1 00:00:07,910 --> 00:00:11,569 S1: You know all about celebrating Christmas. But what about searching 2 00:00:11,570 --> 00:00:14,000 S1: for Christmas? You say, hey, why would I need to 3 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:16,610 S1: do that? Well, because as a culture, we've lost some 4 00:00:16,610 --> 00:00:19,489 S1: significant parts of the advent story. It's true. In a 5 00:00:19,489 --> 00:00:21,470 S1: few minutes, we're going to sit down with J.D. Greer 6 00:00:21,500 --> 00:00:24,470 S1: for compelling insights, and you won't want to miss Charlie 7 00:00:24,470 --> 00:00:28,280 S1: Dyer's devotional or our look at your latest Bible questions. Hey, 8 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:30,560 S1: welcome to the land and the book with our host, 9 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:33,980 S1: Doctor Charlie Dyer, a middle East expert with many books 10 00:00:33,979 --> 00:00:36,710 S1: on this subject. I'm John Gager, and you know, as 11 00:00:36,710 --> 00:00:39,440 S1: the end of this year approaches, many world events have 12 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:42,589 S1: left us wondering what God's plan is for the future. 13 00:00:42,590 --> 00:00:45,290 S1: And this is especially true when it comes to Israel. 14 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:48,740 S1: Despite its small size, boy, people around the world are 15 00:00:48,740 --> 00:00:53,090 S1: intensely focused on what takes place there. And we wonder, 16 00:00:53,090 --> 00:00:56,270 S1: are today's headlines somehow connected in any way with prophecies 17 00:00:56,270 --> 00:00:59,210 S1: in the Bible? And how should followers of Jesus interpret 18 00:00:59,210 --> 00:01:01,940 S1: current events as we await his second coming. Yeah. 19 00:01:01,970 --> 00:01:05,300 S2: And to help answer those absolutely vital questions, our friends 20 00:01:05,300 --> 00:01:09,020 S2: at Life and Messiah urge you to check out their book, God, 21 00:01:09,020 --> 00:01:12,860 S2: Israel and Bible Prophecy with Scripture as its foundation. The 22 00:01:12,860 --> 00:01:15,140 S2: book will take you on a journey into what God 23 00:01:15,140 --> 00:01:18,230 S2: has in store for the Jewish people and the nations. 24 00:01:18,380 --> 00:01:20,990 S2: This book is for anyone who wants to explore where 25 00:01:20,990 --> 00:01:24,800 S2: modern day events fit on God's grand timeline. If that's 26 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:27,380 S2: you or someone you know, this would be a great 27 00:01:27,380 --> 00:01:32,119 S2: resource or gift. Visit Life in Messiah. Org and click 28 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:34,459 S2: on the Moody Radio button there to find out how 29 00:01:34,459 --> 00:01:38,840 S2: you can receive your copy of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy. 30 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:42,020 S2: That's life in messiah.org. 31 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:44,810 S1: And now let's swing our focus toward current events from 32 00:01:44,810 --> 00:01:48,350 S1: the Middle East region. Events in Syria continue to unfold 33 00:01:48,350 --> 00:01:51,020 S1: at a rapid pace. Charlie, what's the latest that we 34 00:01:51,020 --> 00:01:53,990 S1: know from inside the country and how might it shape 35 00:01:53,990 --> 00:01:55,400 S1: the future of the Middle East? 36 00:01:55,430 --> 00:01:58,970 S2: Well, the jihadist coalition that toppled Assad is continuing to 37 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:02,360 S2: consolidate power. The initial wave of joy over the fall 38 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:05,420 S2: of Assad's brutal regime is giving way to a concern 39 00:02:05,420 --> 00:02:09,169 S2: about the country's future direction. This is the second time 40 00:02:09,169 --> 00:02:13,310 S2: jihadists have forcefully overthrown a regime. The first was Afghanistan, 41 00:02:13,310 --> 00:02:16,910 S2: back in 2021, when the U.S. trained Afghan army simply 42 00:02:16,910 --> 00:02:20,089 S2: collapsed before the Taliban. Now, at that time, the Taliban 43 00:02:20,090 --> 00:02:23,780 S2: promised to continue allowing women to study and work promises 44 00:02:23,780 --> 00:02:27,050 S2: that they've since broken. In a similar way, the leader 45 00:02:27,050 --> 00:02:30,980 S2: of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the HTS, has promised to maintain 46 00:02:30,980 --> 00:02:35,090 S2: the rights of women and religious minorities. But HTS grew 47 00:02:35,090 --> 00:02:38,359 S2: out of al Qaeda, whose previous goal was the establishment 48 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:42,110 S2: of an Islamic state governed by Sharia law. This has 49 00:02:42,110 --> 00:02:44,959 S2: minority groups in Syria, like the Christians and the Kurds, 50 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:48,410 S2: and the Druze and the Alawites very concerned. It also 51 00:02:48,410 --> 00:02:51,950 S2: has Israel concerned. They've launched hundreds of airstrikes that have 52 00:02:51,950 --> 00:02:55,520 S2: taken out most of the Assad regime's military assets. This 53 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:59,300 S2: includes the destruction of Syria's navy, its air force, its 54 00:02:59,330 --> 00:03:04,579 S2: weapons storage depots, anti-aircraft systems and chemical weapons facilities. Doing 55 00:03:04,580 --> 00:03:07,160 S2: so kept these weapons out of the hands of both 56 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:10,850 S2: the Syrian rebels and Hezbollah. It also opens the way 57 00:03:10,850 --> 00:03:14,360 S2: for Israel to launch future attacks against Iran. Israel sent 58 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:17,660 S2: its forces into the demilitarized zone between the two countries 59 00:03:17,660 --> 00:03:20,750 S2: to keep the jihadists from moving in. The events now 60 00:03:20,780 --> 00:03:23,780 S2: underway in Syria could shape the future of that region 61 00:03:23,780 --> 00:03:27,290 S2: in at least three ways. First, it definitely marks a 62 00:03:27,290 --> 00:03:31,459 S2: setback for Iran. These Sunni rebel groups oppose Iran's influence 63 00:03:31,460 --> 00:03:34,340 S2: in Syria. They oppose the Shiite religion, and they see 64 00:03:34,340 --> 00:03:37,160 S2: it as a religious war with Iran as the dominant 65 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:40,940 S2: Shiite nation being the main enemy. Second, the takeover could 66 00:03:40,940 --> 00:03:43,580 S2: pose a danger for those not in favor with an 67 00:03:43,580 --> 00:03:47,840 S2: Islamic Sharia state. This would eventually include Israel. But before 68 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:50,360 S2: they focus on Israel, it's likely they'll try to go 69 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:53,990 S2: after the other groups within Syria itself. As I mentioned before, 70 00:03:53,990 --> 00:03:57,860 S2: the Christians, the Kurds, the Alawites and the Druze, and finally, 71 00:03:57,860 --> 00:04:00,590 S2: the one country in the region that could potentially benefit 72 00:04:00,590 --> 00:04:04,520 S2: from this is Turkey. Turkey has supported these different jihadist groups, 73 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:09,050 S2: and they share a common religious connection through the Muslim Brotherhood. Still, 74 00:04:09,050 --> 00:04:11,960 S2: it's unclear if the jihadists will allow themselves to become 75 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:15,589 S2: too closely aligned with Turkey or dominated by Turkey. Having 76 00:04:15,620 --> 00:04:18,740 S2: eliminated the Persian influence, they may not want to substitute 77 00:04:18,740 --> 00:04:21,650 S2: it with Turkish control, even though the Turks are fellow 78 00:04:21,650 --> 00:04:22,909 S2: Sunni Muslims. 79 00:04:22,940 --> 00:04:26,750 S1: Well, negotiations continue for the release of the remaining hostages 80 00:04:26,779 --> 00:04:30,050 S1: being held by Hamas. How close might the two sides 81 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:33,050 S1: be to a final deal? We keep hearing stories, Charlie. Yeah. 82 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:35,450 S2: And it all depends on whom you listen to. A 83 00:04:35,450 --> 00:04:38,750 S2: senior Hamas official said there is an excellent opportunity to 84 00:04:38,779 --> 00:04:41,840 S2: declare an agreement with Israel and a cease fire arrangement 85 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:45,020 S2: for the Gaza Strip. Apparently, the groups are at the 86 00:04:45,020 --> 00:04:49,039 S2: point where they're discussing which Palestinian prisoners would be released 87 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,310 S2: for the hostages. It's thought right now that 96 of 88 00:04:52,310 --> 00:04:56,810 S2: the original 251 31 hostages still remain in Gaza. Israel 89 00:04:56,839 --> 00:04:59,419 S2: believes at least 34 of those are dead, which would 90 00:04:59,420 --> 00:05:04,339 S2: leave 62 hostages still alive. The plan under discussion would 91 00:05:04,339 --> 00:05:07,820 S2: be to release the hostages in three phases. The first phase, 92 00:05:07,820 --> 00:05:10,430 S2: which would last six weeks, would provide a cease fire 93 00:05:10,430 --> 00:05:13,430 S2: that would include the exchange of the female, elderly and 94 00:05:13,430 --> 00:05:18,260 S2: wounded hostages still alive, four Palestinian prisoners with three prisoners 95 00:05:18,260 --> 00:05:21,800 S2: for every one hostage during that six weeks. The sides 96 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:25,100 S2: would also negotiate terms for the second and third phases 97 00:05:25,100 --> 00:05:28,280 S2: with the remaining living hostages, and then the bodies of 98 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:29,870 S2: the rest to be released. 99 00:05:29,900 --> 00:05:34,010 S1: Charlie, I wonder what leverage could Hamas still possibly hold 100 00:05:34,010 --> 00:05:36,560 S1: that would allow them to dictate any of the terms 101 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:37,820 S1: in this conversation? 102 00:05:37,850 --> 00:05:40,760 S2: The leverage are the people, the hostages themselves. Israel is 103 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:42,710 S2: so concerned to get them back. That's just part of 104 00:05:42,710 --> 00:05:45,830 S2: the the ethos, the nature of Israel itself, that no 105 00:05:45,830 --> 00:05:48,770 S2: one's going to be left behind. And as a result, 106 00:05:48,860 --> 00:05:52,729 S2: the entire nation is being held hostage because of those hostages. 107 00:05:52,820 --> 00:05:55,810 S2: Israel wants the hostages home. At the same time. And 108 00:05:55,810 --> 00:05:58,150 S2: this is the trouble with it all, the government doesn't 109 00:05:58,150 --> 00:06:00,969 S2: want to allow Hamas to remain there and remain in 110 00:06:00,970 --> 00:06:04,420 S2: control of Gaza to continue their fight against Israel. So 111 00:06:04,420 --> 00:06:06,190 S2: the bottom line, and this is where I think we 112 00:06:06,190 --> 00:06:08,349 S2: need to go. We need to be praying for the hostages. 113 00:06:08,350 --> 00:06:11,890 S2: But don't expect a lasting peace between Israel and Hamas 114 00:06:11,890 --> 00:06:15,010 S2: anytime soon to come out of these negotiations from the. 115 00:06:15,010 --> 00:06:17,200 S1: Land and the book this is Moody Radio Hour host 116 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:19,719 S1: Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John Gallagher with this week's look 117 00:06:19,750 --> 00:06:23,020 S1: at current events as if Israel needed any more distractions. 118 00:06:23,020 --> 00:06:26,980 S1: The trial of Prime Minister Netanyahu has resumed, with Netanyahu 119 00:06:26,980 --> 00:06:30,159 S1: now being required to testify three days a week, six 120 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:33,400 S1: hours each day for several weeks. Remind us again of 121 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:36,039 S1: the charges against him. And why has this taking place, 122 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:38,020 S1: even as Israel is fighting a war? 123 00:06:38,050 --> 00:06:41,169 S2: Yeah, Netanyahu is having to testify because the Supreme Court 124 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:44,109 S2: refused to grant an extension, even in the middle of 125 00:06:44,110 --> 00:06:46,479 S2: all the fighting for the past four and a half years, 126 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:50,290 S2: the prosecution has been presenting its case against Netanyahu. Now 127 00:06:50,290 --> 00:06:52,989 S2: he's being given an opportunity to present his side of 128 00:06:52,990 --> 00:06:57,010 S2: the story. Netanyahu is charged with bribery, fraud and breach 129 00:06:57,010 --> 00:07:00,370 S2: of public trust, covering three separate cases. I'll try and 130 00:07:00,370 --> 00:07:03,700 S2: cover these briefly in case 1000. He's accused of receiving 131 00:07:03,700 --> 00:07:07,120 S2: gifts from wealthy tycoons in exchange for help with business 132 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:10,090 S2: and personal matters. While Netanyahu claims the gifts were gifts 133 00:07:10,090 --> 00:07:13,480 S2: from friends, and his assistance was the kind government officials 134 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:16,660 S2: ought to provide for citizens, he's claiming there's no linkage. 135 00:07:16,660 --> 00:07:19,780 S2: So the gifts weren't bribes, they were just gifts. In 136 00:07:19,780 --> 00:07:23,290 S2: case 2000, Netanyahu is accused of helping a newspaper gain 137 00:07:23,290 --> 00:07:26,770 S2: a greater competitive advantage over another in exchange for more 138 00:07:26,770 --> 00:07:30,550 S2: positive news coverage. However, he says no deal ever took place, 139 00:07:30,580 --> 00:07:33,220 S2: nor did he ever intend for one to happen, and 140 00:07:33,220 --> 00:07:37,840 S2: the negative news coverage continued unabated. And finally, in case 4000, 141 00:07:37,870 --> 00:07:40,930 S2: which is considered the most serious one, Netanyahu is accused 142 00:07:40,930 --> 00:07:44,920 S2: of pushing government policies that favored one specific media owner 143 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:48,310 S2: in exchange for more positive news coverage. He's claiming the 144 00:07:48,310 --> 00:07:51,790 S2: news organization continued doing negative stories about him during the 145 00:07:51,790 --> 00:07:54,490 S2: time in question, which shows he never made a deal 146 00:07:54,490 --> 00:07:57,160 S2: and that any changes in policies that might have taken 147 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:00,610 S2: place were made by others. Netanyahu is using his time 148 00:08:00,610 --> 00:08:03,610 S2: on the stand to present his perspective on the charges, 149 00:08:03,610 --> 00:08:05,440 S2: and to make his own case that this is a 150 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:10,630 S2: mixture of overzealous prosecution bordering on political persecution. It seems 151 00:08:10,630 --> 00:08:13,210 S2: like the more appropriate thing for the prosecution to do 152 00:08:13,210 --> 00:08:16,660 S2: during wartime would be to temporarily suspend the trial until 153 00:08:16,660 --> 00:08:20,050 S2: after the conflict is over. Sadly, that didn't take place. 154 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:22,179 S1: Charlie, I wonder if there's any way to gauge a 155 00:08:22,180 --> 00:08:25,120 S1: sense of popular thought on all of this. Does the 156 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:29,050 S1: average Israeli citizen say, look, this is, you know, political 157 00:08:29,050 --> 00:08:31,690 S1: witch hunt? Or do they say, no? You know, we're 158 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:34,150 S1: we're pretty sure that wrong has been committed here. Is 159 00:08:34,150 --> 00:08:36,700 S1: there any kind of a public opinion idea? 160 00:08:36,790 --> 00:08:39,189 S2: Well, there are there are opinion polls being released all 161 00:08:39,190 --> 00:08:43,150 S2: the time, and this has changed nothing. Right now, probably 162 00:08:43,150 --> 00:08:46,870 S2: a majority would not like Netanyahu or have some concerns 163 00:08:46,870 --> 00:08:49,939 S2: about him. However, if elections were held right now, his 164 00:08:49,940 --> 00:08:52,520 S2: party would still be the largest party and would very 165 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:55,610 S2: likely be able to form a coalition. So where they 166 00:08:55,610 --> 00:08:57,949 S2: were just after the last election is about where the 167 00:08:57,950 --> 00:08:59,930 S2: people are right now. You either like him or don't 168 00:08:59,929 --> 00:09:02,930 S2: like him, but nothing has really changed. 169 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:07,099 S1: Story number four. Israeli researchers have developed a breakthrough Covid 170 00:09:07,100 --> 00:09:11,959 S1: 19 vaccine that is, get this needle free, inexpensive to produce, 171 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:15,830 S1: and requires no refrigeration. Tell us about this new development 172 00:09:15,830 --> 00:09:17,090 S1: out of amazing Israel. 173 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:19,880 S2: You know, John, it was exactly four years ago this 174 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:23,600 S2: month when the first vaccines for the Covid virus became available. 175 00:09:23,630 --> 00:09:25,160 S2: You know, that was you think back about it. That 176 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:27,380 S2: was a scary time. And I don't want to get 177 00:09:27,380 --> 00:09:29,960 S2: into the debate that still swirls around the virus and 178 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:33,320 S2: all those vaccines. But we do know the vaccines developed 179 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:36,709 S2: back then needed to be refrigerated before being administered by 180 00:09:36,710 --> 00:09:40,730 S2: medical personnel, and those limitations made the vaccine unsuitable for 181 00:09:40,730 --> 00:09:44,870 S2: use in many developing nations. Now, scientists from Israel and 182 00:09:44,870 --> 00:09:48,550 S2: Portugal have developed an inexpensive and effective nano vaccine against 183 00:09:48,550 --> 00:09:51,760 S2: Covid 19 that can be stored at room temperature and 184 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:55,089 S2: administered as a nasal spray. It has the same efficacy 185 00:09:55,090 --> 00:09:58,660 S2: as existing vaccines. The new vaccines don't rely on the 186 00:09:58,660 --> 00:10:04,240 S2: full protein expression using mRNA like the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Instead, 187 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:07,450 S2: the scientists use tools to identify two short and simple 188 00:10:07,450 --> 00:10:11,890 S2: amino acid sequences in the virus's protein. They synthesize them 189 00:10:11,890 --> 00:10:15,910 S2: and encapsulated them in nanoparticles. Final studies of the vaccine 190 00:10:15,910 --> 00:10:19,420 S2: are continuing, but are very promising, and hopefully this new 191 00:10:19,420 --> 00:10:21,850 S2: approach for Covid 19 will also be able to be 192 00:10:21,850 --> 00:10:25,359 S2: used on future diseases and will soon be available thanks 193 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:29,380 S2: to the dedicated researchers of Amazing Israel, along with their 194 00:10:29,380 --> 00:10:30,850 S2: colleagues in Portugal. 195 00:10:30,850 --> 00:10:32,860 S1: And that's a look at current events from the region 196 00:10:32,860 --> 00:10:35,500 S1: with our host, doctor Charlie Dyer. You know all about 197 00:10:35,500 --> 00:10:38,770 S1: celebrating Christmas, but what about searching for Christmas? You say, 198 00:10:38,770 --> 00:10:40,929 S1: why would I need to do that again? Because as 199 00:10:40,929 --> 00:10:43,569 S1: a culture, I think we have lost some significant parts 200 00:10:43,570 --> 00:10:45,459 S1: of that advent story. We're going to talk about what 201 00:10:45,460 --> 00:10:48,520 S1: those missing items are how we find them and more 202 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:52,720 S1: with our special guest, JD Greer. Coming up, searching for 203 00:10:52,720 --> 00:11:10,270 S1: Christmas right here. The. Question what if instead of just 204 00:11:10,270 --> 00:11:14,110 S1: enjoying the Christmas holidays, we seized them, went out of 205 00:11:14,110 --> 00:11:17,500 S1: our way to be intentional with unsaved friends, coworkers, and 206 00:11:17,500 --> 00:11:21,490 S1: neighbors by sharing Jesus in fresh, new ways? What if 207 00:11:21,490 --> 00:11:24,880 S1: we steered conversations toward thoughts about Jesus and and what 208 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:27,939 S1: Christmas is ultimately all about? And what if there was 209 00:11:27,940 --> 00:11:30,730 S1: a simple tool to help you do just that? Wouldn't 210 00:11:30,730 --> 00:11:32,650 S1: you want to know about it? Hey, welcome to the 211 00:11:32,650 --> 00:11:36,190 S1: land and the book segment two. I'm John Gager, and 212 00:11:36,190 --> 00:11:38,890 S1: before we welcome today's guest, let's welcome this thought about 213 00:11:38,890 --> 00:11:42,429 S1: being more strategic in loving our Jewish friends and neighbors 214 00:11:42,429 --> 00:11:46,079 S1: for Christ. So you're engaged in a conversation with your 215 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:50,310 S1: Jewish friend, and it's turning toward spiritual things. The question is, 216 00:11:50,309 --> 00:11:53,910 S1: what kind of Jewish questions should you ask of your 217 00:11:53,910 --> 00:11:55,890 S1: Jewish friend Greg Savitt? What do you think? 218 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:58,500 S3: Well, I think you should use the Socratic method. That's 219 00:11:58,500 --> 00:12:01,950 S3: the way that I've learned where there is questions and 220 00:12:01,950 --> 00:12:04,890 S3: that leads to teaching. I like to ask Jewish people, 221 00:12:04,890 --> 00:12:08,610 S3: do they believe in God? Do they believe in the Messiah? 222 00:12:08,610 --> 00:12:11,670 S3: How are their sins forgiven? What do they think of 223 00:12:11,670 --> 00:12:14,790 S3: repentance and ask them those questions? 224 00:12:14,790 --> 00:12:17,550 S1: So what if they respond, though, in ways that are 225 00:12:17,550 --> 00:12:20,670 S1: clearly not consistent with biblical truth? You don't want to 226 00:12:20,670 --> 00:12:21,689 S1: get into an argument. No, you. 227 00:12:21,690 --> 00:12:23,010 S3: Don't want to get in an argument, but you want 228 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:28,830 S3: to share from Scripture the Scripture in Exodus 32 when 229 00:12:28,830 --> 00:12:32,190 S3: Moses says, his name will be blotted out of the 230 00:12:32,190 --> 00:12:35,340 S3: book of life. So if there's a book of life, 231 00:12:35,340 --> 00:12:38,310 S3: there's also a book of death, so there's heaven and 232 00:12:38,309 --> 00:12:41,969 S3: hell there. Also, King David talks about a book of life, 233 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:44,590 S3: and there's a book of life. There's a book of Death. Yeah. 234 00:12:44,620 --> 00:12:46,630 S3: If there's just a book of life, that means Hitler, 235 00:12:46,630 --> 00:12:49,720 S3: Mussolini and Pol Pot are all going to be in 236 00:12:49,900 --> 00:12:50,890 S3: in heaven. 237 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:53,800 S1: Greg Savage serves with Rock of Israel and joins us 238 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:58,150 S1: with insights here on the land and the book. Judy 239 00:12:58,150 --> 00:13:01,150 S1: Greer is pastor of the Summit Church in Raleigh, Durham, 240 00:13:01,150 --> 00:13:04,330 S1: North Carolina, the author of several books, and the founder 241 00:13:04,330 --> 00:13:08,290 S1: of Judy Greer Ministries. He's also the pastor of Summit Life, 242 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:12,070 S1: a daily broadcast and weekly TV program, and Ask the 243 00:13:12,070 --> 00:13:14,980 S1: Pastor podcast. He serves as a member of the Board 244 00:13:14,980 --> 00:13:17,530 S1: of Directors of Chick fil A, serves as a council 245 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:20,620 S1: member for the Gospel Coalition, and recently served as the 246 00:13:20,620 --> 00:13:24,699 S1: 63rd president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Pastor JD and 247 00:13:24,700 --> 00:13:28,420 S1: his wife, Veronica are raising four awesome kids, and we're 248 00:13:28,420 --> 00:13:30,220 S1: super glad to connect with him today on the land 249 00:13:30,220 --> 00:13:31,630 S1: and the book. Welcome, JD. 250 00:13:31,750 --> 00:13:33,189 S4: Thank you so much for having me, John. 251 00:13:33,220 --> 00:13:36,520 S1: So you have traveled to Israel before. I have to ask, 252 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:40,059 S1: how does your familiarity with the land shape your understanding 253 00:13:40,090 --> 00:13:41,410 S1: of the Christmas story? 254 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:44,849 S4: Yeah, well, you know, some of it is, to be 255 00:13:44,850 --> 00:13:47,189 S4: totally honest, it can be a little underwhelming just because 256 00:13:47,190 --> 00:13:48,750 S4: the land is the land and you kind of go 257 00:13:48,780 --> 00:13:51,449 S4: with this idea that it's some kind of special place, 258 00:13:51,450 --> 00:13:54,060 S4: but it's not. And that's actually part of the, you know, 259 00:13:54,090 --> 00:13:57,060 S4: to me, the magic of it, because you realize that 260 00:13:57,059 --> 00:14:00,390 S4: it sort of reinforces Jesus was an actual person living 261 00:14:00,390 --> 00:14:04,260 S4: with real people, with real problems, you know, ministering in 262 00:14:04,260 --> 00:14:07,470 S4: these places. It's pretty overwhelming when you're, you know, standing 263 00:14:07,470 --> 00:14:10,560 S4: in places thinking about him, teaching and thinking about, you know, 264 00:14:10,590 --> 00:14:13,679 S4: where the nativity took place. Unfortunately, you know, there are 265 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:17,130 S4: certain kind of Christian traditions that love to sort of 266 00:14:17,250 --> 00:14:18,689 S4: kind of think of it as junking it up with 267 00:14:18,690 --> 00:14:21,900 S4: all kinds of tinsel and sparkly things when when really 268 00:14:21,900 --> 00:14:24,600 S4: it's just the simplicity of Jesus entering into the lives 269 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:28,020 S4: of broken people. So yeah, it's almost like, you know, 270 00:14:28,050 --> 00:14:30,750 S4: there's what shows in is out that that gives you 271 00:14:30,750 --> 00:14:33,930 S4: a visual. Being there does even more than that. Just being, 272 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:35,310 S4: you know, on location. Yeah. 273 00:14:35,340 --> 00:14:37,980 S1: One other quick question about Israel, your favorite place. Everybody's 274 00:14:37,980 --> 00:14:40,890 S1: got one. Having been there, what comes to your mind? 275 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:41,220 S1: I mean. 276 00:14:41,220 --> 00:14:44,250 S4: It's hard not to say the garden Tomb. You know, 277 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:47,700 S4: there's some question as to where he actually where the 278 00:14:47,700 --> 00:14:51,270 S4: tomb was, but I don't know. Just just thinking about that, about, 279 00:14:51,300 --> 00:14:55,140 S4: you know, 2000 years ago, death just being shattered as 280 00:14:55,140 --> 00:14:58,140 S4: this thing rolled back and Jesus walked out. That had 281 00:14:58,140 --> 00:14:59,520 S4: to be among the favourites. 282 00:14:59,670 --> 00:15:02,220 S1: Well, if his voice sounds familiar, you might just be 283 00:15:02,220 --> 00:15:04,440 S1: a fan of Summit life as I am the daily 284 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:07,770 S1: broadcast with pastor JD Greer. He's our guest today on 285 00:15:07,770 --> 00:15:10,020 S1: the land and the book. You know, there are a 286 00:15:10,020 --> 00:15:12,660 S1: whole lot of us who get sweaty palms just thinking 287 00:15:12,660 --> 00:15:16,290 S1: about sharing Jesus with our unsaved friends. But Christmas, seems 288 00:15:16,290 --> 00:15:18,420 S1: to me, is the one time of the year when 289 00:15:18,450 --> 00:15:21,150 S1: folks are just a little more open. How does that 290 00:15:21,150 --> 00:15:23,010 S1: square with your experience, JD? 291 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:26,070 S4: Yeah, I mean, statistically it's verifiable. I mean, it's certainly 292 00:15:26,070 --> 00:15:28,380 S4: my experience, but I always tell our people, you get 293 00:15:28,380 --> 00:15:31,710 S4: two free times a year that the number of people 294 00:15:31,710 --> 00:15:34,650 S4: in our country who say that they would accept an 295 00:15:34,650 --> 00:15:39,450 S4: invitation to go to church. It's something like think, you know, 35% 296 00:15:39,450 --> 00:15:43,320 S4: and it goes to 75%. And so it's an opportunity 297 00:15:43,350 --> 00:15:45,930 S4: just to say, come along with me. And and people 298 00:15:45,930 --> 00:15:47,790 S4: go in. And usually if you go to a gospel 299 00:15:47,790 --> 00:15:50,520 S4: preaching church, the pastor is trying to make the gospel 300 00:15:50,550 --> 00:15:54,150 S4: the simplest and clearest. So yeah, it's an opportunity. I 301 00:15:54,150 --> 00:15:55,740 S4: would hope people wouldn't squander it. 302 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:58,440 S1: Now you have created a powerful tool in a small 303 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:01,830 S1: book searching for Christmas. At what point did you say, hey, 304 00:16:01,830 --> 00:16:04,320 S1: I think this could be really useful. 305 00:16:04,500 --> 00:16:07,680 S4: Actually, I have to confess, it wasn't my idea that 306 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:10,710 S4: my friends at the Good Book Company came and they said, 307 00:16:10,740 --> 00:16:14,220 S4: you know, you guys put so much energy into your 308 00:16:14,220 --> 00:16:18,480 S4: Christmas Eve services, and it's where we'll have it's probably, 309 00:16:18,510 --> 00:16:21,660 S4: you know, we almost double our attendance during that time. 310 00:16:21,660 --> 00:16:24,150 S4: And he said, with this kind of spiritual appetite, have 311 00:16:24,150 --> 00:16:26,610 S4: you given people a very simple tool just to share 312 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:28,920 S4: Christ with their neighbors? Our favorite kind of reaching out 313 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:31,260 S4: is not when, you know, I'm doing it just from 314 00:16:31,260 --> 00:16:34,080 S4: the pulpit, but when people are doing it with their 315 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:36,240 S4: neighbors and with their friends. And a lot of times 316 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:38,550 S4: they can do that better over, you know, coffee through 317 00:16:38,550 --> 00:16:42,510 S4: a book like this that's just short and accessible presents 318 00:16:42,510 --> 00:16:46,230 S4: some of the most pressing questions that Christmas answers, and 319 00:16:46,230 --> 00:16:51,120 S4: shows how really, this yearning that we experience at Christmas 320 00:16:51,150 --> 00:16:53,790 S4: is something that God has written deep in our hearts. 321 00:16:53,790 --> 00:16:57,960 S4: That these questions were precisely the questions that Jesus came 322 00:16:57,960 --> 00:16:59,880 S4: to answer when he came 2000 years ago. 323 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:02,880 S1: I noticed you opened with a hilarious personal story about 324 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:06,630 S1: gift giving. What other precautions did you take in writing this? 325 00:17:06,630 --> 00:17:09,090 S1: To make sure the message of the book comes across 326 00:17:09,090 --> 00:17:12,300 S1: as winsome and friendly, rather than stuffy or judgy? 327 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:14,340 S4: Yeah. You know, if you're a dad of four kids 328 00:17:14,340 --> 00:17:17,790 S4: like I am, then any ideas of stuffy or pretentiousness, 329 00:17:17,790 --> 00:17:21,750 S4: especially around Christmas, is that's just out the window. You know, 330 00:17:21,780 --> 00:17:24,600 S4: kids have a way of totally shattering all your kind 331 00:17:24,630 --> 00:17:27,600 S4: of idyllic visions of how it should be. You know, 332 00:17:27,600 --> 00:17:29,310 S4: I always tell people, if you get the image of 333 00:17:29,310 --> 00:17:32,250 S4: me as a pastor, like with my kids dutifully sitting 334 00:17:32,250 --> 00:17:35,669 S4: around the table, you know, saying, feed us the word, daddy, 335 00:17:35,700 --> 00:17:37,980 S4: you know, or teach us, that's that's not what happens. 336 00:17:38,010 --> 00:17:41,010 S4: I mean, it's a lot of throwing stuff and food 337 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:45,090 S4: fights and all kinds of stuff, but you know, into that. Again, 338 00:17:45,090 --> 00:17:47,970 S4: not to press this point too much, but, you know, 339 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:50,879 S4: the shepherds, we think of them as really kind of 340 00:17:50,910 --> 00:17:55,020 S4: quaint little idyllic scenes sitting there in our mangers. But, 341 00:17:55,050 --> 00:17:57,030 S4: I mean, the shepherds were considered at the time, the 342 00:17:57,030 --> 00:17:59,340 S4: lowest of the low. They were the ones who were 343 00:17:59,369 --> 00:18:02,909 S4: I mean, their testimony wasn't even regarded as reliable in court. 344 00:18:02,940 --> 00:18:06,630 S4: They were considered thieves and liars and just people that 345 00:18:06,630 --> 00:18:10,380 S4: had been, for the most part, rejected by society. And here, 346 00:18:10,380 --> 00:18:13,320 S4: that's the ones that the angels chose to announce his 347 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:16,470 S4: birth to, because that's the one whom the good news 348 00:18:16,500 --> 00:18:18,000 S4: is the best news for. 349 00:18:18,030 --> 00:18:21,000 S1: Is this book only appropriate for someone who has already 350 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:24,510 S1: indicated they're somewhat curious spiritually? Or could I share it 351 00:18:24,510 --> 00:18:26,280 S1: with a friend at work? Or maybe a neighbor that 352 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:29,070 S1: I've had not much of a previous conversation with about 353 00:18:29,070 --> 00:18:29,700 S1: my faith? 354 00:18:29,730 --> 00:18:32,520 S4: Yeah, no, I actually that's a great question, because the 355 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:35,429 S4: intention of the book is to mirror the message of 356 00:18:35,430 --> 00:18:38,520 S4: Christmas itself. You know, there's not a lot of indication 357 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:43,560 S4: that these shepherds were spiritual seekers. They were just people 358 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:46,200 S4: trying to make a living. But they were people that, 359 00:18:46,230 --> 00:18:48,720 S4: you know, had deep questions. That's what I found about 360 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:50,730 S4: people in our society, is that we all have the 361 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:53,369 S4: same set of questions, and we choose different ways of 362 00:18:53,369 --> 00:18:55,590 S4: answering them. Some people choose religious ways, some people choose 363 00:18:55,619 --> 00:18:58,739 S4: irreligious ways. But we're all trying to find happiness and 364 00:18:58,740 --> 00:19:03,630 S4: peace and security, identity. And all those questions are deep existential, 365 00:19:03,630 --> 00:19:07,140 S4: personal questions. And whether your neighbor is choosing a religious 366 00:19:07,170 --> 00:19:11,040 S4: way or an irreligious way, they're still seeking after some 367 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:14,189 S4: of these same kind of ideas. And so that's one 368 00:19:14,190 --> 00:19:19,200 S4: of the advantages of Christmas, especially, is because even secular 369 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:22,919 S4: society recognizes the yearning for identity, security and happiness is 370 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:25,740 S4: something that that we all have. And and it's a 371 00:19:25,740 --> 00:19:28,320 S4: good opportunity for us to say, hey, here's one of 372 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:29,640 S4: the ways that Jesus engages. 373 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:32,580 S1: That it's great to connect with J.D. Greer and you 374 00:19:32,580 --> 00:19:34,859 S1: on today's edition of The Land and the book. I'm 375 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:38,090 S1: John Gager. In the book, you go into detail about 376 00:19:38,090 --> 00:19:40,310 S1: some of the names of Christ as presented in Isaiah 377 00:19:40,340 --> 00:19:43,280 S1: nine six. Let me ask, how do you explain Jesus 378 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:46,250 S1: as the wonderful counselor in our day? 379 00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:50,420 S4: Well, wonderful implies divine Counselor. You know, I actually think 380 00:19:50,450 --> 00:19:53,419 S4: our modern day understanding of the word counselor is a 381 00:19:53,420 --> 00:19:55,550 S4: good starting place. Obviously, they didn't have a, you know, 382 00:19:55,580 --> 00:19:59,180 S4: an entire psychology profession back then like we do today. 383 00:19:59,180 --> 00:20:02,570 S4: But the idea of a counselor who takes the time 384 00:20:02,570 --> 00:20:06,290 S4: to understand your brokenness and your pain, who will enter 385 00:20:06,290 --> 00:20:08,899 S4: into that pain, that's one of the things that counselor implies, 386 00:20:08,930 --> 00:20:13,040 S4: is that not only is he understanding and able to apply, 387 00:20:13,070 --> 00:20:15,169 S4: you know, a balm to your soul, he's actually going 388 00:20:15,170 --> 00:20:17,540 S4: to walk with you through it. You know, I was 389 00:20:17,540 --> 00:20:19,850 S4: just thinking about this recently. In my own life, sometimes 390 00:20:19,850 --> 00:20:23,660 S4: what we need is not explanation of what God is doing. 391 00:20:23,660 --> 00:20:25,160 S4: What we need is somebody just to bear the pain 392 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:27,440 S4: with us. And what the New Testament tells us is 393 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:30,260 S4: that the Spirit of God actually searches our heart and 394 00:20:30,260 --> 00:20:32,899 S4: explores our pain. He feels it with us, and he 395 00:20:32,900 --> 00:20:36,080 S4: expresses our pain and groanings that cannot be uttered. You know, 396 00:20:36,109 --> 00:20:40,670 S4: which means that whatever tears you're, you're weeping now. Jesus, 397 00:20:40,670 --> 00:20:43,940 S4: he feels those tears with you and he is actually 398 00:20:43,940 --> 00:20:46,730 S4: praying on your behalf from inside you, back to God. 399 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:48,650 S4: So yeah. Wonderful, counselor. 400 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:51,740 S1: Some of our listeners right now are from urban areas, 401 00:20:51,740 --> 00:20:54,830 S1: and they they don't need any convincing that we live 402 00:20:54,830 --> 00:20:57,560 S1: in a, you know, a dark time. There's darkness around them, 403 00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:00,920 S1: whether it's decrepit buildings and present crime or whatever. Then 404 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:05,060 S1: there are others who live in comfortable suburban settings. Maybe. 405 00:21:05,090 --> 00:21:07,909 S1: How do you go about helping these people see just 406 00:21:07,910 --> 00:21:11,090 S1: how good the good news is? I mean, in my neighborhood, 407 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:14,090 S1: they're all doing pretty well. JD I mean, they're driving 408 00:21:14,090 --> 00:21:17,780 S1: nice cars. They live in nice homes, and they often 409 00:21:17,780 --> 00:21:19,820 S1: seem like they don't need a thing. But that's not 410 00:21:19,820 --> 00:21:21,050 S1: necessarily true. 411 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:24,619 S4: Yeah, it's ironic that it's usually the people that are 412 00:21:24,619 --> 00:21:26,270 S4: in the neighborhood, like the one you just described that 413 00:21:26,270 --> 00:21:28,520 S4: you lived in. Those are the ones that are the hardest. 414 00:21:28,550 --> 00:21:30,800 S4: And Jesus said, it's the poor in spirit who end 415 00:21:30,830 --> 00:21:33,590 S4: up receiving the kingdom of God. I've spent all my 416 00:21:33,590 --> 00:21:36,379 S4: life trying to become anything but poor in the spirit. 417 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:38,629 S4: I wanted to be rich in spirit. I want to 418 00:21:38,630 --> 00:21:40,520 S4: have all my needs met, or at least middle class 419 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:42,740 S4: in spirit. You know where I feel like I've got 420 00:21:42,740 --> 00:21:46,639 S4: the ability to to work, you know, and obtain those things. 421 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:48,560 S4: But just like, you know, to go back to the 422 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:51,260 S4: shepherds or to go to Mary and Joseph themselves, you know, 423 00:21:51,290 --> 00:21:55,129 S4: a poor couple that is now you ever wonder, you know, 424 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:58,729 S4: why God and the way he set up the birth 425 00:21:58,730 --> 00:22:02,300 S4: of Jesus is, you know, he actually created a scandal. 426 00:22:02,330 --> 00:22:04,760 S4: You know, I mean, here's Mary. You know, they're they're 427 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:08,719 S4: living in a chaste way, but now they're accused of 428 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:12,050 S4: what was considered, in those days, just a shameful, you know, really, 429 00:22:12,050 --> 00:22:16,100 S4: really shameful misdeed. And God creates that. But part of 430 00:22:16,100 --> 00:22:19,820 S4: the reason for that is because he's communicating to people 431 00:22:19,820 --> 00:22:21,800 S4: that if you're like a shepherd and you're at the 432 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:25,550 S4: bottom of the pile or you're you're like Mary and Joseph, 433 00:22:25,550 --> 00:22:28,399 S4: and even if you're misunderstood and, and been cast to 434 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:31,190 S4: the side, you are who I'm coming for. Yeah. I'm 435 00:22:31,220 --> 00:22:33,080 S4: coming to show you a love that will make your 436 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:37,790 S4: life complete. Even if your situation of poverty or or 437 00:22:37,790 --> 00:22:39,919 S4: being cast out. Even if that doesn't change in the 438 00:22:39,920 --> 00:22:42,379 S4: next 2 or 3 months. He came for you. And 439 00:22:42,380 --> 00:22:44,899 S4: his love is the thing that your soul most needs. 440 00:22:44,930 --> 00:22:47,359 S1: Maybe you're just connecting with us. Welcome. This is the 441 00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:50,300 S1: land and the book. I'm John Geiger. Our guest is 442 00:22:50,300 --> 00:22:53,360 S1: JD Greer, who has written searching for Christmas. All right. 443 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:57,230 S1: Speak to somebody directly right now who is honest enough 444 00:22:57,230 --> 00:22:59,930 S1: to admit they really don't know Christ as their forgiver. 445 00:22:59,930 --> 00:23:02,360 S1: Maybe they're living in that urban setting, or maybe they're 446 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:05,629 S1: living in that very comfortable suburban setting or a rural setting. 447 00:23:05,630 --> 00:23:09,680 S1: Wherever they are, they need Jesus, and they're just now 448 00:23:09,710 --> 00:23:11,780 S1: getting a hint of that. What's their next step? 449 00:23:11,810 --> 00:23:14,540 S4: The first step is actually the most important. So the 450 00:23:14,540 --> 00:23:18,170 S4: first step is realizing that the source of our brokenness, 451 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:22,430 S4: whether that's relational brokenness or whether we struggle with addictions 452 00:23:22,430 --> 00:23:25,970 S4: or whether it's just a depression or a low self-esteem, 453 00:23:25,970 --> 00:23:29,179 S4: the source, ultimately of everything goes back to a broken 454 00:23:29,180 --> 00:23:33,200 S4: relationship with God. And what the gospel tells us is 455 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:36,530 S4: that try as hard as we may to fix that 456 00:23:36,530 --> 00:23:39,590 S4: broken part of us. We never can fix it, because 457 00:23:39,590 --> 00:23:42,800 S4: the missing piece is God Himself. And what separates us 458 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:45,949 S4: from God is our sin. Sin being the choices that 459 00:23:45,950 --> 00:23:48,230 S4: we made to do things our way instead of God's way. 460 00:23:48,260 --> 00:23:51,170 S4: The good news of the gospel is that God came 461 00:23:51,170 --> 00:23:54,890 S4: himself to overcome our sin problem, and he did that 462 00:23:54,890 --> 00:23:57,470 S4: by living the life we were supposed to live, a 463 00:23:57,470 --> 00:24:00,949 S4: life of truth and beauty and justice, and then dying 464 00:24:00,980 --> 00:24:02,780 S4: to death, that we had been condemned to die in 465 00:24:02,780 --> 00:24:05,090 S4: our place. And he offers it to us as a gift, 466 00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:07,970 S4: a gift that we just receive. That's certainly what the 467 00:24:07,970 --> 00:24:10,220 S4: book that I wrote, searching for Christmas, is all about, 468 00:24:10,220 --> 00:24:12,560 S4: is the simplicity of that gift, how to receive it, 469 00:24:12,590 --> 00:24:15,230 S4: how to start that relationship with Jesus and be transformed. 470 00:24:15,230 --> 00:24:17,720 S4: So that could be a step. Another step is if 471 00:24:17,750 --> 00:24:20,750 S4: you got a Christian friend that is active in church, 472 00:24:20,780 --> 00:24:23,180 S4: you know, ask them and say, you know what? How 473 00:24:23,180 --> 00:24:25,790 S4: can I know for sure that I belong to God 474 00:24:25,820 --> 00:24:28,550 S4: and that that I have eternal life? And if they 475 00:24:28,580 --> 00:24:30,649 S4: don't give you a good answer, then just open the 476 00:24:30,650 --> 00:24:34,160 S4: Bible and read the book that God wrote and has 477 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:37,580 S4: been People's Guide to salvation for 2000 years. So any 478 00:24:37,580 --> 00:24:39,409 S4: one of those three steps is what I would recommend. 479 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:41,600 S1: For somebody who says, I want to deal with this now, 480 00:24:41,630 --> 00:24:43,340 S1: would you lead them in a in a brief prayer 481 00:24:43,340 --> 00:24:44,720 S1: that would be appropriate for them? 482 00:24:44,750 --> 00:24:47,540 S4: Yeah. Right now, literally right now, the Bible says Romans 483 00:24:47,540 --> 00:24:50,659 S4: 1013 says, whosoever shall call upon the name of the 484 00:24:50,660 --> 00:24:53,300 S4: Lord shall be saved. It says, if you confess with 485 00:24:53,300 --> 00:24:55,460 S4: your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your 486 00:24:55,460 --> 00:24:56,959 S4: heart that God raised him from the dead, you will 487 00:24:56,990 --> 00:24:59,810 S4: be saved. So right now, right now, you could just say, 488 00:24:59,810 --> 00:25:03,500 S4: Lord Jesus, I confess that you are the Lord. I 489 00:25:03,530 --> 00:25:05,570 S4: confess that you're the one that's in charge. You are 490 00:25:05,570 --> 00:25:08,179 S4: the Son of God. And then you tell him, say, 491 00:25:08,180 --> 00:25:11,180 S4: I believe that you died on the cross and rose 492 00:25:11,180 --> 00:25:14,419 S4: from the dead as the substitute payment for my sin. 493 00:25:14,420 --> 00:25:18,290 S4: And I receive that offer of salvation. And then say 494 00:25:18,290 --> 00:25:21,530 S4: thank you for saving me. Thank you for saving me. And, father, 495 00:25:21,530 --> 00:25:23,960 S4: we pray for those right now that are listening that 496 00:25:23,990 --> 00:25:26,959 S4: weren't expecting this when they dialed into this podcast or 497 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:29,479 S4: when they were listening on the radio. We know that 498 00:25:29,480 --> 00:25:31,070 S4: you've heard them. We know that you've met them where 499 00:25:31,070 --> 00:25:32,810 S4: they are, and we know that you have an incredible 500 00:25:32,810 --> 00:25:35,359 S4: life ahead for them. And so we thank you for 501 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:38,030 S4: this moment in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. 502 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:41,000 S1: Well, it's gone too quickly, our time with pastor JD Greer. 503 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:43,280 S1: But we thank you for that investment. We thank you 504 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:45,890 S1: for the book searching for Christmas and we hope you 505 00:25:45,890 --> 00:25:49,670 S1: have a wonderful Christmas season. Thank you JD. Appreciate your time. 506 00:25:49,700 --> 00:25:50,720 S4: No problem. Thank you so. 507 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:52,910 S1: Much. Up next on the land in the book, it's 508 00:25:52,910 --> 00:25:55,669 S1: a look at your Bible questions. Stick around for more. 509 00:26:06,740 --> 00:26:09,650 S1: Welcome to segment three of The Land and the book. 510 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:11,930 S1: Hope your day is going well. I'm John Gager back 511 00:26:11,930 --> 00:26:14,510 S1: with our host, Charlie Dyer. It's always fun to find 512 00:26:14,510 --> 00:26:17,030 S1: out what you are curious about as you as you 513 00:26:17,030 --> 00:26:18,860 S1: search through the scriptures. We're going to get to question 514 00:26:18,859 --> 00:26:22,190 S1: one after this thought. As the end of this year approaches, 515 00:26:22,190 --> 00:26:25,430 S1: many world events have left us wondering what God's plan 516 00:26:25,430 --> 00:26:28,340 S1: is for the future, and that's particularly true when it 517 00:26:28,340 --> 00:26:31,879 S1: comes to Israel, despite its small size. People all around 518 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:35,330 S1: the world are intensely focused on what takes place there, 519 00:26:35,330 --> 00:26:38,720 S1: and our today's headlines connected in any way with prophecies 520 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:42,410 S1: in the Bible. How should followers of Jesus interpret current events? 521 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:45,140 S1: As we await his second coming? Lots of questions. 522 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:47,780 S2: That's right. And to help answer these crucial questions, our 523 00:26:47,780 --> 00:26:50,210 S2: friends at Life and Messiah urge you to check out 524 00:26:50,210 --> 00:26:54,650 S2: their book, God, Israel, and Bible Prophecy with Scripture as 525 00:26:54,650 --> 00:26:57,290 S2: its foundation. This book will take you on a journey 526 00:26:57,290 --> 00:26:59,960 S2: into what God has in store for the Jewish people 527 00:26:59,960 --> 00:27:02,990 S2: and the nations. This book is for anyone who wants 528 00:27:02,990 --> 00:27:06,859 S2: to explore where modern day events fit on God's grand timeline. 529 00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:09,649 S2: If that's you or someone you know, this would be 530 00:27:09,650 --> 00:27:14,060 S2: a great resource or gift. Visit Life in Messiah org 531 00:27:14,060 --> 00:27:16,220 S2: and click on the Moody Radio button to find out 532 00:27:16,220 --> 00:27:19,850 S2: how you can receive your copy of God, Israel and 533 00:27:19,850 --> 00:27:23,750 S2: Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org. 534 00:27:23,869 --> 00:27:27,650 S1: And here we are at question one for today's Q&A segment, 535 00:27:27,650 --> 00:27:29,840 S1: this one from Mark. He says, I don't feel that 536 00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:33,380 S1: I understand the concept of a father's blessing in Genesis 537 00:27:33,380 --> 00:27:36,980 S1: 27 and then chapter 49. It seems to involve prophetic 538 00:27:37,010 --> 00:27:41,600 S1: future telling what the father declares in the blessings will happen. 539 00:27:41,630 --> 00:27:44,750 S1: Were these fathers prophets? I mean, Isaac and Jacob seem 540 00:27:44,750 --> 00:27:47,449 S1: to know the rules about blessing sons, and if they did, 541 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:48,800 S1: how did they know? 542 00:27:48,830 --> 00:27:51,379 S2: Yeah, and unfortunately, we don't have much information in the 543 00:27:51,380 --> 00:27:54,560 S2: Bible to help provide a solid answer. By my reckoning, 544 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:57,320 S2: those are the only two examples of fathers offering such 545 00:27:57,350 --> 00:28:01,310 S2: a blessing, and I don't see anything similar even for Abraham. Now, 546 00:28:01,310 --> 00:28:03,710 S2: here might be some reasons that we do see this. 547 00:28:03,859 --> 00:28:06,500 S2: These blessings occur before any of the Bible had been 548 00:28:06,500 --> 00:28:08,899 S2: revealed by God in written form. So it was a 549 00:28:08,900 --> 00:28:12,379 S2: time in history when God communicated directly to and through 550 00:28:12,380 --> 00:28:15,920 S2: the patriarchs. Later we have written revelation like Psalm one 551 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:19,159 S2: that helped describe the blessing for the righteous. Now there 552 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:22,430 S2: are instances when God revealed future events to the patriarchs, 553 00:28:22,430 --> 00:28:26,540 S2: and those include God's revelation to Abraham concerning Israel's 400 554 00:28:26,570 --> 00:28:29,659 S2: year sojourn in Egypt, or God's revelation to Jacob that 555 00:28:29,660 --> 00:28:31,970 S2: he would return to the land he was fleeing from 556 00:28:31,970 --> 00:28:34,609 S2: his brother. So in that sense, they did receive direct 557 00:28:34,609 --> 00:28:39,050 S2: revelation from God and did function as prophets. Isaacs intended 558 00:28:39,050 --> 00:28:41,239 S2: blessing for Esau is actually interesting in light of the 559 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:44,959 S2: full narrative. Remember, Rebekah was having a difficult pregnancy, and 560 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:46,760 S2: God revealed to her that she was going to have 561 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:49,340 S2: twins and that the older would serve the younger. Now, 562 00:28:49,370 --> 00:28:52,489 S2: assuming she shared that with her husband, Isaac should have 563 00:28:52,490 --> 00:28:55,610 S2: known which child was selected by God, but the rightful 564 00:28:55,610 --> 00:28:58,910 S2: owner of the birthright becomes even clearer when Esau sells 565 00:28:58,910 --> 00:29:01,430 S2: the birthright to Jacob for a bowl of red stew. 566 00:29:01,430 --> 00:29:04,160 S2: So when it came time for Isaac to bless. It 567 00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:06,830 S2: appears that he was trying to bless the wrong son. 568 00:29:06,860 --> 00:29:08,840 S2: And when he wanted to bestow the blessing on Esau. 569 00:29:08,870 --> 00:29:11,450 S2: Now much of the blessing he gives is connected to 570 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:14,300 S2: God's earlier promise to Rebekah. So I would say God 571 00:29:14,300 --> 00:29:18,470 S2: intervened to make sure a father's personal preference didn't override 572 00:29:18,470 --> 00:29:20,900 S2: God's sovereign revealed plan in that case. 573 00:29:20,930 --> 00:29:24,010 S1: Marcia says, I'm wondering about the scripture in Joel two 574 00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:27,400 S1: verse 28 where it says, and afterward I will pour 575 00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:30,490 S1: out my spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters 576 00:29:30,490 --> 00:29:33,790 S1: will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, and your 577 00:29:33,790 --> 00:29:36,640 S1: young men will see visions. Is this referring to the 578 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:39,550 S1: last days? Thanks for your thoughts on this passage. 579 00:29:39,580 --> 00:29:42,130 S2: Yeah. And, Marcia, your thoughts are right on target. You know, 580 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:44,950 S2: as you comment about an earlier answer I had given there, 581 00:29:44,950 --> 00:29:46,959 S2: I was referring to the gift of prophecy coming to 582 00:29:46,990 --> 00:29:49,570 S2: an end during the church age. But Joel two does 583 00:29:49,570 --> 00:29:52,600 S2: say the gift of prophecy will again reappear during the 584 00:29:52,630 --> 00:29:55,360 S2: end times, after the church has been raptured and the 585 00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:59,170 S2: tribulation begins. God will apparently raise up prophets in Israel 586 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:02,740 S2: to provide new revelation to those facing the terrible times. 587 00:30:02,740 --> 00:30:06,190 S2: In fact, in addition to Joel two, revelation chapter 11, 588 00:30:06,190 --> 00:30:09,670 S2: verse three mentions two specific prophets God will raise up 589 00:30:09,670 --> 00:30:12,910 S2: during that time who will minister in Jerusalem. So there 590 00:30:12,910 --> 00:30:17,650 S2: will be additional prophecies and revelations during the tribulation period. 591 00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:20,890 S1: Joanne says, I was wondering when Noah and the family 592 00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:23,200 S1: came out of the ark. What did they find? A 593 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:27,520 S1: beautiful new earth ready for habitation or total devastation like 594 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:31,209 S1: we've seen recently in the South. Or perhaps something in between? 595 00:30:31,300 --> 00:30:34,210 S2: Yeah. And as we think about the pictures that artists 596 00:30:34,210 --> 00:30:36,250 S2: have painted, you know, I think they kind of get 597 00:30:36,250 --> 00:30:37,810 S2: it a little bit wrong. You know, we're not told 598 00:30:37,810 --> 00:30:40,090 S2: in great detail, but I do see some hints in 599 00:30:40,090 --> 00:30:42,610 S2: Genesis seven and eight that tell us it probably looked 600 00:30:42,610 --> 00:30:45,370 S2: more like what we were seeing after those recent floods. 601 00:30:45,370 --> 00:30:48,160 S2: We know the water receded for a number of days 602 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:51,220 S2: and and sent out the birds to look for them. 603 00:30:51,220 --> 00:30:53,050 S2: So when I put it all together, I think what 604 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:55,120 S2: Noah saw when he came out of the ark, he 605 00:30:55,120 --> 00:30:59,710 S2: didn't find beautiful, newly refurbished earth, you know, and everything blossoming. Instead, 606 00:30:59,710 --> 00:31:01,990 S2: he came out to find a landscape that was starting 607 00:31:02,020 --> 00:31:06,070 S2: to recover. Several months after the worldwide flood, trees and 608 00:31:06,070 --> 00:31:09,340 S2: plants were beginning to sprout. The ground had generally dried up, 609 00:31:09,340 --> 00:31:12,730 S2: but the effects of the flood had totally changed the landscape. 610 00:31:12,730 --> 00:31:15,520 S2: The ark was near the top of Mount Ararat, and 611 00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:18,610 S2: as the land gradually dried out, Noah's descendants moved to 612 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:21,010 S2: the south and east and ended up in what is 613 00:31:21,010 --> 00:31:24,520 S2: today southern Iraq. I suspect the climate had changed so 614 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:28,030 S2: drastically from the Pre-flood era that they went in search 615 00:31:28,030 --> 00:31:31,150 S2: of a warmer, drier region, and that's why they eventually 616 00:31:31,150 --> 00:31:34,240 S2: ended up on the plain of Shinar, near Babylon. 617 00:31:34,330 --> 00:31:36,790 S1: This is the land in the book from Moody Radio, 618 00:31:36,790 --> 00:31:39,730 S1: doctor Charlie Dyer, our host, working his way through some 619 00:31:39,730 --> 00:31:41,560 S1: of the latest questions that have come in to us 620 00:31:41,590 --> 00:31:44,200 S1: via email. I'll share our email address later on if 621 00:31:44,230 --> 00:31:46,600 S1: you've got a question. Todd wants to know do you 622 00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:49,300 S1: think Paul had been married at one point? I seem 623 00:31:49,300 --> 00:31:51,610 S1: to remember being told that as a Pharisee he would 624 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:53,890 S1: have been, but I'm not sure if that's correct. 625 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:55,989 S2: Yeah, I think those who tried to say Paul was 626 00:31:55,990 --> 00:31:58,210 S2: married do base it on him being a Pharisee. And 627 00:31:58,210 --> 00:32:00,730 S2: I think they're reading too much into the cultural background. 628 00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:04,270 S2: You know, theologically, Jesus was aligned more with Pharisees than 629 00:32:04,270 --> 00:32:06,910 S2: with the other religious groups in Israel at that time. 630 00:32:06,910 --> 00:32:10,000 S2: And he wasn't married. When the Essenes are described in 631 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:13,510 S2: the first century, Josephus says some, though not all, chose 632 00:32:13,510 --> 00:32:16,720 S2: to remain celibate. My point here is that being unmarried 633 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:19,990 S2: as a man wasn't unknown. The only passages that we 634 00:32:19,990 --> 00:32:22,480 S2: have in the Bible that speak directly to the matter 635 00:32:22,510 --> 00:32:26,020 S2: are in first Corinthians. First Corinthians seven seven Paul writes, 636 00:32:26,050 --> 00:32:28,780 S2: talking about being married versus being single. He said, and 637 00:32:28,780 --> 00:32:30,729 S2: I wish all men were as I am. And in 638 00:32:30,730 --> 00:32:33,970 S2: the context he's saying he was unmarried and he tells 639 00:32:33,970 --> 00:32:36,460 S2: why he feels that way in the present crisis that 640 00:32:36,460 --> 00:32:39,520 S2: the church was facing. Paul then adds, if someone chooses 641 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:41,890 S2: to get married, you have not sinned. So he's not 642 00:32:41,890 --> 00:32:45,490 S2: promoting celibacy as a choice for all times, but as 643 00:32:45,490 --> 00:32:48,310 S2: a wise course of action in that present difficult time. 644 00:32:48,310 --> 00:32:51,250 S2: And then later in first Corinthians. In chapter nine, Paul 645 00:32:51,250 --> 00:32:53,770 S2: talks about the rights he had as an apostle, which 646 00:32:53,770 --> 00:32:55,990 S2: he chose not to exercise, and one he says was 647 00:32:55,990 --> 00:32:58,090 S2: the right to be married. He says, don't we have 648 00:32:58,090 --> 00:33:00,580 S2: the right to take a believing wife along with us? 649 00:33:00,580 --> 00:33:02,920 S2: But I've not used these rights, he says. And I 650 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:04,690 S2: think what he's stating there is that he could have 651 00:33:04,690 --> 00:33:08,140 S2: been married, but he chose not to. And as a result, 652 00:33:08,260 --> 00:33:10,660 S2: I just think he wasn't married. It seems that's what 653 00:33:10,660 --> 00:33:12,700 S2: he's clearly saying in those passages. 654 00:33:12,820 --> 00:33:17,470 S1: Renee asks his God, who is omnipresent, also in hell. 655 00:33:17,470 --> 00:33:20,350 S1: In Psalm 139, verse eight, David wrote, if I lie 656 00:33:20,350 --> 00:33:24,250 S1: down in Sheol, you are there. And revelation 1410 says, 657 00:33:24,250 --> 00:33:27,490 S1: the unsaved will be tormented with burning sulfur in the 658 00:33:27,490 --> 00:33:30,490 S1: presence of the holy angels and of the lamb. 659 00:33:30,520 --> 00:33:33,580 S2: Yeah, I need to balance those two passages with two 660 00:33:33,580 --> 00:33:38,320 S2: other passages. The first comes from Jesus's words in Matthew 25, 661 00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:40,810 S2: near the end of the Olivet Discourse. He's focusing on 662 00:33:40,810 --> 00:33:43,570 S2: the time of his second coming, and when he separates 663 00:33:43,570 --> 00:33:46,180 S2: the sheep, the believers from the goats were the unbelievers 664 00:33:46,180 --> 00:33:49,090 S2: at the time of his return. He says to the unbelievers, 665 00:33:49,090 --> 00:33:51,760 S2: depart from me, you who are cursed into the eternal 666 00:33:51,760 --> 00:33:55,090 S2: fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Those being 667 00:33:55,090 --> 00:33:57,850 S2: judged are commanded to depart to the lake of fire, 668 00:33:57,850 --> 00:34:01,120 S2: and says they'll go away into eternal punishment. So it 669 00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:04,330 S2: suggests the punishment, and a judgment involves expulsion from the 670 00:34:04,330 --> 00:34:07,690 S2: presence of Christ and into the lake of fire. The 671 00:34:07,690 --> 00:34:11,109 S2: other passage is Second Thessalonians one and verses eight and nine. 672 00:34:11,110 --> 00:34:14,350 S2: Paul describes what will happen to the unsaved at the 673 00:34:14,350 --> 00:34:17,089 S2: return of Christ. He says he will punish those who 674 00:34:17,090 --> 00:34:19,640 S2: do not know God and do not obey the gospel 675 00:34:19,640 --> 00:34:22,700 S2: of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting 676 00:34:22,700 --> 00:34:26,390 S2: destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord 677 00:34:26,390 --> 00:34:29,270 S2: and from the majesty of his power. The Greek says 678 00:34:29,270 --> 00:34:32,030 S2: they will be away from the face, literally the presence 679 00:34:32,030 --> 00:34:35,420 S2: of the Lord. So one aspect of eternal judgment is 680 00:34:35,420 --> 00:34:38,930 S2: eternal separation from God's presence. Now let me harmonize that 681 00:34:38,930 --> 00:34:42,410 S2: with those other verses. The word Sheol in Psalm 139 682 00:34:42,410 --> 00:34:45,020 S2: refers to the place of the departed dead. And certainly 683 00:34:45,020 --> 00:34:47,029 S2: as a believer, David knew that if he were to die, 684 00:34:47,060 --> 00:34:48,859 S2: he would go to the grave or the underworld, and 685 00:34:48,860 --> 00:34:51,440 S2: God would still be there. So I can't push that 686 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:55,130 S2: verse too far. It's also not clear in revelation 1410 687 00:34:55,160 --> 00:34:57,410 S2: whether the lake of fire is being described in connection 688 00:34:57,410 --> 00:35:02,029 S2: to God because of his omnipresence, or because it's geographically nearby. 689 00:35:02,060 --> 00:35:05,839 S2: That is is the passage saying God's omnipresent even in 690 00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:08,030 S2: the lake of fire, or that the lake of fire 691 00:35:08,030 --> 00:35:10,250 S2: is visible to God and perhaps to others. And I 692 00:35:10,280 --> 00:35:13,820 S2: think about the parable Jesus gave in Luke 16, where 693 00:35:13,820 --> 00:35:17,430 S2: We're Lazarus, and the rich man died. And the rich man, 694 00:35:17,430 --> 00:35:19,529 S2: it says, could see he was in torment. But he 695 00:35:19,530 --> 00:35:22,890 S2: saw Abraham far away with Lazarus. So is part of 696 00:35:22,890 --> 00:35:26,550 S2: the eternal judgment being eternally separated from God. It seems 697 00:35:26,550 --> 00:35:29,100 S2: like there is a gulf fixed, but it's one where 698 00:35:29,100 --> 00:35:31,020 S2: they can see from one side to the other. And 699 00:35:31,020 --> 00:35:33,450 S2: those few details are all we have, and so it's 700 00:35:33,450 --> 00:35:34,860 S2: hard to go beyond that. 701 00:35:34,890 --> 00:35:37,380 S1: Brian takes us to the story of Achan in the 702 00:35:37,380 --> 00:35:40,590 S1: book of Joshua, pointing out Achan took something that was 703 00:35:40,590 --> 00:35:44,100 S1: not from the Battle of Jericho. My new American Standard 704 00:35:44,100 --> 00:35:46,859 S1: Bible says that Achan was stoned along with his sons 705 00:35:46,860 --> 00:35:50,670 S1: and daughters. Some Bible students might say Achan's family helped 706 00:35:50,670 --> 00:35:53,550 S1: cover up the theft, although the text doesn't seem to 707 00:35:53,580 --> 00:35:57,120 S1: say that. Did the sons and daughters have to be stoned? 708 00:35:57,150 --> 00:35:59,820 S2: Well, I apply it this way. Clearly, Achan was the 709 00:35:59,820 --> 00:36:02,280 S2: one who deliberately disobeyed God and who took these items 710 00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:05,580 S2: from Jericho. But in his confession, he admits he stole 711 00:36:05,580 --> 00:36:08,219 S2: these items and hid them in the ground inside my 712 00:36:08,219 --> 00:36:11,070 S2: tent with the silver underneath, he says. So I believe 713 00:36:11,070 --> 00:36:13,500 S2: it's reasonable to assume that when Achan Aiken returned from 714 00:36:13,500 --> 00:36:15,930 S2: battle and dug that pit in his tent and buried 715 00:36:15,960 --> 00:36:18,420 S2: the stolen items, it was obvious to the family what 716 00:36:18,420 --> 00:36:20,820 S2: he was doing. The tent was a common area where 717 00:36:20,820 --> 00:36:24,330 S2: the entire family lived, worked, ate, and slept. They hadn't 718 00:36:24,330 --> 00:36:27,120 S2: stolen the items, but they understood and they knew what 719 00:36:27,120 --> 00:36:29,790 S2: the command had been before the battle. So otherwise, I 720 00:36:29,790 --> 00:36:32,910 S2: believe Aiken's family were judged, as we might say now, 721 00:36:32,910 --> 00:36:36,780 S2: for knowingly aiding and abetting his actions. In this case, 722 00:36:36,780 --> 00:36:39,780 S2: God was judging them for their own sin in the matter. 723 00:36:39,810 --> 00:36:41,820 S1: Hey, if you've got a question you'd like to run 724 00:36:41,820 --> 00:36:46,859 S1: by us, send it to the land and the book@moody.edu 725 00:36:46,890 --> 00:36:52,350 S1: the land and the book@moody.edu. Don't go away. Charlie Dyer's 726 00:36:52,350 --> 00:36:55,319 S1: devotional is next here on the land and the book. 727 00:37:07,890 --> 00:37:10,200 S1: When you think about it, the Christmas season is a 728 00:37:10,200 --> 00:37:14,340 S1: time of mystery, Delving into that ancient story of God 729 00:37:14,370 --> 00:37:18,060 S1: taking on flesh in the form of Jesus, His son. Wow. 730 00:37:18,090 --> 00:37:21,180 S1: Absolutely amazing. But we've got a mystery for you yet 731 00:37:21,210 --> 00:37:24,600 S1: today to discover in Charlie Dyer's devotional coming up. Charlie, 732 00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:26,880 S1: you've titled This Time Today What. 733 00:37:26,910 --> 00:37:28,440 S2: A Christmas Triptych. 734 00:37:28,440 --> 00:37:30,570 S1: And a lot of us are wondering what a triptych is. 735 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:33,299 S1: We'll let you get to that after this testimony from 736 00:37:33,300 --> 00:37:35,669 S1: someone who's traveled to the Holy Land and shares this 737 00:37:35,670 --> 00:37:36,900 S1: with you and me. 738 00:37:41,040 --> 00:37:42,990 S5: Hello. I've been listening to a little bit of the 739 00:37:42,989 --> 00:37:46,469 S5: program today, and I wanted to say that as a 740 00:37:46,469 --> 00:37:51,120 S5: high school teacher, it is refreshing to hear a program 741 00:37:51,120 --> 00:37:56,370 S5: on a Christian station to using only the scriptures as sources. 742 00:37:56,640 --> 00:38:02,010 S5: It was refreshing to hear a level headed scholarship sound 743 00:38:02,010 --> 00:38:07,350 S5: educational judgment in the discussion of the nature and origins 744 00:38:07,350 --> 00:38:11,430 S5: of the Jewish race. I have been in complete agreement 745 00:38:11,430 --> 00:38:13,860 S5: with what I've heard, and I find that my students 746 00:38:13,860 --> 00:38:16,800 S5: in high school honors students. Students who are supposed to 747 00:38:16,800 --> 00:38:21,810 S5: be well-educated have many, many prejudices and misconceptions, some of 748 00:38:21,810 --> 00:38:25,710 S5: which are based on religion from all quarters, both Christian 749 00:38:25,710 --> 00:38:30,300 S5: and other religions, and also which are based simply on 750 00:38:30,300 --> 00:38:35,939 S5: the information they're getting through all kinds of web pages television, 751 00:38:35,940 --> 00:38:39,779 S5: perhaps even from their own families. It is refreshing once 752 00:38:39,780 --> 00:38:45,270 S5: again to hear a discussion which has an evenness about 753 00:38:45,270 --> 00:38:50,970 S5: the sources and what I consider to be authentic educational 754 00:38:50,969 --> 00:38:54,690 S5: authority or scholarship. Thank you for the discussion. 755 00:38:56,250 --> 00:38:59,520 S1: All right. A triptych. I'm guessing there's three of something 756 00:38:59,520 --> 00:39:02,010 S1: in this, but I'll let you take it away. Charlie. 757 00:39:02,280 --> 00:39:05,400 S2: Thanks, John. Yeah. Back in the dark ages of auto travel, 758 00:39:05,430 --> 00:39:09,180 S2: before the era of GPS and satellite navigation, a long 759 00:39:09,180 --> 00:39:12,360 S2: road trip was something of an adventure. It usually required 760 00:39:12,360 --> 00:39:15,779 S2: two people, one to drive while watching out for potholes, 761 00:39:15,780 --> 00:39:18,629 S2: and a second to fold and refold the map while 762 00:39:18,630 --> 00:39:22,500 S2: keeping watch for upcoming turns and intersections. And then the 763 00:39:22,500 --> 00:39:28,440 S2: American Automobile Association revolutionized the entire process by introducing the triptych, 764 00:39:28,469 --> 00:39:32,040 S2: a slim, spiral bound grouping of pages focused on the 765 00:39:32,040 --> 00:39:34,530 S2: best route to take. It was one of the real 766 00:39:34,530 --> 00:39:38,010 S2: pluses of being a member of triple A. Years later, 767 00:39:38,010 --> 00:39:41,220 S2: while serving in seminary administration, I was asked to work 768 00:39:41,219 --> 00:39:45,330 S2: with an interior designer helping decorate a new building on campus. 769 00:39:45,360 --> 00:39:47,610 S2: One day, the designer asked me to go with their 770 00:39:47,610 --> 00:39:51,720 S2: group to the downtown Marquette Convention Center to look at accessories, 771 00:39:51,719 --> 00:39:55,320 S2: including triptychs for the walls. Now, I had trouble trying 772 00:39:55,320 --> 00:39:59,129 S2: to imagine triple A triptychs hanging on office walls, but 773 00:39:59,130 --> 00:40:01,950 S2: not wanting to appear stupid, I simply agreed to go. 774 00:40:01,950 --> 00:40:04,890 S2: And I'm glad I remained silent because I learned a 775 00:40:04,890 --> 00:40:07,890 S2: new homonym, a word that's pronounced the same way but 776 00:40:07,950 --> 00:40:11,220 S2: is spelled differently, and that has a totally different meaning. 777 00:40:11,250 --> 00:40:14,609 S2: The triptychs we were going to see were large paintings 778 00:40:14,610 --> 00:40:18,270 S2: hung in three sections side by side, and that thought 779 00:40:18,270 --> 00:40:20,160 S2: came to mind as I focused on the message I 780 00:40:20,160 --> 00:40:23,759 S2: want to explore today. So button up your jacket and 781 00:40:23,760 --> 00:40:25,950 S2: come with me as we pay a visit to the 782 00:40:25,950 --> 00:40:30,150 S2: studio of Isaiah to view his triptych of the Messiah 783 00:40:30,150 --> 00:40:33,600 S2: he prepared just for the nation of Israel. Each of 784 00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:37,410 S2: the three panels tells its own unique story, but aligned 785 00:40:37,440 --> 00:40:40,920 S2: side by side. They blend into a magnificent portrait of 786 00:40:40,920 --> 00:40:45,240 S2: Israel's coming king. 700 years before his birth, the first 787 00:40:45,239 --> 00:40:48,120 S2: panel is found in Isaiah seven and eight. The panel 788 00:40:48,120 --> 00:40:51,540 S2: itself is in two parts, with one side mirroring the other. 789 00:40:51,570 --> 00:40:53,880 S2: On the far left is a dark portrait of an 790 00:40:53,880 --> 00:40:57,300 S2: unfaithful king named Ahaz. He refused to trust in the 791 00:40:57,300 --> 00:41:00,090 S2: Lord or ask for a sign from the Lord, so 792 00:41:00,090 --> 00:41:03,299 S2: God himself provided a sign to show that Ahaz would 793 00:41:03,300 --> 00:41:06,810 S2: not remain, but another will eventually rise to replace him. 794 00:41:06,810 --> 00:41:10,080 S2: And what's the sign? The Virgin will be with child 795 00:41:10,080 --> 00:41:12,150 S2: and will give birth to a son and will call 796 00:41:12,150 --> 00:41:15,420 S2: him Immanuel. The child will be born in a time 797 00:41:15,450 --> 00:41:18,120 S2: of trouble for Judah. And before he reaches the age 798 00:41:18,120 --> 00:41:23,580 S2: of accountability, the nations feared by Ahaz would be laid waste. Sadly, 799 00:41:23,580 --> 00:41:27,510 S2: because of Ahaz disobedience, Judah would also experience a time 800 00:41:27,540 --> 00:41:30,060 S2: of trouble. On the right side of the first panel 801 00:41:30,060 --> 00:41:33,239 S2: is what looks at first like a mirror image a 802 00:41:33,239 --> 00:41:37,020 S2: woman giving birth to a son. But on closer inspection, 803 00:41:37,020 --> 00:41:41,280 S2: several contrasts can be seen. The woman is actually Isaiah's wife, 804 00:41:41,280 --> 00:41:44,640 S2: and in this portrait, the judgment of Judah's nearby enemies 805 00:41:44,640 --> 00:41:47,549 S2: will take place within a few years before his son 806 00:41:47,550 --> 00:41:50,460 S2: can even say daddy or mommy. This is a near 807 00:41:50,489 --> 00:41:55,259 S2: prophecy whose fulfillment points to the certainty of the previous prophecies. 808 00:41:55,260 --> 00:41:58,770 S2: Later fulfillment. The fall of these two kingdoms within two 809 00:41:58,770 --> 00:42:02,580 S2: years was a certain sign that a young woman, a virgin, 810 00:42:02,580 --> 00:42:05,160 S2: at some point in the future, would give birth to 811 00:42:05,190 --> 00:42:08,190 S2: a son who would be named Emmanuel, God with us. 812 00:42:08,219 --> 00:42:11,700 S2: The center picture in Isaiah's triptych is perhaps the most 813 00:42:11,700 --> 00:42:15,870 S2: striking of all. Isaiah does a masterful job of interposing 814 00:42:15,870 --> 00:42:20,310 S2: brilliant light over a very dark background. The background focuses 815 00:42:20,310 --> 00:42:24,090 S2: on Galilee, but now it's Galilee of the Gentiles. The 816 00:42:24,090 --> 00:42:28,230 S2: nations have come to oppress Israel. Isaiah uses dark verbal 817 00:42:28,230 --> 00:42:33,660 S2: shades to paint this background distress, gloom, darkness, living in 818 00:42:33,660 --> 00:42:37,529 S2: the shadow of death. But into this dark image blazes 819 00:42:37,560 --> 00:42:40,920 S2: a great brightness. The people see a great light that 820 00:42:40,920 --> 00:42:45,540 S2: suddenly dawns on them, replacing gloom with gladness. And what's 821 00:42:45,540 --> 00:42:49,140 S2: the central focus of this second picture? What turns despair 822 00:42:49,140 --> 00:42:52,380 S2: into joy? The answer leaps out from the very center 823 00:42:52,380 --> 00:42:55,320 S2: of the painting. For to us a child is born, 824 00:42:55,320 --> 00:42:57,810 S2: to us a son is given, and the government will 825 00:42:57,840 --> 00:43:00,779 S2: be on his shoulders, and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, 826 00:43:00,780 --> 00:43:05,600 S2: Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace of the increase 827 00:43:05,600 --> 00:43:08,509 S2: of his government and peace, there will be no end. 828 00:43:08,540 --> 00:43:11,899 S2: He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, 829 00:43:11,900 --> 00:43:15,800 S2: establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that 830 00:43:15,800 --> 00:43:20,239 S2: time on and forever. There's the child again. But now 831 00:43:20,239 --> 00:43:23,719 S2: we learn this child, Emmanuel, God with us, is born 832 00:43:23,719 --> 00:43:27,770 S2: to reign as the divine King sitting on David's throne. 833 00:43:27,800 --> 00:43:31,250 S2: The brush strokes in this second picture are bold and dramatic. 834 00:43:31,250 --> 00:43:34,009 S2: No mere baby, this one to be born will have 835 00:43:34,040 --> 00:43:38,660 S2: titles that present him as being God with us. Wonderful counselor, 836 00:43:38,660 --> 00:43:43,220 S2: Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. It's hard to 837 00:43:43,219 --> 00:43:46,279 S2: take our eyes off this dramatic portrait, but we must. 838 00:43:46,310 --> 00:43:49,790 S2: There remains one final picture in this triptych, so we 839 00:43:49,790 --> 00:43:53,060 S2: turn our gaze to that last divine painting in chapters 840 00:43:53,060 --> 00:43:57,200 S2: ten and 11. The initial colors are dark but more muted. 841 00:43:57,230 --> 00:44:00,350 S2: On the left are hints of both judgment and restoration, 842 00:44:00,350 --> 00:44:04,010 S2: judgment on the Assyrians coming to devastate the land because 843 00:44:04,010 --> 00:44:07,669 S2: of King Ahaz disobedience. This ties the third picture back 844 00:44:07,670 --> 00:44:10,490 S2: to the first one. But then there is God's promised 845 00:44:10,489 --> 00:44:14,060 S2: restoration and deliverance for his remnant. He will restore his 846 00:44:14,060 --> 00:44:17,510 S2: people and lift the yoke of oppression from off their necks. 847 00:44:17,540 --> 00:44:20,120 S2: Our gaze is once again drawn to the right side 848 00:44:20,120 --> 00:44:23,569 S2: of the painting, the progression taking us still again to 849 00:44:23,600 --> 00:44:26,390 S2: the birth of a child. The details in this part 850 00:44:26,390 --> 00:44:29,180 S2: of the painting force us to slow down and examine 851 00:44:29,180 --> 00:44:31,969 S2: it with great care. A shoot will come up from 852 00:44:31,969 --> 00:44:34,610 S2: the stump of Jesse. From his roots a branch will 853 00:44:34,640 --> 00:44:37,340 S2: bear fruit. The spirit of the Lord will rest on him. 854 00:44:37,340 --> 00:44:40,190 S2: The spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of 855 00:44:40,190 --> 00:44:42,890 S2: counsel and of power, a spirit of knowledge and of 856 00:44:42,890 --> 00:44:45,170 S2: fear of the Lord. And he will delight in the 857 00:44:45,170 --> 00:44:47,270 S2: fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what 858 00:44:47,270 --> 00:44:49,520 S2: he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he 859 00:44:49,550 --> 00:44:52,430 S2: hears with his ears, but with righteousness he will judge 860 00:44:52,430 --> 00:44:55,219 S2: the needy, and with justice he will give decisions for 861 00:44:55,219 --> 00:44:57,440 S2: the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth 862 00:44:57,440 --> 00:44:59,600 S2: with the rod of his mouth. With the breath of 863 00:44:59,600 --> 00:45:02,660 S2: his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be 864 00:45:02,660 --> 00:45:07,520 S2: his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. We 865 00:45:07,520 --> 00:45:09,589 S2: step back to take a more panoramic view of the 866 00:45:09,590 --> 00:45:13,850 S2: entire triptych. It's a portrait of a child being born, 867 00:45:13,850 --> 00:45:16,460 S2: but it's far more than the mere birth of a child. 868 00:45:16,489 --> 00:45:20,330 S2: This child is God with us. This child will be 869 00:45:20,330 --> 00:45:24,770 S2: the Prince of Peace sitting on David's throne. This child 870 00:45:24,770 --> 00:45:29,120 S2: will vanquish evil and wickedness. This child will usher in 871 00:45:29,120 --> 00:45:35,090 S2: a time of universal peace and harmony. This child is Jesus. 872 00:45:35,120 --> 00:45:41,450 S2: The triptych painted 700 years before his birth this week. 873 00:45:41,480 --> 00:45:44,630 S2: As you get ready to celebrate Christmas, focus on more 874 00:45:44,630 --> 00:45:48,170 S2: than just a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying 875 00:45:48,200 --> 00:45:51,200 S2: in a manger. Focus on more than just the wise 876 00:45:51,200 --> 00:45:54,890 S2: men showing up to offer gifts to this child. That 877 00:45:54,890 --> 00:46:01,040 S2: child was and is God incarnate. And that child will someday, 878 00:46:01,070 --> 00:46:05,180 S2: perhaps very soon, return to sit on David's throne to 879 00:46:05,210 --> 00:46:09,650 S2: rule over all. And with that thought in mind, have 880 00:46:09,650 --> 00:46:11,779 S2: a blessed Christmas. 881 00:46:11,810 --> 00:46:13,760 S1: You know, before we let you go, I have to ask, 882 00:46:13,790 --> 00:46:17,360 S1: have you made this child who became a man who 883 00:46:17,360 --> 00:46:20,390 S1: is now our Savior, Jesus, at the right hand of 884 00:46:20,390 --> 00:46:23,330 S1: the father? Have you made him your Savior? Have you 885 00:46:23,330 --> 00:46:25,850 S1: asked him to forgive you for your wrongdoing? Put him 886 00:46:25,850 --> 00:46:28,070 S1: in charge of your life. You can do that today. 887 00:46:28,219 --> 00:46:30,890 S1: A friend will pray with you right now at eight, eight, eight. 888 00:46:30,920 --> 00:46:35,390 S1: Need him. Explain answers to your questions and there's no hassle. 889 00:46:35,390 --> 00:46:38,900 S1: There's no cost because there's nothing to buy. So call 888. 890 00:46:38,930 --> 00:46:42,770 S1: Need him right now. Well, thank you, Charlie, for that devotional. 891 00:46:42,770 --> 00:46:45,530 S1: Thank you for listening to the broadcast. And as Charlie says, 892 00:46:45,530 --> 00:46:48,620 S1: we do hope you have a very wonderful Merry Christmas. 893 00:46:48,650 --> 00:46:51,200 S1: I'm John Gager The Land and the book is a 894 00:46:51,200 --> 00:46:55,070 S1: production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.