1 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:11,039 S1: She grew up in Iran, a nation hostile to the 2 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:14,080 S1: name and mission of Christ. But then her family moved 3 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:16,480 S1: to the United States of all things, and the name 4 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:20,600 S1: of Jesus was everywhere, and Lily eventually became a Christian. 5 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:23,160 S1: What was that journey like? And what about the rest 6 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:26,040 S1: of her family? We have an incredible story for you 7 00:00:26,079 --> 00:00:28,760 S1: coming up. Hey, welcome to the land and the book. 8 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:31,360 S1: We call it a one hour flyover of the Middle East. 9 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:34,200 S1: And if you're new, you'll quickly find out why in 10 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:37,760 S1: the pilot seat. As always, Captain Charlie Dyer. He's been 11 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:40,800 S1: to Israel more than a hundred times and traveled extensively 12 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:43,680 S1: throughout the entire Middle East region as well. Welcome, Charlie. 13 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:44,720 S1: Good to connect with you. 14 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:46,960 S2: Hey, John. Thanks. It's great being with you again. 15 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:49,760 S1: Well, did you know that most Jewish people have never 16 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:52,440 S1: heard the gospel? Every week Charlie and I talk about 17 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:55,600 S1: Israel and the Jewish people, and it's really critical to 18 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:58,600 S1: remember that they, like everyone else, need to hear the 19 00:00:58,600 --> 00:00:59,480 S1: good news, right? 20 00:00:59,750 --> 00:01:02,310 S2: That's exactly right. And that's why life in Messiah, a 21 00:01:02,310 --> 00:01:06,270 S2: ministry that's been in existence for over 135 years, is 22 00:01:06,270 --> 00:01:09,670 S2: devoted to sharing the gospel with Jewish people around the world. 23 00:01:09,990 --> 00:01:12,669 S2: And now they're offering a gift to moody listeners. This 24 00:01:12,670 --> 00:01:16,870 S2: free e-book, Reaching Jewish People for Messiah, highlights the need 25 00:01:16,870 --> 00:01:20,270 S2: for the gospel among the Jewish people. It will equip 26 00:01:20,270 --> 00:01:23,670 S2: you with practical ways to share the good News with them. Now, 27 00:01:23,670 --> 00:01:27,709 S2: to receive this free e-book, visit Life in Messiah org 28 00:01:27,910 --> 00:01:30,590 S2: and click on the Moody Radio logo there. Sign up 29 00:01:30,590 --> 00:01:33,870 S2: today to get your copy. That's life in Messiah. 30 00:01:35,590 --> 00:01:37,150 S1: Well, this week we're going to focus on some of 31 00:01:37,150 --> 00:01:41,270 S1: the areas surrounding Israel, beginning with the Palestinians. What's the 32 00:01:41,270 --> 00:01:45,150 S1: latest news coming out of both Gaza and the Palestinian Authority? 33 00:01:45,430 --> 00:01:48,150 S2: The best way to describe it is it's a mixed bag. 34 00:01:48,470 --> 00:01:51,150 S2: Hamas initially said it was willing to exchange all remaining 35 00:01:51,150 --> 00:01:55,190 S2: hostages for a five year truce with Israel. This intended 36 00:01:55,190 --> 00:01:59,140 S2: to pressure Prime Minister Netanyahu to stop the fighting. But 37 00:01:59,140 --> 00:02:01,580 S2: they said they would not relinquish their weapons because they 38 00:02:01,620 --> 00:02:05,220 S2: hoped to retain control once the fighting is over. But 39 00:02:05,220 --> 00:02:08,940 S2: now there are reports that they're discussing the possibility of disarming, 40 00:02:08,940 --> 00:02:12,300 S2: releasing all the hostages and for the leaders to exit 41 00:02:12,300 --> 00:02:15,100 S2: Gaza in exchange for ending the war. But as of 42 00:02:15,100 --> 00:02:17,460 S2: right now, no deal has been made. And so you 43 00:02:17,460 --> 00:02:19,340 S2: really have to hear all of that and listen to 44 00:02:19,340 --> 00:02:23,060 S2: it with a grain of salt. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas 45 00:02:23,220 --> 00:02:26,260 S2: called on Hamas to free the hostages, cede control of 46 00:02:26,260 --> 00:02:29,780 S2: Gaza and give up their weapons. He also offered a 47 00:02:29,780 --> 00:02:34,060 S2: possible pathway for Hamas to continue in Gaza by transforming 48 00:02:34,060 --> 00:02:37,100 S2: into a political party. Of course, that's what they were 49 00:02:37,100 --> 00:02:40,860 S2: when they won the parliamentary election back in 2006, and 50 00:02:40,860 --> 00:02:44,220 S2: we see how that turned out now. Speaking of President Abbas, 51 00:02:44,380 --> 00:02:46,820 S2: I found it interesting that he also claimed Israel is 52 00:02:46,820 --> 00:02:50,380 S2: trying to change the historical and legal status of Islamic 53 00:02:50,380 --> 00:02:53,940 S2: and Christian holy places, especially in Jerusalem. And he was 54 00:02:53,940 --> 00:02:57,770 S2: talking about especially the Al-Aqsa mosque, Referring to the First 55 00:02:57,770 --> 00:03:01,169 S2: and Second Jewish temples. Abbas then claimed that the Quran 56 00:03:01,169 --> 00:03:06,010 S2: says the temples were located in Yemen, now back in 1925. 57 00:03:06,050 --> 00:03:09,810 S2: The Supreme Muslim Council published a booklet titled A Brief 58 00:03:09,810 --> 00:03:14,130 S2: Guide to the Haram al-Sharif, which is the Al-Aqsa mosque area. 59 00:03:14,130 --> 00:03:16,970 S2: In it, they stated its identity with the site of 60 00:03:16,970 --> 00:03:21,649 S2: Solomon's Temple is beyond dispute. Apparently since Israel became a nation, 61 00:03:21,650 --> 00:03:25,210 S2: that historical fact changed. Now repeat a lie often enough 62 00:03:25,210 --> 00:03:27,490 S2: and people can often start to believe it. And the 63 00:03:27,490 --> 00:03:30,490 S2: reality is, the Quran doesn't say the Jewish temples were 64 00:03:30,490 --> 00:03:33,210 S2: in Yemen up until the start of the modern state 65 00:03:33,210 --> 00:03:36,090 S2: of Israel. Muslims claimed the temple stood at the site 66 00:03:36,090 --> 00:03:39,010 S2: where the dome of the rock now stands. The Bible 67 00:03:39,010 --> 00:03:42,850 S2: clearly identifies Jerusalem as the site of both temples, and 68 00:03:42,890 --> 00:03:46,410 S2: though the Muslims haven't allowed any excavations on the Temple Mount, 69 00:03:46,450 --> 00:03:49,610 S2: discoveries along the edges of the retaining wall, like the 70 00:03:49,610 --> 00:03:52,410 S2: parapet with the words to the place of trumpeting, written 71 00:03:52,410 --> 00:03:56,280 S2: in Hebrew, and the scores of Jewish ritual baths just 72 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,400 S2: outside the entrances clearly point to that being the site 73 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,240 S2: of the temples. I think statements like those made by 74 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:05,880 S2: Abbas demonstrate the fear they have, that the Jewish people 75 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,080 S2: will someday push to rebuild a third temple on the 76 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:10,520 S2: site chosen by God. 77 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:14,600 S1: Well, Jordan has begun a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood. 78 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:18,000 S1: What brought about this decision now, and what impact could 79 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:19,200 S1: it have on the country? 80 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:22,240 S2: Well, the immediate cause for the crackdown was the discovery 81 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:26,000 S2: of a secret network of Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood members 82 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:30,200 S2: operating inside the country. Officials say the 16 who were 83 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:34,720 S2: arrested were planning attacks on security targets and other sensitive 84 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:38,640 S2: locations in the kingdom to try to destabilize the government. 85 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:42,640 S2: Both groups have been accused of fomenting anti-government street protests 86 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:46,520 S2: in Jordan during the current war in Gaza. Jordan had 87 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:50,600 S2: previously expelled Hamas in 1999, and a decade ago they 88 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:54,740 S2: also banned the Muslim Brotherhood. But they allowed Brotherhood affiliated 89 00:04:54,740 --> 00:04:58,180 S2: groups like the Islamic Action Front to continue as a 90 00:04:58,180 --> 00:05:01,780 S2: political party. In fact, in the last election, that party 91 00:05:01,820 --> 00:05:06,820 S2: won 31 of the 138 seats in Jordan's parliament. Jordan 92 00:05:06,820 --> 00:05:10,900 S2: has now outlawed and confiscated the assets of the Muslim Brotherhood, 93 00:05:10,900 --> 00:05:14,460 S2: and said anyone promoting the group's ideology will be arrested 94 00:05:14,460 --> 00:05:18,180 S2: and prosecuted. Hopefully, the crackdowns will lead to a greater 95 00:05:18,180 --> 00:05:20,860 S2: sense of peace and security within the country. You know, 96 00:05:20,900 --> 00:05:24,540 S2: tourism is a major part of Jordan's economy, and removing 97 00:05:24,540 --> 00:05:28,099 S2: the threat of terrorist attacks will definitely make tourists feel 98 00:05:28,100 --> 00:05:33,180 S2: more at ease. Jordan recently announced a $340 million project 99 00:05:33,180 --> 00:05:36,700 S2: to promote tourism by building a tourist park at the 100 00:05:36,700 --> 00:05:41,740 S2: Jordan River baptismal site to commemorate the 2,000th anniversary of 101 00:05:41,740 --> 00:05:45,500 S2: Jesus's baptism. The goal is to have this project completed 102 00:05:45,500 --> 00:05:51,420 S2: by 2029. It will feature hotels, restaurants, bazaars, shops and 103 00:05:51,420 --> 00:05:55,050 S2: amphitheater and parking to accommodate what they anticipate will be 104 00:05:55,050 --> 00:05:58,729 S2: a very large group of visitors coming. Starting then, I 105 00:05:58,730 --> 00:06:00,930 S2: just hope they're able to do this without destroying the 106 00:06:00,930 --> 00:06:04,089 S2: beauty and the religious significance of that site. 107 00:06:04,410 --> 00:06:07,289 S1: You're listening to The Land and the book from Moody Radio, 108 00:06:07,290 --> 00:06:10,330 S1: our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John Gager. We're looking 109 00:06:10,330 --> 00:06:14,130 S1: at current events in this opening segment. Turkey is experiencing 110 00:06:14,130 --> 00:06:18,490 S1: its own struggles both politically and physically, including severe weather 111 00:06:18,490 --> 00:06:22,290 S1: and earthquakes. How have all these challenges impacted President Erdogan's 112 00:06:22,330 --> 00:06:23,530 S1: grip on power? 113 00:06:23,930 --> 00:06:26,130 S2: Well, a few weeks ago, we talked about the political 114 00:06:26,130 --> 00:06:29,969 S2: crisis in Turkey when authorities arrested the mayor of Istanbul 115 00:06:29,970 --> 00:06:32,849 S2: just days before he was to be selected as leader 116 00:06:32,850 --> 00:06:35,850 S2: of the opposition party, who would then face Erdogan in 117 00:06:35,850 --> 00:06:39,609 S2: the next election. Thousands took to the streets in protest 118 00:06:39,610 --> 00:06:42,969 S2: and those protests are still impacting the country. In fact, 119 00:06:43,010 --> 00:06:46,770 S2: reports surfaced that Germany had at least temporarily vetoed the 120 00:06:46,770 --> 00:06:49,930 S2: sale of Euro fighter jets to Turkey because of these 121 00:06:49,930 --> 00:06:53,800 S2: political developments. But in the midst of all the political upheaval, 122 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:57,560 S2: Turkey was also struck by several days of subfreezing weather 123 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:02,120 S2: that caused widespread crop damage in 36 provinces. Hundreds of 124 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:05,040 S2: millions of dollars of fruit crops were destroyed in the 125 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:12,320 S2: worst frost to hit in recent history. Apricots, grapes, apples, peaches, nectarines, hazelnuts, 126 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:16,760 S2: walnuts and almonds were affected. As one farmer commented, this 127 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:20,920 S2: year's crop is now already lost. President Erdogan blamed the 128 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:24,960 S2: damage on climate change and promised to help farmers recover economically. 129 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:28,040 S2: I think hoping to maintain their support. And as if 130 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:32,320 S2: that crisis wasn't enough, Istanbul then experienced a 6.2 magnitude 131 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:37,240 S2: earthquake which, along with more than 260 aftershocks, rattled the 132 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:41,600 S2: country's largest city. Thankfully, the quake didn't cause any fatalities, 133 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:45,240 S2: though it did produce widespread panic. A million and a 134 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:48,920 S2: half buildings in Turkey. Not just Istanbul, are identified as 135 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:53,230 S2: high risk, requiring urgent transformation to make them safe from 136 00:07:53,230 --> 00:07:56,830 S2: possible collapse in the future. Erdogan called on the citizens 137 00:07:56,830 --> 00:07:59,870 S2: of Istanbul to pull together and put aside their protests. 138 00:07:59,910 --> 00:08:02,350 S2: He said, we do not approve of issues that shake 139 00:08:02,350 --> 00:08:06,110 S2: us all, like earthquakes being used for daily political polemics. 140 00:08:06,270 --> 00:08:08,670 S2: We do not wish to engage in arguments with anyone 141 00:08:08,670 --> 00:08:12,670 S2: during such sensitive times. This is a disrespect to our country. 142 00:08:12,910 --> 00:08:15,950 S2: Obviously trying to use the earthquake to put down the protests. 143 00:08:16,110 --> 00:08:18,590 S2: We'll see if the physical earthquake can cancel out the 144 00:08:18,590 --> 00:08:21,550 S2: political earthquake that he's accused of causing. 145 00:08:22,110 --> 00:08:24,390 S1: Well, we don't normally think of Russia when we consider 146 00:08:24,390 --> 00:08:28,310 S1: the nations surrounding Israel, but Russia is currently facing its 147 00:08:28,310 --> 00:08:32,070 S1: own internal problems, apart from the war with Ukraine. What 148 00:08:32,070 --> 00:08:34,670 S1: might be keeping the leaders in the Kremlin up at night? 149 00:08:34,990 --> 00:08:37,750 S2: Yeah, when I read this report, John, it really did 150 00:08:37,790 --> 00:08:40,230 S2: shake me in the sense of, wow, I had no 151 00:08:40,230 --> 00:08:43,590 S2: idea that was happening. Well, we might fear Russian intimidation 152 00:08:43,590 --> 00:08:46,470 S2: here in the West, but Russia's facing its own threat 153 00:08:46,470 --> 00:08:50,060 S2: from Islam. Not by way of invasion, but from its 154 00:08:50,059 --> 00:08:54,940 S2: own changing demographics. Today there are 25 million Muslims in Russia. 155 00:08:54,980 --> 00:08:59,060 S2: That's 17% of the population, a far greater percentage than 156 00:08:59,059 --> 00:09:02,939 S2: any other European country. The ethnic Russian population is in 157 00:09:02,940 --> 00:09:08,260 S2: decline due to smaller families, war casualties and emigration. Ethnic 158 00:09:08,260 --> 00:09:11,820 S2: Russians as a group are becoming smaller and older. Over 159 00:09:11,820 --> 00:09:15,340 S2: the past few decades, Russia brought in 11 million migrants 160 00:09:15,340 --> 00:09:18,500 S2: to keep its economy running, and most were Muslim. The 161 00:09:18,500 --> 00:09:23,740 S2: Muslim population of Moscow increased five fold since the late 1990s. 162 00:09:24,020 --> 00:09:27,460 S2: The largest mosque in Europe is now in Moscow. And 163 00:09:27,460 --> 00:09:30,220 S2: in ten years, a third of Moscow's population is expected 164 00:09:30,220 --> 00:09:34,060 S2: to be Muslim. Some believe because of their high birth rate, 165 00:09:34,059 --> 00:09:38,900 S2: by 2050, Muslims will comprise half the population of all Russia. Wow. 166 00:09:38,940 --> 00:09:42,740 S2: This could be influencing Vladimir Putin's policies toward both Turkey 167 00:09:42,740 --> 00:09:45,700 S2: and Iran and Israel. The concern, of course, is that 168 00:09:45,700 --> 00:09:49,330 S2: this change ethnically could be followed by a corresponding growth 169 00:09:49,330 --> 00:09:53,410 S2: in radical Islam within Russia. We once feared a godless 170 00:09:53,410 --> 00:09:57,809 S2: communist Soviet Union with the world's largest arsenal of nuclear weapons. 171 00:09:58,130 --> 00:10:00,050 S2: But in a few years, that fear could be replaced 172 00:10:00,050 --> 00:10:03,410 S2: by the specter of an Islamic Russia possessing the world's 173 00:10:03,410 --> 00:10:07,890 S2: largest arsenal of nuclear weapons. And it's those internal demographic 174 00:10:07,890 --> 00:10:11,530 S2: shifts that could indeed be keeping Russia's leaders and those 175 00:10:11,530 --> 00:10:13,569 S2: in the West awake at night. 176 00:10:13,770 --> 00:10:15,730 S1: Well, that's a look at current events from the Middle 177 00:10:15,730 --> 00:10:18,450 S1: East and beyond. Thank you Charlie. Hey, if you've yet 178 00:10:18,450 --> 00:10:21,410 S1: to check out our podcast, it's available at the website, 179 00:10:21,410 --> 00:10:25,810 S1: The land and the book. With that podcast, you can 180 00:10:25,809 --> 00:10:28,850 S1: hear every program again. Or better yet, share it with 181 00:10:28,850 --> 00:10:31,050 S1: a friend. So many of our listeners do not get 182 00:10:31,090 --> 00:10:33,530 S1: access to this program on a radio station. They got 183 00:10:33,570 --> 00:10:36,570 S1: to listen via podcast, and that's great. And that podcast 184 00:10:36,570 --> 00:10:41,130 S1: is available at The Land and the book dot straight ahead. 185 00:10:41,170 --> 00:10:43,010 S1: A girl who grew up in Iran moved to the 186 00:10:43,010 --> 00:10:46,490 S1: United States and found Jesus as Savior. It's really quite 187 00:10:46,490 --> 00:10:49,760 S1: an odyssey, a remarkable story. You don't want to miss it. 188 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:52,079 S1: It's on our next segment here on Moody Radio's The 189 00:10:52,080 --> 00:11:09,240 S1: Land and the book. You've grown up in a nation 190 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:12,440 S1: opposed to Christ. Now, at the age of 18, you 191 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:15,640 S1: and your family move across the globe from Iran to 192 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:19,439 S1: the United States. Suddenly, the name of Jesus is everywhere. 193 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:22,240 S1: How does that impact your own spiritual journey? And how 194 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:24,720 S1: does all of this affect your attitude toward women back 195 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:27,319 S1: in Iran? We'll get into these questions and a whole 196 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:31,679 S1: lot more on today's edition of The Land and the book. Welcome. 197 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:34,439 S1: I'm John Gager, and before we talk further about Muslims 198 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:37,920 S1: in Iran, let's talk about reaching Muslims here in the 199 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:40,880 S1: United States. Here's a thought. Sit down with a muslim 200 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:43,360 S1: friend for any length of time, and it won't be 201 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:47,140 S1: long before the subject of the Crusades comes up uncomfortable 202 00:11:47,140 --> 00:11:50,420 S1: for Christians, or is it an impossible wall to scale? 203 00:11:50,660 --> 00:11:53,020 S1: Let's talk about that with Samuel Johnson, who's with Call 204 00:11:53,020 --> 00:11:54,540 S1: of Love Ministries. What do you think, Samuel? 205 00:11:54,660 --> 00:11:58,100 S3: I think at some point we have to find out 206 00:11:58,100 --> 00:12:01,939 S3: how we can answer this question about crusades, even to ourselves, 207 00:12:01,940 --> 00:12:04,420 S3: to our children, what happened there? And when I talk 208 00:12:04,420 --> 00:12:08,220 S3: with my Muslim friend, I don't go with them. They're 209 00:12:08,220 --> 00:12:13,620 S3: going towards religion and politics, combining them together. And I say, no, no, 210 00:12:13,780 --> 00:12:17,260 S3: wait a minute here. This is not true Christianity. True 211 00:12:17,260 --> 00:12:22,300 S3: Christianity is not a religion. It's a person whom I follow. 212 00:12:22,340 --> 00:12:25,380 S3: All right. And let's look at the person. Jesus. Did 213 00:12:25,380 --> 00:12:30,059 S3: he encourage war? Did he expand Christianity using war? Using 214 00:12:30,059 --> 00:12:33,460 S3: the sword? So when I tell them about Jesus and 215 00:12:33,460 --> 00:12:36,699 S3: that he was against war, they will stay silent. Because 216 00:12:36,700 --> 00:12:42,140 S3: Muhammad expanded Islam through war all over the Middle East. 217 00:12:42,140 --> 00:12:45,330 S3: And then I tell them, these people who were part 218 00:12:45,330 --> 00:12:49,250 S3: of the crusade or even, you know, any other country 219 00:12:49,250 --> 00:12:52,370 S3: invading or anything like that in the name of religion. 220 00:12:52,410 --> 00:12:56,210 S3: These are not true Christ followers, or they understood it 221 00:12:56,210 --> 00:12:57,210 S3: in the wrong way. 222 00:12:57,250 --> 00:13:00,370 S1: As my friend Ron Hutchcraft says, Jesus never said, follow 223 00:13:00,370 --> 00:13:02,370 S1: my followers. He said, follow me. 224 00:13:02,410 --> 00:13:03,010 S3: Amen. 225 00:13:03,050 --> 00:13:06,850 S1: Amen. That's Samuel Johnson with Call of Love Ministries. Great resources, 226 00:13:06,850 --> 00:13:08,770 S1: by the way, for reaching out to your Muslim friends. 227 00:13:08,770 --> 00:13:14,929 S1: Available right now at Call of Love. Org. Lily Meshi 228 00:13:14,970 --> 00:13:19,250 S1: enjoyed a successful career in fortune 500 companies, boutique retail 229 00:13:19,250 --> 00:13:23,329 S1: banking and wholesale investing. But today she serves the Ministry 230 00:13:23,330 --> 00:13:27,250 S1: of Iran Alive as the Director of Partner Relations. Drawing 231 00:13:27,250 --> 00:13:30,570 S1: from her personal journey as an Iranian woman, Lily provides 232 00:13:30,570 --> 00:13:35,010 S1: profound insights into the challenges surrounding women's rights in Iran. 233 00:13:35,330 --> 00:13:37,209 S1: We're so honored to talk with her today on the 234 00:13:37,210 --> 00:13:39,530 S1: land and the book. Welcome, Lily. 235 00:13:39,530 --> 00:13:41,449 S4: Thank you so much, John, for having me. 236 00:13:41,690 --> 00:13:43,880 S1: Hey, let's start with your childhood in Tehran. Did you 237 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:45,920 S1: live in the heart of the capital? Or maybe toward 238 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:47,960 S1: the outskirts, or even out in the suburbs? 239 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:50,760 S4: No. I lived in Tehran, which is the heart of 240 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:52,160 S4: the capital of Iran. 241 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:56,040 S1: Okay, so describe your family life, your personal goings on 242 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:58,640 S1: right now, and even your spiritual status at that time. 243 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:03,800 S4: My family was a nominal Muslim people that really instilled 244 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:08,120 S4: the connection to the one and only God in me 245 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:12,360 S4: and my two sisters from early on. And so that 246 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:17,040 S4: was the dynamic. My dad was a very well-off, successful entrepreneur. 247 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:20,560 S4: He owned his own clothing factory. We were what you 248 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:24,960 S4: would consider an elite family living in one of the 249 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:29,200 S4: better areas in Tehran and just living a very comfortable life. 250 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:31,760 S1: Glad you're with us for our second segment here on 251 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:34,240 S1: the land and the book. I'm John Gager, honored to 252 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:38,040 S1: be joined by Lily meshi, who serves with Iran Alive Ministries. 253 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:41,200 S1: Let's fast forward to your early teen years still in Tehran. 254 00:14:41,550 --> 00:14:43,950 S1: What awareness, if any, did you have of the biblical 255 00:14:43,950 --> 00:14:45,270 S1: Jesus at this point? 256 00:14:45,510 --> 00:14:49,110 S4: I knew that Jesus was one of the greatest prophets 257 00:14:49,310 --> 00:14:53,710 S4: that performed many miracles. This was taught in the schools, 258 00:14:53,710 --> 00:15:00,550 S4: but there was no difference between Moses, Abraham, and Jesus. 259 00:15:00,550 --> 00:15:04,070 S4: They were all prophets sent from God to bring back 260 00:15:04,070 --> 00:15:05,390 S4: people to God. 261 00:15:06,510 --> 00:15:09,070 S1: Well, at the age of 18, your family moved to 262 00:15:09,070 --> 00:15:11,310 S1: the United States. What precipitated that? 263 00:15:11,350 --> 00:15:17,110 S4: Lily my dad basically lost everything he had worked very 264 00:15:17,110 --> 00:15:19,710 S4: hard for in a split of a second. 265 00:15:19,910 --> 00:15:20,830 S1: What happened? 266 00:15:20,870 --> 00:15:23,950 S4: He went bankrupt. He trusted some of the people that 267 00:15:23,950 --> 00:15:28,270 S4: he shouldn't have trusted. And his company went belly up. 268 00:15:28,750 --> 00:15:31,670 S4: So as a result of that, if you're familiar with 269 00:15:31,670 --> 00:15:35,030 S4: the culture of Iran, the culture of honor and shame 270 00:15:35,030 --> 00:15:39,310 S4: is very prevalent. And so if if someone that was 271 00:15:39,310 --> 00:15:42,700 S4: doing really well and was well off all of a sudden. 272 00:15:42,740 --> 00:15:47,180 S4: Doesn't have anything to cling on. They're ashamed. They're ashamed 273 00:15:47,180 --> 00:15:50,420 S4: to the society and their disgrace. And so my family 274 00:15:50,420 --> 00:15:54,220 S4: decided to move from Iran to Germany and then from 275 00:15:54,220 --> 00:15:56,220 S4: Germany to the United States. 276 00:15:56,420 --> 00:15:59,500 S1: Okay. Somebody listening says, okay, you say he's lost everything, 277 00:15:59,500 --> 00:16:01,380 S1: but how do you even get the money for airfare 278 00:16:01,380 --> 00:16:04,300 S1: to Germany, let alone ultimate travel to the US? 279 00:16:04,660 --> 00:16:09,500 S4: We sold everything, all of our possessions, the Persian rugs 280 00:16:09,500 --> 00:16:13,700 S4: and the homes and everything we owned. All my mom 281 00:16:13,700 --> 00:16:16,980 S4: and dad's and every piece of jewelry that we had. 282 00:16:16,980 --> 00:16:21,580 S4: We sold everything. Um, at age 16, when we were 283 00:16:21,580 --> 00:16:25,260 S4: moving from Iran, I remember as someone who lived a 284 00:16:25,260 --> 00:16:28,940 S4: comfortable life, I remember all of our possessions being sold 285 00:16:28,940 --> 00:16:33,220 S4: one by one, and all the boxes in our hallway 286 00:16:33,260 --> 00:16:35,220 S4: just packing and leaving. 287 00:16:35,620 --> 00:16:38,260 S1: What kind of struggles did you experience interpersonally at that point? 288 00:16:38,260 --> 00:16:40,690 S1: What's going on in your head? Right there. Your heart. Lily. 289 00:16:40,850 --> 00:16:44,250 S4: It was very difficult. I mean, we had many friends 290 00:16:44,250 --> 00:16:48,690 S4: that we formed friendships with in Iran. We had family 291 00:16:48,690 --> 00:16:51,130 S4: in Iran that we had to leave. My grandmother was 292 00:16:51,130 --> 00:16:54,770 S4: very close to us. My dad was not leaving Iran 293 00:16:54,770 --> 00:16:57,010 S4: with us. He was staying. And so he was just 294 00:16:57,010 --> 00:17:00,410 S4: my mom and my two sisters that were leaving at 295 00:17:00,410 --> 00:17:03,530 S4: the time. So I was heartbroken. My dad was always 296 00:17:03,530 --> 00:17:06,409 S4: my hero. I always looked up to him. I didn't 297 00:17:06,410 --> 00:17:09,169 S4: know if I was going to see him again. And 298 00:17:09,170 --> 00:17:15,090 S4: so just moving from Iran to Germany and really living 299 00:17:15,290 --> 00:17:20,010 S4: with my cousin in Germany in a two bedroom apartment, 300 00:17:20,450 --> 00:17:24,850 S4: she had three small children herself. So with us, we 301 00:17:24,850 --> 00:17:29,450 S4: were nine people living in a two bedroom apartment, just, um, 302 00:17:29,490 --> 00:17:35,690 S4: becoming refugees of a different country, feeling very isolated and lonely. 303 00:17:36,450 --> 00:17:38,760 S1: If you're just joining us, this is the land and 304 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:41,119 S1: the book, and we're talking with Lily Meshi of Iran 305 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:45,480 S1: Alive Ministries. We'll describe your ultimate journey to faith in Jesus. 306 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:49,239 S4: When I was 18, my dad asked his family to 307 00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:52,520 S4: join him in the United States, where he had moved 308 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:56,320 S4: directly from Iran in search of a new venture in 309 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:59,240 S4: search of a new life to where he can bring 310 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:03,440 S4: his family back together. So he contacted me one time. 311 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:07,960 S4: He said, Lily, there's this Persian Iranian guy who's very 312 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:11,919 S4: successful here in the US and is helping me open 313 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:15,959 S4: up my own restaurant in the US, which will bring 314 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:19,600 S4: our family together again, and we will have a fresh 315 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:24,560 S4: new start. He has expressed interest in getting to know 316 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:27,000 S4: you for marriage. So I'm going to introduce you to 317 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:30,359 S4: this guy. Just get to know him, see how things go. 318 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:34,520 S4: At this point I was 18 and this gentleman was 32. 319 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:36,399 S4: So there was a huge. 320 00:18:36,590 --> 00:18:37,310 S5: Age gap. 321 00:18:37,350 --> 00:18:40,750 S4: Between us. I mean, he was my dad's business partner. 322 00:18:40,750 --> 00:18:45,110 S4: And so, you know, coming from a very patriarchal culture 323 00:18:45,109 --> 00:18:49,030 S4: in Iran where I grew up and the true admiration 324 00:18:49,030 --> 00:18:51,910 S4: that I had for my dad always, and seeing him 325 00:18:51,910 --> 00:18:57,110 S4: so broken after having lost everything in his mid-fifties, all 326 00:18:57,109 --> 00:19:00,350 S4: I wanted to do was please him. I was like, okay, well, 327 00:19:00,390 --> 00:19:03,149 S4: I'll talk to him, no problem. If my dad is 328 00:19:03,150 --> 00:19:06,790 S4: asking me to do something, this has to be something good. 329 00:19:06,830 --> 00:19:09,150 S4: He would never put me up to something that would 330 00:19:09,190 --> 00:19:12,710 S4: harm me. And so we started talking on the phone 331 00:19:12,710 --> 00:19:15,350 S4: for about six months before I moved to the US. 332 00:19:15,710 --> 00:19:18,070 S4: And when I moved to the US, it was as 333 00:19:18,070 --> 00:19:21,469 S4: if we were already married. The promise was already given 334 00:19:21,470 --> 00:19:23,950 S4: to him. He would not leave my side. He would 335 00:19:23,950 --> 00:19:28,670 S4: always be everywhere. I was, you know, taking me to places. 336 00:19:28,710 --> 00:19:32,469 S4: And in the midst of all that, unfortunately, I was 337 00:19:32,470 --> 00:19:37,170 S4: sexually harassed by him, exploited by him, and that was 338 00:19:37,170 --> 00:19:39,570 S4: the thing that he did. As soon as he noticed 339 00:19:39,570 --> 00:19:43,290 S4: that I have no interest in getting to know him 340 00:19:43,290 --> 00:19:46,369 S4: or wanting to marry him. And he thought that by 341 00:19:46,410 --> 00:19:50,690 S4: sexually exploiting me, this would be the ultimate act for 342 00:19:50,690 --> 00:19:53,970 S4: him to earn me or get me. Or there is 343 00:19:53,970 --> 00:19:56,409 S4: no way out of this situation. In a way, he 344 00:19:56,410 --> 00:20:01,290 S4: wanted to force me into this marriage. And that's what happened. 345 00:20:01,690 --> 00:20:06,610 S4: I was forced by circumstances, great amount of shame to 346 00:20:06,650 --> 00:20:11,530 S4: marry him. And the marriage was very toxic. Very abusive 347 00:20:11,690 --> 00:20:14,969 S4: on all fronts. And when I was at the lowest 348 00:20:14,970 --> 00:20:19,050 S4: point of my life, my parents invited me to their 349 00:20:19,050 --> 00:20:22,649 S4: house to visit their friends. And I did not know 350 00:20:22,650 --> 00:20:27,330 S4: that they had come prepared and prayerfully to share the 351 00:20:27,369 --> 00:20:31,130 S4: gospel with us. And so when I entered my parents house, 352 00:20:31,130 --> 00:20:34,600 S4: they were watching Jesus film and I sat there and 353 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:36,960 S4: watched the film with them at the end. Of course, 354 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:41,560 S4: there was an invitation for, you know, prayer of salvation and, 355 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:45,119 S4: you know, giving our hearts to Jesus. I heard all that. 356 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:48,440 S4: Didn't really think anything of it. I got up to leave. 357 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:52,040 S4: That's when one of the women there shared the gospel 358 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:52,600 S4: with me. 359 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:55,960 S1: You're listening to The land and the book. I'm John Yeager. 360 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:58,399 S1: Our guest today, Lily meshi, who has come all the 361 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:01,600 S1: way from Iran via Germany. And then to the United States. 362 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:05,560 S1: We're hearing her journey not just geographically, but spiritually as well. 363 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:08,000 S1: So let me clarify here. Are your parents at this 364 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:09,040 S1: time born again? 365 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:14,159 S4: No. They were just listening to their friends who were 366 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:16,640 S4: coming from Oklahoma to share the gospel with us. They 367 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:19,120 S4: were just open to hear what they had to say. 368 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:22,520 S4: They were watching the film with me, and I knew 369 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:25,720 S4: that they had already had some talks with my parents 370 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:28,320 S4: at that point. But when I got up to leave, 371 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:30,960 S4: one of the women walked me out to the door 372 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:33,990 S4: and said, Lily, I know you have been through a 373 00:21:33,990 --> 00:21:37,310 S4: lot since you moved to the US, and I just 374 00:21:37,310 --> 00:21:40,030 S4: want you to know that there is hope. And here 375 00:21:40,030 --> 00:21:43,830 S4: at this point, I was so hopeless. I was so 376 00:21:44,070 --> 00:21:47,830 S4: frustrated at everything that had happened to me. I was 377 00:21:47,830 --> 00:21:53,790 S4: so mad and ashamed of who I was and what 378 00:21:53,790 --> 00:21:57,150 S4: was done to me, some of which was done by 379 00:21:57,150 --> 00:21:59,830 S4: my own immediate family. So there was great amount of 380 00:21:59,830 --> 00:22:04,390 S4: anger towards my own parents at this point that I had. 381 00:22:04,550 --> 00:22:07,150 S1: Is your dad aware of what's transpired? Is he aware 382 00:22:07,150 --> 00:22:10,109 S1: of the injustice of his business partner toward you? 383 00:22:10,550 --> 00:22:13,950 S4: He did not think anything of it. Let me explain 384 00:22:13,950 --> 00:22:18,510 S4: this to you and your audience. It's a very common 385 00:22:18,510 --> 00:22:22,830 S4: practice in Iran to put up girls that are of 386 00:22:22,869 --> 00:22:29,470 S4: young age, to marry men that are established, especially financially, 387 00:22:29,470 --> 00:22:33,100 S4: and are much older. So this is a very prevalent 388 00:22:33,100 --> 00:22:37,139 S4: practice in Iran. In fact, child marriages is very prevalent 389 00:22:37,140 --> 00:22:41,020 S4: in Iran. Temporary marriages are very prevalent. So he didn't 390 00:22:41,020 --> 00:22:44,420 S4: think anything of it because he grew up in that culture. 391 00:22:44,460 --> 00:22:48,380 S4: He patriarchy was part of life. He, you know, up 392 00:22:48,420 --> 00:22:52,780 S4: until so much later in his faith, he didn't realize 393 00:22:52,780 --> 00:22:55,260 S4: how wicked this practice was and what he had done 394 00:22:55,260 --> 00:22:57,180 S4: to me. He was just part of life. 395 00:22:57,540 --> 00:22:59,660 S1: So what's next? I mean, I'm still wondering, how do 396 00:22:59,660 --> 00:23:01,459 S1: you find Jesus in all of this? You've been to 397 00:23:01,460 --> 00:23:03,900 S1: this meeting, you're watching a video, but there's a lot 398 00:23:03,940 --> 00:23:06,300 S1: of hurt and, uh, a lot of other issues going 399 00:23:06,300 --> 00:23:07,140 S1: on in your heart. 400 00:23:07,500 --> 00:23:09,820 S4: In the morning of that day when I went to 401 00:23:09,820 --> 00:23:14,340 S4: visit my parents friends, my younger sister met up with 402 00:23:14,340 --> 00:23:17,220 S4: me at the mall, and she said, Lily, I'm just 403 00:23:17,220 --> 00:23:19,780 S4: giving you a heads up. You're going to Mom and 404 00:23:19,780 --> 00:23:24,780 S4: Dad's house tonight. Um, their friends are Christians and they 405 00:23:24,780 --> 00:23:27,460 S4: say Jesus is God. Just to give you a heads 406 00:23:27,460 --> 00:23:30,570 S4: up on that. I was like, how idiotic is that? Like, 407 00:23:30,609 --> 00:23:36,250 S4: who would believe Jesus? A great prophet is God. And 408 00:23:36,250 --> 00:23:38,730 S4: so this was in my head. So I already went 409 00:23:38,730 --> 00:23:41,530 S4: in there with my guards up and all that. And 410 00:23:41,530 --> 00:23:44,530 S4: so when that woman stopped me at the door and said, 411 00:23:44,650 --> 00:23:47,969 S4: you know, there's hope in Jesus. Do you mind if 412 00:23:47,970 --> 00:23:51,169 S4: I just share just a couple of passages from the 413 00:23:51,170 --> 00:23:53,450 S4: Bible with you? I'm not going to take up much 414 00:23:53,450 --> 00:23:56,050 S4: of your time. I just want to read something from 415 00:23:56,050 --> 00:23:59,650 S4: the Bible to you that may change your life. And 416 00:23:59,650 --> 00:24:02,130 S4: so I was so reluctant, but at the same time, 417 00:24:02,130 --> 00:24:04,330 S4: I wanted to see what she had to say. And 418 00:24:04,330 --> 00:24:08,050 S4: sat down there in the beginning was the word. The 419 00:24:08,050 --> 00:24:11,170 S4: word was with God. The word was God. Then she 420 00:24:11,170 --> 00:24:15,290 S4: skipped over to John 114. The Word became flesh and 421 00:24:15,290 --> 00:24:20,530 S4: dwelt among us. The moment she finished reading these two verses, 422 00:24:21,050 --> 00:24:25,970 S4: tears were rolling down my cheeks. I knew that Jesus 423 00:24:25,970 --> 00:24:30,320 S4: was my Lord and Savior, and that instant, it was 424 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:35,000 S4: a momentary revelation that the Holy Spirit revealed to me 425 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:39,200 S4: that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. He is God. 426 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:41,919 S4: He is the one who can pull me out of 427 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:44,439 S4: the dungeon that I was in. He was going to 428 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:48,080 S4: be the hope that I could cling on. And so 429 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:53,359 S4: in that moment, a spark of hope just ignited in me, 430 00:24:53,359 --> 00:24:56,360 S4: and I. I wanted to know more about Jesus. And 431 00:24:56,359 --> 00:24:58,479 S4: I looked at her and I said, how do I 432 00:24:58,480 --> 00:24:59,600 S4: become a Christian? 433 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:01,680 S1: And that happened for you that evening. 434 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:04,520 S4: That happened for me that evening. The next day was 435 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:08,199 S4: a Sunday. She took me to a Bible based church 436 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:12,680 S4: in Austin, Texas, Hill Country Bible Church. I remember that 437 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:16,880 S4: this was about 2001, so 24 years ago, and the 438 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:19,760 S4: rest is history. I ended up going to a Bible 439 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:24,680 S4: college in Oklahoma. And now, fast forward 24 years later, 440 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:28,950 S4: I have the privilege to serve in a ministry that 441 00:25:28,950 --> 00:25:32,990 S4: is sharing the good news with Iranians every day through 442 00:25:33,470 --> 00:25:36,950 S4: 24 over seven broadcasts. Iran Alive ministries. 443 00:25:37,230 --> 00:25:39,310 S1: Well, you have been on an amazing journey. That's an 444 00:25:39,310 --> 00:25:42,870 S1: encouraging story. Lily, we thank you for these insights, for 445 00:25:42,869 --> 00:25:45,790 S1: your testimony, for all that God has been doing in 446 00:25:45,790 --> 00:25:47,590 S1: your life. We give him the praise as we know 447 00:25:47,590 --> 00:25:48,869 S1: you do too. Thank you. 448 00:25:49,109 --> 00:25:49,950 S6: Thank you. John. 449 00:25:50,070 --> 00:25:52,030 S1: Hey, we're looking forward to another segment on the land 450 00:25:52,030 --> 00:25:55,590 S1: of the book. It's Bible questions and answers next right here. 451 00:26:06,910 --> 00:26:09,830 S1: They say that the Bible is shallow enough that anybody 452 00:26:09,830 --> 00:26:12,590 S1: can splash in it and benefit from it, but deep 453 00:26:12,590 --> 00:26:15,189 S1: enough that those who are truly experienced can never plumb 454 00:26:15,190 --> 00:26:17,990 S1: its depths to the end. I'm John Gieger. This is 455 00:26:17,990 --> 00:26:20,109 S1: the land and the book, and all of us are somewhere, 456 00:26:20,150 --> 00:26:22,870 S1: probably in the middle of that somewhere. And that's what 457 00:26:22,869 --> 00:26:25,750 S1: this segment is all about, understanding what's in the Word 458 00:26:25,750 --> 00:26:28,780 S1: of God. That might just be puzzling to us. Helping 459 00:26:28,780 --> 00:26:31,419 S1: us understand these issues, as Doctor Gerald Peterman of the 460 00:26:31,420 --> 00:26:34,300 S1: Moody Bible Institute faculty. Good to connect with you again, sir. 461 00:26:34,340 --> 00:26:38,060 S7: Yes, a child can wade and an elephant can swim. 462 00:26:38,100 --> 00:26:39,860 S1: Yeah, that's the thing. You got it better. 463 00:26:39,900 --> 00:26:40,620 S7: Oh. It's good. 464 00:26:40,859 --> 00:26:42,980 S1: Hey, here's a question. Did you know that most Jewish 465 00:26:42,980 --> 00:26:46,300 S1: people have never heard the gospel? Each week we talk 466 00:26:46,340 --> 00:26:49,020 S1: about Israel and the Jewish people. And it's important to 467 00:26:49,020 --> 00:26:51,979 S1: remember that they, like everyone else, need to hear the 468 00:26:51,980 --> 00:26:52,780 S1: good news. 469 00:26:53,060 --> 00:26:57,260 S7: Life in Messiah, a ministry in existence for over 135 years, 470 00:26:57,300 --> 00:27:00,740 S7: is devoted to sharing the gospel with Jewish people around 471 00:27:00,740 --> 00:27:04,260 S7: the world. Now they are offering a gift to moody 472 00:27:04,260 --> 00:27:09,220 S7: listeners a free e-book. Reaching Jewish People for Messiah. And 473 00:27:09,220 --> 00:27:12,220 S7: it highlights the need for the gospel among the Jewish people, 474 00:27:12,220 --> 00:27:15,459 S7: and will equip you with practical ways to share the 475 00:27:15,460 --> 00:27:18,860 S7: Good News with them. To receive this free e-book, visit 476 00:27:18,859 --> 00:27:22,659 S7: Life in Messiah. Org. Click on the Moody Radio logo 477 00:27:22,660 --> 00:27:25,050 S7: and sign up today to get your copy. 478 00:27:25,090 --> 00:27:28,330 S1: Great. All right, let's dig into our pile of questions, 479 00:27:28,330 --> 00:27:31,369 S1: starting with Caitlin's. She says, how do you answer the 480 00:27:31,369 --> 00:27:35,740 S1: question that works? Don't save us. If James 221 to 481 00:27:35,740 --> 00:27:38,410 S1: 24 says, we are considered righteous by what we do. 482 00:27:38,450 --> 00:27:41,210 S1: Is that talking about proof that someone has already been saved? 483 00:27:41,210 --> 00:27:43,890 S1: Because when someone is saved, they'll want to serve God 484 00:27:43,890 --> 00:27:45,010 S1: and do works for him? 485 00:27:45,050 --> 00:27:48,050 S7: Oh, that's a really good question. And it's tough to answer. 486 00:27:48,050 --> 00:27:50,210 S7: And as a matter of fact, some folks have said 487 00:27:50,369 --> 00:27:53,290 S7: this is a contradiction in Scripture and it is not. 488 00:27:53,650 --> 00:27:56,409 S7: So we should take a closer look. It's about a 489 00:27:56,410 --> 00:28:00,730 S7: particular word in the New Testament. Sometimes this word means 490 00:28:00,890 --> 00:28:05,889 S7: to justify or make righteous. Sometimes it means to show 491 00:28:05,890 --> 00:28:09,170 S7: to be righteous. So if we go to Romans five one, 492 00:28:09,170 --> 00:28:13,369 S7: we find this delightful truth. Having been justified by faith, 493 00:28:13,369 --> 00:28:18,129 S7: we have peace with God. This is the justification of forgiveness, 494 00:28:18,130 --> 00:28:22,050 S7: of being saved all but other times in Scripture, in 495 00:28:22,050 --> 00:28:26,190 S7: Romans we find Romans three four. Paul quotes a portion 496 00:28:26,190 --> 00:28:30,710 S7: of Psalm 53 where David says to God, You, God, 497 00:28:30,910 --> 00:28:35,150 S7: are justified by your words, and victorious when you judge. 498 00:28:35,150 --> 00:28:37,070 S7: And God, of course, does not need to be forgiven 499 00:28:37,070 --> 00:28:41,070 S7: or saved, but he will be shown right when he 500 00:28:41,070 --> 00:28:45,830 S7: is judging. So it's this second definition that James is 501 00:28:45,830 --> 00:28:49,590 S7: using when he says, Wasn't Abraham our father justified by 502 00:28:49,590 --> 00:28:52,470 S7: works when he offered up Isaac? By that we mean 503 00:28:52,950 --> 00:28:56,630 S7: he was not forgiven there. He was shown to be 504 00:28:56,630 --> 00:28:58,709 S7: right there. So I think Caitlin is on the right 505 00:28:58,710 --> 00:29:02,630 S7: track when she says, sometimes this word is about showing 506 00:29:02,670 --> 00:29:04,030 S7: that we have been saved. 507 00:29:04,270 --> 00:29:06,630 S1: Yeah. Boy, that's an important distinction. I appreciate you pointing 508 00:29:06,630 --> 00:29:09,750 S1: that out from Betty. This question, how do I explain 509 00:29:09,750 --> 00:29:13,830 S1: that we don't need baptism for our salvation? She points 510 00:29:13,830 --> 00:29:17,590 S1: to acts 238 which says, repent and be baptized for 511 00:29:17,590 --> 00:29:20,190 S1: the forgiveness of your sins, and then you'll receive the 512 00:29:20,190 --> 00:29:23,460 S1: gift of the Holy Spirit. Then there's Mark 1616, which 513 00:29:23,460 --> 00:29:27,740 S1: says whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. Now, 514 00:29:27,740 --> 00:29:29,700 S1: I know we don't need works to be saved. So 515 00:29:29,700 --> 00:29:31,740 S1: how would I explain those verses, though, to somebody who 516 00:29:31,740 --> 00:29:34,500 S1: doesn't know that it's by grace alone when they bring 517 00:29:34,500 --> 00:29:36,060 S1: those verses up in conversation. 518 00:29:36,100 --> 00:29:39,420 S7: Ah wonderful question. I remember grappling with this question as 519 00:29:39,420 --> 00:29:42,060 S7: a new Christian. I'm going to focus on acts two. 520 00:29:42,100 --> 00:29:45,420 S7: Peter's preaching, and near the end of his message he 521 00:29:45,420 --> 00:29:51,739 S7: says to his audience, God made this Jesus whom y'all crucified, 522 00:29:52,180 --> 00:29:56,100 S7: Lord and Christ. And then the audience responds back, what 523 00:29:56,100 --> 00:30:00,980 S7: should we do? And then Peter says, repent and be baptized. 524 00:30:00,980 --> 00:30:05,020 S7: The repentance is there, changing their heart and mind about Jesus, 525 00:30:05,020 --> 00:30:07,380 S7: but to be baptized. Of course, you have to come 526 00:30:07,380 --> 00:30:10,420 S7: forward and ask someone to baptize you. So what will 527 00:30:10,420 --> 00:30:13,260 S7: the church then do? The church will ask about your faith. 528 00:30:13,620 --> 00:30:16,340 S7: They will ask about your repentance. And then when the 529 00:30:16,340 --> 00:30:20,660 S7: church baptizes you, it confirms to them and to you 530 00:30:21,490 --> 00:30:24,610 S7: that you're believing in the real Jesus. So it's not 531 00:30:24,890 --> 00:30:29,290 S7: that baptism grants you forgiveness. Baptism confirms to you that 532 00:30:29,290 --> 00:30:31,090 S7: you've really believed in Jesus. 533 00:30:31,090 --> 00:30:34,090 S1: That's Doctor Gerald Peterman. He's on the Moody Bible Institute faculty, 534 00:30:34,090 --> 00:30:36,770 S1: and he's here to answer your questions every week. How 535 00:30:36,770 --> 00:30:38,610 S1: do you get yours to him? Easy. With a quick 536 00:30:38,610 --> 00:30:43,050 S1: email to the land and the book at Moody's. That's 537 00:30:43,050 --> 00:30:48,490 S1: the land and the book at Moody's. Dot Brian's question 538 00:30:48,490 --> 00:30:52,730 S1: regarding the Greek word translated as church in Matthew 1817. 539 00:30:52,770 --> 00:30:55,490 S1: Does it mean the assembly, the body, or could it 540 00:30:55,490 --> 00:30:59,570 S1: possibly mean those in charge, the leadership, the overseers, the elders? 541 00:30:59,810 --> 00:31:03,170 S7: Well, that's a great question. Again, first, let's talk about 542 00:31:03,170 --> 00:31:08,290 S7: this word translated church in our Bibles. The word is ecclesia. 543 00:31:08,290 --> 00:31:11,970 S7: What might this word apply to? Generally speaking, it's just 544 00:31:11,970 --> 00:31:14,850 S7: a gathering of people. So we can go to acts 19. 545 00:31:15,010 --> 00:31:16,810 S7: And as a matter of fact, in acts 19, there's 546 00:31:16,850 --> 00:31:20,080 S7: a hostile crowd who doesn't like Paul. All and they 547 00:31:20,080 --> 00:31:23,040 S7: they gathered together and they talk about how terrible Paul 548 00:31:23,040 --> 00:31:28,000 S7: is preaching the gospel. And that gathering of hostile non-believers 549 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:31,920 S7: is called ecclesia. So the church is a gathering. When 550 00:31:31,920 --> 00:31:35,080 S7: we come to Matthew 18, I think we're talking about 551 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:39,480 S7: the assembly of believers. That's where the final authority lies. 552 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:42,280 S7: It's very similar to what's happening in first Corinthians five. 553 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:46,600 S7: There's a man there in Corinth who's immoral. Paul tells 554 00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:50,000 S7: the church, when you're gathered together, you should hand this 555 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:52,400 S7: man over to Satan for the discipline of his body 556 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:55,239 S7: that he might repent. It is not the hands of 557 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:58,560 S7: the elders. Maybe the elders will call the meeting right? 558 00:31:58,600 --> 00:32:01,160 S7: But it's in the hands of the whole church to 559 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:04,360 S7: decide how to punish this man, or how to deal 560 00:32:04,360 --> 00:32:08,120 S7: with this man. So, Ecclesia, that's the church as a whole. 561 00:32:08,320 --> 00:32:11,960 S1: Okay. Mark's question. He says, I wonder if Jesus would 562 00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:14,480 S1: have been the butt of attacks from all the people 563 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:18,200 S1: around him. There's Mary's kid. Who does he think he is? 564 00:32:18,270 --> 00:32:21,470 S1: Thinks he's God and he's perfect kids his age. Maybe 565 00:32:21,510 --> 00:32:24,110 S1: we're we're being compared to him. And I wonder if 566 00:32:24,110 --> 00:32:26,910 S1: his earthly connection had to leave him lonely. 567 00:32:26,950 --> 00:32:30,870 S7: Ah, you know what? I have wondered? This same thing myself. 568 00:32:31,110 --> 00:32:32,950 S7: And so I was really pleased to be able to 569 00:32:32,990 --> 00:32:35,790 S7: ponder it again and think about it. We don't have 570 00:32:35,790 --> 00:32:40,950 S7: anything specific in Scripture about this question, but let's go 571 00:32:40,950 --> 00:32:44,270 S7: to Luke two. You remember Luke two. Mary and Joseph 572 00:32:44,430 --> 00:32:47,590 S7: take Jesus to Jerusalem. He's 12 years old, and they 573 00:32:47,590 --> 00:32:50,710 S7: accidentally leave him there. And then two days later they're 574 00:32:50,710 --> 00:32:54,150 S7: searching for him. And his mom says, son, you treated 575 00:32:54,150 --> 00:32:56,990 S7: us so badly. Look, your father and I have been 576 00:32:56,990 --> 00:33:01,030 S7: searching for you in great distress. He says to them, 577 00:33:01,030 --> 00:33:03,230 S7: why were you looking for me? Did you not know 578 00:33:03,230 --> 00:33:06,310 S7: I must be in my father's house? So I think 579 00:33:06,350 --> 00:33:10,990 S7: from this experience it must have happened many other times 580 00:33:10,990 --> 00:33:14,469 S7: with him that he was misunderstood, and it had to 581 00:33:14,470 --> 00:33:17,540 S7: hurt him and other people. But of course he was 582 00:33:17,540 --> 00:33:20,460 S7: simply being God in the flesh. 583 00:33:20,500 --> 00:33:23,060 S1: You know, I think about this as well. And I wonder, 584 00:33:23,260 --> 00:33:26,340 S1: you know, we are appropriately awed and consumed with the 585 00:33:26,340 --> 00:33:29,940 S1: suffering of Jesus on the cross and that whole thing. 586 00:33:30,300 --> 00:33:33,180 S1: But we forget about the rest of the suffering of Jesus. 587 00:33:33,220 --> 00:33:37,420 S7: Oh, the rest of the suffering of Jesus. Of course, 588 00:33:37,460 --> 00:33:39,660 S7: the cross is extremely important, but I do not want 589 00:33:39,700 --> 00:33:41,420 S7: us to lose the rest. Let me mention a couple 590 00:33:41,460 --> 00:33:45,140 S7: of examples, if you don't mind. Sure. Luke 19 Jesus 591 00:33:45,140 --> 00:33:47,700 S7: is coming into Jerusalem. It's going to be the last 592 00:33:47,700 --> 00:33:49,780 S7: week of his life. And as he comes up over 593 00:33:49,780 --> 00:33:51,780 S7: the Mount of Olives, you've been there. You know what 594 00:33:51,780 --> 00:33:54,460 S7: this looks like. He sees the city and he weeps 595 00:33:54,460 --> 00:34:00,060 S7: over it. Really? Why? He says, because your judgment is coming. 596 00:34:00,220 --> 00:34:03,540 S7: Armies will surround you and crush you to the ground, 597 00:34:03,540 --> 00:34:05,900 S7: because you do not know the day of your visitation. 598 00:34:05,900 --> 00:34:09,060 S7: That is the day when God, me, I come to 599 00:34:09,100 --> 00:34:13,860 S7: visit you. So Jerusalem is going to face righteous punishment 600 00:34:13,860 --> 00:34:19,170 S7: from God, but Jesus finds it sad. Oh, wow. Just 601 00:34:19,170 --> 00:34:20,410 S7: think of the loneliness. 602 00:34:20,410 --> 00:34:22,490 S1: You think of the late nights. You think of healing 603 00:34:22,530 --> 00:34:25,810 S1: till the middle of the night. Practically is recorded in fatigue. Yeah. 604 00:34:25,850 --> 00:34:29,969 S7: Oh, speaking of fatigue, we come to John four, right? 605 00:34:30,370 --> 00:34:32,570 S7: And Jesus is at the well, sitting by the well, 606 00:34:32,570 --> 00:34:37,610 S7: and he's thirsty and tired from the journey. Right? This is, 607 00:34:37,650 --> 00:34:40,170 S7: by the way, folks, just in case you're wondering, fatigue 608 00:34:40,170 --> 00:34:44,490 S7: is not a sin. Fatigue means you're human. Jesus is human. 609 00:34:44,530 --> 00:34:46,410 S7: There are times when he was just dead tired. 610 00:34:46,850 --> 00:34:49,170 S1: Foxes have holes, birds have nests. But the Son of 611 00:34:49,170 --> 00:34:50,969 S1: Man has nowhere to lay his head. 612 00:34:51,010 --> 00:34:52,130 S7: Yep. Absolutely. 613 00:34:52,170 --> 00:34:55,210 S1: Sleeping out in the in nature. Wow. All right, let's 614 00:34:55,210 --> 00:34:57,570 S1: squeeze one more question in here, if we can. From Janice, 615 00:34:57,570 --> 00:35:00,450 S1: what is the significance of the red heifer for cleansing 616 00:35:00,450 --> 00:35:03,330 S1: of any future temple? I've heard of a requirement for 617 00:35:03,330 --> 00:35:06,529 S1: continuity of ashes and a search for old ashes to 618 00:35:06,530 --> 00:35:09,250 S1: be mixed with new ashes of qualifying the present day 619 00:35:09,250 --> 00:35:11,009 S1: red heifer. Your thoughts? 620 00:35:11,250 --> 00:35:13,730 S7: Well, I'm not familiar, I have to admit, with modern 621 00:35:13,730 --> 00:35:16,710 S7: Jewish practice to help answer this question, but I do 622 00:35:16,750 --> 00:35:21,350 S7: know there are a few red cattle imported from Texas, 623 00:35:21,710 --> 00:35:25,029 S7: and Israel is keeping them in the archaeological park near 624 00:35:25,030 --> 00:35:29,870 S7: Shiloh for the very purpose of making the cleansing water 625 00:35:29,870 --> 00:35:32,750 S7: that's mentioned in numbers 19. But if we actually go 626 00:35:32,750 --> 00:35:36,790 S7: to numbers 19, it doesn't talk about these cleansing waters 627 00:35:36,790 --> 00:35:39,950 S7: being used for the temple or for a new temple. 628 00:35:39,989 --> 00:35:43,470 S7: It talks about these cleansing waters being used to cleanse 629 00:35:43,750 --> 00:35:46,989 S7: a person who is ritually unclean, so that he can 630 00:35:46,989 --> 00:35:50,750 S7: come before God, and that's all Scripture has to say 631 00:35:50,750 --> 00:35:52,590 S7: about it. So I'm going to stop there. 632 00:35:52,630 --> 00:35:53,270 S8: All right. 633 00:35:53,710 --> 00:35:56,190 S1: Probably a wise course of action where Scripture is silent. 634 00:35:56,190 --> 00:35:58,069 S1: So should we be, right? You know, if you've got 635 00:35:58,070 --> 00:36:02,109 S1: a question for Doctor Peterman, it's welcome anytime. As I say, 636 00:36:02,110 --> 00:36:05,430 S1: our email address is the land and the book at Moody's, 637 00:36:06,550 --> 00:36:10,270 S1: the land and the book at Moody's. How long does 638 00:36:10,270 --> 00:36:11,870 S1: it take to get an answer out of you? 639 00:36:12,270 --> 00:36:12,740 S8: Uh, Ah. 640 00:36:13,700 --> 00:36:16,100 S7: If I've had a good cup of coffee before your 641 00:36:16,100 --> 00:36:19,940 S7: question arrives. Maybe 1 or 2 days. If I've been 642 00:36:19,940 --> 00:36:24,020 S7: terribly fatigued, like Jesus by the. Well, maybe it's a week. Uh, 643 00:36:24,020 --> 00:36:27,740 S7: but listeners sure love your questions. Please keep sending them. 644 00:36:27,739 --> 00:36:29,540 S7: It's a joy to answer your questions. 645 00:36:29,780 --> 00:36:31,899 S1: So up to a week. That's it. Which is, I think, 646 00:36:31,900 --> 00:36:34,819 S1: pretty good service given your other responsibilities. Thank you for 647 00:36:34,820 --> 00:36:37,780 S1: handling these questions and those to come at the land 648 00:36:37,780 --> 00:36:42,620 S1: and the book at. Charlie Dyer's back with his devotional. 649 00:36:42,620 --> 00:36:45,300 S1: It's a favorite segment for many here on the land 650 00:36:45,300 --> 00:37:01,259 S1: and the book. Hope you've been enjoying today's program. This 651 00:37:01,260 --> 00:37:04,100 S1: is the land and the book. I'm John Gager, and 652 00:37:04,100 --> 00:37:06,700 S1: if you're new to the broadcast, this fourth segment brings 653 00:37:06,700 --> 00:37:09,860 S1: us Charlie's devotional. Charlie, what's your goal for this slot? 654 00:37:10,180 --> 00:37:12,690 S2: My goal is always to bring people to a spot 655 00:37:12,690 --> 00:37:16,010 S2: in Israel, or to see something that's been uncovered there, 656 00:37:16,250 --> 00:37:18,450 S2: and to tie it into the Bible, so that in 657 00:37:18,450 --> 00:37:20,529 S2: the end, we understand the Bible better and know how 658 00:37:20,530 --> 00:37:21,930 S2: to apply it to our lives. 659 00:37:22,090 --> 00:37:25,250 S1: We're going to enjoy Charlie's devotional together after we first 660 00:37:25,250 --> 00:37:28,489 S1: pause for a firsthand account from a listener who has 661 00:37:28,489 --> 00:37:30,210 S1: spent time in the Holy Land. 662 00:37:34,450 --> 00:37:36,810 S9: Hi, my name is Chris from Tampa, and I just 663 00:37:36,810 --> 00:37:41,410 S9: wanted to say thanks. First, uh, to Charlie for your wisdom, patience, 664 00:37:41,410 --> 00:37:45,850 S9: and humor also. And, um, I really enjoyed this trip. 665 00:37:45,850 --> 00:37:49,450 S9: Every day seemed to get better, and, uh, it finally 666 00:37:49,450 --> 00:37:53,210 S9: culminated at the end when we arrived in Jerusalem at 667 00:37:53,210 --> 00:37:57,529 S9: the Mount of Olives and thinking where Jesus once walked. 668 00:37:58,050 --> 00:38:00,569 S9: But it sent chills up my spine to think that 669 00:38:00,570 --> 00:38:03,410 S9: that's where he's returning. And that was probably the most 670 00:38:03,410 --> 00:38:06,170 S9: enjoyable part of the trip for me. Thanks. 671 00:38:06,890 --> 00:38:09,930 S10: Hi, I'm Gerry from Tennessee. I found a few things 672 00:38:09,930 --> 00:38:12,520 S10: to be rather emotional about this trip. First of all, 673 00:38:12,520 --> 00:38:14,680 S10: when we figured out that we could actually make the trip, 674 00:38:14,680 --> 00:38:17,920 S10: that was very emotional for me. When we actually arrived 675 00:38:17,920 --> 00:38:22,120 S10: in Israel, that was the second emotional experience. Being on 676 00:38:22,120 --> 00:38:24,600 S10: Mount Carmel was a great one because I've taught some 677 00:38:24,600 --> 00:38:26,520 S10: of the Old Testament stuff, and that was a great 678 00:38:26,520 --> 00:38:29,000 S10: thing to be there. The Sea of Galilee was a 679 00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:33,120 S10: wonderful experience, but when we got Munir's song Jerusalem on 680 00:38:33,120 --> 00:38:36,480 S10: the bus coming up the mountain, that topped it all. 681 00:38:36,960 --> 00:38:38,080 S10: So good to be here. 682 00:38:40,239 --> 00:38:42,440 S1: Now let's turn things over to our host, Charlie Dyer, 683 00:38:42,440 --> 00:38:43,840 S1: for today's devotional. 684 00:38:44,160 --> 00:38:46,080 S2: Thanks, John. You know, we're almost at the end of 685 00:38:46,080 --> 00:38:49,560 S2: our series on 11 inscriptions to the Bible, and I've 686 00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:52,480 S2: saved two inscriptions, the first in Greek and then the 687 00:38:52,480 --> 00:38:55,759 S2: second in Latin for these final two weeks. To view 688 00:38:55,760 --> 00:38:59,120 S2: today's inscription, though, we need to board the Orient Express 689 00:38:59,120 --> 00:39:03,200 S2: because we're heading to Istanbul. Actually, the original Orient Express 690 00:39:03,200 --> 00:39:05,799 S2: no longer runs, so we'll have to fly. So pack 691 00:39:05,840 --> 00:39:08,640 S2: your bag, grab your passport. Let's zoom off into the 692 00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:15,149 S2: exotic city of Constantinople. Our destination is the Istanbul Archaeological Museum. Now, 693 00:39:15,150 --> 00:39:19,230 S2: this complex of museums actually house a collection of amazing 694 00:39:19,230 --> 00:39:23,670 S2: archaeological finds discovered during the final century of the Ottoman Empire. 695 00:39:23,910 --> 00:39:26,230 S2: And since the Ottomans ruled the Middle East, many of 696 00:39:26,230 --> 00:39:29,470 S2: the early discoveries from what's now Israel are housed there. 697 00:39:29,790 --> 00:39:31,950 S2: We need to climb several flights of stairs to reach 698 00:39:31,950 --> 00:39:35,630 S2: our destination, but trust me, it's going to be worth it. And. 699 00:39:35,670 --> 00:39:39,029 S2: And here we are. This floor houses everything from the 700 00:39:39,070 --> 00:39:43,190 S2: geezer calendar, one of the earliest Hebrew writings ever discovered 701 00:39:43,190 --> 00:39:47,029 S2: to the inscription found in Hezekiah's tunnel. But our destination 702 00:39:47,030 --> 00:39:51,270 S2: is just beyond them. Now gather round. This limestone inscription 703 00:39:51,270 --> 00:39:53,230 S2: is what I want to show you. As you look 704 00:39:53,230 --> 00:39:55,230 S2: at it, I think you can tell it's written in Greek. 705 00:39:55,390 --> 00:39:57,830 S2: And even if you've never studied Greek, you can still 706 00:39:57,830 --> 00:40:00,549 S2: read some of the letters. In fact, look at the 707 00:40:00,550 --> 00:40:03,350 S2: very end of the inscription. See what looks like the 708 00:40:03,350 --> 00:40:08,030 S2: letters a, t, o. Those are actually the final letters 709 00:40:08,140 --> 00:40:11,219 S2: of the Greek word thanaton. Now I see from the 710 00:40:11,219 --> 00:40:13,540 S2: puzzled looks on your face, as you're not familiar with 711 00:40:13,540 --> 00:40:17,100 S2: that word. Well, it's the Greek word for death. For example, 712 00:40:17,100 --> 00:40:22,020 S2: euthanasia comes from the Greek words meaning good and death. Yikes. 713 00:40:22,020 --> 00:40:25,700 S2: Here's a Greek inscription found in Jerusalem. And the very 714 00:40:25,700 --> 00:40:29,020 S2: last word on it is death. Now, this plaque dates 715 00:40:29,020 --> 00:40:31,779 S2: to the first century A.D., before the destruction of the 716 00:40:31,780 --> 00:40:34,819 S2: city by the Romans. It was found in Jerusalem and 717 00:40:34,820 --> 00:40:37,540 S2: brought to Istanbul. Which is why we came here to 718 00:40:37,580 --> 00:40:40,819 S2: see it. But why would someone in Jerusalem set up 719 00:40:40,820 --> 00:40:43,859 S2: a plaque written in Greek? One more word in the 720 00:40:43,860 --> 00:40:46,779 S2: inscription might help. Look at the third line from the 721 00:40:46,780 --> 00:40:50,380 S2: top toward the left. It looks like the letters t, 722 00:40:50,500 --> 00:40:55,259 S2: o p. Now there are no spaces between words on 723 00:40:55,260 --> 00:40:57,020 S2: this sign, so you need to know where to put 724 00:40:57,020 --> 00:41:00,180 S2: the brakes. And in this case, it comes just after 725 00:41:00,180 --> 00:41:03,100 S2: the first O or Omicron. The letter looks like a 726 00:41:03,100 --> 00:41:06,419 S2: capital P, but it's actually the Greek letter rho, which 727 00:41:06,420 --> 00:41:09,330 S2: is the r sound. In Greek we would spell the 728 00:41:09,330 --> 00:41:12,569 S2: word I e r o n, but in Greek it's 729 00:41:12,570 --> 00:41:15,130 S2: pronounced with an h sound in front. It's the Greek 730 00:41:15,130 --> 00:41:19,690 S2: word Huron, and it means temple. The toe in front 731 00:41:19,690 --> 00:41:23,609 S2: is the definite article. The plaque is talking about the temple. 732 00:41:23,930 --> 00:41:26,850 S2: Of course, we know what temple was standing in Jerusalem 733 00:41:26,850 --> 00:41:29,730 S2: just before the Romans destroyed the city. It was the 734 00:41:29,730 --> 00:41:33,049 S2: Jewish temple we read so much about in the gospel accounts. 735 00:41:33,370 --> 00:41:36,170 S2: But why was there a sign written in Greek, talking 736 00:41:36,170 --> 00:41:40,609 S2: about the temple and mentioning death? Here's a translation of 737 00:41:40,610 --> 00:41:44,290 S2: the whole plaque. No intruder is allowed in the courtyard 738 00:41:44,290 --> 00:41:48,009 S2: and within the walls surrounding the temple. Whoever enters will 739 00:41:48,010 --> 00:41:52,529 S2: be responsible for his own death. Ah, now it makes sense. 740 00:41:52,730 --> 00:41:54,649 S2: This is one of the signs that was on the 741 00:41:54,650 --> 00:41:58,250 S2: small barrier separating the court of the Gentiles from the 742 00:41:58,250 --> 00:42:01,009 S2: inner part of the temple complex. It was written in 743 00:42:01,010 --> 00:42:04,730 S2: Greek because Gentile visitors might not be able to read Hebrew. 744 00:42:05,130 --> 00:42:09,680 S2: It served as a no trespassing for Gentiles sign. This 745 00:42:09,680 --> 00:42:12,879 S2: was as close to the presence of God that Gentiles 746 00:42:12,880 --> 00:42:16,320 S2: were allowed to get. Another partial copy of the sign 747 00:42:16,320 --> 00:42:19,440 S2: was also found in Jerusalem. It's on display in the 748 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:22,480 S2: Israel Museum and it matches up with this one in 749 00:42:22,520 --> 00:42:26,560 S2: terms of its message. No Gentiles allowed on threat of death. 750 00:42:27,200 --> 00:42:30,400 S2: And here's where the story in acts 21 takes on 751 00:42:30,400 --> 00:42:33,520 S2: new meaning. The apostle Paul took a group of four 752 00:42:33,560 --> 00:42:37,120 S2: Jewish followers of Jesus to the temple to help complete 753 00:42:37,120 --> 00:42:41,440 S2: their Nazarite vow. After going through ritual purification in a mikvah, 754 00:42:41,600 --> 00:42:44,319 S2: Paul and the four entered the temple area. But at 755 00:42:44,320 --> 00:42:47,920 S2: this point a case of mistaken identity arose. As Luke 756 00:42:47,920 --> 00:42:51,000 S2: so kindly puts it, some of those in the temple 757 00:42:51,200 --> 00:42:55,080 S2: had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him. 758 00:42:55,480 --> 00:42:59,120 S2: They recognized Paul, but not his companions, and they assumed 759 00:42:59,120 --> 00:43:02,360 S2: Paul had brought a group of Gentiles into the temple. 760 00:43:02,600 --> 00:43:05,900 S2: They began crying out, Men of Israel, come to our aid. 761 00:43:05,940 --> 00:43:08,380 S2: This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere 762 00:43:08,380 --> 00:43:12,780 S2: against our people and the law and this place. And besides, 763 00:43:12,780 --> 00:43:15,700 S2: he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has 764 00:43:15,700 --> 00:43:19,380 S2: defiled this holy place. And you'll never guess what word 765 00:43:19,380 --> 00:43:22,940 S2: is used there for temple in Acts 21. That's right. 766 00:43:22,940 --> 00:43:25,980 S2: It's here on the same word that's on the Don't 767 00:43:26,020 --> 00:43:29,700 S2: Trespass sign. The mob grabbed Paul, dragged him out of 768 00:43:29,700 --> 00:43:32,700 S2: the temple proper into the court of the Gentiles, shut 769 00:43:32,700 --> 00:43:35,620 S2: the door to the temple area, and Luke says they 770 00:43:35,620 --> 00:43:38,700 S2: were seeking to kill him. Had the Roman soldiers not 771 00:43:38,700 --> 00:43:41,739 S2: intervened when they did, Paul would have been put to death, 772 00:43:41,940 --> 00:43:44,739 S2: just like the sign warned. Now, I do find it 773 00:43:44,739 --> 00:43:49,580 S2: interesting that Paul's four companions weren't seized, just Paul. It 774 00:43:49,580 --> 00:43:51,819 S2: almost seems as if Paul's opponents saw this as a 775 00:43:51,820 --> 00:43:54,379 S2: good excuse to get rid of this person they saw 776 00:43:54,420 --> 00:43:57,700 S2: as a troublemaker. It's time to leave. But what lessons 777 00:43:57,700 --> 00:44:00,860 S2: can we take with us from this plaque? Threatening death 778 00:44:00,860 --> 00:44:05,890 S2: to trespassing Gentiles? Perhaps the greatest lesson is realizing all 779 00:44:05,890 --> 00:44:09,130 S2: that Jesus did in opening the way for us to God. 780 00:44:09,450 --> 00:44:12,290 S2: In the first century, Gentiles could only get as close 781 00:44:12,290 --> 00:44:14,850 S2: to the Holy of Holies as the barrier on which 782 00:44:14,850 --> 00:44:18,410 S2: this plaque was affixed. Jewish women could get a little closer, 783 00:44:18,410 --> 00:44:21,170 S2: but not much. Jewish men could go up to the 784 00:44:21,170 --> 00:44:24,730 S2: altar of sacrifice, but no further priests could go up 785 00:44:24,730 --> 00:44:27,370 S2: to the doors of the temple building itself. But then 786 00:44:27,370 --> 00:44:29,890 S2: their way was blocked, except for a few who were 787 00:44:29,890 --> 00:44:33,650 S2: allowed inside the Holy Place to perform the sacred rituals. 788 00:44:33,890 --> 00:44:36,650 S2: And then, just one day a year, the high priest 789 00:44:36,650 --> 00:44:40,250 S2: alone was allowed to briefly step behind the curtain into 790 00:44:40,250 --> 00:44:43,290 S2: the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the sacrificial blood on 791 00:44:43,290 --> 00:44:46,609 S2: the mercy seat. The closer one got to God, the 792 00:44:46,610 --> 00:44:50,649 S2: more restricted the access. But then Jesus came along and 793 00:44:50,650 --> 00:44:53,490 S2: opened the way to God through his own sacrificial death 794 00:44:53,489 --> 00:44:57,009 S2: on the cross. The final complete sacrifice by the Lamb 795 00:44:57,010 --> 00:44:59,570 S2: of God who took away the sin of the world. 796 00:44:59,890 --> 00:45:02,200 S2: And that's why Matthew records that at the moment of 797 00:45:02,200 --> 00:45:05,600 S2: Jesus's death on the cross, the curtain of the temple 798 00:45:05,600 --> 00:45:09,240 S2: was torn in two from top to bottom. He opened 799 00:45:09,280 --> 00:45:12,359 S2: the way into the very presence of God. But that 800 00:45:12,360 --> 00:45:15,440 S2: access wasn't just for the Jews. Paul described the impact 801 00:45:15,440 --> 00:45:18,319 S2: of Christ's death for both Jews and Gentiles when he 802 00:45:18,320 --> 00:45:21,600 S2: wrote to the Gentile believers in Ephesus. But now in 803 00:45:21,600 --> 00:45:24,799 S2: Christ Jesus, you who formerly were far off have been 804 00:45:24,800 --> 00:45:27,920 S2: brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself 805 00:45:27,920 --> 00:45:30,719 S2: is our peace, who made both groups into one and 806 00:45:30,719 --> 00:45:34,440 S2: broke down the barrier of the dividing wall. The barrier 807 00:45:34,440 --> 00:45:38,200 S2: that kept Gentiles out was torn down. If you put 808 00:45:38,200 --> 00:45:41,200 S2: your trust in Jesus as your Savior, your access to 809 00:45:41,239 --> 00:45:45,080 S2: God is no longer limited. Jesus's death on the cross 810 00:45:45,080 --> 00:45:48,440 S2: guarantees that you can approach God without fear of death. 811 00:45:48,680 --> 00:45:53,600 S2: The separation barrier represented by this sign no longer exists, 812 00:45:53,600 --> 00:45:56,600 S2: and the curtain that blocked the entrance into God's presence 813 00:45:56,600 --> 00:46:00,590 S2: was torn away. Now, as the book of Hebrews reminds us, 814 00:46:00,590 --> 00:46:03,710 S2: we can draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, 815 00:46:03,710 --> 00:46:06,790 S2: that we may receive mercy and find grace to help 816 00:46:06,790 --> 00:46:11,030 S2: in times of need. And that's good news. I posted 817 00:46:11,030 --> 00:46:14,070 S2: a photo of the Jerusalem Temple inscription that's on display 818 00:46:14,070 --> 00:46:17,430 S2: in the Istanbul Museum on our Facebook page. If you'd 819 00:46:17,430 --> 00:46:19,710 S2: like to see it, just head to Facebook and search 820 00:46:19,710 --> 00:46:21,750 S2: for the land and the book. 821 00:46:21,790 --> 00:46:24,190 S1: And I've been following those photos, Charlie. Lots of fun 822 00:46:24,190 --> 00:46:26,950 S1: to look at them. Really drives this all home, but 823 00:46:26,950 --> 00:46:30,550 S1: maybe you're still hanging on Charlie's idea of Jesus opening 824 00:46:30,550 --> 00:46:33,029 S1: up for us the way to God. And you'd like 825 00:46:33,030 --> 00:46:34,670 S1: some help? You'd like a friend to pray with you, 826 00:46:34,710 --> 00:46:37,549 S1: maybe answer some questions that can happen for you right 827 00:46:37,550 --> 00:46:43,230 S1: now with a phone call to 888 888. And with that, 828 00:46:43,230 --> 00:46:44,870 S1: we're going to say thank you so much for joining 829 00:46:44,870 --> 00:46:47,830 S1: us today. On behalf of our host, Charlie Dyer, our producer, 830 00:46:47,830 --> 00:46:50,870 S1: Dan Anderson, I'm John Geiger. The land and the book 831 00:46:50,870 --> 00:46:53,790 S1: is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody 832 00:46:53,790 --> 00:46:54,870 S1: Bible Institute.