And today we have tractors and
S2: other mechanized equipment. Standing here with Solomon, we see other
S2: farmers out in their fields chopping at the thorns and
S2: thistles that never seem to stop sprouting, and then taking
S2: a break from that repetitive work. They walk through the fields,
S2: gathering up the rocks that always seem to push their
S2: way through the soil, labouring under the load. They carry
S2: the rocks over to repair the stone walls that always
S2: seem to be toppling at the most inconvenient time. So
S2: where's the farmer with the overgrown field? He's home, taking
S2: a siesta. It's too hot under the intense summer sun.
S2: He's too tired to head out today. Perhaps tomorrow it
S2: will be cooler. Or perhaps there will be some clouds.
S2: Something not very likely, though possible. Or perhaps he will
S2: suddenly have a surge of ambition. Or perhaps. Or perhaps.
S2: But in the meantime, he's resting over there in the shade,
S2: hands folded together behind his head to make a nice pillow,
S2: and Solomon, in his wisdom, looked down the road of
S2: time and saw poverty and scarcity coming on this individual
S2: as unexpectedly as a bandit or an armed robber. We're
S2: taken aback by Solomon's observations, but he's not done yet.
S2: He then shares with us his other thoughts on laziness
S2: and its consequences, found just two chapters later in his book,
S2: The Sluggard says there's a lion in the road, a
S2: fierce lion roaming the streets as a door turns on
S2: its hinges. So a sluggard turns on his bed. The
S2: sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He's too lazy
S2: to bring it back to his mouth. The sluggard is
S2: wiser in his own eyes than seven men, who answered
S2: discreetly as we cock our heads to the side, trying
S2: to decipher Solomon's cryptic observations, he smiles and shares the
S2: point of each comparison. First, he says, the sluggard will
S2: make up the wildest excuses to keep from working. There
S2: are indeed lions in the land. Remember, my father David
S2: fought one when he was watching the sheep in the wilderness,
S2: but they are few and far between. It seems the
S2: sluggard will work harder inventing excuses than he will actually working.
S2: But how about your comparison to a door turning on
S2: its hinges? What do you mean? There? Well, smiling Solomon
S2: pantomimes turning from one side to another. About the only
S2: exercise the sluggard seems to get is rolling over in bed.
S2: I'm using an exaggeration, but I think you get the point.
S2: The sluggard does as little work as possible. Okay, but
S2: what do you mean when you said he buries his
S2: hand in the dish and is too weary to bring
S2: it to his mouth? Well, Solomon says you first need
S2: to remember that we don't have those fancy utensils you
S2: use for eating food. We use our fingers like forks,
S2: sometimes with a piece of pita to serve as a scoop.
S2: The common pan is placed before us, and we dip
S2: in to scoop out some rice, or perhaps a piece
S2: of meat or vegetable. Again, I'm using exaggeration to show
S2: that even the task of eating seems like it just
S2: takes too much effort to the sluggard, let alone growing
S2: the crops or preparing the meal. But then you ended
S2: by saying the sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
S2: than seven, who can give a discreet answer. Help us here,
S2: Solomon chuckles. Well, the one thing the sluggard possesses in
S2: abundance is conceit sevens, a number that represents completeness. Place
S2: the sluggard against seven individuals who can explain why diligence
S2: and hard work are important, and the sluggard will believe
S2: his approach to life. Rest. Take it easy. Have a
S2: good time is a far wiser way to live than
S2: to do all the toil and hard work, and it
S2: does seem to make life more enjoyable all the way
S2: up till harvest time and the famine that follows. But
S2: we say goodbye to Solomon as he turns for home.
S2: But what does all this have to do with us today? Sadly,
S2: a great deal. There is a philosophy today that says
S2: it's foolish to work long and hard. Books abound, telling
S2: people they can and should enjoy life without working hard.
S2: That personal fulfillment and happiness are the real goals, and
S2: that work should never be allowed to get in the way.
S2: And it seems very well until the money given to
S2: you by your parents, or by well-meaning and sympathetic friends,
S2: or from wherever you get it, runs out. And that's
S2: why the wisdom of Proverbs is so important. Work and
S2: material possessions are never to become our God. But at
S2: the same time, God designed us to do work. It's
S2: part of his original creation for humanity. In the Garden
S2: of Eden last week, we learned the importance of reaching
S2: out to help those who are poor through no fault
S2: of their own. This week we see the opposite side
S2: of the equation. We need to be very reluctant to
S2: encourage or support those who deliberately choose a lifestyle of laziness,
S2: expecting others to support them when they're unwilling to support themselves.
S2: In essence, they want to enjoy a good time while
S2: demanding that you pay for it. And that's another form
S2: of theft. Paul applied this very wisdom of Solomon when
S2: he wrote to the church at Ephesus. He balanced the
S2: importance of helping those in need with the importance of
S2: being a giver rather than a taker in our relationship
S2: to others. He who has been stealing must steal no longer,
S2: but must work doing something useful with his own hands
S2: that he may have something to share with those in need.
S2: As those who claim to love God, let's follow his
S2: wise advice for life. Avoid the lazy days of summer
S2: and be diligent in all you do, not necessarily to
S2: amass riches for yourself, but so you have sufficient to
S2: share with those who are in genuine need. That's a
S2: wise way to live life.
S1: And that's a wise, wise devotional. Thank you Charlie. You know,
S1: if you appreciate the land and the book, we've got
S1: two favors to ask of you. One, tell a friend
S1: about us. Maybe point them to our podcast at the
S1: Land and the book org. Second thing you could do
S1: is if you listen to this broadcast over the air,
S1: thank the management at the station for giving air time
S1: to our program. A quick email, a postcard or just
S1: a letter or just all really appreciated. Thank you for
S1: doing that. And on behalf of Charlie Dyer, our host,
S1: our producer, Dan Anderson, I'm John Geiger, inviting you back
S1: next week for another edition of The Land and the book,
S1: a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.