WEBVTT - Gen Z and the Israel Conflict 0:00:07.880 --> 0:00:13.220 What does Gen Z think about Israel? Born between 1997 0:00:13.220 --> 0:00:16.820 and 2012, these Americans have their own take on the 0:00:16.820 --> 0:00:21.560 Arab-Israeli conflict. To them, facts seem to matter less than feelings, 0:00:21.560 --> 0:00:25.760 and their feelings are predominantly anti-Israel. Why do they think 0:00:25.760 --> 0:00:28.220 the way they do, and how can we engage them 0:00:28.220 --> 0:00:31.760 in respectful dialogue? Welcome to the land and the book, 0:00:31.790 --> 0:00:34.160 where we're about to engage in an eye opening discussion 0:00:34.159 --> 0:00:37.820 about Gen Z and the Israel conflict. Our host is 0:00:37.820 --> 0:00:40.190 Doctor Charlie Dyer, a guy who's traveled to the Middle 0:00:40.190 --> 0:00:44.479 East more than 100 times. I'm his sidekick, John Gager. And, 0:00:44.479 --> 0:00:47.240 you know, many people wonder, what does Passover mean for 0:00:47.240 --> 0:00:51.379 us as believers in Jesus, Charlie? Some might remember the 0:00:51.380 --> 0:00:53.420 story from the book of Exodus, but there's so much 0:00:53.420 --> 0:00:55.340 more to it. For example, did you know that the 0:00:55.340 --> 0:00:59.060 Last Supper was actually a Passover meal? Not only did 0:00:59.060 --> 0:01:03.570 Jesus and his disciples celebrate Passover, it also foreshadowed his 0:01:03.570 --> 0:01:05.820 death on the cross for our redemption. 0:01:05.850 --> 0:01:08.370 Jewish people have been keeping the feast of Passover for 0:01:08.400 --> 0:01:12.300 thousands of years. Understanding the history and importance of this 0:01:12.300 --> 0:01:15.360 holiday will help you better connect with your Jewish friends 0:01:15.360 --> 0:01:18.029 and neighbors. And what better way is there to learn 0:01:18.030 --> 0:01:22.140 about Passover than to experience a Passover Seder yourself? If 0:01:22.170 --> 0:01:25.740 you've never celebrated Passover? Our friends at Life and Messiah 0:01:25.740 --> 0:01:29.340 would love to partner with you in hosting a Seder experience. 0:01:29.340 --> 0:01:32.730 Every year, their staff engage churches and small groups in 0:01:32.730 --> 0:01:37.140 an interactive Messiah in the Passover Seder, allowing participants to 0:01:37.170 --> 0:01:40.770 taste and see the redemption story. If you're interested in 0:01:40.800 --> 0:01:43.650 having someone come and lead a Seder in your area, 0:01:43.680 --> 0:01:46.890 visit Life in Messiah. Org and click on the Moody 0:01:46.920 --> 0:01:51.510 Radio button there to learn more. That's life in messiah.org. 0:01:51.690 --> 0:01:54.600 Well, a new year brings a fresh slate. An open 0:01:54.600 --> 0:01:58.830 calendar of still unknown possibilities and problems. Charlie, we know 0:01:58.830 --> 0:02:02.250 you're not a prophet, but with what we know right now, 0:02:02.280 --> 0:02:04.380 could I just ask, what might the New Year have 0:02:04.380 --> 0:02:07.560 in store for Israel and the Middle East at large 0:02:07.560 --> 0:02:10.950 in terms of war? Could a period of peace finally 0:02:10.950 --> 0:02:11.910 break out? 0:02:11.940 --> 0:02:13.860 You know, I'm not a prophet, but I like to 0:02:13.860 --> 0:02:16.230 go to the Bible because it provides good answers. And 0:02:16.230 --> 0:02:19.380 in this case, when Jesus talked about the future for Israel, 0:02:19.410 --> 0:02:22.110 he told his disciples they would hear of wars and 0:02:22.110 --> 0:02:24.870 rumors of wars. And then he added, but see that 0:02:24.870 --> 0:02:27.089 you're not frightened. And I think that's a good general 0:02:27.090 --> 0:02:31.169 application for us. It does look like the fighting between Israel, 0:02:31.169 --> 0:02:35.220 Hezbollah and Hamas could be winding down. It's possible a 0:02:35.220 --> 0:02:38.130 deal will be reached to release the remaining hostages who've 0:02:38.130 --> 0:02:40.980 been held by Hamas for over a year. That would 0:02:40.980 --> 0:02:44.130 be celebrated in Israel, though it will come at a price. 0:02:44.160 --> 0:02:47.940 Hezbollah has been severely degraded, and they're unlikely to try 0:02:47.940 --> 0:02:49.980 to resume the fight with Israel any time in the 0:02:49.980 --> 0:02:53.280 near future. Both of these are good outcomes, but that 0:02:53.280 --> 0:02:56.100 doesn't mean the region is heading into a time of peace. 0:02:56.130 --> 0:02:59.329 One of the key sticking points will remain Israel's conflict 0:02:59.330 --> 0:03:03.770 with the Palestinians. President elect Trump will push to reinvigorate 0:03:03.770 --> 0:03:07.280 the Abraham Accords, hoping to have Saudi Arabia and Israel 0:03:07.280 --> 0:03:10.280 sign a peace treaty. Were that to happen, it's likely 0:03:10.280 --> 0:03:13.400 that many other Muslim countries would join in. But the 0:03:13.400 --> 0:03:16.429 Saudis have said they won't do this until Israel provides 0:03:16.430 --> 0:03:20.480 a pathway forward for a Palestinian state. And Israel is 0:03:20.480 --> 0:03:23.150 very reluctant to do that. It's even more of a 0:03:23.150 --> 0:03:26.660 problem right now, since many believe the Palestinian Authority is 0:03:26.660 --> 0:03:29.869 in danger of collapsing, just like the government of Syria 0:03:29.870 --> 0:03:33.500 did at the end of the year. Most Palestinians detest 0:03:33.500 --> 0:03:36.890 the Palestinian Authority for its corruption. They would prefer an 0:03:36.890 --> 0:03:40.850 Islamic group like Hamas over the current system of nepotism 0:03:40.850 --> 0:03:45.890 and dishonesty. Islamic fundamentalists around Jenin and Tulkarem are already 0:03:45.890 --> 0:03:50.210 pushing to replace the Palestinian Authority. Israel's wars against Hamas 0:03:50.210 --> 0:03:53.630 and Hezbollah could be replaced with a renewed fight against 0:03:53.630 --> 0:03:57.440 Islamic fundamentalists in the West Bank area, very similar to 0:03:57.470 --> 0:04:01.160 the conflict during the first and second intifadas. Iran has 0:04:01.160 --> 0:04:03.770 already begun trying to stir up trouble in the area, 0:04:03.800 --> 0:04:06.410 as a way of regaining a measure of influence and 0:04:06.410 --> 0:04:09.470 relevance following the defeat of the other members of their 0:04:09.470 --> 0:04:13.280 so-called Axis of Resistance. Israel will be keeping a close 0:04:13.280 --> 0:04:17.000 eye on any upsurge in conflict with the Palestinians, and 0:04:17.000 --> 0:04:18.020 so will we. 0:04:18.050 --> 0:04:20.990 Well, you mentioned in passing the collapse of Syria and 0:04:20.990 --> 0:04:24.109 the setbacks faced by Iran. I'd like to follow up 0:04:24.110 --> 0:04:26.750 on that by asking about both countries, what might be 0:04:26.750 --> 0:04:30.200 in store for Syria, and what about Iran, too? As 0:04:30.200 --> 0:04:33.140 the new year begins, and particularly as a new US 0:04:33.140 --> 0:04:34.640 president takes office? 0:04:34.670 --> 0:04:37.430 Yeah, well, everyone's cheering the fall of the Assad regime 0:04:37.430 --> 0:04:40.490 in Syria. It's still unclear what the government that eventually 0:04:40.490 --> 0:04:43.910 replaces him is going to look like. One real possibility 0:04:43.910 --> 0:04:46.970 is that Syria could develop into civil war with the 0:04:46.970 --> 0:04:51.980 different ethnic and religious groups fighting one another. A second possibility, though, 0:04:52.130 --> 0:04:55.359 is that the rebel jihadist groups, including those aligned with 0:04:55.360 --> 0:04:59.290 the Muslim Brotherhood, Al Qaeda and ISIS, could unite and 0:04:59.290 --> 0:05:03.760 turn Syria into an Islamic fundamentalist state ruled by Sharia law. 0:05:03.790 --> 0:05:07.390 Now that's a very real concern. The third scenario is 0:05:07.390 --> 0:05:09.940 that Turkey will move in to replace Iran as the 0:05:09.940 --> 0:05:13.480 dominant influence in Syria, helping to prop up and maintain 0:05:13.480 --> 0:05:16.870 Syria's new leader. That could also spell trouble for the 0:05:16.870 --> 0:05:20.950 Kurdish groups in Syria. Iran definitely suffered a reversal in 0:05:20.950 --> 0:05:23.169 fortune as the last year drew to a close. They 0:05:23.170 --> 0:05:25.990 lost their main threat to Israel, which were the forces 0:05:25.990 --> 0:05:28.450 of Hezbollah and Lebanon. And that was followed by the 0:05:28.450 --> 0:05:31.750 fall of Syria, which was their main supply route for Hezbollah. 0:05:31.779 --> 0:05:34.390 They were also hoping to use Syria's border with Israel 0:05:34.420 --> 0:05:37.960 to open up still another front similar to that in Lebanon. 0:05:37.990 --> 0:05:41.740 Israel has now made that an impossibility by taking control 0:05:41.740 --> 0:05:44.680 of the area along the border, and by destroying Syria's 0:05:44.680 --> 0:05:49.060 arsenal of weapons. In addition, Israel decimated Iran's and Syria's 0:05:49.060 --> 0:05:52.210 air defenses, leaving Iran open to air attack by Israel 0:05:52.210 --> 0:05:56.170 or the US. Iran's public statements are still full of bravado, 0:05:56.170 --> 0:06:00.700 but privately they're feeling vulnerable. President elect Trump might just 0:06:00.700 --> 0:06:03.070 be the wild card to help keep things from spiraling 0:06:03.070 --> 0:06:06.700 out of control. Iran sees him as unpredictable and as 0:06:06.700 --> 0:06:09.790 someone who's willing to act until Iran knows what his 0:06:09.790 --> 0:06:12.940 goals and his red lines are in the region. They'll 0:06:12.940 --> 0:06:14.469 likely tread lightly. 0:06:14.470 --> 0:06:18.010 If you're joining us midstream, that's Doctor Charlie Dyer, noted 0:06:18.010 --> 0:06:20.890 Middle East expert. I'm John Gager. Taking a look at 0:06:20.890 --> 0:06:23.049 the New Year and what it might just bring in 0:06:23.050 --> 0:06:26.380 the Middle East, an obvious concern as we begin this 0:06:26.380 --> 0:06:30.580 new year remains Iran's nuclear program. Will the New Year 0:06:30.610 --> 0:06:34.000 see a resolution to their nuclear threat, or could this 0:06:34.000 --> 0:06:37.270 be the next major point of conflict? What is the status, though? 0:06:37.360 --> 0:06:41.080 Any impact from the recent Israeli attack? Well, the. 0:06:41.080 --> 0:06:43.900 Reports coming out of that region suggest Iran is now 0:06:43.900 --> 0:06:48.280 racing to increase its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. The 0:06:48.279 --> 0:06:51.070 best guess I've seen is that they've amassed enough uranium 0:06:51.070 --> 0:06:54.029 at that high level to eventually assemble up to 10 0:06:54.029 --> 0:06:58.000 or 12 nuclear devices. However, they've apparently not yet begun 0:06:58.000 --> 0:07:01.599 actually assembling those bombs. Israel and the US both have 0:07:01.600 --> 0:07:04.810 said they won't allow Iran to possess nuclear weapons, so 0:07:04.810 --> 0:07:07.420 it appears something is going to need to happen this year. 0:07:07.420 --> 0:07:11.050 What's not known is how President Trump will handle the situation. 0:07:11.080 --> 0:07:14.260 Having taken the US out of the previous nuclear agreement, 0:07:14.260 --> 0:07:17.560 it's possible he'll seek to replace that with a stronger 0:07:17.560 --> 0:07:20.800 agreement to keep Iran from becoming a nuclear power. It's 0:07:20.800 --> 0:07:24.190 also possible he'll move more forcefully, perhaps with Israel, to 0:07:24.220 --> 0:07:28.150 set back Iran's program by attacking the facilities where uranium 0:07:28.150 --> 0:07:31.900 is being processed. Certainly, a credible threat to eliminate Iran's 0:07:31.900 --> 0:07:35.020 nuclear program could be the incentive needed to get Iran 0:07:35.020 --> 0:07:39.340 to agree to a more realistic treaty. Some dismiss the threat, though, 0:07:39.370 --> 0:07:41.619 of a nuclear Iran, saying even if Iran were to 0:07:41.650 --> 0:07:45.010 possess nuclear weapons, no rational government would ever use them 0:07:45.010 --> 0:07:48.190 because it would assure their own destruction. But that kind 0:07:48.190 --> 0:07:51.040 of an argument ignores the fact that Iran is controlled 0:07:51.040 --> 0:07:54.820 by religious clerics, whose version of reality is shaped by 0:07:54.820 --> 0:07:59.770 Shiite eschatology, which believes a worldwide conflagration is necessary for 0:07:59.770 --> 0:08:03.160 the arrival of the Mahdi, the Islamic messiah. The one 0:08:03.160 --> 0:08:05.410 thing that does seem certain, though this could be the 0:08:05.410 --> 0:08:09.550 year when the future of Iran's nuclear program will get decided. 0:08:09.550 --> 0:08:13.330 Finally, what will the New Year bring in terms of tourism? 0:08:13.330 --> 0:08:16.840 Will Israel finally see a return of tourists in large numbers, 0:08:16.840 --> 0:08:19.330 or will the situation in the Middle East continue to 0:08:19.360 --> 0:08:20.440 keep people away? 0:08:20.470 --> 0:08:22.390 You know, John, I had to guard myself to keep 0:08:22.390 --> 0:08:25.480 from becoming overly optimistic here, but I am excited. I'm 0:08:25.480 --> 0:08:28.750 an optimist in this regard. I do expect tourism to 0:08:28.780 --> 0:08:32.290 start out slowly in 2025, but as people see the 0:08:32.290 --> 0:08:35.530 wars against Hamas and Hezbollah starting to appear in their 0:08:35.530 --> 0:08:38.350 rear view mirror, the pent up demand to visit the 0:08:38.350 --> 0:08:40.870 lands of the Bible is going to. I think once again, 0:08:40.870 --> 0:08:43.630 pick up and look for those tourists to begin in 0:08:43.630 --> 0:08:46.599 the early spring. Now some of these will be smaller groups, 0:08:46.600 --> 0:08:50.260 but the size will gradually increase by the fall. I 0:08:50.260 --> 0:08:53.350 think Israel will see solid numbers of tourists from the U.S. 0:08:53.350 --> 0:08:57.850 traveling there. Those traveling in the spring will experience two realities. 0:08:57.850 --> 0:09:01.060 The first is that all the logistics might still be 0:09:01.059 --> 0:09:05.530 a bit rusty. Hotels, sites, buses, the restaurants, they're going 0:09:05.559 --> 0:09:08.200 to be just coming back online. And some of the 0:09:08.200 --> 0:09:11.200 staff might still be in military service. But on the 0:09:11.200 --> 0:09:14.590 other side of the scale, the sites will be relatively empty. 0:09:14.620 --> 0:09:18.100 There's nothing like having a site all to yourself now. 0:09:18.100 --> 0:09:20.920 As the year goes on and tourism increases, the sites 0:09:20.920 --> 0:09:24.550 will return to a more normal level of tourism. Personally, 0:09:24.550 --> 0:09:27.939 my next trip, John, is in early November. That'll give Israel, 0:09:27.940 --> 0:09:31.060 I hope, enough time to get everything running smoothly while 0:09:31.059 --> 0:09:34.719 still not becoming too crowded. Israel was shut down for 0:09:34.720 --> 0:09:38.110 almost two years because of Covid. They returned to normal, 0:09:38.110 --> 0:09:41.620 only to be shut down again following Hamas's attack back 0:09:41.620 --> 0:09:45.340 in October of 2023. That's created a lot of pent 0:09:45.370 --> 0:09:48.280 up demand for tourism, demand that I think is soon 0:09:48.280 --> 0:09:51.189 going to be unleashed. And when it is, I'm looking 0:09:51.190 --> 0:09:52.870 for a flood of tourists and I think it's going 0:09:52.870 --> 0:09:54.189 to start this year. 0:09:54.220 --> 0:09:57.490 Charlie, how likely is it that in this calendar year, 0:09:57.490 --> 0:10:01.030 the trial against Netanyahu will, one way or another, wrap up? 0:10:01.059 --> 0:10:03.429 You know, they're actually predicting that it won't wrap up 0:10:03.429 --> 0:10:06.730 and it could go on into 2026. And then they 0:10:06.730 --> 0:10:09.790 say even then, there could be appeals to the Supreme Court. 0:10:09.790 --> 0:10:12.400 So it could extend beyond that. It's the trial that 0:10:12.400 --> 0:10:13.570 will never end. 0:10:13.600 --> 0:10:16.420 Well, as we move further into this new year, one 0:10:16.420 --> 0:10:20.170 great resolution you might make is to notify the station 0:10:20.170 --> 0:10:22.630 of your own appreciation for the broadcast. You know, they 0:10:22.630 --> 0:10:25.630 got lots of folks vying for airtime. Other requests. But 0:10:25.630 --> 0:10:28.959 they have kindly made space for this broadcast that you enjoy. 0:10:28.990 --> 0:10:31.990 Why not thank them with a card, a letter, an email, 0:10:31.990 --> 0:10:34.930 a phone call, whatever you might choose. Appreciate your doing 0:10:34.929 --> 0:10:37.990 that on our behalf. And coming up, a great conversation 0:10:37.990 --> 0:10:41.350 about what Gen Z thinks about Israel and how we 0:10:41.350 --> 0:10:44.140 can engage them in a respectful way. Next on the 0:10:44.140 --> 0:11:02.710 land and the book. What does Gen Z think about Israel? 0:11:02.740 --> 0:11:07.780 Born between 1997 and 2012, these Americans have their own 0:11:07.780 --> 0:11:11.560 take on the Arab-Israeli conflict. To them, facts seem to 0:11:11.590 --> 0:11:16.630 matter less than feelings, and their feelings are predominantly anti-Israel. 0:11:16.660 --> 0:11:19.480 Why do they think the way they do? How can 0:11:19.510 --> 0:11:23.200 we engage them in respectful, constructive dialogue? This is the 0:11:23.200 --> 0:11:25.900 land and the book. I'm John Gager, and boy, have 0:11:25.900 --> 0:11:29.260 we got an important conversation ahead. Before we dig in, though, 0:11:29.290 --> 0:11:32.559 let's ask ourselves how we can be more intentional in 0:11:32.559 --> 0:11:36.580 sharing Christ with a Jewish friend or neighbor or coworker. Well, 0:11:36.580 --> 0:11:39.160 there you are. And you have started a friendship with 0:11:39.190 --> 0:11:42.130 a Jewish friend, and you're wondering what's a first step 0:11:42.130 --> 0:11:45.400 in reaching out to them with Messiah Jesus? That's a 0:11:45.420 --> 0:11:47.910 question we'll throw at Eva Radonic. What do you say? 0:11:47.910 --> 0:11:48.480 What's a first. 0:11:48.480 --> 0:11:50.970 Step? I think the first step is to have a 0:11:50.970 --> 0:11:55.860 genuine personal relationship. You know, just to begin communication. And 0:11:55.860 --> 0:11:58.200 I think this is true with non-Jewish people as well 0:11:58.200 --> 0:11:59.880 as Jewish people, that if you want to share the 0:11:59.880 --> 0:12:02.370 person that you love the most in the world with 0:12:02.370 --> 0:12:04.620 a person that you're just getting to know, it has 0:12:04.620 --> 0:12:05.550 to begin with friendship. 0:12:05.550 --> 0:12:08.490 I think of former Moody Bible Institute President Michael Easley. 0:12:08.490 --> 0:12:10.470 He said, for a friendship to develop, you have to 0:12:10.470 --> 0:12:13.800 have two things common interests and time. Yes. 0:12:13.830 --> 0:12:16.740 Got to spend time together. Exactly. Common interest in the time. 0:12:16.740 --> 0:12:18.449 So what you look for are things that you have 0:12:18.450 --> 0:12:21.929 in common. And then look for opportunities to spend time together. 0:12:21.929 --> 0:12:25.770 And as a result of those two elements, then conversation 0:12:25.770 --> 0:12:28.710 will come up. And, you know, prayerfully that conversation can 0:12:28.710 --> 0:12:30.780 be directed toward the Messiah. 0:12:30.809 --> 0:12:32.220 It's interesting what you're saying, because I think a lot 0:12:32.250 --> 0:12:34.589 of times we want to jump right to that conversation 0:12:34.590 --> 0:12:38.010 so quickly, and that might well be ill advised. You're saying, right. 0:12:38.010 --> 0:12:40.949 Because if you go right to the conversation before they're 0:12:40.950 --> 0:12:44.250 ready to hear, the door closes and it's very hard 0:12:44.250 --> 0:12:46.200 to pull that door open once it's shut. 0:12:46.230 --> 0:12:48.929 How to take a good first step? That's Eva Radonich, 0:12:48.960 --> 0:12:51.510 adjunct faculty member at the Moody Bible Institute here on 0:12:51.510 --> 0:12:55.890 the land and the book doctor. Jeff Myers is president 0:12:55.890 --> 0:12:59.520 of Summit Ministries. As an educator, Doctor Myers has become 0:12:59.520 --> 0:13:03.720 one of America's most respected authorities on youth leadership development. 0:13:03.750 --> 0:13:07.410 Through his speaking engagements and media appearances, Doctor Myers has 0:13:07.440 --> 0:13:10.470 become a fresh voice, offering humor and insight from a 0:13:10.470 --> 0:13:16.079 Christian worldview. He's authored 18 books, including Should Christians Support Israel? 0:13:16.080 --> 0:13:18.300 We had him on to talk about that. Jeff and 0:13:18.300 --> 0:13:20.910 his wife Stephanie and their family live in Colorado, and 0:13:20.910 --> 0:13:23.219 we are really glad to connect with you again here 0:13:23.220 --> 0:13:24.870 on the land and the book. Jeff. 0:13:24.870 --> 0:13:26.730 John, I'm looking forward to the conversation. 0:13:26.760 --> 0:13:28.950 All right. Let's begin with a statistical look at the 0:13:28.950 --> 0:13:34.290 problem in a New York Times Siena poll from December. 55% 0:13:34.290 --> 0:13:39.300 of respondents ages 18 to 29 oppose the United States 0:13:39.300 --> 0:13:43.830 sending more aid to Israel, 55%. Another poll from Quinnipiac 0:13:43.860 --> 0:13:48.150 University in November found that 52% of voters under 35 0:13:48.150 --> 0:13:52.290 are more sympathetic to the Palestinians. On TikTok, where half 0:13:52.290 --> 0:13:56.910 the users are under 30. Hashtag Free Palestine has 31 0:13:56.910 --> 0:14:02.819 billion posts, compared to 590 million for hashtag stand with Israel. 0:14:02.850 --> 0:14:06.239 More than 50 times as many. So what are we 0:14:06.270 --> 0:14:08.730 to make of all this? That's our discussion now with 0:14:08.730 --> 0:14:11.880 Doctor Jeff Myers. Jeff is the essential problem that Gen 0:14:11.880 --> 0:14:16.140 Z is less influenced by facts, or that they're believing 0:14:16.140 --> 0:14:18.540 lies that have been sold as facts. 0:14:18.660 --> 0:14:21.690 Those polls you gave are very important. I would add 0:14:21.690 --> 0:14:24.570 one to it. A poll that we did asking Gen 0:14:24.570 --> 0:14:28.260 Z questions about Israel. And I think what we discovered 0:14:28.260 --> 0:14:32.760 in our poll is this Gen Z believes that Israel 0:14:32.760 --> 0:14:36.270 has greater wealth and military power, and by definition, they 0:14:36.270 --> 0:14:40.830 believe that makes their cause against Hamas unjust. So where 0:14:40.830 --> 0:14:44.580 did that idea come from? That Israel is a bully 0:14:44.580 --> 0:14:47.489 and they need to be shut down. Some of it's 0:14:47.490 --> 0:14:50.820 our own parenting. We taught our kids not to be 0:14:50.820 --> 0:14:54.750 bullies and to stand against bullies. We didn't realize, though, 0:14:54.780 --> 0:14:58.770 how the education system and social media platforms like TikTok, 0:14:58.770 --> 0:15:03.060 where 40% of Gen Z gets their news, weaponize that 0:15:03.060 --> 0:15:07.950 and turn it into an oppressor versus oppressed narrative that 0:15:07.950 --> 0:15:10.410 fits into a radical agenda. 0:15:10.440 --> 0:15:13.170 So what are some other myths that, or maybe half 0:15:13.200 --> 0:15:15.480 truths that Gen Z has bought into? 0:15:15.540 --> 0:15:19.710 One big question was the question of proportionality. If Israel 0:15:19.710 --> 0:15:23.820 has greater military power and their actions against Hamas are 0:15:23.820 --> 0:15:28.650 blistering and affecting civilians, is that a proportional response to 0:15:28.680 --> 0:15:34.020 the October 7th massacre, in which 1200 Israelis were killed, 0:15:34.020 --> 0:15:39.600 raped and mutilated and 254 more taken hostage? And I 0:15:39.600 --> 0:15:42.810 think what I realized along the way is that proportionality 0:15:42.810 --> 0:15:45.780 is based on the threat, not based on the number 0:15:45.780 --> 0:15:48.630 of deaths. A war is not an eye for an 0:15:48.630 --> 0:15:52.740 eye situation. A war is trying to eliminate the source 0:15:52.740 --> 0:15:57.000 of some evil. So the alternative to a just peace 0:15:57.030 --> 0:16:01.230 is a shameful peace. And Israel, clearly in this situation, 0:16:01.260 --> 0:16:04.020 after having put up with groups like Hamas and their 0:16:04.020 --> 0:16:08.040 attacks on Israeli civilians for decades, decided that's no longer 0:16:08.040 --> 0:16:10.050 an option, that they have to go to the source 0:16:10.050 --> 0:16:13.080 and eliminate the problem. And what I further discovered, John, 0:16:13.080 --> 0:16:17.400 is that Israel has done more in this current war 0:16:17.400 --> 0:16:22.770 to limit noncombatant casualties than any other army in history. 0:16:22.770 --> 0:16:26.160 That's the conclusion of John Spencer, who is America's leading 0:16:26.160 --> 0:16:30.270 expert on protecting noncombatants in the time of war. So 0:16:30.270 --> 0:16:34.290 the situation immediately became much more complicated than what's being 0:16:34.290 --> 0:16:37.740 presented in social media, just by looking at those facts 0:16:37.740 --> 0:16:38.580 on the ground. 0:16:38.610 --> 0:16:41.280 This is the Land and the book. Segment two. I'm 0:16:41.280 --> 0:16:44.610 John Gager, joined today by Doctor Jeff Myers, president of 0:16:44.610 --> 0:16:48.660 Summit Ministries. You've invested hour after hour in conversations with 0:16:48.660 --> 0:16:52.229 Gen Z. I'm curious, what is their response when you 0:16:52.230 --> 0:16:55.050 present them with historical objective truth? 0:16:55.080 --> 0:16:58.470 You know, John, the young adults I've talked to and 0:16:58.470 --> 0:17:02.100 it's been more than a thousand this summer in an 0:17:02.100 --> 0:17:06.330 hour long Q&A dialogues, I think, when they hear the truth. 0:17:06.359 --> 0:17:08.909 A couple of things come into their mind. One is, 0:17:08.910 --> 0:17:11.879 why haven't we heard this? Can this really be true? 0:17:11.880 --> 0:17:14.820 Because this is different than anything that we have heard 0:17:14.820 --> 0:17:18.900 in our TikTok feed or anyplace else. And the second 0:17:18.900 --> 0:17:22.200 one is, okay, so Israel is doing what it has 0:17:22.200 --> 0:17:26.940 to do. We understand that. But how does that affect Americans? 0:17:26.970 --> 0:17:31.230 Why should Americans in general care? And why should Christians 0:17:31.230 --> 0:17:36.450 in particular care about this? Israel is one of 193 0:17:36.450 --> 0:17:39.810 nations in the world. Why should that get our special attention? 0:17:39.810 --> 0:17:42.360 I would say those are the dominant questions. 0:17:42.359 --> 0:17:46.230 What does Gen Z really believe about Israel and why? 0:17:46.230 --> 0:17:48.900 That's at the heart of today's conversation on the land 0:17:48.900 --> 0:17:53.430 and the book with Doctor Jeff Myers, president of Summit Ministries. Hey, Jeff, 0:17:53.430 --> 0:17:56.220 if Gen Z is as cause oriented as we've been told, 0:17:56.220 --> 0:17:58.469 why is it such a stretch for most of them 0:17:58.470 --> 0:18:02.190 to see Israel surrounded by hostile neighbors, determined to wipe 0:18:02.190 --> 0:18:05.399 out their existence as a cause to get behind? 0:18:05.430 --> 0:18:08.700 John? There's only one answer to that question. Israel is 0:18:08.700 --> 0:18:13.320 supported by America, and Gen Z doesn't like America. I 0:18:13.320 --> 0:18:17.979 know that sounds crazy, but people in my generation, 65 0:18:17.980 --> 0:18:21.869 to 70% say they are happy to live in the 0:18:21.869 --> 0:18:24.030 United States. Do you know what the figure is for 0:18:24.030 --> 0:18:29.580 Gen Z? 16%. Virtually all Gen Z young people think 0:18:29.580 --> 0:18:32.760 that America is largely a force for evil than for 0:18:32.760 --> 0:18:35.820 good in the world. So they think that making moral 0:18:35.820 --> 0:18:40.379 decisions about foreign policy issues just involves following the money. 0:18:40.410 --> 0:18:44.070 Who is America supporting? And then that's probably bad. 0:18:44.100 --> 0:18:46.440 Well, how is that countered then? I mean, it's such 0:18:46.470 --> 0:18:48.690 a distant thought from where most of us are. 0:18:48.720 --> 0:18:52.080 I think if we acknowledge to young adults that the 0:18:52.080 --> 0:18:56.490 political rhetoric can be extreme sometimes and that people say 0:18:56.490 --> 0:18:59.370 criticisms of the United States from the left and from 0:18:59.369 --> 0:19:01.740 the right, but all of those things are for the 0:19:01.740 --> 0:19:05.370 purpose of making a better nation, not for the purpose 0:19:05.369 --> 0:19:08.940 of tearing America down. And if they were to understand 0:19:08.940 --> 0:19:12.720 that and recognize that, you know what being an adult means, 0:19:12.720 --> 0:19:15.060 that you have to engage in the dialogue. You have 0:19:15.060 --> 0:19:18.480 to sort through the different messages. Just because somebody says 0:19:18.480 --> 0:19:21.930 something on television doesn't mean it's true. Just because somebody 0:19:21.930 --> 0:19:24.540 says something on TikTok doesn't mean it's true. Just because 0:19:24.540 --> 0:19:27.840 it rings true to you doesn't mean that it's true. 0:19:27.869 --> 0:19:30.510 You have to search out the truth. Yeah. 0:19:30.540 --> 0:19:33.869 Well, how can we answer the widespread Gen Z charge 0:19:33.869 --> 0:19:37.550 that Israel's war action in Gaza is genocide. Boy, you 0:19:37.580 --> 0:19:38.660 hear a lot of that. 0:19:38.690 --> 0:19:41.480 You do hear a lot of that. And genocide means 0:19:41.480 --> 0:19:44.690 the intentional elimination of a people group as a group. 0:19:44.720 --> 0:19:48.350 And if you look at what's happened in Gaza, you 0:19:48.350 --> 0:19:51.530 don't see that Israel is doing that. Typically, in an 0:19:51.530 --> 0:19:56.450 urban warfare situation, nine civilians or non-combatants are killed. For 0:19:56.450 --> 0:20:00.440 every combatant killed in this current situation, it's about 1 0:20:00.440 --> 0:20:04.280 to 1. It's terrible when non-combatants die in a time 0:20:04.280 --> 0:20:06.920 of war. It's terrible when their homes get destroyed. It's 0:20:06.920 --> 0:20:10.580 terrible when they are displaced. But that in and of 0:20:10.580 --> 0:20:13.669 itself does not mean that it's genocidal. In fact, a 0:20:13.670 --> 0:20:16.850 new report that's come out said that 80% of those 0:20:16.850 --> 0:20:20.149 who are killed in Gaza are the terrorists themselves and 0:20:20.150 --> 0:20:24.020 their families who they are hiding behind, so that when 0:20:24.050 --> 0:20:27.980 Israel attacks, non-combatants will be killed and will be considered 0:20:27.980 --> 0:20:31.880 to be martyrs as kind of a perverse moral justification 0:20:31.880 --> 0:20:32.960 of the cause. 0:20:32.990 --> 0:20:35.210 Today, on the land and the book A visit with 0:20:35.210 --> 0:20:37.970 Doctor Jeff Myers of Summit Ministries. We're talking about what 0:20:38.000 --> 0:20:41.990 Gen Z really believes about Israel and why. Obviously, Jeff, 0:20:41.990 --> 0:20:44.900 there's a strong biblical case for Christians to support Israel. 0:20:44.900 --> 0:20:47.750 But what about secular America? On what grounds do we 0:20:47.750 --> 0:20:49.760 build a case for their support? 0:20:49.790 --> 0:20:53.240 Israel is a different situation in its international support than 0:20:53.240 --> 0:20:56.060 other nations of the world, for a number of reasons. 0:20:56.090 --> 0:20:59.000 First of all, Israel is kind of an outpost for 0:20:59.000 --> 0:21:01.520 the United States of America in the Middle East. It 0:21:01.520 --> 0:21:03.950 gives us a way to be involved in what's happening 0:21:03.950 --> 0:21:06.980 in that important region of the world, through a country 0:21:06.980 --> 0:21:11.000 that is democratic, the only democratic country in that region. 0:21:11.150 --> 0:21:15.500 I think a second reason all Americans should be interested 0:21:15.500 --> 0:21:19.790 in this is that Israel has a tremendous positive impact 0:21:19.790 --> 0:21:24.140 on our own American economy. We're talking about $50 billion 0:21:24.170 --> 0:21:28.550 a year in international trade and tens of thousands. I 0:21:28.550 --> 0:21:30.980 can't give an actual calculation. I don't know what it is, 0:21:30.980 --> 0:21:33.110 but I know it's at least tens of thousands of 0:21:33.109 --> 0:21:35.750 people in the United States of America have their jobs 0:21:35.750 --> 0:21:38.869 because of working with Israeli companies. And a lot of 0:21:38.869 --> 0:21:43.489 people don't know this, but there are 2500 American companies 0:21:43.490 --> 0:21:47.180 that have research and development or other similar kinds of 0:21:47.180 --> 0:21:51.229 offices in Israel. So these two nations are intertwined in 0:21:51.230 --> 0:21:54.890 a significant way. I would stress, though, this does not 0:21:54.890 --> 0:21:57.980 mean that any given American should feel that they have 0:21:57.980 --> 0:22:00.800 to put their stamp of approval on every action taken 0:22:00.800 --> 0:22:04.010 by the Israeli government. I am a proud American, but 0:22:04.010 --> 0:22:06.980 I do not put my stamp of approval on everything 0:22:06.980 --> 0:22:10.340 the government in power does. We shouldn't expect that we 0:22:10.340 --> 0:22:12.649 have to do that with Israel as well. But to 0:22:12.680 --> 0:22:16.550 recognize that our relationship with Israel is unique. This is 0:22:16.550 --> 0:22:19.730 not a case of us just flushing billions of dollars 0:22:19.730 --> 0:22:22.760 into a hole and having no idea what's ever going 0:22:22.760 --> 0:22:26.389 to happen to it. This is actually a legitimate partnership, 0:22:26.390 --> 0:22:28.580 and it's important. I think, you know, I know some 0:22:28.580 --> 0:22:31.790 people think they say, well, it's America first. And what 0:22:31.790 --> 0:22:34.939 they really mean by that is America only. But no 0:22:34.940 --> 0:22:37.820 nation in the world has ever been able to survive 0:22:37.820 --> 0:22:41.389 and thrive unless it has allies. In fact, if you 0:22:41.390 --> 0:22:45.020 look at the major cities that were attacked throughout history. 0:22:45.050 --> 0:22:48.560 Victor Davis Hanson discusses this in a recent book. They 0:22:48.560 --> 0:22:53.180 all failed because they lost their relationships with allies around 0:22:53.180 --> 0:22:56.570 them who could come and help them in their time 0:22:56.570 --> 0:22:57.350 of need. 0:22:57.380 --> 0:22:59.959 So, Jeff, take this home. You know, we're having a 0:22:59.960 --> 0:23:03.200 conversation in our home with some Gen Z folks. How 0:23:03.200 --> 0:23:05.510 in the world do we steer that dialogue in a 0:23:05.510 --> 0:23:09.740 respectful tone that is also full of truth? And, I 0:23:09.740 --> 0:23:12.230 don't know, a biblical perspective? How do we do that? 0:23:12.260 --> 0:23:15.230 I think the first thing is, John, to ask young 0:23:15.230 --> 0:23:18.860 adults to query where their information comes from. I can 0:23:18.859 --> 0:23:22.460 just look at a picture of one of the anti-Israel rallies. 0:23:22.460 --> 0:23:24.919 I can look at the signs. At the bottom of 0:23:24.920 --> 0:23:28.700 the signs is the website for the organization sponsoring the rally. 0:23:28.730 --> 0:23:31.669 In many cases, it's has been the Socialist Worker Party. 0:23:31.700 --> 0:23:34.010 If you go to their website, you realize they are 0:23:34.010 --> 0:23:37.580 hard left Marxists. They're actually communists. Now, this is not 0:23:37.580 --> 0:23:41.060 an accusation. They're admitting this. So asking where does that 0:23:41.060 --> 0:23:44.270 information come from? What is the motivation of the person 0:23:44.270 --> 0:23:47.210 who's giving that information? The second thing, John, is to 0:23:47.240 --> 0:23:50.450 give facts. We found that if you would simply give 0:23:50.450 --> 0:23:53.270 a fact to a young adult, that it would change 0:23:53.270 --> 0:23:56.240 their mind. For instance, we asked a question in one 0:23:56.240 --> 0:23:58.160 of our polls, what about the fact that Israel has 0:23:58.160 --> 0:24:00.950 greater wealth and military power? Does that make its military 0:24:00.980 --> 0:24:05.240 campaign against Hamas unjust? And almost half of young adults said, yes. 0:24:05.240 --> 0:24:08.510 But then we asked this. Hamas leaders have become wealthy 0:24:08.510 --> 0:24:13.159 by skimming international aid designated for Palestinians. Do such actions 0:24:13.160 --> 0:24:16.160 on the part of Hamas leaders make their cause unjust? 0:24:16.160 --> 0:24:21.410 And 57% said yes and 23% said not sure. So 0:24:21.410 --> 0:24:24.590 literally half of them changed their minds just with the 0:24:24.590 --> 0:24:28.100 presentation of one simple fact. And then the third thing 0:24:28.100 --> 0:24:30.709 is just ask questions. If you aren't sure what the 0:24:30.710 --> 0:24:33.530 facts are in the situation, then you can just ask 0:24:33.530 --> 0:24:36.710 questions like how did you arrive at that conclusion? How 0:24:36.710 --> 0:24:39.710 do you know it's true? I would say, John, the 0:24:39.710 --> 0:24:42.800 trickier thing is when young adults feel they don't want 0:24:42.830 --> 0:24:45.140 to talk about this at all because they think their 0:24:45.140 --> 0:24:48.530 parents might be fascists or whatever, but you can still 0:24:48.530 --> 0:24:51.050 address that. You can say, it sounds like we have 0:24:51.050 --> 0:24:53.869 a significant disagreement, and I know it might take time 0:24:53.869 --> 0:24:56.869 to work through, but I believe if we talk about it, 0:24:56.900 --> 0:24:59.210 we can come closer to the truth. How do you 0:24:59.210 --> 0:25:02.540 see it? Questions like that can open up the conversation 0:25:02.540 --> 0:25:03.890 rather than shut it down. 0:25:03.920 --> 0:25:04.430 Yeah. 0:25:04.700 --> 0:25:08.420 Jeff, we briefly touched on your book, Should Christians support Israel? 0:25:08.420 --> 0:25:10.760 You've got a special offer. What is that offer? 0:25:10.790 --> 0:25:13.610 I've written a book called Should Christians Support Israel that 0:25:13.609 --> 0:25:17.450 I'm making available to anyone who's listening to this program 0:25:17.450 --> 0:25:21.920 for free? Just go to summit.org/israel. It's a short book, 0:25:21.950 --> 0:25:25.250 just 120 pages, but it has 200 pieces of documentation 0:25:25.250 --> 0:25:27.139 on all the things we've just talked about. 0:25:27.140 --> 0:25:30.030 Well, that sounds good again, that website one more time Jeff. 0:25:30.030 --> 0:25:32.609 Summit.org/israel. 0:25:32.609 --> 0:25:34.380 And we'll put a link to that at our website. 0:25:34.410 --> 0:25:39.000 The land and the book.org. Well lots to think about 0:25:39.000 --> 0:25:42.510 and we sure appreciate your perspectives, Jeff. Doctor Jeff Myers 0:25:42.510 --> 0:25:45.270 of Summit Ministries joining us today on the land and 0:25:45.270 --> 0:25:48.690 the book. Look forward to another conversation. Jeff. Thank you John. 0:25:48.720 --> 0:25:51.359 Coming up, I'm looking forward to another great segment of 0:25:51.359 --> 0:25:54.240 Bible questions. Maybe one of them is yours here on 0:25:54.240 --> 0:26:08.760 the land and the book. Welcome back to segment three 0:26:08.760 --> 0:26:11.760 of The land and the book, which means it's time 0:26:11.760 --> 0:26:14.850 for this week's look at your Bible questions. Hi, I'm 0:26:14.850 --> 0:26:17.310 John Geiger with our host, Charlie Dyer, and we've got 0:26:17.310 --> 0:26:19.409 some great news we want to share with you somebody 0:26:19.410 --> 0:26:22.710 you've got to meet first, though, ask yourself, what does 0:26:22.710 --> 0:26:26.990 Passover mean for us as believers in Jesus. Some might 0:26:26.990 --> 0:26:29.030 remember the story from the book of Exodus, but there's 0:26:29.030 --> 0:26:31.699 so much more to it. Did you know that the 0:26:31.700 --> 0:26:35.210 Last Supper was actually a Passover meal? Not only did 0:26:35.210 --> 0:26:39.170 Jesus and his disciples celebrate Passover, it also foreshadowed his 0:26:39.170 --> 0:26:41.300 death on the cross for our redemption. 0:26:41.330 --> 0:26:44.990 Jewish people have been keeping the Passover for thousands of years. 0:26:45.080 --> 0:26:48.320 Understanding the history and importance of this holiday will help 0:26:48.320 --> 0:26:51.320 you better connect with your Jewish friends and neighbors. And 0:26:51.320 --> 0:26:54.080 what better way is there to learn about Passover than 0:26:54.080 --> 0:26:59.090 to experience a Passover Seder yourself? If you've never celebrated Passover? 0:26:59.119 --> 0:27:01.699 Our friends at Life in Messiah would love to partner 0:27:01.700 --> 0:27:05.360 with you in hosting a Seder experience. Every year, their 0:27:05.359 --> 0:27:09.500 staff engage churches and small groups in an interactive Messiah 0:27:09.500 --> 0:27:13.610 in the Passover Seder, allowing participants to taste and see 0:27:13.609 --> 0:27:17.330 the redemption story. If you're interested in having someone come 0:27:17.359 --> 0:27:20.420 lead a Seder in your area, visit Life and Messiah 0:27:20.600 --> 0:27:22.939 org and click on the Moody Radio button there to 0:27:22.970 --> 0:27:26.540 learn more. That's life in Messiah. Org. 0:27:26.780 --> 0:27:28.880 Well, Charlie, we've got an introduction we want to make, 0:27:28.880 --> 0:27:32.060 but first, help us understand the background on what's happening 0:27:32.060 --> 0:27:34.730 with this segment of the land and the book. Segment three. 0:27:34.760 --> 0:27:37.100 Yeah, John, we've been working together on land in the 0:27:37.100 --> 0:27:39.890 book for over 14 years, and I've loved every minute 0:27:39.920 --> 0:27:42.590 of it. Now, along the way, we've made tweaks and changes, 0:27:42.590 --> 0:27:45.020 which I think have helped make the program even better, 0:27:45.020 --> 0:27:48.109 like having you find and interview all our guests. You 0:27:48.140 --> 0:27:51.290 made that segment really shine, and I'm excited to announce 0:27:51.290 --> 0:27:54.080 another change we're making at the start of this new year. 0:27:54.080 --> 0:27:56.720 For most of our time on the air, though not all, 0:27:56.720 --> 0:27:59.449 I've been answering the Bible questions people write in with. 0:27:59.450 --> 0:28:02.810 But starting today, we're inviting in another friend and colleague 0:28:02.810 --> 0:28:05.600 to host this segment. I need to add right now, 0:28:05.600 --> 0:28:09.109 I'm not leaving the program. I'll still be here each week. Okay, 0:28:09.140 --> 0:28:10.879 but I want to focus on the current events at 0:28:10.880 --> 0:28:14.180 the beginning of the program and the devotional at the end. 0:28:14.180 --> 0:28:16.220 With everything going on in the Middle East, I want 0:28:16.250 --> 0:28:19.550 to spend as much time as possible focusing on the land. 0:28:19.580 --> 0:28:22.550 That's the first segment and the book, our devotional at 0:28:22.550 --> 0:28:25.720 the end. And that still means I'll be here every week. 0:28:25.720 --> 0:28:28.359 Well, we're relieved for that, Charlie, thank you for clarifying. 0:28:28.359 --> 0:28:31.420 So you're not leaving with that as important background, though, 0:28:31.450 --> 0:28:35.080 let's meet the guy who will be handling our listener questions. Charlie, 0:28:35.080 --> 0:28:38.050 he's no stranger to you because he joined the faculty 0:28:38.050 --> 0:28:40.810 when you were still provost of Moody Bible Institute. 0:28:40.840 --> 0:28:43.540 Yeah. That's true. I love Jerry Peterman, but let me 0:28:43.540 --> 0:28:45.970 get academic here and do a proper introduction. All right. 0:28:46.000 --> 0:28:50.050 Doctor Gerald Peterman has been on Moody's faculty since 2002. 0:28:50.080 --> 0:28:53.110 He's a Bible professor at Moody Bible Institute and the 0:28:53.110 --> 0:28:56.530 director of the Biblical and Theological Studies program at Moody 0:28:56.560 --> 0:29:00.130 Theological Seminary. Before coming to Moody, he taught at Palm 0:29:00.130 --> 0:29:03.490 Beach Atlantic College in West Palm Beach, Florida, spent four 0:29:03.520 --> 0:29:06.820 and a half years doing church planting in Florida and Iowa, 0:29:06.820 --> 0:29:09.730 and also served eight years in the Air National Guard 0:29:09.730 --> 0:29:10.750 as a chaplain. 0:29:10.750 --> 0:29:14.290 Doctor Peterman has written Joy and Tears The Emotional Life 0:29:14.290 --> 0:29:18.400 of the Christian also Between Pain and Grace A Biblical 0:29:18.400 --> 0:29:21.490 Theology of Suffering, co-authored with Andrew Schmutzer. 0:29:21.520 --> 0:29:23.530 You know, my best memory of Jerry is a trip 0:29:23.530 --> 0:29:25.630 we were on together in Israel. But I can tell 0:29:25.630 --> 0:29:29.290 you I appreciate his kindness, his humor, and his ability 0:29:29.290 --> 0:29:30.700 to communicate God's Word. 0:29:30.700 --> 0:29:32.380 So with that said, we got to say welcome to 0:29:32.410 --> 0:29:33.340 Jerry Peterman. 0:29:33.370 --> 0:29:35.680 Well thank you. It's a pleasure to be here. I 0:29:35.680 --> 0:29:37.360 don't deserve that introduction. 0:29:37.900 --> 0:29:40.750 We're waiting to see you walk on water, Jerry. But okay. 0:29:41.230 --> 0:29:42.040 Me too. 0:29:42.760 --> 0:29:45.070 So, you know, we haven't talked about yet is your family. 0:29:45.070 --> 0:29:46.209 Tell us about your family. 0:29:46.240 --> 0:29:49.120 Oh, wow. I've been married to my delightful wife, Margie, 0:29:49.150 --> 0:29:52.360 for a little over 40 years. Uh, we were married 0:29:52.360 --> 0:29:56.500 in 1984. I've got two daughters who are beautiful and intelligent, 0:29:56.530 --> 0:30:00.430 which means, obviously, they take after their mother. And from 0:30:00.430 --> 0:30:05.320 our oldest daughter, Bethany, we have our two granddaughters who 0:30:05.320 --> 0:30:10.060 are Victoria and Season. They live in California, sadly, with 0:30:10.060 --> 0:30:12.370 their mom and dad. So yeah, there are a lot 0:30:12.400 --> 0:30:14.290 of fun. I got I got to spend some time 0:30:14.290 --> 0:30:15.430 with them two weeks ago. 0:30:15.460 --> 0:30:19.300 Oh that's neat. Now, I understand that you like bicycling, reading, 0:30:19.300 --> 0:30:23.440 home improvement, and any opportunity to show hospitality. I bet 0:30:23.440 --> 0:30:25.780 you've got some hospitality stories in the background. 0:30:25.870 --> 0:30:28.270 Oh, well, thanks be to God. Um, Marge and I 0:30:28.300 --> 0:30:30.940 have been able to have moody students over twice a year, 0:30:30.940 --> 0:30:33.580 almost every year. So how many students have come through 0:30:33.580 --> 0:30:36.700 our house? Hundreds. Huh. So it's so much fun to 0:30:36.730 --> 0:30:38.560 just hang out with them on the deck and, you know, 0:30:38.590 --> 0:30:42.010 drink some coffee and have a hamburger and just talk really, 0:30:42.010 --> 0:30:42.880 really good time. 0:30:42.910 --> 0:30:45.220 Well, I hope all your listeners can see why we're 0:30:45.220 --> 0:30:48.130 so enthused about having Jerry Peterman join the team. So 0:30:48.130 --> 0:30:50.230 let me step back, John, and just have you guys 0:30:50.230 --> 0:30:52.870 dig into today's listener questions. We'll start with. 0:30:52.870 --> 0:30:55.660 A question from Jackie who takes us to revelation chapter 0:30:55.660 --> 0:30:59.140 two verse 17. Why do we receive a name that 0:30:59.140 --> 0:31:01.870 no one knows except the one who receives it? What's 0:31:01.870 --> 0:31:03.940 the point of having a name that nobody knows? 0:31:03.970 --> 0:31:07.630 I appreciate Jackie's question. I mean, what's the point? If 0:31:07.630 --> 0:31:10.360 we go back to Scripture, Old Testament, New Testament, we 0:31:10.390 --> 0:31:13.990 find out that in a name you discern the character 0:31:13.990 --> 0:31:17.620 of the individual in a name, you discern the authority 0:31:17.620 --> 0:31:21.280 of the individual. So when talking to Moses, our Lord says, 0:31:21.430 --> 0:31:24.580 Exodus 34, I will proclaim my name. And then what 0:31:24.580 --> 0:31:27.640 does he say? I'm I'm patient. I'm long suffering. I'm 0:31:27.640 --> 0:31:30.160 slow to anger. I'm rich in kindness. So this is 0:31:30.160 --> 0:31:34.990 about his character. So Jesus will give us this white stone. 0:31:35.020 --> 0:31:38.530 It's something precious just for us, with a secret between 0:31:38.530 --> 0:31:41.440 him and us, really, where he affirms us. 0:31:41.470 --> 0:31:43.210 Custom made. It's like custom bespoke. 0:31:43.240 --> 0:31:45.910 Yeah. It's like it's just. It's just for me. 0:31:46.030 --> 0:31:48.850 And so I think that name is a reflection of 0:31:48.850 --> 0:31:52.600 his appreciation for us and the intimacy between us. Hey, 0:31:52.600 --> 0:31:54.490 this is this is just for you and me. I'm 0:31:54.520 --> 0:31:58.810 talking about who you are as my disciple. And I 0:31:58.810 --> 0:32:02.620 think that name also is kind of reflects the authority 0:32:02.650 --> 0:32:06.250 we have under Christ to work on his behalf, to 0:32:06.280 --> 0:32:09.700 act in his name. So I think it's both a 0:32:09.700 --> 0:32:13.210 symbol of our relationship, as well as an indication of 0:32:13.240 --> 0:32:16.720 the authority we have through Christ. Because can you believe it? 0:32:16.720 --> 0:32:21.250 That is, Jesus works through us to spread his gospel. 0:32:21.280 --> 0:32:25.120 Jesus works through us to bring people forgiveness. And so 0:32:25.120 --> 0:32:27.760 that's that's part of the authority we have by being 0:32:27.760 --> 0:32:29.350 given this name from Christ. 0:32:29.380 --> 0:32:32.680 Another revelation question, this one in chapter three, verse 14, 0:32:32.710 --> 0:32:36.340 where Jesus is referred to as the Amen. If Amen 0:32:36.340 --> 0:32:39.430 means I agree with God, this listener wants to know 0:32:39.460 --> 0:32:42.370 is this name saying Jesus agrees with God that he 0:32:42.370 --> 0:32:44.770 obeys God or that he is God? 0:32:45.250 --> 0:32:49.510 I really appreciate that too. It's true. Amen. Has a 0:32:49.510 --> 0:32:52.720 sense of I affirm that. I agree with that. So 0:32:52.720 --> 0:32:57.040 what is going on when our Lord is called the Amen? 0:32:57.040 --> 0:33:01.480 That is through Jesus our Lord. God accomplishes his plan. 0:33:01.480 --> 0:33:07.090 That is all the promises of God are yes, in Jesus. 0:33:07.090 --> 0:33:09.760 And so that's what an amen is. It's a yes. 0:33:09.760 --> 0:33:14.140 So Jesus the son is the one who affirms and 0:33:14.170 --> 0:33:17.920 is affirmed by God with this. Amen. Would it go 0:33:17.920 --> 0:33:21.760 to this passage where the question is he's called the Amen. 0:33:21.790 --> 0:33:26.500 He's called the faithful true witness. He's called the ruler 0:33:26.500 --> 0:33:30.820 of God's creation. That is, the Lord is working through 0:33:30.850 --> 0:33:34.360 him and accomplishing his purposes, giving the yes to all 0:33:34.360 --> 0:33:35.620 the promises of God. 0:33:35.650 --> 0:33:38.710 You're listening to the land and the book doctor Jerry Peterman, 0:33:38.710 --> 0:33:41.080 answering your questions. We'll share how you can get yours 0:33:41.110 --> 0:33:44.620 to him later in the broadcast. Uh, this listener wants 0:33:44.620 --> 0:33:47.470 to know, is there a book or reference that has 0:33:47.470 --> 0:33:51.610 writings or biographies of the first Christians after the apostles 0:33:51.610 --> 0:33:54.940 like Irenaeus and Polycarp and so on? I was never 0:33:54.940 --> 0:33:56.770 taught church history growing up, but I'd like to learn 0:33:56.770 --> 0:33:58.600 more about these early church leaders. 0:33:58.630 --> 0:34:01.330 Yes, and that's a wonderful place for us to go 0:34:01.330 --> 0:34:03.490 to learn about the lives of saints from the past. 0:34:03.490 --> 0:34:06.340 So there are a couple of places to go. One 0:34:06.340 --> 0:34:11.259 title is called The Apostolic Fathers in English by Rick Brannon, 0:34:11.260 --> 0:34:15.460 Lexham Press. All right. Apostolic Fathers in English, Rick Brannon, 0:34:15.460 --> 0:34:18.219 Lexham press. And if you have Logos Bible software, this 0:34:18.219 --> 0:34:20.290 book is already going to be in there. Another one 0:34:20.290 --> 0:34:23.140 I can highly recommend getting to know the Church Fathers 0:34:23.140 --> 0:34:27.610 and Evangelical Introduction by Brian Litfin. Now, Brian Litfin taught 0:34:27.610 --> 0:34:29.890 for many years at Moody. He's a wonderful guy, by 0:34:29.890 --> 0:34:32.650 the way. I really appreciate his work. And that book 0:34:32.650 --> 0:34:35.140 is also available on Kindle and on paperback. 0:34:35.320 --> 0:34:38.560 Paul asks on Sunday, a woman wanted to know the 0:34:38.590 --> 0:34:41.770 ancestry of the Palestinian people, as well as the history 0:34:41.770 --> 0:34:45.280 of the Jewish Palestinian conflict. Do you have any suggestions? 0:34:45.310 --> 0:34:48.669 Oh, yes. This is this is something that Charlie Dyer 0:34:48.700 --> 0:34:51.610 knows a lot about. So I'm going to recommend you 0:34:51.640 --> 0:34:54.520 connect with him. Here's how you can do it. Charlie 0:34:54.520 --> 0:34:57.730 talked about this subject on this program back in October, 0:34:57.760 --> 0:35:02.290 October 5th, and that program is still available on the 0:35:02.290 --> 0:35:05.770 land and the book.org. So you can just go there, 0:35:05.800 --> 0:35:08.259 go under what's on air and look at the tab 0:35:08.260 --> 0:35:13.839 for October 5th, 2024. And at the 18 minute 32nd mark, 0:35:13.870 --> 0:35:16.440 John and Charlie are talking about this question and you'll 0:35:16.440 --> 0:35:19.020 get some answers there. Another place You Can Go is 0:35:19.020 --> 0:35:23.250 Charlie's recently released book by Moody Press in October of 0:35:23.250 --> 0:35:27.300 this year called Who Owns the Land? And you'll get 0:35:27.300 --> 0:35:29.430 a lot more than just the answer to this question 0:35:29.430 --> 0:35:30.420 from that book. 0:35:30.450 --> 0:35:32.460 Okay, check it out at The Land and the book. 0:35:32.700 --> 0:35:36.299 Org and again, Charlie's book is titled Who Owns the Land? 0:35:36.480 --> 0:35:39.150 Chris says, I have a question about how many temples 0:35:39.150 --> 0:35:42.779 have been in Jerusalem. Solomon built the first. The second 0:35:42.780 --> 0:35:45.779 was built in Nehemiah and Ezra's time, and the third 0:35:45.780 --> 0:35:48.870 will be built sometime in the future. So my question is, 0:35:48.870 --> 0:35:51.630 in Jesus day, why was it called Herod's Temple? Did 0:35:51.630 --> 0:35:55.230 he rebuild, remodel, or just claim the Second Temple is his? 0:35:55.260 --> 0:35:57.989 Great. We've got two questions here. First question. There has 0:35:57.989 --> 0:36:01.859 been two temples, one under Solomon, destroyed in 586 BC, 0:36:01.980 --> 0:36:06.870 and another rebuilt under Zerubbabel with Haggai and Zechariah's input. 0:36:07.020 --> 0:36:10.440 That was the middle of the sixth century, and that 0:36:10.440 --> 0:36:15.750 Second temple was kind of refurbished by Herod, significantly refurbished 0:36:15.750 --> 0:36:18.750 by Herod, which is why it's called Herod's Temple. So 0:36:18.750 --> 0:36:21.720 Herod's temple is the second temple. 0:36:21.750 --> 0:36:24.810 All right, Chris, I hope that clears things up for you. 0:36:24.810 --> 0:36:26.850 And as you listen, if you've got a question you'd 0:36:26.850 --> 0:36:29.100 like to send to us, you need to know we'd 0:36:29.100 --> 0:36:32.279 welcome that any old time. Just email us at The 0:36:32.280 --> 0:36:39.420 Land and the book@moody.edu. That's the land and the book@moody.edu. Now, 0:36:39.420 --> 0:36:42.390 as we move into this new year, two great ideas 0:36:42.390 --> 0:36:45.210 for a great start. First, connect with the station. Would 0:36:45.210 --> 0:36:48.060 you and thank them for airing the land and the book? 0:36:48.060 --> 0:36:51.089 So many other programs are vying for their attention, so 0:36:51.090 --> 0:36:54.480 thank them for carrying the land and the book. Secondly, 0:36:54.480 --> 0:36:56.910 would you email us and share how God has used 0:36:56.910 --> 0:36:59.219 the land and the book in your life? I'd love 0:36:59.219 --> 0:37:03.180 to hear from you at the land and the book@moody.edu. 0:37:03.210 --> 0:37:08.430 That's the land and the book at Moody Edu Charlie's devotional. Next. 0:37:21.060 --> 0:37:23.040 It's an image that is a bit faded in a 0:37:23.040 --> 0:37:26.430 culture that has dismissed God. The notion of a judge 0:37:26.430 --> 0:37:29.850 and people standing before him on Judgment Day. Welcome back 0:37:29.850 --> 0:37:33.180 to the land and the book. I'm John Gager. Charlie, 0:37:33.180 --> 0:37:35.610 the judgment seat of Christ at the focus of your devotional, 0:37:35.610 --> 0:37:36.299 is that correct? 0:37:36.330 --> 0:37:37.589 That is correct, John. 0:37:37.620 --> 0:37:40.469 Sounds like a sober moment to me. We'll find out, though, 0:37:40.469 --> 0:37:42.990 but not until we hear this Holy Land experience. I 0:37:42.989 --> 0:37:44.910 love these testimonies. Check this out. 0:37:48.840 --> 0:37:51.899 Hi, my name is Marty from mentor, Ohio. Our Holy 0:37:52.020 --> 0:37:55.860 Land experience is just incredible. The thing that stands out 0:37:55.860 --> 0:37:58.950 the most in my mind is the Sea of Galilee, 0:37:58.950 --> 0:38:01.500 the boat right on the Sea of Galilee. It was 0:38:01.500 --> 0:38:05.819 something that you just have to experience for yourself. The sights, 0:38:05.820 --> 0:38:08.700 the smells, the calmness of the sea as it started 0:38:08.730 --> 0:38:11.880 out as a very rough day. The voice of our 0:38:11.880 --> 0:38:16.080 master saying be still. Everything about it. This tour is 0:38:16.080 --> 0:38:19.380 just first class. You cannot get anything better than this. 0:38:19.380 --> 0:38:24.030 I know I was apprehensive personally about travel. I've watched 0:38:24.030 --> 0:38:27.120 that totally away. I this whole ten days that we've 0:38:27.120 --> 0:38:31.620 been here seems like maybe one. You just cannot imagine 0:38:31.620 --> 0:38:33.810 how wonderful this place is. 0:38:35.550 --> 0:38:38.880 All right, we're headed for Second Corinthians chapter five and Charlie, 0:38:38.880 --> 0:38:40.920 the judgment seat of Christ. What do we need to 0:38:40.950 --> 0:38:42.149 know a lot? 0:38:42.180 --> 0:38:46.230 John, I love Corinth, probably for all the wrong reasons. 0:38:46.320 --> 0:38:49.260 I remember driving from Athens to Corinth while a major 0:38:49.260 --> 0:38:53.580 wildfire burned along the roadway. I remember a mediterranean cruise 0:38:53.610 --> 0:38:57.270 aboard a three masted schooner and docking just outside the 0:38:57.270 --> 0:39:00.840 Corinthian Canal before heading to shore on an inflatable high 0:39:00.870 --> 0:39:04.950 speed zodiac. And I remember going exploring an ancient Corinth 0:39:04.950 --> 0:39:08.760 and using an article from Biblical Archaeology Review to search 0:39:08.760 --> 0:39:12.270 for the theater and the nearby inscription to Erastus, a 0:39:12.270 --> 0:39:15.900 believer who served as city treasurer in Corinth long before 0:39:15.900 --> 0:39:19.529 that inscription became accessible to most visitors. Oh, and the 0:39:19.530 --> 0:39:22.410 site itself. I loved it, though I know it's something 0:39:22.440 --> 0:39:24.810 of a disappointment to visitors who are expecting it to 0:39:24.810 --> 0:39:28.680 look like Ephesus or Laodicea or Beit She'an in Israel, 0:39:28.680 --> 0:39:32.910 or Jerash in Jordan. The excavations are rather minimal, but 0:39:32.910 --> 0:39:35.220 the history of the site more than makes up for 0:39:35.219 --> 0:39:39.060 the relative compactness of the actual area. Open to visitors. 0:39:39.060 --> 0:39:42.450 To really appreciate the site, one needs to reread the 0:39:42.450 --> 0:39:45.330 historical events that took place there in the book of acts, 0:39:45.330 --> 0:39:49.110 and then read first and second Corinthians, Paul's two extended 0:39:49.110 --> 0:39:51.839 letters to the church. And it doesn't hurt also to 0:39:51.870 --> 0:39:55.470 study the extrabiblical history of the site itself. You see, 0:39:55.469 --> 0:40:00.120 the New Testament city of Corinth represented commerce and corruption. 0:40:00.150 --> 0:40:03.390 The city grew up on a narrow isthmus linking central 0:40:03.390 --> 0:40:08.460 Greece with Greece's larger, finger shaped southern peninsula, the Peloponnesus. 0:40:08.460 --> 0:40:13.170 Because of its location, Corinth controlled strategic trade routes through Greece. 0:40:13.200 --> 0:40:17.760 Smaller ships, including naval vessels, were literally wheeled just over 0:40:17.760 --> 0:40:22.020 four miles across a paved trackway. Larger ships loaded with 0:40:22.020 --> 0:40:25.860 their cargo, which was then transported across the narrow isthmus, 0:40:25.890 --> 0:40:29.010 could be loaded onto another vessel on the other side. 0:40:29.040 --> 0:40:31.469 The journey from one side of the isthmus to the 0:40:31.469 --> 0:40:34.950 other would have taken about three hours, bypassing a much 0:40:34.950 --> 0:40:40.050 longer and more hazardous journey around the entire peninsula. Travelers 0:40:40.050 --> 0:40:43.230 far from home and family, sailors with money to spend, 0:40:43.230 --> 0:40:47.580 and a bustling economy made Corinth a cosmopolitan market with 0:40:47.580 --> 0:40:51.029 corrupt morals. Jutting up just south of the city is 0:40:51.030 --> 0:40:55.290 a rocky mountain called the Acrocorinth, that dominates the landscape 0:40:55.290 --> 0:40:58.770 in ancient times. A temple to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, 0:40:58.800 --> 0:41:02.339 stood on its crest. The Greek historian Strabo said the 0:41:02.340 --> 0:41:07.000 temple had 1000 courtesans, that is, temple prostitutes Institutes serving 0:41:07.000 --> 0:41:10.180 those who came to, quote, worship. The degree to which 0:41:10.180 --> 0:41:12.940 Corinth was given over to immorality is seen in the 0:41:12.940 --> 0:41:17.680 coining of the word Corinthian, literally two Corinthians, which meant 0:41:17.680 --> 0:41:22.330 to practice immorality, and Corinthian girl, which Plato used as 0:41:22.330 --> 0:41:25.480 a euphemism for a prostitute. In the heart of Corinth 0:41:25.480 --> 0:41:28.689 was the agora, or marketplace for the city. This was 0:41:28.690 --> 0:41:31.660 more than just a local farmer's market. The abundance of 0:41:31.660 --> 0:41:35.350 international trade made the Agora of Corinth a center for 0:41:35.350 --> 0:41:38.770 commerce and a hive of activity. The northern and western 0:41:38.770 --> 0:41:42.100 sides of the agora were lined with shops and roadways, 0:41:42.100 --> 0:41:45.160 extended both east and west from the agora to the 0:41:45.160 --> 0:41:49.480 nearby ports. In the center of Corinth Marketplace stood the bema, 0:41:49.480 --> 0:41:53.470 or speaker's platform. The local magistrate would sit at this 0:41:53.469 --> 0:41:58.270 location to judge administrative matters. In acts 18, the Bema 0:41:58.270 --> 0:42:01.600 played a pivotal role in Paul's ministry in Corinth. Paul's 0:42:01.600 --> 0:42:04.900 enemies made a united attack on Paul and brought him 0:42:04.900 --> 0:42:08.469 into court. In the original wording of the account, Luke 0:42:08.469 --> 0:42:12.190 says they literally brought Paul up to the bema. The 0:42:12.219 --> 0:42:14.950 judge in Corinth at the time was Gallio, the brother 0:42:14.950 --> 0:42:19.300 of Seneca, who was Emperor Nero's tutor. Paul's opponents thought 0:42:19.300 --> 0:42:21.670 they would make trouble for him by accusing Paul of 0:42:21.670 --> 0:42:25.899 promoting a religion not recognized by Rome. Paul's enemies said 0:42:25.900 --> 0:42:28.900 he was persuading the people to worship God in ways 0:42:28.900 --> 0:42:33.219 contrary to the law. The charges, if proven, were serious, 0:42:33.219 --> 0:42:36.790 but Gallio saw through the ruse before Paul could even 0:42:36.790 --> 0:42:41.500 answer his accusers. Gallio rejected the very basis for their accusation. 0:42:41.500 --> 0:42:44.350 I will not be a judge of such things, he said. 0:42:44.380 --> 0:42:48.339 He then had them ejected from the court. Literally, Luke says, 0:42:48.340 --> 0:42:51.640 they were driven away from the bema. This seat of 0:42:51.640 --> 0:42:55.270 administrative justice was a spot known to everyone in Corinth. 0:42:55.270 --> 0:42:58.390 And about five years after the incident in acts 18, 0:42:58.390 --> 0:43:01.719 Paul used the imagery of the bema to illustrate God's 0:43:01.719 --> 0:43:05.640 seat of justice, before which all believers will one day appear. 0:43:05.670 --> 0:43:08.550 Paul wrote at least three letters to the church in Corinth, 0:43:08.580 --> 0:43:11.489 two of which are included in the Bible. In both 0:43:11.489 --> 0:43:15.360 of these, Paul had to deal with spiritual laxness, interpersonal conflicts, 0:43:15.360 --> 0:43:19.140 and moral lapses in the church. The believers in Corinth 0:43:19.140 --> 0:43:21.990 knew God, but they kept slipping back into the moral 0:43:21.989 --> 0:43:26.250 cesspool of their society. Paul encouraged the Corinthians to live 0:43:26.250 --> 0:43:29.880 in light of eternity. In Second Corinthians 510, he reminded 0:43:29.880 --> 0:43:33.660 the church that we must all appear before the judgment seat, 0:43:33.660 --> 0:43:37.770 literally the bema of Christ, that each 1st May receive 0:43:37.770 --> 0:43:40.319 what is due him for the things done while in 0:43:40.320 --> 0:43:44.069 the body, whether good or bad. The people of Corinth 0:43:44.070 --> 0:43:46.290 knew what it was like to appear before the Bema 0:43:46.290 --> 0:43:50.489 Seat in Corinth. How infinitely more significant it will be 0:43:50.489 --> 0:43:53.700 to appear before the Lord Jesus Christ as he sits 0:43:53.700 --> 0:43:58.110 in judgment to evaluate our works as believers. Now, in 0:43:58.110 --> 0:44:00.630 this passage, Paul is not teaching that believers can lose 0:44:00.630 --> 0:44:03.390 their salvation, or that we somehow need to do good 0:44:03.390 --> 0:44:06.330 works to make it to heaven. Rather, he's referring to 0:44:06.360 --> 0:44:10.890 the eternal rewards believers will gain or forfeit based on 0:44:10.920 --> 0:44:14.850 their earthly actions. In first Corinthians three, Paul pictured this 0:44:14.850 --> 0:44:17.580 as a time when God will test the quality of 0:44:17.580 --> 0:44:20.520 each man's work. Any individual who lived a life of 0:44:20.520 --> 0:44:24.840 faithfulness and obedience will receive his reward. But if someone 0:44:24.840 --> 0:44:29.040 lived a life of self-centered disobedience, he will suffer loss. 0:44:29.040 --> 0:44:32.219 He himself will be saved, but only as one escaping 0:44:32.219 --> 0:44:35.880 through the flames. All true believers in Jesus Christ will 0:44:35.880 --> 0:44:38.730 be in heaven, but not everyone in heaven will be 0:44:38.730 --> 0:44:42.390 rewarded equally. We're all on a journey through the Agora, 0:44:42.420 --> 0:44:45.750 the marketplace of life. During this journey, we rub shoulders 0:44:45.750 --> 0:44:49.320 with many others. Pressed together in the throng. We all 0:44:49.350 --> 0:44:51.960 gaze at the wares spread out around us, and we 0:44:51.960 --> 0:44:55.109 all make choices on where best to invest our resources, 0:44:55.110 --> 0:45:00.210 our time, our talents, our treasures. But every decision has consequences, 0:45:00.210 --> 0:45:04.670 and someday we'll receive our summons to appear before God's bema. 0:45:04.700 --> 0:45:07.819 Jesus will be seated on the judgment seat, and with 0:45:07.820 --> 0:45:12.200 his piercing gaze, he'll sift through our actions and our motives. 0:45:12.230 --> 0:45:17.900 Good or bad, reward or rebuke, honor or dishonor. Well, 0:45:17.900 --> 0:45:19.400 as we get ready to head to the bus for 0:45:19.400 --> 0:45:22.160 our drive back to Athens, what can we take with 0:45:22.160 --> 0:45:25.129 us from our visit here in Corinth and our time 0:45:25.130 --> 0:45:28.160 standing in front of that raised Bema Seat platform that 0:45:28.160 --> 0:45:31.759 seems to dominate the area? Well, how about this? Paul 0:45:31.760 --> 0:45:35.360 used that platform as an illustration, a reminder that a 0:45:35.360 --> 0:45:39.980 far greater judgment seat in heaven awaits our arrival. And 0:45:39.980 --> 0:45:42.740 now is the time to prepare. We all need to 0:45:42.770 --> 0:45:46.220 weigh the eternal pros and cons of our actions before 0:45:46.219 --> 0:45:49.250 we make decisions. The Bema Seat of Corinth stands as 0:45:49.250 --> 0:45:53.209 a reminder that every day choices do have eternal consequences. 0:45:53.210 --> 0:45:56.989 We need to constantly remind ourselves of our impending summons 0:45:56.989 --> 0:46:00.350 before the Bema Seat of Christ. Pause today and ask 0:46:00.350 --> 0:46:03.500 God to help you gain his perspective on this life 0:46:03.500 --> 0:46:06.020 and on the life to come. Ask him to help 0:46:06.020 --> 0:46:08.180 you lift your eyes heavenward so that you can look 0:46:08.180 --> 0:46:11.870 beyond the glittering baubles being offered in the marketplace of life. 0:46:11.870 --> 0:46:16.490 To see heaven's Bema Seat standing off in the distance. Wow. 0:46:16.489 --> 0:46:20.570 Thank you Charlie. Everyday choices have an eternal consequence. Thanks 0:46:20.570 --> 0:46:23.299 for that crystal clear reminder. You can hear the entire 0:46:23.300 --> 0:46:25.910 broadcast again by the way, at our website, the land 0:46:25.910 --> 0:46:29.960 and the book. Org information about our guests, past programs, 0:46:29.989 --> 0:46:35.480 future programs, and more at the land and the books.org. Well, 0:46:35.480 --> 0:46:37.580 it's always a pleasure to have you listening, and we 0:46:37.580 --> 0:46:39.710 do hope you'll share us with your friends. Let them 0:46:39.710 --> 0:46:41.600 know about the land and the book and how it 0:46:41.600 --> 0:46:44.330 helps you. Would you do that? Thanks so much. Our 0:46:44.330 --> 0:46:45.860 time is gone, but I want to say thank you 0:46:45.860 --> 0:46:48.799 to Dan Anderson, our producer, our host, Charlie Dyer. I'm 0:46:48.800 --> 0:46:51.500 John Gager. The land and the book is a production 0:46:51.500 --> 0:46:55.040 of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.