WEBVTT - Women’s Rights in Iran 0:00:08.160 --> 0:00:11.039 She grew up in Iran, a nation hostile to the 0:00:11.039 --> 0:00:14.080 name and mission of Christ. But then her family moved 0:00:14.080 --> 0:00:16.480 to the United States of all things, and the name 0:00:16.480 --> 0:00:20.600 of Jesus was everywhere, and Lily eventually became a Christian. 0:00:20.880 --> 0:00:23.160 What was that journey like? And what about the rest 0:00:23.160 --> 0:00:26.040 of her family? We have an incredible story for you 0:00:26.079 --> 0:00:28.760 coming up. Hey, welcome to the land and the book. 0:00:28.760 --> 0:00:31.360 We call it a one hour flyover of the Middle East. 0:00:31.600 --> 0:00:34.200 And if you're new, you'll quickly find out why in 0:00:34.200 --> 0:00:37.760 the pilot seat. As always, Captain Charlie Dyer. He's been 0:00:37.760 --> 0:00:40.800 to Israel more than a hundred times and traveled extensively 0:00:40.800 --> 0:00:43.680 throughout the entire Middle East region as well. Welcome, Charlie. 0:00:43.680 --> 0:00:44.720 Good to connect with you. 0:00:44.760 --> 0:00:46.960 Hey, John. Thanks. It's great being with you again. 0:00:47.240 --> 0:00:49.760 Well, did you know that most Jewish people have never 0:00:49.760 --> 0:00:52.440 heard the gospel? Every week Charlie and I talk about 0:00:52.440 --> 0:00:55.600 Israel and the Jewish people, and it's really critical to 0:00:55.640 --> 0:00:58.600 remember that they, like everyone else, need to hear the 0:00:58.600 --> 0:00:59.480 good news, right? 0:00:59.750 --> 0:01:02.310 That's exactly right. And that's why life in Messiah, a 0:01:02.310 --> 0:01:06.270 ministry that's been in existence for over 135 years, is 0:01:06.270 --> 0:01:09.670 devoted to sharing the gospel with Jewish people around the world. 0:01:09.990 --> 0:01:12.669 And now they're offering a gift to moody listeners. This 0:01:12.670 --> 0:01:16.870 free e-book, Reaching Jewish People for Messiah, highlights the need 0:01:16.870 --> 0:01:20.270 for the gospel among the Jewish people. It will equip 0:01:20.270 --> 0:01:23.670 you with practical ways to share the good News with them. Now, 0:01:23.670 --> 0:01:27.709 to receive this free e-book, visit Life in Messiah org 0:01:27.910 --> 0:01:30.590 and click on the Moody Radio logo there. Sign up 0:01:30.590 --> 0:01:33.870 today to get your copy. That's life in Messiah. 0:01:35.590 --> 0:01:37.150 Well, this week we're going to focus on some of 0:01:37.150 --> 0:01:41.270 the areas surrounding Israel, beginning with the Palestinians. What's the 0:01:41.270 --> 0:01:45.150 latest news coming out of both Gaza and the Palestinian Authority? 0:01:45.430 --> 0:01:48.150 The best way to describe it is it's a mixed bag. 0:01:48.470 --> 0:01:51.150 Hamas initially said it was willing to exchange all remaining 0:01:51.150 --> 0:01:55.190 hostages for a five year truce with Israel. This intended 0:01:55.190 --> 0:01:59.140 to pressure Prime Minister Netanyahu to stop the fighting. But 0:01:59.140 --> 0:02:01.580 they said they would not relinquish their weapons because they 0:02:01.620 --> 0:02:05.220 hoped to retain control once the fighting is over. But 0:02:05.220 --> 0:02:08.940 now there are reports that they're discussing the possibility of disarming, 0:02:08.940 --> 0:02:12.300 releasing all the hostages and for the leaders to exit 0:02:12.300 --> 0:02:15.100 Gaza in exchange for ending the war. But as of 0:02:15.100 --> 0:02:17.460 right now, no deal has been made. And so you 0:02:17.460 --> 0:02:19.340 really have to hear all of that and listen to 0:02:19.340 --> 0:02:23.060 it with a grain of salt. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas 0:02:23.220 --> 0:02:26.260 called on Hamas to free the hostages, cede control of 0:02:26.260 --> 0:02:29.780 Gaza and give up their weapons. He also offered a 0:02:29.780 --> 0:02:34.060 possible pathway for Hamas to continue in Gaza by transforming 0:02:34.060 --> 0:02:37.100 into a political party. Of course, that's what they were 0:02:37.100 --> 0:02:40.860 when they won the parliamentary election back in 2006, and 0:02:40.860 --> 0:02:44.220 we see how that turned out now. Speaking of President Abbas, 0:02:44.380 --> 0:02:46.820 I found it interesting that he also claimed Israel is 0:02:46.820 --> 0:02:50.380 trying to change the historical and legal status of Islamic 0:02:50.380 --> 0:02:53.940 and Christian holy places, especially in Jerusalem. And he was 0:02:53.940 --> 0:02:57.770 talking about especially the Al-Aqsa mosque, Referring to the First 0:02:57.770 --> 0:03:01.169 and Second Jewish temples. Abbas then claimed that the Quran 0:03:01.169 --> 0:03:06.010 says the temples were located in Yemen, now back in 1925. 0:03:06.050 --> 0:03:09.810 The Supreme Muslim Council published a booklet titled A Brief 0:03:09.810 --> 0:03:14.130 Guide to the Haram al-Sharif, which is the Al-Aqsa mosque area. 0:03:14.130 --> 0:03:16.970 In it, they stated its identity with the site of 0:03:16.970 --> 0:03:21.649 Solomon's Temple is beyond dispute. Apparently since Israel became a nation, 0:03:21.650 --> 0:03:25.210 that historical fact changed. Now repeat a lie often enough 0:03:25.210 --> 0:03:27.490 and people can often start to believe it. And the 0:03:27.490 --> 0:03:30.490 reality is, the Quran doesn't say the Jewish temples were 0:03:30.490 --> 0:03:33.210 in Yemen up until the start of the modern state 0:03:33.210 --> 0:03:36.090 of Israel. Muslims claimed the temple stood at the site 0:03:36.090 --> 0:03:39.010 where the dome of the rock now stands. The Bible 0:03:39.010 --> 0:03:42.850 clearly identifies Jerusalem as the site of both temples, and 0:03:42.890 --> 0:03:46.410 though the Muslims haven't allowed any excavations on the Temple Mount, 0:03:46.450 --> 0:03:49.610 discoveries along the edges of the retaining wall, like the 0:03:49.610 --> 0:03:52.410 parapet with the words to the place of trumpeting, written 0:03:52.410 --> 0:03:56.280 in Hebrew, and the scores of Jewish ritual baths just 0:03:56.280 --> 0:03:59.400 outside the entrances clearly point to that being the site 0:03:59.400 --> 0:04:02.240 of the temples. I think statements like those made by 0:04:02.240 --> 0:04:05.880 Abbas demonstrate the fear they have, that the Jewish people 0:04:05.880 --> 0:04:09.080 will someday push to rebuild a third temple on the 0:04:09.080 --> 0:04:10.520 site chosen by God. 0:04:11.320 --> 0:04:14.600 Well, Jordan has begun a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood. 0:04:14.720 --> 0:04:18.000 What brought about this decision now, and what impact could 0:04:18.000 --> 0:04:19.200 it have on the country? 0:04:19.400 --> 0:04:22.240 Well, the immediate cause for the crackdown was the discovery 0:04:22.240 --> 0:04:26.000 of a secret network of Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood members 0:04:26.040 --> 0:04:30.200 operating inside the country. Officials say the 16 who were 0:04:30.200 --> 0:04:34.720 arrested were planning attacks on security targets and other sensitive 0:04:34.720 --> 0:04:38.640 locations in the kingdom to try to destabilize the government. 0:04:38.800 --> 0:04:42.640 Both groups have been accused of fomenting anti-government street protests 0:04:42.640 --> 0:04:46.520 in Jordan during the current war in Gaza. Jordan had 0:04:46.520 --> 0:04:50.600 previously expelled Hamas in 1999, and a decade ago they 0:04:50.600 --> 0:04:54.740 also banned the Muslim Brotherhood. But they allowed Brotherhood affiliated 0:04:54.740 --> 0:04:58.180 groups like the Islamic Action Front to continue as a 0:04:58.180 --> 0:05:01.780 political party. In fact, in the last election, that party 0:05:01.820 --> 0:05:06.820 won 31 of the 138 seats in Jordan's parliament. Jordan 0:05:06.820 --> 0:05:10.900 has now outlawed and confiscated the assets of the Muslim Brotherhood, 0:05:10.900 --> 0:05:14.460 and said anyone promoting the group's ideology will be arrested 0:05:14.460 --> 0:05:18.180 and prosecuted. Hopefully, the crackdowns will lead to a greater 0:05:18.180 --> 0:05:20.860 sense of peace and security within the country. You know, 0:05:20.900 --> 0:05:24.540 tourism is a major part of Jordan's economy, and removing 0:05:24.540 --> 0:05:28.099 the threat of terrorist attacks will definitely make tourists feel 0:05:28.100 --> 0:05:33.180 more at ease. Jordan recently announced a $340 million project 0:05:33.180 --> 0:05:36.700 to promote tourism by building a tourist park at the 0:05:36.700 --> 0:05:41.740 Jordan River baptismal site to commemorate the 2,000th anniversary of 0:05:41.740 --> 0:05:45.500 Jesus's baptism. The goal is to have this project completed 0:05:45.500 --> 0:05:51.420 by 2029. It will feature hotels, restaurants, bazaars, shops and 0:05:51.420 --> 0:05:55.050 amphitheater and parking to accommodate what they anticipate will be 0:05:55.050 --> 0:05:58.729 a very large group of visitors coming. Starting then, I 0:05:58.730 --> 0:06:00.930 just hope they're able to do this without destroying the 0:06:00.930 --> 0:06:04.089 beauty and the religious significance of that site. 0:06:04.410 --> 0:06:07.289 You're listening to The Land and the book from Moody Radio, 0:06:07.290 --> 0:06:10.330 our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John Gager. We're looking 0:06:10.330 --> 0:06:14.130 at current events in this opening segment. Turkey is experiencing 0:06:14.130 --> 0:06:18.490 its own struggles both politically and physically, including severe weather 0:06:18.490 --> 0:06:22.290 and earthquakes. How have all these challenges impacted President Erdogan's 0:06:22.330 --> 0:06:23.530 grip on power? 0:06:23.930 --> 0:06:26.130 Well, a few weeks ago, we talked about the political 0:06:26.130 --> 0:06:29.969 crisis in Turkey when authorities arrested the mayor of Istanbul 0:06:29.970 --> 0:06:32.849 just days before he was to be selected as leader 0:06:32.850 --> 0:06:35.850 of the opposition party, who would then face Erdogan in 0:06:35.850 --> 0:06:39.609 the next election. Thousands took to the streets in protest 0:06:39.610 --> 0:06:42.969 and those protests are still impacting the country. In fact, 0:06:43.010 --> 0:06:46.770 reports surfaced that Germany had at least temporarily vetoed the 0:06:46.770 --> 0:06:49.930 sale of Euro fighter jets to Turkey because of these 0:06:49.930 --> 0:06:53.800 political developments. But in the midst of all the political upheaval, 0:06:53.960 --> 0:06:57.560 Turkey was also struck by several days of subfreezing weather 0:06:57.560 --> 0:07:02.120 that caused widespread crop damage in 36 provinces. Hundreds of 0:07:02.120 --> 0:07:05.040 millions of dollars of fruit crops were destroyed in the 0:07:05.080 --> 0:07:12.320 worst frost to hit in recent history. Apricots, grapes, apples, peaches, nectarines, hazelnuts, 0:07:12.360 --> 0:07:16.760 walnuts and almonds were affected. As one farmer commented, this 0:07:16.760 --> 0:07:20.920 year's crop is now already lost. President Erdogan blamed the 0:07:20.920 --> 0:07:24.960 damage on climate change and promised to help farmers recover economically. 0:07:25.000 --> 0:07:28.040 I think hoping to maintain their support. And as if 0:07:28.040 --> 0:07:32.320 that crisis wasn't enough, Istanbul then experienced a 6.2 magnitude 0:07:32.320 --> 0:07:37.240 earthquake which, along with more than 260 aftershocks, rattled the 0:07:37.240 --> 0:07:41.600 country's largest city. Thankfully, the quake didn't cause any fatalities, 0:07:41.640 --> 0:07:45.240 though it did produce widespread panic. A million and a 0:07:45.280 --> 0:07:48.920 half buildings in Turkey. Not just Istanbul, are identified as 0:07:48.920 --> 0:07:53.230 high risk, requiring urgent transformation to make them safe from 0:07:53.230 --> 0:07:56.830 possible collapse in the future. Erdogan called on the citizens 0:07:56.830 --> 0:07:59.870 of Istanbul to pull together and put aside their protests. 0:07:59.910 --> 0:08:02.350 He said, we do not approve of issues that shake 0:08:02.350 --> 0:08:06.110 us all, like earthquakes being used for daily political polemics. 0:08:06.270 --> 0:08:08.670 We do not wish to engage in arguments with anyone 0:08:08.670 --> 0:08:12.670 during such sensitive times. This is a disrespect to our country. 0:08:12.910 --> 0:08:15.950 Obviously trying to use the earthquake to put down the protests. 0:08:16.110 --> 0:08:18.590 We'll see if the physical earthquake can cancel out the 0:08:18.590 --> 0:08:21.550 political earthquake that he's accused of causing. 0:08:22.110 --> 0:08:24.390 Well, we don't normally think of Russia when we consider 0:08:24.390 --> 0:08:28.310 the nations surrounding Israel, but Russia is currently facing its 0:08:28.310 --> 0:08:32.070 own internal problems, apart from the war with Ukraine. What 0:08:32.070 --> 0:08:34.670 might be keeping the leaders in the Kremlin up at night? 0:08:34.990 --> 0:08:37.750 Yeah, when I read this report, John, it really did 0:08:37.790 --> 0:08:40.230 shake me in the sense of, wow, I had no 0:08:40.230 --> 0:08:43.590 idea that was happening. Well, we might fear Russian intimidation 0:08:43.590 --> 0:08:46.470 here in the West, but Russia's facing its own threat 0:08:46.470 --> 0:08:50.060 from Islam. Not by way of invasion, but from its 0:08:50.059 --> 0:08:54.940 own changing demographics. Today there are 25 million Muslims in Russia. 0:08:54.980 --> 0:08:59.060 That's 17% of the population, a far greater percentage than 0:08:59.059 --> 0:09:02.939 any other European country. The ethnic Russian population is in 0:09:02.940 --> 0:09:08.260 decline due to smaller families, war casualties and emigration. Ethnic 0:09:08.260 --> 0:09:11.820 Russians as a group are becoming smaller and older. Over 0:09:11.820 --> 0:09:15.340 the past few decades, Russia brought in 11 million migrants 0:09:15.340 --> 0:09:18.500 to keep its economy running, and most were Muslim. The 0:09:18.500 --> 0:09:23.740 Muslim population of Moscow increased five fold since the late 1990s. 0:09:24.020 --> 0:09:27.460 The largest mosque in Europe is now in Moscow. And 0:09:27.460 --> 0:09:30.220 in ten years, a third of Moscow's population is expected 0:09:30.220 --> 0:09:34.060 to be Muslim. Some believe because of their high birth rate, 0:09:34.059 --> 0:09:38.900 by 2050, Muslims will comprise half the population of all Russia. Wow. 0:09:38.940 --> 0:09:42.740 This could be influencing Vladimir Putin's policies toward both Turkey 0:09:42.740 --> 0:09:45.700 and Iran and Israel. The concern, of course, is that 0:09:45.700 --> 0:09:49.330 this change ethnically could be followed by a corresponding growth 0:09:49.330 --> 0:09:53.410 in radical Islam within Russia. We once feared a godless 0:09:53.410 --> 0:09:57.809 communist Soviet Union with the world's largest arsenal of nuclear weapons. 0:09:58.130 --> 0:10:00.050 But in a few years, that fear could be replaced 0:10:00.050 --> 0:10:03.410 by the specter of an Islamic Russia possessing the world's 0:10:03.410 --> 0:10:07.890 largest arsenal of nuclear weapons. And it's those internal demographic 0:10:07.890 --> 0:10:11.530 shifts that could indeed be keeping Russia's leaders and those 0:10:11.530 --> 0:10:13.569 in the West awake at night. 0:10:13.770 --> 0:10:15.730 Well, that's a look at current events from the Middle 0:10:15.730 --> 0:10:18.450 East and beyond. Thank you Charlie. Hey, if you've yet 0:10:18.450 --> 0:10:21.410 to check out our podcast, it's available at the website, 0:10:21.410 --> 0:10:25.810 The land and the book. With that podcast, you can 0:10:25.809 --> 0:10:28.850 hear every program again. Or better yet, share it with 0:10:28.850 --> 0:10:31.050 a friend. So many of our listeners do not get 0:10:31.090 --> 0:10:33.530 access to this program on a radio station. They got 0:10:33.570 --> 0:10:36.570 to listen via podcast, and that's great. And that podcast 0:10:36.570 --> 0:10:41.130 is available at The Land and the book dot straight ahead. 0:10:41.170 --> 0:10:43.010 A girl who grew up in Iran moved to the 0:10:43.010 --> 0:10:46.490 United States and found Jesus as Savior. It's really quite 0:10:46.490 --> 0:10:49.760 an odyssey, a remarkable story. You don't want to miss it. 0:10:49.800 --> 0:10:52.079 It's on our next segment here on Moody Radio's The 0:10:52.080 --> 0:11:09.240 Land and the book. You've grown up in a nation 0:11:09.240 --> 0:11:12.440 opposed to Christ. Now, at the age of 18, you 0:11:12.440 --> 0:11:15.640 and your family move across the globe from Iran to 0:11:15.679 --> 0:11:19.439 the United States. Suddenly, the name of Jesus is everywhere. 0:11:19.720 --> 0:11:22.240 How does that impact your own spiritual journey? And how 0:11:22.240 --> 0:11:24.720 does all of this affect your attitude toward women back 0:11:24.720 --> 0:11:27.319 in Iran? We'll get into these questions and a whole 0:11:27.320 --> 0:11:31.679 lot more on today's edition of The Land and the book. Welcome. 0:11:31.679 --> 0:11:34.439 I'm John Gager, and before we talk further about Muslims 0:11:34.440 --> 0:11:37.920 in Iran, let's talk about reaching Muslims here in the 0:11:37.920 --> 0:11:40.880 United States. Here's a thought. Sit down with a muslim 0:11:40.880 --> 0:11:43.360 friend for any length of time, and it won't be 0:11:43.360 --> 0:11:47.140 long before the subject of the Crusades comes up uncomfortable 0:11:47.140 --> 0:11:50.420 for Christians, or is it an impossible wall to scale? 0:11:50.660 --> 0:11:53.020 Let's talk about that with Samuel Johnson, who's with Call 0:11:53.020 --> 0:11:54.540 of Love Ministries. What do you think, Samuel? 0:11:54.660 --> 0:11:58.100 I think at some point we have to find out 0:11:58.100 --> 0:12:01.939 how we can answer this question about crusades, even to ourselves, 0:12:01.940 --> 0:12:04.420 to our children, what happened there? And when I talk 0:12:04.420 --> 0:12:08.220 with my Muslim friend, I don't go with them. They're 0:12:08.220 --> 0:12:13.620 going towards religion and politics, combining them together. And I say, no, no, 0:12:13.780 --> 0:12:17.260 wait a minute here. This is not true Christianity. True 0:12:17.260 --> 0:12:22.300 Christianity is not a religion. It's a person whom I follow. 0:12:22.340 --> 0:12:25.380 All right. And let's look at the person. Jesus. Did 0:12:25.380 --> 0:12:30.059 he encourage war? Did he expand Christianity using war? Using 0:12:30.059 --> 0:12:33.460 the sword? So when I tell them about Jesus and 0:12:33.460 --> 0:12:36.699 that he was against war, they will stay silent. Because 0:12:36.700 --> 0:12:42.140 Muhammad expanded Islam through war all over the Middle East. 0:12:42.140 --> 0:12:45.330 And then I tell them, these people who were part 0:12:45.330 --> 0:12:49.250 of the crusade or even, you know, any other country 0:12:49.250 --> 0:12:52.370 invading or anything like that in the name of religion. 0:12:52.410 --> 0:12:56.210 These are not true Christ followers, or they understood it 0:12:56.210 --> 0:12:57.210 in the wrong way. 0:12:57.250 --> 0:13:00.370 As my friend Ron Hutchcraft says, Jesus never said, follow 0:13:00.370 --> 0:13:02.370 my followers. He said, follow me. 0:13:02.410 --> 0:13:03.010 Amen. 0:13:03.050 --> 0:13:06.850 Amen. That's Samuel Johnson with Call of Love Ministries. Great resources, 0:13:06.850 --> 0:13:08.770 by the way, for reaching out to your Muslim friends. 0:13:08.770 --> 0:13:14.929 Available right now at Call of Love. Org. Lily Meshi 0:13:14.970 --> 0:13:19.250 enjoyed a successful career in fortune 500 companies, boutique retail 0:13:19.250 --> 0:13:23.329 banking and wholesale investing. But today she serves the Ministry 0:13:23.330 --> 0:13:27.250 of Iran Alive as the Director of Partner Relations. Drawing 0:13:27.250 --> 0:13:30.570 from her personal journey as an Iranian woman, Lily provides 0:13:30.570 --> 0:13:35.010 profound insights into the challenges surrounding women's rights in Iran. 0:13:35.330 --> 0:13:37.209 We're so honored to talk with her today on the 0:13:37.210 --> 0:13:39.530 land and the book. Welcome, Lily. 0:13:39.530 --> 0:13:41.449 Thank you so much, John, for having me. 0:13:41.690 --> 0:13:43.880 Hey, let's start with your childhood in Tehran. Did you 0:13:43.880 --> 0:13:45.920 live in the heart of the capital? Or maybe toward 0:13:45.920 --> 0:13:47.960 the outskirts, or even out in the suburbs? 0:13:48.360 --> 0:13:50.760 No. I lived in Tehran, which is the heart of 0:13:50.760 --> 0:13:52.160 the capital of Iran. 0:13:52.200 --> 0:13:56.040 Okay, so describe your family life, your personal goings on 0:13:56.040 --> 0:13:58.640 right now, and even your spiritual status at that time. 0:13:58.920 --> 0:14:03.800 My family was a nominal Muslim people that really instilled 0:14:03.840 --> 0:14:08.120 the connection to the one and only God in me 0:14:08.120 --> 0:14:12.360 and my two sisters from early on. And so that 0:14:12.360 --> 0:14:17.040 was the dynamic. My dad was a very well-off, successful entrepreneur. 0:14:17.080 --> 0:14:20.560 He owned his own clothing factory. We were what you 0:14:20.560 --> 0:14:24.960 would consider an elite family living in one of the 0:14:25.000 --> 0:14:29.200 better areas in Tehran and just living a very comfortable life. 0:14:29.760 --> 0:14:31.760 Glad you're with us for our second segment here on 0:14:31.760 --> 0:14:34.240 the land and the book. I'm John Gager, honored to 0:14:34.240 --> 0:14:38.040 be joined by Lily meshi, who serves with Iran Alive Ministries. 0:14:38.080 --> 0:14:41.200 Let's fast forward to your early teen years still in Tehran. 0:14:41.550 --> 0:14:43.950 What awareness, if any, did you have of the biblical 0:14:43.950 --> 0:14:45.270 Jesus at this point? 0:14:45.510 --> 0:14:49.110 I knew that Jesus was one of the greatest prophets 0:14:49.310 --> 0:14:53.710 that performed many miracles. This was taught in the schools, 0:14:53.710 --> 0:15:00.550 but there was no difference between Moses, Abraham, and Jesus. 0:15:00.550 --> 0:15:04.070 They were all prophets sent from God to bring back 0:15:04.070 --> 0:15:05.390 people to God. 0:15:06.510 --> 0:15:09.070 Well, at the age of 18, your family moved to 0:15:09.070 --> 0:15:11.310 the United States. What precipitated that? 0:15:11.350 --> 0:15:17.110 Lily my dad basically lost everything he had worked very 0:15:17.110 --> 0:15:19.710 hard for in a split of a second. 0:15:19.910 --> 0:15:20.830 What happened? 0:15:20.870 --> 0:15:23.950 He went bankrupt. He trusted some of the people that 0:15:23.950 --> 0:15:28.270 he shouldn't have trusted. And his company went belly up. 0:15:28.750 --> 0:15:31.670 So as a result of that, if you're familiar with 0:15:31.670 --> 0:15:35.030 the culture of Iran, the culture of honor and shame 0:15:35.030 --> 0:15:39.310 is very prevalent. And so if if someone that was 0:15:39.310 --> 0:15:42.700 doing really well and was well off all of a sudden. 0:15:42.740 --> 0:15:47.180 Doesn't have anything to cling on. They're ashamed. They're ashamed 0:15:47.180 --> 0:15:50.420 to the society and their disgrace. And so my family 0:15:50.420 --> 0:15:54.220 decided to move from Iran to Germany and then from 0:15:54.220 --> 0:15:56.220 Germany to the United States. 0:15:56.420 --> 0:15:59.500 Okay. Somebody listening says, okay, you say he's lost everything, 0:15:59.500 --> 0:16:01.380 but how do you even get the money for airfare 0:16:01.380 --> 0:16:04.300 to Germany, let alone ultimate travel to the US? 0:16:04.660 --> 0:16:09.500 We sold everything, all of our possessions, the Persian rugs 0:16:09.500 --> 0:16:13.700 and the homes and everything we owned. All my mom 0:16:13.700 --> 0:16:16.980 and dad's and every piece of jewelry that we had. 0:16:16.980 --> 0:16:21.580 We sold everything. Um, at age 16, when we were 0:16:21.580 --> 0:16:25.260 moving from Iran, I remember as someone who lived a 0:16:25.260 --> 0:16:28.940 comfortable life, I remember all of our possessions being sold 0:16:28.940 --> 0:16:33.220 one by one, and all the boxes in our hallway 0:16:33.260 --> 0:16:35.220 just packing and leaving. 0:16:35.620 --> 0:16:38.260 What kind of struggles did you experience interpersonally at that point? 0:16:38.260 --> 0:16:40.690 What's going on in your head? Right there. Your heart. Lily. 0:16:40.850 --> 0:16:44.250 It was very difficult. I mean, we had many friends 0:16:44.250 --> 0:16:48.690 that we formed friendships with in Iran. We had family 0:16:48.690 --> 0:16:51.130 in Iran that we had to leave. My grandmother was 0:16:51.130 --> 0:16:54.770 very close to us. My dad was not leaving Iran 0:16:54.770 --> 0:16:57.010 with us. He was staying. And so he was just 0:16:57.010 --> 0:17:00.410 my mom and my two sisters that were leaving at 0:17:00.410 --> 0:17:03.530 the time. So I was heartbroken. My dad was always 0:17:03.530 --> 0:17:06.409 my hero. I always looked up to him. I didn't 0:17:06.410 --> 0:17:09.169 know if I was going to see him again. And 0:17:09.170 --> 0:17:15.090 so just moving from Iran to Germany and really living 0:17:15.290 --> 0:17:20.010 with my cousin in Germany in a two bedroom apartment, 0:17:20.450 --> 0:17:24.850 she had three small children herself. So with us, we 0:17:24.850 --> 0:17:29.450 were nine people living in a two bedroom apartment, just, um, 0:17:29.490 --> 0:17:35.690 becoming refugees of a different country, feeling very isolated and lonely. 0:17:36.450 --> 0:17:38.760 If you're just joining us, this is the land and 0:17:38.760 --> 0:17:41.119 the book, and we're talking with Lily Meshi of Iran 0:17:41.119 --> 0:17:45.480 Alive Ministries. We'll describe your ultimate journey to faith in Jesus. 0:17:45.600 --> 0:17:49.239 When I was 18, my dad asked his family to 0:17:49.280 --> 0:17:52.520 join him in the United States, where he had moved 0:17:52.840 --> 0:17:56.320 directly from Iran in search of a new venture in 0:17:56.320 --> 0:17:59.240 search of a new life to where he can bring 0:17:59.240 --> 0:18:03.440 his family back together. So he contacted me one time. 0:18:03.440 --> 0:18:07.960 He said, Lily, there's this Persian Iranian guy who's very 0:18:07.960 --> 0:18:11.919 successful here in the US and is helping me open 0:18:11.920 --> 0:18:15.959 up my own restaurant in the US, which will bring 0:18:15.960 --> 0:18:19.600 our family together again, and we will have a fresh 0:18:19.600 --> 0:18:24.560 new start. He has expressed interest in getting to know 0:18:24.560 --> 0:18:27.000 you for marriage. So I'm going to introduce you to 0:18:27.040 --> 0:18:30.359 this guy. Just get to know him, see how things go. 0:18:30.800 --> 0:18:34.520 At this point I was 18 and this gentleman was 32. 0:18:34.560 --> 0:18:36.399 So there was a huge. 0:18:36.590 --> 0:18:37.310 Age gap. 0:18:37.350 --> 0:18:40.750 Between us. I mean, he was my dad's business partner. 0:18:40.750 --> 0:18:45.110 And so, you know, coming from a very patriarchal culture 0:18:45.109 --> 0:18:49.030 in Iran where I grew up and the true admiration 0:18:49.030 --> 0:18:51.910 that I had for my dad always, and seeing him 0:18:51.910 --> 0:18:57.110 so broken after having lost everything in his mid-fifties, all 0:18:57.109 --> 0:19:00.350 I wanted to do was please him. I was like, okay, well, 0:19:00.390 --> 0:19:03.149 I'll talk to him, no problem. If my dad is 0:19:03.150 --> 0:19:06.790 asking me to do something, this has to be something good. 0:19:06.830 --> 0:19:09.150 He would never put me up to something that would 0:19:09.190 --> 0:19:12.710 harm me. And so we started talking on the phone 0:19:12.710 --> 0:19:15.350 for about six months before I moved to the US. 0:19:15.710 --> 0:19:18.070 And when I moved to the US, it was as 0:19:18.070 --> 0:19:21.469 if we were already married. The promise was already given 0:19:21.470 --> 0:19:23.950 to him. He would not leave my side. He would 0:19:23.950 --> 0:19:28.670 always be everywhere. I was, you know, taking me to places. 0:19:28.710 --> 0:19:32.469 And in the midst of all that, unfortunately, I was 0:19:32.470 --> 0:19:37.170 sexually harassed by him, exploited by him, and that was 0:19:37.170 --> 0:19:39.570 the thing that he did. As soon as he noticed 0:19:39.570 --> 0:19:43.290 that I have no interest in getting to know him 0:19:43.290 --> 0:19:46.369 or wanting to marry him. And he thought that by 0:19:46.410 --> 0:19:50.690 sexually exploiting me, this would be the ultimate act for 0:19:50.690 --> 0:19:53.970 him to earn me or get me. Or there is 0:19:53.970 --> 0:19:56.409 no way out of this situation. In a way, he 0:19:56.410 --> 0:20:01.290 wanted to force me into this marriage. And that's what happened. 0:20:01.690 --> 0:20:06.610 I was forced by circumstances, great amount of shame to 0:20:06.650 --> 0:20:11.530 marry him. And the marriage was very toxic. Very abusive 0:20:11.690 --> 0:20:14.969 on all fronts. And when I was at the lowest 0:20:14.970 --> 0:20:19.050 point of my life, my parents invited me to their 0:20:19.050 --> 0:20:22.649 house to visit their friends. And I did not know 0:20:22.650 --> 0:20:27.330 that they had come prepared and prayerfully to share the 0:20:27.369 --> 0:20:31.130 gospel with us. And so when I entered my parents house, 0:20:31.130 --> 0:20:34.600 they were watching Jesus film and I sat there and 0:20:34.600 --> 0:20:36.960 watched the film with them at the end. Of course, 0:20:36.960 --> 0:20:41.560 there was an invitation for, you know, prayer of salvation and, 0:20:41.600 --> 0:20:45.119 you know, giving our hearts to Jesus. I heard all that. 0:20:45.160 --> 0:20:48.440 Didn't really think anything of it. I got up to leave. 0:20:48.960 --> 0:20:52.040 That's when one of the women there shared the gospel 0:20:52.040 --> 0:20:52.600 with me. 0:20:53.000 --> 0:20:55.960 You're listening to The land and the book. I'm John Yeager. 0:20:56.000 --> 0:20:58.399 Our guest today, Lily meshi, who has come all the 0:20:58.400 --> 0:21:01.600 way from Iran via Germany. And then to the United States. 0:21:01.600 --> 0:21:05.560 We're hearing her journey not just geographically, but spiritually as well. 0:21:05.640 --> 0:21:08.000 So let me clarify here. Are your parents at this 0:21:08.000 --> 0:21:09.040 time born again? 0:21:09.600 --> 0:21:14.159 No. They were just listening to their friends who were 0:21:14.160 --> 0:21:16.640 coming from Oklahoma to share the gospel with us. They 0:21:16.640 --> 0:21:19.120 were just open to hear what they had to say. 0:21:19.119 --> 0:21:22.520 They were watching the film with me, and I knew 0:21:22.560 --> 0:21:25.720 that they had already had some talks with my parents 0:21:25.720 --> 0:21:28.320 at that point. But when I got up to leave, 0:21:28.600 --> 0:21:30.960 one of the women walked me out to the door 0:21:30.960 --> 0:21:33.990 and said, Lily, I know you have been through a 0:21:33.990 --> 0:21:37.310 lot since you moved to the US, and I just 0:21:37.310 --> 0:21:40.030 want you to know that there is hope. And here 0:21:40.030 --> 0:21:43.830 at this point, I was so hopeless. I was so 0:21:44.070 --> 0:21:47.830 frustrated at everything that had happened to me. I was 0:21:47.830 --> 0:21:53.790 so mad and ashamed of who I was and what 0:21:53.790 --> 0:21:57.150 was done to me, some of which was done by 0:21:57.150 --> 0:21:59.830 my own immediate family. So there was great amount of 0:21:59.830 --> 0:22:04.390 anger towards my own parents at this point that I had. 0:22:04.550 --> 0:22:07.150 Is your dad aware of what's transpired? Is he aware 0:22:07.150 --> 0:22:10.109 of the injustice of his business partner toward you? 0:22:10.550 --> 0:22:13.950 He did not think anything of it. Let me explain 0:22:13.950 --> 0:22:18.510 this to you and your audience. It's a very common 0:22:18.510 --> 0:22:22.830 practice in Iran to put up girls that are of 0:22:22.869 --> 0:22:29.470 young age, to marry men that are established, especially financially, 0:22:29.470 --> 0:22:33.100 and are much older. So this is a very prevalent 0:22:33.100 --> 0:22:37.139 practice in Iran. In fact, child marriages is very prevalent 0:22:37.140 --> 0:22:41.020 in Iran. Temporary marriages are very prevalent. So he didn't 0:22:41.020 --> 0:22:44.420 think anything of it because he grew up in that culture. 0:22:44.460 --> 0:22:48.380 He patriarchy was part of life. He, you know, up 0:22:48.420 --> 0:22:52.780 until so much later in his faith, he didn't realize 0:22:52.780 --> 0:22:55.260 how wicked this practice was and what he had done 0:22:55.260 --> 0:22:57.180 to me. He was just part of life. 0:22:57.540 --> 0:22:59.660 So what's next? I mean, I'm still wondering, how do 0:22:59.660 --> 0:23:01.459 you find Jesus in all of this? You've been to 0:23:01.460 --> 0:23:03.900 this meeting, you're watching a video, but there's a lot 0:23:03.940 --> 0:23:06.300 of hurt and, uh, a lot of other issues going 0:23:06.300 --> 0:23:07.140 on in your heart. 0:23:07.500 --> 0:23:09.820 In the morning of that day when I went to 0:23:09.820 --> 0:23:14.340 visit my parents friends, my younger sister met up with 0:23:14.340 --> 0:23:17.220 me at the mall, and she said, Lily, I'm just 0:23:17.220 --> 0:23:19.780 giving you a heads up. You're going to Mom and 0:23:19.780 --> 0:23:24.780 Dad's house tonight. Um, their friends are Christians and they 0:23:24.780 --> 0:23:27.460 say Jesus is God. Just to give you a heads 0:23:27.460 --> 0:23:30.570 up on that. I was like, how idiotic is that? Like, 0:23:30.609 --> 0:23:36.250 who would believe Jesus? A great prophet is God. And 0:23:36.250 --> 0:23:38.730 so this was in my head. So I already went 0:23:38.730 --> 0:23:41.530 in there with my guards up and all that. And 0:23:41.530 --> 0:23:44.530 so when that woman stopped me at the door and said, 0:23:44.650 --> 0:23:47.969 you know, there's hope in Jesus. Do you mind if 0:23:47.970 --> 0:23:51.169 I just share just a couple of passages from the 0:23:51.170 --> 0:23:53.450 Bible with you? I'm not going to take up much 0:23:53.450 --> 0:23:56.050 of your time. I just want to read something from 0:23:56.050 --> 0:23:59.650 the Bible to you that may change your life. And 0:23:59.650 --> 0:24:02.130 so I was so reluctant, but at the same time, 0:24:02.130 --> 0:24:04.330 I wanted to see what she had to say. And 0:24:04.330 --> 0:24:08.050 sat down there in the beginning was the word. The 0:24:08.050 --> 0:24:11.170 word was with God. The word was God. Then she 0:24:11.170 --> 0:24:15.290 skipped over to John 114. The Word became flesh and 0:24:15.290 --> 0:24:20.530 dwelt among us. The moment she finished reading these two verses, 0:24:21.050 --> 0:24:25.970 tears were rolling down my cheeks. I knew that Jesus 0:24:25.970 --> 0:24:30.320 was my Lord and Savior, and that instant, it was 0:24:30.320 --> 0:24:35.000 a momentary revelation that the Holy Spirit revealed to me 0:24:35.000 --> 0:24:39.200 that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. He is God. 0:24:39.480 --> 0:24:41.919 He is the one who can pull me out of 0:24:41.920 --> 0:24:44.439 the dungeon that I was in. He was going to 0:24:44.440 --> 0:24:48.080 be the hope that I could cling on. And so 0:24:48.400 --> 0:24:53.359 in that moment, a spark of hope just ignited in me, 0:24:53.359 --> 0:24:56.360 and I. I wanted to know more about Jesus. And 0:24:56.359 --> 0:24:58.479 I looked at her and I said, how do I 0:24:58.480 --> 0:24:59.600 become a Christian? 0:25:00.280 --> 0:25:01.680 And that happened for you that evening. 0:25:01.960 --> 0:25:04.520 That happened for me that evening. The next day was 0:25:04.520 --> 0:25:08.199 a Sunday. She took me to a Bible based church 0:25:08.200 --> 0:25:12.680 in Austin, Texas, Hill Country Bible Church. I remember that 0:25:12.680 --> 0:25:16.880 this was about 2001, so 24 years ago, and the 0:25:16.880 --> 0:25:19.760 rest is history. I ended up going to a Bible 0:25:19.760 --> 0:25:24.680 college in Oklahoma. And now, fast forward 24 years later, 0:25:24.680 --> 0:25:28.950 I have the privilege to serve in a ministry that 0:25:28.950 --> 0:25:32.990 is sharing the good news with Iranians every day through 0:25:33.470 --> 0:25:36.950 24 over seven broadcasts. Iran Alive ministries. 0:25:37.230 --> 0:25:39.310 Well, you have been on an amazing journey. That's an 0:25:39.310 --> 0:25:42.870 encouraging story. Lily, we thank you for these insights, for 0:25:42.869 --> 0:25:45.790 your testimony, for all that God has been doing in 0:25:45.790 --> 0:25:47.590 your life. We give him the praise as we know 0:25:47.590 --> 0:25:48.869 you do too. Thank you. 0:25:49.109 --> 0:25:49.950 Thank you. John. 0:25:50.070 --> 0:25:52.030 Hey, we're looking forward to another segment on the land 0:25:52.030 --> 0:25:55.590 of the book. It's Bible questions and answers next right here. 0:26:06.910 --> 0:26:09.830 They say that the Bible is shallow enough that anybody 0:26:09.830 --> 0:26:12.590 can splash in it and benefit from it, but deep 0:26:12.590 --> 0:26:15.189 enough that those who are truly experienced can never plumb 0:26:15.190 --> 0:26:17.990 its depths to the end. I'm John Gieger. This is 0:26:17.990 --> 0:26:20.109 the land and the book, and all of us are somewhere, 0:26:20.150 --> 0:26:22.870 probably in the middle of that somewhere. And that's what 0:26:22.869 --> 0:26:25.750 this segment is all about, understanding what's in the Word 0:26:25.750 --> 0:26:28.780 of God. That might just be puzzling to us. Helping 0:26:28.780 --> 0:26:31.419 us understand these issues, as Doctor Gerald Peterman of the 0:26:31.420 --> 0:26:34.300 Moody Bible Institute faculty. Good to connect with you again, sir. 0:26:34.340 --> 0:26:38.060 Yes, a child can wade and an elephant can swim. 0:26:38.100 --> 0:26:39.860 Yeah, that's the thing. You got it better. 0:26:39.900 --> 0:26:40.620 Oh. It's good. 0:26:40.859 --> 0:26:42.980 Hey, here's a question. Did you know that most Jewish 0:26:42.980 --> 0:26:46.300 people have never heard the gospel? Each week we talk 0:26:46.340 --> 0:26:49.020 about Israel and the Jewish people. And it's important to 0:26:49.020 --> 0:26:51.979 remember that they, like everyone else, need to hear the 0:26:51.980 --> 0:26:52.780 good news. 0:26:53.060 --> 0:26:57.260 Life in Messiah, a ministry in existence for over 135 years, 0:26:57.300 --> 0:27:00.740 is devoted to sharing the gospel with Jewish people around 0:27:00.740 --> 0:27:04.260 the world. Now they are offering a gift to moody 0:27:04.260 --> 0:27:09.220 listeners a free e-book. Reaching Jewish People for Messiah. And 0:27:09.220 --> 0:27:12.220 it highlights the need for the gospel among the Jewish people, 0:27:12.220 --> 0:27:15.459 and will equip you with practical ways to share the 0:27:15.460 --> 0:27:18.860 Good News with them. To receive this free e-book, visit 0:27:18.859 --> 0:27:22.659 Life in Messiah. Org. Click on the Moody Radio logo 0:27:22.660 --> 0:27:25.050 and sign up today to get your copy. 0:27:25.090 --> 0:27:28.330 Great. All right, let's dig into our pile of questions, 0:27:28.330 --> 0:27:31.369 starting with Caitlin's. She says, how do you answer the 0:27:31.369 --> 0:27:35.740 question that works? Don't save us. If James 221 to 0:27:35.740 --> 0:27:38.410 24 says, we are considered righteous by what we do. 0:27:38.450 --> 0:27:41.210 Is that talking about proof that someone has already been saved? 0:27:41.210 --> 0:27:43.890 Because when someone is saved, they'll want to serve God 0:27:43.890 --> 0:27:45.010 and do works for him? 0:27:45.050 --> 0:27:48.050 Oh, that's a really good question. And it's tough to answer. 0:27:48.050 --> 0:27:50.210 And as a matter of fact, some folks have said 0:27:50.369 --> 0:27:53.290 this is a contradiction in Scripture and it is not. 0:27:53.650 --> 0:27:56.409 So we should take a closer look. It's about a 0:27:56.410 --> 0:28:00.730 particular word in the New Testament. Sometimes this word means 0:28:00.890 --> 0:28:05.889 to justify or make righteous. Sometimes it means to show 0:28:05.890 --> 0:28:09.170 to be righteous. So if we go to Romans five one, 0:28:09.170 --> 0:28:13.369 we find this delightful truth. Having been justified by faith, 0:28:13.369 --> 0:28:18.129 we have peace with God. This is the justification of forgiveness, 0:28:18.130 --> 0:28:22.050 of being saved all but other times in Scripture, in 0:28:22.050 --> 0:28:26.190 Romans we find Romans three four. Paul quotes a portion 0:28:26.190 --> 0:28:30.710 of Psalm 53 where David says to God, You, God, 0:28:30.910 --> 0:28:35.150 are justified by your words, and victorious when you judge. 0:28:35.150 --> 0:28:37.070 And God, of course, does not need to be forgiven 0:28:37.070 --> 0:28:41.070 or saved, but he will be shown right when he 0:28:41.070 --> 0:28:45.830 is judging. So it's this second definition that James is 0:28:45.830 --> 0:28:49.590 using when he says, Wasn't Abraham our father justified by 0:28:49.590 --> 0:28:52.470 works when he offered up Isaac? By that we mean 0:28:52.950 --> 0:28:56.630 he was not forgiven there. He was shown to be 0:28:56.630 --> 0:28:58.709 right there. So I think Caitlin is on the right 0:28:58.710 --> 0:29:02.630 track when she says, sometimes this word is about showing 0:29:02.670 --> 0:29:04.030 that we have been saved. 0:29:04.270 --> 0:29:06.630 Yeah. Boy, that's an important distinction. I appreciate you pointing 0:29:06.630 --> 0:29:09.750 that out from Betty. This question, how do I explain 0:29:09.750 --> 0:29:13.830 that we don't need baptism for our salvation? She points 0:29:13.830 --> 0:29:17.590 to acts 238 which says, repent and be baptized for 0:29:17.590 --> 0:29:20.190 the forgiveness of your sins, and then you'll receive the 0:29:20.190 --> 0:29:23.460 gift of the Holy Spirit. Then there's Mark 1616, which 0:29:23.460 --> 0:29:27.740 says whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. Now, 0:29:27.740 --> 0:29:29.700 I know we don't need works to be saved. So 0:29:29.700 --> 0:29:31.740 how would I explain those verses, though, to somebody who 0:29:31.740 --> 0:29:34.500 doesn't know that it's by grace alone when they bring 0:29:34.500 --> 0:29:36.060 those verses up in conversation. 0:29:36.100 --> 0:29:39.420 Ah wonderful question. I remember grappling with this question as 0:29:39.420 --> 0:29:42.060 a new Christian. I'm going to focus on acts two. 0:29:42.100 --> 0:29:45.420 Peter's preaching, and near the end of his message he 0:29:45.420 --> 0:29:51.739 says to his audience, God made this Jesus whom y'all crucified, 0:29:52.180 --> 0:29:56.100 Lord and Christ. And then the audience responds back, what 0:29:56.100 --> 0:30:00.980 should we do? And then Peter says, repent and be baptized. 0:30:00.980 --> 0:30:05.020 The repentance is there, changing their heart and mind about Jesus, 0:30:05.020 --> 0:30:07.380 but to be baptized. Of course, you have to come 0:30:07.380 --> 0:30:10.420 forward and ask someone to baptize you. So what will 0:30:10.420 --> 0:30:13.260 the church then do? The church will ask about your faith. 0:30:13.620 --> 0:30:16.340 They will ask about your repentance. And then when the 0:30:16.340 --> 0:30:20.660 church baptizes you, it confirms to them and to you 0:30:21.490 --> 0:30:24.610 that you're believing in the real Jesus. So it's not 0:30:24.890 --> 0:30:29.290 that baptism grants you forgiveness. Baptism confirms to you that 0:30:29.290 --> 0:30:31.090 you've really believed in Jesus. 0:30:31.090 --> 0:30:34.090 That's Doctor Gerald Peterman. He's on the Moody Bible Institute faculty, 0:30:34.090 --> 0:30:36.770 and he's here to answer your questions every week. How 0:30:36.770 --> 0:30:38.610 do you get yours to him? Easy. With a quick 0:30:38.610 --> 0:30:43.050 email to the land and the book at Moody's. That's 0:30:43.050 --> 0:30:48.490 the land and the book at Moody's. Dot Brian's question 0:30:48.490 --> 0:30:52.730 regarding the Greek word translated as church in Matthew 1817. 0:30:52.770 --> 0:30:55.490 Does it mean the assembly, the body, or could it 0:30:55.490 --> 0:30:59.570 possibly mean those in charge, the leadership, the overseers, the elders? 0:30:59.810 --> 0:31:03.170 Well, that's a great question. Again, first, let's talk about 0:31:03.170 --> 0:31:08.290 this word translated church in our Bibles. The word is ecclesia. 0:31:08.290 --> 0:31:11.970 What might this word apply to? Generally speaking, it's just 0:31:11.970 --> 0:31:14.850 a gathering of people. So we can go to acts 19. 0:31:15.010 --> 0:31:16.810 And as a matter of fact, in acts 19, there's 0:31:16.850 --> 0:31:20.080 a hostile crowd who doesn't like Paul. All and they 0:31:20.080 --> 0:31:23.040 they gathered together and they talk about how terrible Paul 0:31:23.040 --> 0:31:28.000 is preaching the gospel. And that gathering of hostile non-believers 0:31:28.000 --> 0:31:31.920 is called ecclesia. So the church is a gathering. When 0:31:31.920 --> 0:31:35.080 we come to Matthew 18, I think we're talking about 0:31:35.080 --> 0:31:39.480 the assembly of believers. That's where the final authority lies. 0:31:39.760 --> 0:31:42.280 It's very similar to what's happening in first Corinthians five. 0:31:42.480 --> 0:31:46.600 There's a man there in Corinth who's immoral. Paul tells 0:31:46.600 --> 0:31:50.000 the church, when you're gathered together, you should hand this 0:31:50.000 --> 0:31:52.400 man over to Satan for the discipline of his body 0:31:52.400 --> 0:31:55.239 that he might repent. It is not the hands of 0:31:55.240 --> 0:31:58.560 the elders. Maybe the elders will call the meeting right? 0:31:58.600 --> 0:32:01.160 But it's in the hands of the whole church to 0:32:01.200 --> 0:32:04.360 decide how to punish this man, or how to deal 0:32:04.360 --> 0:32:08.120 with this man. So, Ecclesia, that's the church as a whole. 0:32:08.320 --> 0:32:11.960 Okay. Mark's question. He says, I wonder if Jesus would 0:32:12.000 --> 0:32:14.480 have been the butt of attacks from all the people 0:32:14.480 --> 0:32:18.200 around him. There's Mary's kid. Who does he think he is? 0:32:18.270 --> 0:32:21.470 Thinks he's God and he's perfect kids his age. Maybe 0:32:21.510 --> 0:32:24.110 we're we're being compared to him. And I wonder if 0:32:24.110 --> 0:32:26.910 his earthly connection had to leave him lonely. 0:32:26.950 --> 0:32:30.870 Ah, you know what? I have wondered? This same thing myself. 0:32:31.110 --> 0:32:32.950 And so I was really pleased to be able to 0:32:32.990 --> 0:32:35.790 ponder it again and think about it. We don't have 0:32:35.790 --> 0:32:40.950 anything specific in Scripture about this question, but let's go 0:32:40.950 --> 0:32:44.270 to Luke two. You remember Luke two. Mary and Joseph 0:32:44.430 --> 0:32:47.590 take Jesus to Jerusalem. He's 12 years old, and they 0:32:47.590 --> 0:32:50.710 accidentally leave him there. And then two days later they're 0:32:50.710 --> 0:32:54.150 searching for him. And his mom says, son, you treated 0:32:54.150 --> 0:32:56.990 us so badly. Look, your father and I have been 0:32:56.990 --> 0:33:01.030 searching for you in great distress. He says to them, 0:33:01.030 --> 0:33:03.230 why were you looking for me? Did you not know 0:33:03.230 --> 0:33:06.310 I must be in my father's house? So I think 0:33:06.350 --> 0:33:10.990 from this experience it must have happened many other times 0:33:10.990 --> 0:33:14.469 with him that he was misunderstood, and it had to 0:33:14.470 --> 0:33:17.540 hurt him and other people. But of course he was 0:33:17.540 --> 0:33:20.460 simply being God in the flesh. 0:33:20.500 --> 0:33:23.060 You know, I think about this as well. And I wonder, 0:33:23.260 --> 0:33:26.340 you know, we are appropriately awed and consumed with the 0:33:26.340 --> 0:33:29.940 suffering of Jesus on the cross and that whole thing. 0:33:30.300 --> 0:33:33.180 But we forget about the rest of the suffering of Jesus. 0:33:33.220 --> 0:33:37.420 Oh, the rest of the suffering of Jesus. Of course, 0:33:37.460 --> 0:33:39.660 the cross is extremely important, but I do not want 0:33:39.700 --> 0:33:41.420 us to lose the rest. Let me mention a couple 0:33:41.460 --> 0:33:45.140 of examples, if you don't mind. Sure. Luke 19 Jesus 0:33:45.140 --> 0:33:47.700 is coming into Jerusalem. It's going to be the last 0:33:47.700 --> 0:33:49.780 week of his life. And as he comes up over 0:33:49.780 --> 0:33:51.780 the Mount of Olives, you've been there. You know what 0:33:51.780 --> 0:33:54.460 this looks like. He sees the city and he weeps 0:33:54.460 --> 0:34:00.060 over it. Really? Why? He says, because your judgment is coming. 0:34:00.220 --> 0:34:03.540 Armies will surround you and crush you to the ground, 0:34:03.540 --> 0:34:05.900 because you do not know the day of your visitation. 0:34:05.900 --> 0:34:09.060 That is the day when God, me, I come to 0:34:09.100 --> 0:34:13.860 visit you. So Jerusalem is going to face righteous punishment 0:34:13.860 --> 0:34:19.170 from God, but Jesus finds it sad. Oh, wow. Just 0:34:19.170 --> 0:34:20.410 think of the loneliness. 0:34:20.410 --> 0:34:22.490 You think of the late nights. You think of healing 0:34:22.530 --> 0:34:25.810 till the middle of the night. Practically is recorded in fatigue. Yeah. 0:34:25.850 --> 0:34:29.969 Oh, speaking of fatigue, we come to John four, right? 0:34:30.370 --> 0:34:32.570 And Jesus is at the well, sitting by the well, 0:34:32.570 --> 0:34:37.610 and he's thirsty and tired from the journey. Right? This is, 0:34:37.650 --> 0:34:40.170 by the way, folks, just in case you're wondering, fatigue 0:34:40.170 --> 0:34:44.490 is not a sin. Fatigue means you're human. Jesus is human. 0:34:44.530 --> 0:34:46.410 There are times when he was just dead tired. 0:34:46.850 --> 0:34:49.170 Foxes have holes, birds have nests. But the Son of 0:34:49.170 --> 0:34:50.969 Man has nowhere to lay his head. 0:34:51.010 --> 0:34:52.130 Yep. Absolutely. 0:34:52.170 --> 0:34:55.210 Sleeping out in the in nature. Wow. All right, let's 0:34:55.210 --> 0:34:57.570 squeeze one more question in here, if we can. From Janice, 0:34:57.570 --> 0:35:00.450 what is the significance of the red heifer for cleansing 0:35:00.450 --> 0:35:03.330 of any future temple? I've heard of a requirement for 0:35:03.330 --> 0:35:06.529 continuity of ashes and a search for old ashes to 0:35:06.530 --> 0:35:09.250 be mixed with new ashes of qualifying the present day 0:35:09.250 --> 0:35:11.009 red heifer. Your thoughts? 0:35:11.250 --> 0:35:13.730 Well, I'm not familiar, I have to admit, with modern 0:35:13.730 --> 0:35:16.710 Jewish practice to help answer this question, but I do 0:35:16.750 --> 0:35:21.350 know there are a few red cattle imported from Texas, 0:35:21.710 --> 0:35:25.029 and Israel is keeping them in the archaeological park near 0:35:25.030 --> 0:35:29.870 Shiloh for the very purpose of making the cleansing water 0:35:29.870 --> 0:35:32.750 that's mentioned in numbers 19. But if we actually go 0:35:32.750 --> 0:35:36.790 to numbers 19, it doesn't talk about these cleansing waters 0:35:36.790 --> 0:35:39.950 being used for the temple or for a new temple. 0:35:39.989 --> 0:35:43.470 It talks about these cleansing waters being used to cleanse 0:35:43.750 --> 0:35:46.989 a person who is ritually unclean, so that he can 0:35:46.989 --> 0:35:50.750 come before God, and that's all Scripture has to say 0:35:50.750 --> 0:35:52.590 about it. So I'm going to stop there. 0:35:52.630 --> 0:35:53.270 All right. 0:35:53.710 --> 0:35:56.190 Probably a wise course of action where Scripture is silent. 0:35:56.190 --> 0:35:58.069 So should we be, right? You know, if you've got 0:35:58.070 --> 0:36:02.109 a question for Doctor Peterman, it's welcome anytime. As I say, 0:36:02.110 --> 0:36:05.430 our email address is the land and the book at Moody's, 0:36:06.550 --> 0:36:10.270 the land and the book at Moody's. How long does 0:36:10.270 --> 0:36:11.870 it take to get an answer out of you? 0:36:12.270 --> 0:36:12.740 Uh, Ah. 0:36:13.700 --> 0:36:16.100 If I've had a good cup of coffee before your 0:36:16.100 --> 0:36:19.940 question arrives. Maybe 1 or 2 days. If I've been 0:36:19.940 --> 0:36:24.020 terribly fatigued, like Jesus by the. Well, maybe it's a week. Uh, 0:36:24.020 --> 0:36:27.740 but listeners sure love your questions. Please keep sending them. 0:36:27.739 --> 0:36:29.540 It's a joy to answer your questions. 0:36:29.780 --> 0:36:31.899 So up to a week. That's it. Which is, I think, 0:36:31.900 --> 0:36:34.819 pretty good service given your other responsibilities. Thank you for 0:36:34.820 --> 0:36:37.780 handling these questions and those to come at the land 0:36:37.780 --> 0:36:42.620 and the book at. Charlie Dyer's back with his devotional. 0:36:42.620 --> 0:36:45.300 It's a favorite segment for many here on the land 0:36:45.300 --> 0:37:01.259 and the book. Hope you've been enjoying today's program. This 0:37:01.260 --> 0:37:04.100 is the land and the book. I'm John Gager, and 0:37:04.100 --> 0:37:06.700 if you're new to the broadcast, this fourth segment brings 0:37:06.700 --> 0:37:09.860 us Charlie's devotional. Charlie, what's your goal for this slot? 0:37:10.180 --> 0:37:12.690 My goal is always to bring people to a spot 0:37:12.690 --> 0:37:16.010 in Israel, or to see something that's been uncovered there, 0:37:16.250 --> 0:37:18.450 and to tie it into the Bible, so that in 0:37:18.450 --> 0:37:20.529 the end, we understand the Bible better and know how 0:37:20.530 --> 0:37:21.930 to apply it to our lives. 0:37:22.090 --> 0:37:25.250 We're going to enjoy Charlie's devotional together after we first 0:37:25.250 --> 0:37:28.489 pause for a firsthand account from a listener who has 0:37:28.489 --> 0:37:30.210 spent time in the Holy Land. 0:37:34.450 --> 0:37:36.810 Hi, my name is Chris from Tampa, and I just 0:37:36.810 --> 0:37:41.410 wanted to say thanks. First, uh, to Charlie for your wisdom, patience, 0:37:41.410 --> 0:37:45.850 and humor also. And, um, I really enjoyed this trip. 0:37:45.850 --> 0:37:49.450 Every day seemed to get better, and, uh, it finally 0:37:49.450 --> 0:37:53.210 culminated at the end when we arrived in Jerusalem at 0:37:53.210 --> 0:37:57.529 the Mount of Olives and thinking where Jesus once walked. 0:37:58.050 --> 0:38:00.569 But it sent chills up my spine to think that 0:38:00.570 --> 0:38:03.410 that's where he's returning. And that was probably the most 0:38:03.410 --> 0:38:06.170 enjoyable part of the trip for me. Thanks. 0:38:06.890 --> 0:38:09.930 Hi, I'm Gerry from Tennessee. I found a few things 0:38:09.930 --> 0:38:12.520 to be rather emotional about this trip. First of all, 0:38:12.520 --> 0:38:14.680 when we figured out that we could actually make the trip, 0:38:14.680 --> 0:38:17.920 that was very emotional for me. When we actually arrived 0:38:17.920 --> 0:38:22.120 in Israel, that was the second emotional experience. Being on 0:38:22.120 --> 0:38:24.600 Mount Carmel was a great one because I've taught some 0:38:24.600 --> 0:38:26.520 of the Old Testament stuff, and that was a great 0:38:26.520 --> 0:38:29.000 thing to be there. The Sea of Galilee was a 0:38:29.000 --> 0:38:33.120 wonderful experience, but when we got Munir's song Jerusalem on 0:38:33.120 --> 0:38:36.480 the bus coming up the mountain, that topped it all. 0:38:36.960 --> 0:38:38.080 So good to be here. 0:38:40.239 --> 0:38:42.440 Now let's turn things over to our host, Charlie Dyer, 0:38:42.440 --> 0:38:43.840 for today's devotional. 0:38:44.160 --> 0:38:46.080 Thanks, John. You know, we're almost at the end of 0:38:46.080 --> 0:38:49.560 our series on 11 inscriptions to the Bible, and I've 0:38:49.560 --> 0:38:52.480 saved two inscriptions, the first in Greek and then the 0:38:52.480 --> 0:38:55.759 second in Latin for these final two weeks. To view 0:38:55.760 --> 0:38:59.120 today's inscription, though, we need to board the Orient Express 0:38:59.120 --> 0:39:03.200 because we're heading to Istanbul. Actually, the original Orient Express 0:39:03.200 --> 0:39:05.799 no longer runs, so we'll have to fly. So pack 0:39:05.840 --> 0:39:08.640 your bag, grab your passport. Let's zoom off into the 0:39:08.640 --> 0:39:15.149 exotic city of Constantinople. Our destination is the Istanbul Archaeological Museum. Now, 0:39:15.150 --> 0:39:19.230 this complex of museums actually house a collection of amazing 0:39:19.230 --> 0:39:23.670 archaeological finds discovered during the final century of the Ottoman Empire. 0:39:23.910 --> 0:39:26.230 And since the Ottomans ruled the Middle East, many of 0:39:26.230 --> 0:39:29.470 the early discoveries from what's now Israel are housed there. 0:39:29.790 --> 0:39:31.950 We need to climb several flights of stairs to reach 0:39:31.950 --> 0:39:35.630 our destination, but trust me, it's going to be worth it. And. 0:39:35.670 --> 0:39:39.029 And here we are. This floor houses everything from the 0:39:39.070 --> 0:39:43.190 geezer calendar, one of the earliest Hebrew writings ever discovered 0:39:43.190 --> 0:39:47.029 to the inscription found in Hezekiah's tunnel. But our destination 0:39:47.030 --> 0:39:51.270 is just beyond them. Now gather round. This limestone inscription 0:39:51.270 --> 0:39:53.230 is what I want to show you. As you look 0:39:53.230 --> 0:39:55.230 at it, I think you can tell it's written in Greek. 0:39:55.390 --> 0:39:57.830 And even if you've never studied Greek, you can still 0:39:57.830 --> 0:40:00.549 read some of the letters. In fact, look at the 0:40:00.550 --> 0:40:03.350 very end of the inscription. See what looks like the 0:40:03.350 --> 0:40:08.030 letters a, t, o. Those are actually the final letters 0:40:08.140 --> 0:40:11.219 of the Greek word thanaton. Now I see from the 0:40:11.219 --> 0:40:13.540 puzzled looks on your face, as you're not familiar with 0:40:13.540 --> 0:40:17.100 that word. Well, it's the Greek word for death. For example, 0:40:17.100 --> 0:40:22.020 euthanasia comes from the Greek words meaning good and death. Yikes. 0:40:22.020 --> 0:40:25.700 Here's a Greek inscription found in Jerusalem. And the very 0:40:25.700 --> 0:40:29.020 last word on it is death. Now, this plaque dates 0:40:29.020 --> 0:40:31.779 to the first century A.D., before the destruction of the 0:40:31.780 --> 0:40:34.819 city by the Romans. It was found in Jerusalem and 0:40:34.820 --> 0:40:37.540 brought to Istanbul. Which is why we came here to 0:40:37.580 --> 0:40:40.819 see it. But why would someone in Jerusalem set up 0:40:40.820 --> 0:40:43.859 a plaque written in Greek? One more word in the 0:40:43.860 --> 0:40:46.779 inscription might help. Look at the third line from the 0:40:46.780 --> 0:40:50.380 top toward the left. It looks like the letters t, 0:40:50.500 --> 0:40:55.259 o p. Now there are no spaces between words on 0:40:55.260 --> 0:40:57.020 this sign, so you need to know where to put 0:40:57.020 --> 0:41:00.180 the brakes. And in this case, it comes just after 0:41:00.180 --> 0:41:03.100 the first O or Omicron. The letter looks like a 0:41:03.100 --> 0:41:06.419 capital P, but it's actually the Greek letter rho, which 0:41:06.420 --> 0:41:09.330 is the r sound. In Greek we would spell the 0:41:09.330 --> 0:41:12.569 word I e r o n, but in Greek it's 0:41:12.570 --> 0:41:15.130 pronounced with an h sound in front. It's the Greek 0:41:15.130 --> 0:41:19.690 word Huron, and it means temple. The toe in front 0:41:19.690 --> 0:41:23.609 is the definite article. The plaque is talking about the temple. 0:41:23.930 --> 0:41:26.850 Of course, we know what temple was standing in Jerusalem 0:41:26.850 --> 0:41:29.730 just before the Romans destroyed the city. It was the 0:41:29.730 --> 0:41:33.049 Jewish temple we read so much about in the gospel accounts. 0:41:33.370 --> 0:41:36.170 But why was there a sign written in Greek, talking 0:41:36.170 --> 0:41:40.609 about the temple and mentioning death? Here's a translation of 0:41:40.610 --> 0:41:44.290 the whole plaque. No intruder is allowed in the courtyard 0:41:44.290 --> 0:41:48.009 and within the walls surrounding the temple. Whoever enters will 0:41:48.010 --> 0:41:52.529 be responsible for his own death. Ah, now it makes sense. 0:41:52.730 --> 0:41:54.649 This is one of the signs that was on the 0:41:54.650 --> 0:41:58.250 small barrier separating the court of the Gentiles from the 0:41:58.250 --> 0:42:01.009 inner part of the temple complex. It was written in 0:42:01.010 --> 0:42:04.730 Greek because Gentile visitors might not be able to read Hebrew. 0:42:05.130 --> 0:42:09.680 It served as a no trespassing for Gentiles sign. This 0:42:09.680 --> 0:42:12.879 was as close to the presence of God that Gentiles 0:42:12.880 --> 0:42:16.320 were allowed to get. Another partial copy of the sign 0:42:16.320 --> 0:42:19.440 was also found in Jerusalem. It's on display in the 0:42:19.440 --> 0:42:22.480 Israel Museum and it matches up with this one in 0:42:22.520 --> 0:42:26.560 terms of its message. No Gentiles allowed on threat of death. 0:42:27.200 --> 0:42:30.400 And here's where the story in acts 21 takes on 0:42:30.400 --> 0:42:33.520 new meaning. The apostle Paul took a group of four 0:42:33.560 --> 0:42:37.120 Jewish followers of Jesus to the temple to help complete 0:42:37.120 --> 0:42:41.440 their Nazarite vow. After going through ritual purification in a mikvah, 0:42:41.600 --> 0:42:44.319 Paul and the four entered the temple area. But at 0:42:44.320 --> 0:42:47.920 this point a case of mistaken identity arose. As Luke 0:42:47.920 --> 0:42:51.000 so kindly puts it, some of those in the temple 0:42:51.200 --> 0:42:55.080 had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him. 0:42:55.480 --> 0:42:59.120 They recognized Paul, but not his companions, and they assumed 0:42:59.120 --> 0:43:02.360 Paul had brought a group of Gentiles into the temple. 0:43:02.600 --> 0:43:05.900 They began crying out, Men of Israel, come to our aid. 0:43:05.940 --> 0:43:08.380 This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere 0:43:08.380 --> 0:43:12.780 against our people and the law and this place. And besides, 0:43:12.780 --> 0:43:15.700 he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has 0:43:15.700 --> 0:43:19.380 defiled this holy place. And you'll never guess what word 0:43:19.380 --> 0:43:22.940 is used there for temple in Acts 21. That's right. 0:43:22.940 --> 0:43:25.980 It's here on the same word that's on the Don't 0:43:26.020 --> 0:43:29.700 Trespass sign. The mob grabbed Paul, dragged him out of 0:43:29.700 --> 0:43:32.700 the temple proper into the court of the Gentiles, shut 0:43:32.700 --> 0:43:35.620 the door to the temple area, and Luke says they 0:43:35.620 --> 0:43:38.700 were seeking to kill him. Had the Roman soldiers not 0:43:38.700 --> 0:43:41.739 intervened when they did, Paul would have been put to death, 0:43:41.940 --> 0:43:44.739 just like the sign warned. Now, I do find it 0:43:44.739 --> 0:43:49.580 interesting that Paul's four companions weren't seized, just Paul. It 0:43:49.580 --> 0:43:51.819 almost seems as if Paul's opponents saw this as a 0:43:51.820 --> 0:43:54.379 good excuse to get rid of this person they saw 0:43:54.420 --> 0:43:57.700 as a troublemaker. It's time to leave. But what lessons 0:43:57.700 --> 0:44:00.860 can we take with us from this plaque? Threatening death 0:44:00.860 --> 0:44:05.890 to trespassing Gentiles? Perhaps the greatest lesson is realizing all 0:44:05.890 --> 0:44:09.130 that Jesus did in opening the way for us to God. 0:44:09.450 --> 0:44:12.290 In the first century, Gentiles could only get as close 0:44:12.290 --> 0:44:14.850 to the Holy of Holies as the barrier on which 0:44:14.850 --> 0:44:18.410 this plaque was affixed. Jewish women could get a little closer, 0:44:18.410 --> 0:44:21.170 but not much. Jewish men could go up to the 0:44:21.170 --> 0:44:24.730 altar of sacrifice, but no further priests could go up 0:44:24.730 --> 0:44:27.370 to the doors of the temple building itself. But then 0:44:27.370 --> 0:44:29.890 their way was blocked, except for a few who were 0:44:29.890 --> 0:44:33.650 allowed inside the Holy Place to perform the sacred rituals. 0:44:33.890 --> 0:44:36.650 And then, just one day a year, the high priest 0:44:36.650 --> 0:44:40.250 alone was allowed to briefly step behind the curtain into 0:44:40.250 --> 0:44:43.290 the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the sacrificial blood on 0:44:43.290 --> 0:44:46.609 the mercy seat. The closer one got to God, the 0:44:46.610 --> 0:44:50.649 more restricted the access. But then Jesus came along and 0:44:50.650 --> 0:44:53.490 opened the way to God through his own sacrificial death 0:44:53.489 --> 0:44:57.009 on the cross. The final complete sacrifice by the Lamb 0:44:57.010 --> 0:44:59.570 of God who took away the sin of the world. 0:44:59.890 --> 0:45:02.200 And that's why Matthew records that at the moment of 0:45:02.200 --> 0:45:05.600 Jesus's death on the cross, the curtain of the temple 0:45:05.600 --> 0:45:09.240 was torn in two from top to bottom. He opened 0:45:09.280 --> 0:45:12.359 the way into the very presence of God. But that 0:45:12.360 --> 0:45:15.440 access wasn't just for the Jews. Paul described the impact 0:45:15.440 --> 0:45:18.319 of Christ's death for both Jews and Gentiles when he 0:45:18.320 --> 0:45:21.600 wrote to the Gentile believers in Ephesus. But now in 0:45:21.600 --> 0:45:24.799 Christ Jesus, you who formerly were far off have been 0:45:24.800 --> 0:45:27.920 brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself 0:45:27.920 --> 0:45:30.719 is our peace, who made both groups into one and 0:45:30.719 --> 0:45:34.440 broke down the barrier of the dividing wall. The barrier 0:45:34.440 --> 0:45:38.200 that kept Gentiles out was torn down. If you put 0:45:38.200 --> 0:45:41.200 your trust in Jesus as your Savior, your access to 0:45:41.239 --> 0:45:45.080 God is no longer limited. Jesus's death on the cross 0:45:45.080 --> 0:45:48.440 guarantees that you can approach God without fear of death. 0:45:48.680 --> 0:45:53.600 The separation barrier represented by this sign no longer exists, 0:45:53.600 --> 0:45:56.600 and the curtain that blocked the entrance into God's presence 0:45:56.600 --> 0:46:00.590 was torn away. Now, as the book of Hebrews reminds us, 0:46:00.590 --> 0:46:03.710 we can draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, 0:46:03.710 --> 0:46:06.790 that we may receive mercy and find grace to help 0:46:06.790 --> 0:46:11.030 in times of need. And that's good news. I posted 0:46:11.030 --> 0:46:14.070 a photo of the Jerusalem Temple inscription that's on display 0:46:14.070 --> 0:46:17.430 in the Istanbul Museum on our Facebook page. If you'd 0:46:17.430 --> 0:46:19.710 like to see it, just head to Facebook and search 0:46:19.710 --> 0:46:21.750 for the land and the book. 0:46:21.790 --> 0:46:24.190 And I've been following those photos, Charlie. Lots of fun 0:46:24.190 --> 0:46:26.950 to look at them. Really drives this all home, but 0:46:26.950 --> 0:46:30.550 maybe you're still hanging on Charlie's idea of Jesus opening 0:46:30.550 --> 0:46:33.029 up for us the way to God. And you'd like 0:46:33.030 --> 0:46:34.670 some help? You'd like a friend to pray with you, 0:46:34.710 --> 0:46:37.549 maybe answer some questions that can happen for you right 0:46:37.550 --> 0:46:43.230 now with a phone call to 888 888. And with that, 0:46:43.230 --> 0:46:44.870 we're going to say thank you so much for joining 0:46:44.870 --> 0:46:47.830 us today. On behalf of our host, Charlie Dyer, our producer, 0:46:47.830 --> 0:46:50.870 Dan Anderson, I'm John Geiger. The land and the book 0:46:50.870 --> 0:46:53.790 is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody 0:46:53.790 --> 0:46:54.870 Bible Institute.