S1: It's Resurrection Sunday weekend. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
S1: But before that wonderful resurrection, there was an agony on
S1: that cross. There was a crowd gathered around it. Just
S1: who were all of these people there, and what were
S1: their motives for being there? What is their contribution to
S1: the story of the whole account? These are the questions
S1: we're about to get into. We started this conversation last
S1: week with Doctor Woodrow Kroll. We're going to resume it
S1: today because it's so important that we understand the characters
S1: at the Cross of Christ. Right now, a question did
S1: you know that most Jewish people have never heard the gospel?
S1: It's true. Every week here on the land and the book,
S1: you hear Charlie and I talk about Israel. We talk
S1: about the Jewish people. And it's important to remember that they,
S1: like everyone else, need to hear the good news. That's
S1: the bottom line.
S2: That's right, John. And that's why life in Messiah, a
S2: ministry that existed for over 135 years, is devoted to
S2: sharing the gospel with Jewish people around the world. Now
S2: they're offering a gift to moody listeners this free e-book.
S2: Reaching Jewish People for Messiah highlights the need for the
S2: gospel among the Jewish people, and will equip you with
S2: practical ways to share the Good News with them. To
S2: receive this free e-book, visit Life in Messiah org and
S2: click on the Moody Radio logo. A sign up today
S2: to get your copy. And that's life in Messiah.
S1: And with that, we'll swing our focus toward current events
S1: from the Middle East. Last weekend, the world focused on
S1: the resumption of high level nuclear talks between the US
S1: and Iran. How did those talks go?
S2: Well, the first round of indirect talks were said to
S2: have been held in a, quote, positive atmosphere and were
S2: conducive to bridging viewpoints. The indirect talks were then followed
S2: by a brief face to face conversation between the two negotiators,
S2: and both sides agreed to resume the talks again this weekend. However,
S2: the most significant news from the talks is what each
S2: side said they're intended to accomplish and not accomplish. Iran's
S2: supreme leader said the talks would only focus on the
S2: nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions. The chief U.S.
S2: negotiator initially said the focus would be to reach agreement
S2: on enrichment verification, not eliminating Iran's nuclear program. That statement
S2: raised concerns in Israel. A day later, he clarified his remarks,
S2: saying any agreement would require Iran to eliminate its nuclear
S2: enrichment and weaponization program. Iran then responded by saying its
S2: right to uranium enrichment is, quote, non-negotiable. This weekend's round
S2: of talks are crucial, and the U.S. needs to be
S2: very careful in stating clearly what will be required for
S2: any deal. The goal must be to stop Iran from
S2: ever becoming a nuclear threat to Israel, or any other
S2: country in the region. One fact is clear President Trump's
S2: 60 day countdown clock on the negotiations is ticking.
S1: Story number two. Reports have surfaced that a cease fire
S1: and hostage deal could soon be reached with Hamas. Is
S1: an end to the conflict imminent, or is this just
S1: another instance of false optimism about to be shattered?
S2: You know, it would be great if the report were true,
S2: but right now it's just hard to be optimistic. According
S2: to the report, both Egypt and Turkey are actively involved
S2: in the negotiations, and President Trump is pushing for the
S2: release of the hostages as part of a broader regional agreement.
S2: Here are some of the supposed details. The US is
S2: pressuring Israel to compromise and agree to a pause in
S2: fighting in exchange for the release of some hostages and
S2: renewed talks to end the conflict. This would be part
S2: of a broader regional agreement that President Trump envisions as a, quote,
S2: grand bargain in the Middle East, and that would eventually
S2: include normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia. The reconstruction of Lebanon,
S2: Syria and Gaza, and a resolution to the Palestinian issue.
S2: The plan would also included a resumption of aid deliveries
S2: to Gaza and a cease fire, during which a final
S2: long term political framework for Gaza would be developed, and
S2: apparently a potential political involvement for Hamas wasn't ruled out. Now, unfortunately,
S2: Hamas rejected the plan Tuesday because it didn't require Israel
S2: to end the war and withdraw from Gaza. The proposed
S2: deal wasn't a good deal for Israel, but pressure within
S2: Israel to bring home the hostages at any cost, along
S2: with pressure from the US, made it a realistic possibility
S2: until Hamas once again rejected it.
S1: Well, Charlie, a significant number of other stories have slipped
S1: under the radar over the past few weeks. So in
S1: our remaining time, let's see how many of these we
S1: can cover today. The first focuses on dogs, robots, artificial intelligence,
S1: and modern tunnel warfare. What do all of these have
S1: in common?
S2: Well, the American Technion Society recently held a security briefing
S2: with Israel's former national Security Advisor and head of Advanced
S2: Defense Research Institute at the Technion. I watched the briefing
S2: and I found his high level overview fascinating. One item
S2: focused on the evolution of tunnel warfare like that Israel
S2: has faced in Gaza and Lebanon. He said the process
S2: they've developed is to send in a drone, followed by
S2: a robot, then a dog, and finally a soldier. He
S2: added very briefly in passing that they were trying to
S2: get into the mind of the dog to communicate with it. Now,
S2: I might have simply brushed that aside, except for an
S2: article that was in the Jerusalem Post on how scientists
S2: in Israel are using lasers and artificial intelligence to decode
S2: how dogs smell, using artificial intelligence to analyze the brains
S2: of dogs. Israeli scientists are mapping the 100 million sensory
S2: receptor sites in a dog's nasal cavity. By the way,
S2: that compares to about 6 million in ours. As humans,
S2: they developed an optical sensor capable of remotely scanning the
S2: brain activity of dogs in three key regions, each of
S2: which play a critical role in how dogs differentiate between smells.
S2: Using the laser sensor, any dog breed can be used
S2: to detect certain scents. This could include the presence of
S2: drugs or people or explosives, and alongside the live dogs,
S2: Israel is also developing robot dogs that can understand natural
S2: language and that are also equipped with sensors to help
S2: soldiers or rescue workers picking their way through all the obstacles.
S2: So all these pieces are converging because of this war
S2: with Hamas.
S1: Last week, you mentioned in passing that Israel and Turkey
S1: were holding talks to try to avoid a military clash
S1: in Syria. How did those talks go?
S2: Well, the first round of talks, which were held in Azerbaijan,
S2: were described by both sides as positive. The goal of
S2: the talks is to reduce tension between the two countries
S2: and to establish a mechanism to prevent conflict in Syria.
S2: The process is still at the very beginning stages, but
S2: the two sides agreed to another round of talks after
S2: the Passover holidays. Each side presented its regional interests, so
S2: the hope is that the two can come to an
S2: agreement that will avoid direct confrontation in the future. Now,
S2: if there's a proverbial fly in the ointment in all
S2: of this, it's the report this week that the US
S2: will begin a phased withdrawal of its forces from Syria
S2: in the coming months. Will Turkey or the Kurds or
S2: Iraqi Shiite militants or the new Syrian government step in
S2: to fill that void? Right now, the answer to that
S2: question just isn't clear. And that gives it a sense
S2: of uncertainty.
S1: On April the 9th, the full Senate finally approved Mike
S1: Huckabee as America's new ambassador to Israel. I'm intrigued. Evangelicals
S1: are thrilled. Here's a believer in that role. And that
S1: very fact seems to put off many other American Jews
S1: who are not believers. How significant is his appointment and
S1: when is he scheduled to begin?
S2: Yeah. Huckabee is the first openly evangelical Christian to serve
S2: as an ambassador to Israel, and he brings with him
S2: a long time commitment to the Jewish state and a
S2: strong desire to strengthen ties between the US and Israel. Now,
S2: Huckabee had expressed a desire to be confirmed in time
S2: to celebrate Passover in Israel. The delay in the confirmation
S2: process didn't make that possible, but he is scheduled to
S2: fly to Israel relatively soon. And he said the first
S2: thing he'll do is take a prayer to the Western
S2: Wall that President Trump gave him and placed it there
S2: on behalf of the American people and the president.
S1: One final story. An Arab newspaper reported that Israeli soldiers
S1: released a large number of pigs near the Arab town
S1: of Tulkarem. This supposedly to impart fear and cause damage
S1: to property. So what's the truth behind this story of
S1: a plot to cause panic using pigs?
S2: Well, let's start this way. Could this story be true?
S2: I suppose it's possible, though the story wasn't independently corroborated
S2: in this age of ever present cell phones, it seems
S2: highly unlikely that Israel could bring in truckloads of squealing
S2: hogs without anyone noticing or taking a video of it. Now,
S2: could Tukaram be experiencing an invasion of wild boars? Well,
S2: it really could. Several years ago, wild boars in the
S2: Jerusalem area terrified the residents of the Jewish town of
S2: Mevaseret Zion. About the same time, the city of Haifa
S2: experienced problems with wild boars running wild through the city streets.
S2: The wild pigs are in the forests and woods, but
S2: the Covid problem brought them out into these empty streets.
S2: And of course, once they found the food sources that
S2: were there, it brings them in in larger numbers. If
S2: boars have been spotted in Tulkarem, they likely came to
S2: town searching for food. Now they can be aggressive. And
S2: one thing for sure they multiply rapidly. So this invasion
S2: in Tulkarem could be a real problem, but I seriously
S2: doubt if those pigs were trucked in by the Israeli army.
S1: Charlie, one last question. How much of an impact has
S1: the resumed fighting in Gaza made on Hamas's willingness to negotiate?
S2: Not as much as we might like. Israel has been
S2: trying to pressure Hamas, and certainly they have been. But
S2: they actually have a manpower shortage in the Israeli army.
S2: They're not able to do as much pressure as they'd like.
S2: And of course, they have to be very careful because
S2: there are hostages in certain areas, so they can't go
S2: everywhere that they would like to go. So the reality
S2: is they're putting pressure on. But Hamas is willing to
S2: put up with that pressure. And the world as they
S2: watch the situation in Gaza devolve, is getting more panicked
S2: and putting more pressure on Israel itself. So it's not
S2: working the way Israel had hoped.
S1: Is there a pressure point that Israel could go with it?
S1: They just have not taken advantage of yet.
S2: Only if they're willing to risk the lives of the hostages.
S2: And that's the real issue. They can't do everything they
S2: want to do because of the hostages.
S1: And that's a look at current events, Vance understanding who
S1: the characters at the Cross of Christ really were, their motivations,
S1: and so on. That's our focus next on the land
S1: and the book. Nothing more appropriate at Easter time than
S1: to consider the cast of characters at the cross. This
S1: is the land and the book. I'm John Gager, and
S1: if you were with us last week, Doctor Woodrow Crowe
S1: helped us understand just a few of those characters. But
S1: there are many, many, many. When you actually dig through
S1: the account, read the scriptures for yourself. A surprisingly long
S1: list of characters. We didn't get through them. There's more
S1: to come right now on the land and the book. First, though,
S1: I want you to pause with me and think about
S1: another great idea for you and I sharing the love
S1: of Jesus with a Jewish friend or coworker or neighbor
S1: that God has placed across our path. Listen to this
S1: When you and I are building friendships, relationships with our
S1: Jewish friends, there's a point at which we're sharing of ourselves,
S1: of our own lives. And whether that is our faith
S1: or whether it's day to day stuff, I think there's
S1: room for being transparent, don't you think? Let's ask Justin
S1: Crone of Chosen People Ministries.
S3: Yeah. I think we should always be looking for opportunities
S3: to be sharing what is God teaching us in our lives? Yeah. Um,
S3: what are we learning? You know, if you're going to church,
S3: if you're listening to Christian radio, if you're reading good
S3: Christian books, you're learning something and hopefully benefiting from what
S3: you're learning. So share that with them. Say, you know,
S3: I was in church this this week and heard a
S3: great message on marriage. There's a good chance that your
S3: married friend, your married Jewish friend, might learn just as
S3: much as you will. Um, and so that's what I
S3: would say. I'd take advantage of those opportunities to share
S3: who you are.
S1: You know, it reminds me of a preacher who reminded
S1: me that the original Greek on the construction of Matthew 28.
S1: Go and make disciples. It's actually in your going as
S1: you go make disciples. So what you're saying, Justin, is
S1: as you're having conversation, as you're doing life, you know,
S1: just involve them.
S3: Exactly right. So be authentic about who you are. Live
S3: your life. But while you do it, remember that you
S3: are an ambassador. You are a representative of Jesus and
S3: of the greatest message in the world.
S1: Always great to check in with Justin Crone, who's with
S1: Chosen People Ministries, and his advice for us today on
S1: the land and the book. We are so glad to
S1: be connecting again with Doctor Woodrow Kroll. You heard him
S1: for many years, perhaps on back to the Bible. Maybe
S1: you've read one of his books. He's got a long
S1: and grand tradition serving Christ as president of Davis College
S1: for 23 years, as chairman of the religion department at
S1: Liberty University, all kinds of great achievements. He's led tons
S1: of tourists to the Holy Land, and he set me
S1: on my very first and only archaeological quest in the
S1: Holy Land to somehow find a coin in the dust.
S1: I have yet to achieve that in my trips, Doctor Kroll.
S4: There. There.
S1: Someday I'd like to. I bought a couple, but I
S1: haven't discovered any.
S4: Sure.
S1: Nevertheless, we're glad to have you back. Thanks for being
S1: willing to come back to the program.
S4: My pleasure. John.
S1: Well, we're looking at the cast of characters at the cross.
S1: And as you pointed out last week, there are far
S1: more than we usually think of. I think it behooves
S1: us to kind of give that a careful look, don't you?
S4: Yeah, it does, because, you know, these are important people.
S4: Some of them are not very well known. Others are
S4: very well known. But they're all important to the story.
S1: Well, very central in the account would be the life
S1: and questionable legacy, if you will, of Herod Antipas. You
S1: called him the man who wanted to be entertained. Let's
S1: start with his life.
S4: Herod was a chump. I mean, he was just a
S4: bad guy from the get go. He's the guy who
S4: Herod Antipas, who saw his brother Philip's wife, took a
S4: liking to her, had her divorce, his brother, half brother
S4: actually and he married her. So now he has a
S4: wife that was his brother's wife. Without his brother dying,
S4: that was a no no. You know, if Philip had died,
S4: the law of marriage would have come in and he
S4: could have married her. But he was sinning both against
S4: Jewish law and against Roman law. So he's really a
S4: chump from the word go. And, you know, he oversaw
S4: a period of history where Jesus was traveling through Galilee.
S4: And the area that Herod Antipas was in charge of
S4: was up north of Galilee. So he obviously knew Jesus,
S4: but he had never seen Jesus. He'd never seen a miracle.
S4: He'd never seen Jesus teaching. So he was anxious for
S4: Jesus to entertain him. So when when Pilate heard that
S4: Jesus was a Galilean. And since Herod was in town
S4: from Galilee, as it was the Passover weekend. Pilate tried
S4: to sneak out of his responsibility and send Jesus to. Herod.
S4: But as we know from the gospel accounts, Herod was
S4: having none of it. All he wanted to do was
S4: to see Jesus meet Jesus and see a miracle. Have
S4: Jesus performed tricks? And as a result, Jesus didn't say
S4: a word. Uh, they finally were disrupted by his lack
S4: of attention to Herod. And as a result, they began
S4: to beat him. And they put his robe on him,
S4: and they sent him back to Pilate. So we have
S4: a guy here who is the son of Herod the Great,
S4: but did not have the character of Herod the Great.
S1: Doctor Woodrow Krul's life has been spent either in the
S1: classroom or the recording studio. Today, we're honored that he's
S1: connected with our studio here at The Land and the book.
S1: As we look at some of the characters at the crucifixion. Well,
S1: the Sanhedrin are sometimes, I think, maybe overlooked. We see
S1: them in our ignorance as sort of this, you know,
S1: ruling religious group. But they were more than that. They
S1: were sort of the Supreme Court of ancient Israel, were
S1: they not?
S4: They were indeed. In fact, they were the most powerful
S4: people in Israel, second only to the head of the Sanhedrin,
S4: and that would be the high priest. In this case,
S4: it was Caiaphas. So the sanhedrin's job was to hear
S4: cases from the people brought to them by the lawyers
S4: or the individuals themselves make a decision, and their decision
S4: was final. No appeal. But the Sanhedrin was not exactly
S4: a just group by this time. The poison that Anas
S4: brought to the whole judicial system, the poison that Caiaphas
S4: brought to the judicial system also was imbibed by the Sanhedrin.
S4: So they're not exactly, uh, an impartial Supreme Court. They've
S4: been swayed against Jesus. When Jesus first met the Sanhedrin,
S4: probably around midnight on the day he was crucified, there
S4: were not an entire 70 people there. They only could
S4: get perhaps a quorum together, because in the morning they
S4: had to meet a second time to ratify the decision
S4: of the Sanhedrin. At night and at night, when Jesus
S4: was being questioned by them, the Sanhedrin spit in Jesus face.
S4: They beat on him. They mocked him. And these are
S4: the religious leaders of Israel. So they're really a corrupt
S4: bunch by this point. They have no understanding of who
S4: it is that they were mocking.
S1: I want to talk about the mob, The Jerusalem mob.
S1: You've described them as pawns of the religious leaders. My
S1: question is, did these people just happen to be at
S1: the right place, at the right time to be part
S1: of this mob, or were they hand-picked, you know, were
S1: they offered a bribe? Or was it more of, you know,
S1: perform or die?
S4: Yeah, I think it's a combination of perhaps all of
S4: those things. Some of them probably were just out in
S4: the street and got caught up in the moment. Others,
S4: I think, were placed there so that the Sanhedrin could
S4: whip up the crowd into a frenzy, make sure that
S4: they chose Barabbas, make sure that they would not accept
S4: anything except crucifixion for Jesus. And the crowd clearly was
S4: manipulated by the Sanhedrin and most importantly, by Caiaphas himself.
S4: There were members of the Sanhedrin in that mob, and
S4: obviously they're there giving directions to the people there. And
S4: as I say, they're whipping them into a frenzy So
S4: that they have the result they want, and that is
S4: for the Romans to crucify Jesus.
S1: What about the actual Roman killing squad? These are these
S1: are elite Roman executioners. What do we need to know
S1: about them, Doctor Kroll?
S4: Uh, you have it, right? They are elite executioners. And
S4: by that I mean these people. These men of the
S4: Roman army were trained specifically to crucify people. And their
S4: one and only job was crucifixion. So they knew exactly
S4: where to put the nails to nail a person to
S4: a cross. The centurion knew exactly where to pierce Jesus side,
S4: to make sure the dart would go into his heart
S4: and kill him if he was still alive. They knew
S4: so much about medicine and so much about killing, and
S4: you put those two things together and you have people
S4: who are dedicated to death, dedicated to seeing that Jesus
S4: dies on the cross and dedicated to making his time
S4: on the cross as painful as they can possibly do it.
S4: We know from other historical records others who wrote Josephus
S4: and other historians that people would be crucified on the
S4: cross in various positions, not always upright, not always with
S4: head to the ground, but sometimes sideways. Sometimes they would
S4: be crucified backwards. It was a sport to the Romans,
S4: and they would make sure that crucifixion by the killing
S4: squad was as painful as public, and as difficult as
S4: it could be for the one that they were crucifying.
S1: We're talking with Doctor Woodrow Kroll, an expert on Roman crucifixion.
S1: You mentioned the Roman centurion. Let's go there because his
S1: story has a happier ending.
S4: Yeah, it does. And I'm so glad for this man. Um,
S4: there are really only two people in the crucifixion story
S4: that do have a happy ending, and that would be
S4: the Centurion and of course, the thief on the cross
S4: who turned to Jesus in faith. His job as a
S4: centurion was to lead a band of soldiers, usually 80,
S4: in the band, uh, sometimes more. The word centurion implies
S4: a hundred. And maybe originally it was a hundred, but
S4: it's a large group of men, and he commands a
S4: lot of respect. He respects his troops. He respects his
S4: killing squad because he knows they are experts at what
S4: they do. And his story is delightful because when he
S4: views Jesus on the cross, when the curtains is severed,
S4: when the earthquake occurs, I mean, these are things you
S4: don't just brush aside if you're in the middle of
S4: an earthquake, you know you're in the middle of an earthquake.
S4: And while they had lots of them in this part
S4: of the country, all these things happening simultaneously had an
S4: effect on this centurion. And when he hears Jesus say, father,
S4: forgive them. I think it changed this man's heart. It
S4: changed his life. And as a result, I think he
S4: really and genuinely came to faith in the Savior. And, um,
S4: you know, in church history, there are all kinds of
S4: stories about this man after the crucifixion. None of them
S4: can be verified, but nonetheless, they all point to the, uh,
S4: indication that this man, in fact, did become a follower
S4: of Jesus.
S1: There were faithful women there at the cross among them,
S1: of course, Mary, the mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene.
S1: Your thoughts?
S4: Yeah. Some of the women who were at the cross
S4: were very well unknown. You know, Joanna, for example, we
S4: don't know much about her. The other Mary. Who is
S4: the other Mary? Yeah, but Mary Magdalene and Mary, the
S4: mother of Jesus, two very important women, both of them
S4: at the cross. And both of them deserve special recognition. Mary,
S4: the mother of Jesus, is not very often mentioned in
S4: the New Testament. She's mentioned in the birth narrative. She's
S4: mentioned where Jesus is turning water to wine. She's mentioned
S4: at the crucifixion, but we really don't know very much
S4: about her from the New Testament. We actually know more
S4: about Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene was infested with these demons,
S4: and Jesus cast them out of her. She was grateful,
S4: of course, but I think she believed the message of Jesus. She.
S4: She was a follower of Jesus, not out of gratitude,
S4: but out of faith. And as a result, everywhere the
S4: disciples went. Mary and some of the other women who
S4: were faithful to the Lord Jesus. They went with them
S4: and their responsibility. Their role with all this was, uh,
S4: more or less household chores. Um, if, uh, let's say
S4: Peter ripped his robe and needed it stitched. Uh, chances
S4: are one of the ladies with them in the group
S4: would do the stitching. That's why I say their household
S4: kind of things. Um, this is a male dominated society.
S4: So to have Mary Magdalene as well known as she was,
S4: and have the place of recognition in church history as
S4: she has, uh, that's a pretty unique thing because in
S4: the Roman Empire, women had no say. They couldn't vote. They,
S4: you know, they were treated as second class citizens. And
S4: yet here we have Mary Magdalene being praised by Jesus,
S4: which is a very unique thing.
S1: Well, there are many, many, many other characters who were
S1: there at the cross, the crucifixion, and we invite you
S1: to dig into them as you dig into Doctor Crowell's book.
S1: A link to that at our website. The land and
S1: the book. I always feel like I'm, you know, only
S1: halfway getting started when the clock says, we got to quit.
S1: But we'll connect again, brother.
S4: Thank you so much, John.
S1: Doctor Woodrow Kroll here on the land. And the book.
S1: Don't go away. Bible questions and answers. Coming up next
S1: with Doctor Gerald Peterman here on the land and the book. Hey,
S1: it's a great day at the land and the book.
S1: I say it's a great day because you're here with
S1: us and because Doctor Gerald Peterman is with us and
S1: his Bible is open, his smile is ready, and and
S1: your questions are coming in. And we love it. By
S1: the way, you can email any Bible question you have
S1: any old time to the land and the book at Moody's.
S1: That's what this segment is about. It's about you, not
S1: about us. The land and the book at Moody's. You know,
S1: before we get to our first stack of questions, though,
S1: Doctor Peterman, you know, most Jewish people have never heard
S1: the gospel. And each week we talk about Israel and
S1: the Jewish people. And it's important to remember that they,
S1: like everyone else, need to hear the good news and
S1: life in Messiah. A ministry in existence now for over
S1: 135 years, is devoted to just that sharing the gospel
S1: with Jewish people around the world. And now I think
S1: this is pretty cool, Jerry. They're offering a gift to
S1: moody listeners. This free e-book, Reaching Jewish People for Messiah,
S1: highlights the need for the gospel among the Jewish people
S1: and will equip you with practical ways to share the
S1: Good News with them. To receive this free e-book, visit
S1: Life in Messiah. Org. What you're going to want to
S1: do is click on the Moody Radio logo. You can't
S1: miss their life in Messiah org. Click on the Moody
S1: Radio logo and sign up today to get your copy. Well,
S1: let's dive right into our questions, starting with this one
S1: from Cindy. She says, hi Moody Radio and we say hi.
S1: Back to you, Cindy. Indeed. And she wants to know
S1: if Isaiah lived during the times of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz
S1: and Hezekiah. How old would he have been when he died?
S1: She says, I checked some commentaries which said between 65
S1: and 70, but I don't think that works. I just
S1: started a study on Isaiah, and I'm wondering, what do
S1: you think?
S5: Well, thanks for the question. As you rightly mentioned, we
S5: come to Isaiah one and it says the vision of Isaiah,
S5: the son of Amos, which he saw concerning Judah and
S5: Jerusalem during the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah,
S5: kings of Judah. Now, if we go to the call
S5: of Isaiah in chapter six, we see that almost certainly
S5: that's where he gets called. In that year, King Uzziah died.
S5: I saw the Lord sitting on the throne, high and
S5: lifted up. What year did he die? That was 739 BC,
S5: So we don't know how old Isaiah was when he
S5: got this call. I'm just going to start with, say,
S5: 20 to get us going. But King Hezekiah dies around 686.
S5: So if we subtract 686 from 739, which we can
S5: do with our calculator, right? We get 54 years. So
S5: that's pretty close. Around 74, 75 years is the end
S5: of Isaiah's ministry. Now when did he die? We don't
S5: know because the Old Testament doesn't tell us.
S1: All right, well, hope that's somewhat satisfying. Cindy, we'll go
S1: on to Christine's question. She says during a women's Bible study,
S1: we were discussing predestination in the context of the first
S1: chapter of Ephesians, and one woman said that she believed
S1: in protectionism. I'd never heard of this before, so I
S1: had to do some research. It seems to combine the
S1: best parts of Calvinism and Arminianism, making for a more
S1: loving Jesus that doesn't condemn anyone to hell before they're
S1: ever born, but makes it the person's own fault if
S1: they do end up in hell because they didn't choose Jesus.
S1: Can you give me your opinion, your insights on provision?
S5: Well, thanks so much for the question. And this can
S5: be a really complex conversation. So I'll cut straight to
S5: the point. On the one hand, I really appreciate what
S5: Doctor Flowers is trying to do, because what Doctor Flowers
S5: is trying to do is to emphasize the fact that
S5: you and I have a God given ability to make
S5: our own choices, and our choices really matter.
S1: We're referring to Doctor Flowers from Trinity Theological Seminary who's
S1: teaching this theory? Yes, indeed. Go on. Yeah.
S5: And I want to affirm that as well, that we
S5: make our own real choices as humans. And those choices matter.
S5: I also want to affirm that God is sovereign over
S5: everything that happens, and that somehow our choices and God's
S5: sovereignty can work together. That is a mystery, but I
S5: think we must affirm both of them. But on the
S5: other hand, there are many things about professionalism we can
S5: talk about. I'll just mention one as a focus. Provision
S5: ism asserts that the Holy Spirit does not need to
S5: work in us so that we can hear and understand
S5: the message. The Holy Spirit only works on the outside
S5: of us with some sort of influences. Let's go to
S5: acts chapter 16. What do we find in acts 16?
S5: We find Paul preaching in Philippi. Yes. The first time
S5: the gospel comes to that city, and he goes outside
S5: the city where there's a group of Jewish women by
S5: the river praying, and he starts preaching to them. And
S5: what do we find? We find that the Lord opened
S5: the heart of Lydia from the city of Thyatira, a
S5: seller of purple goods, so that she could pay attention
S5: to what Paul said. That's verse 14 of acts 16.
S5: So in other words, she did believe. She did come
S5: to confess Christ, but God worked in her heart. So
S5: I think it's very important that we affirm that God
S5: works in us so we can come to believe.
S1: That's Doctor Gerald Peterman. This is the land and the book.
S1: We're taking Bible questions from you. You can email yours
S1: to the Land and the book at Moody's. You'll get
S1: a personalized response from Jerry, and then we'll put your
S1: question in the Q, line it up and get it aired.
S1: A question now from Christina. Can you recommend some Bible
S1: study resources for women?
S5: I can because Moody has a big supply. Here are
S5: three I can mention. Seeking Him by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth Moody, 2019.
S5: Also by Nancy Lies. Women believe, and the truth that
S5: Sets them free. And lastly, a book on the life
S5: of Ruth, The Way Home God's Invitation to New Beginnings
S5: by Tessa Afshar. Also by Moody. All of these are
S5: super choices. They got study guides to go with them,
S5: so I commend you. Happy studying.
S1: And Tessa has recently been a guest on The Land
S1: and the book, so.
S5: All the.
S1: Better. Yeah, we we think very highly of her ministry
S1: and of course Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth as well. Thank you
S1: for that. All right. Brooke's question. She says I'm beginning
S1: an expository study in the book of Luke. Question concerning
S1: Jesus possible deeper meanings into some of his phrases. For example,
S1: when you go over chapter 22, verses 16 through 18,
S1: Jesus is talking about the Passover meal and refers to quote,
S1: I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment
S1: in the kingdom of God. And again I will not
S1: drink again of the fruit of the vine until the
S1: kingdom of God comes. Could you expand on the deeper
S1: meanings of the references to the it and fruit of
S1: the vine?
S5: Well, thanks for the question. Let's start with Luke 2215.
S5: Our Lord says, I have earnestly desired to eat this
S5: Passover with you before I suffer. Passover is one of
S5: the three yearly required feasts for all the Jews in
S5: Deuteronomy 16. Then, then our Lord says, for I tell you,
S5: I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled
S5: in the kingdom of God. So here in verses 16
S5: and 17, it refers to the Passover meal. That meal
S5: always looked forward to Christ, and it finds its fulfillment
S5: in Christ. Oh, by the way, in first Corinthians five seven,
S5: Paul says, Jesus, our Passover has been sacrificed for us.
S5: So in Luke 22, this is the last Passover before
S5: Jesus dies. And it's going to be fulfilled in revelation
S5: where the writer says, blessed are those who are invited
S5: to the marriage supper of the lamb. That is revelation 1909.
S5: So lastly, in the Passover, there's actual real wine being drunk.
S5: So he says, the fruit of the vine. That's a
S5: typical Jewish way of referring to wine.
S1: Great answer. Thank you for spelling that out for us.
S1: Eric's question what is the reason why the Lord told
S1: the children of Israel not to eat animal fat described
S1: in Leviticus seven, verse 22. In the Bible, the Lord
S1: also mentioned that the children of Israel should not eat
S1: certain meats such as pork. That's Deuteronomy 14, verse eight.
S1: Eric wants to know, do these commands not to eat
S1: animal fat? Not to eat pork. Apply to Christians today.
S1: He says, I ask these questions since I'm reading a book.
S1: None of these diseases, which implies that people should not
S1: eat animal fat based on what is said in scripture.
S1: Your thoughts?
S5: Oh, this is a very important question. I totally understand it.
S5: A very good set of questions here. So for some
S5: of them, the answer is pretty easy. For others, not
S5: so much. Let's start with blood. Okay. Blood is not
S5: to be eaten. What do we learn from Leviticus and
S5: several different places? Right in the blood is the life.
S5: And the life is given for your atonement. So the
S5: blood is not ours. It belongs to the Lord because
S5: it is given on our behalf for atonement. Now, what
S5: about fat? With fat it's a little bit more difficult.
S5: But there are a couple of places in Scripture where
S5: fat seems to be the best part of something. You
S5: remember when Pharaoh invited Joseph to bring his family down
S5: with him to Egypt, right? And what did the Pharaoh say?
S5: He says, you shall be in the best part of Egypt.
S5: You shall eat the fat of the land. That is,
S5: you're going to be enjoying the best parts. So the
S5: fat is being viewed as the best part, and the
S5: best part belongs to the Lord. The fat belongs to
S5: the Lord. The blood belongs to the Lord. Now there's
S5: a further question. What about pork? And what's wrong with pork?
S5: There are a couple of places in Scripture that associate
S5: pork with pagan religious practices. Read Isaiah 65, verses four
S5: and five and Isaiah 66. Verses three and 1765 four says,
S5: those who sit in tombs and spend the night in
S5: secret places, who eat pig's flesh and the broth of
S5: tainted meat. So there appears to be a connection between
S5: eating pig's meat and having some sort of pagan practice. Lastly,
S5: there's a question about the Christians relationship to the law.
S5: And here's my perspective. The law is just chock full
S5: of wisdom. We can learn a lot from it, but
S5: I take it the only parts of the law that
S5: are obligatory for us are the parts repeated in the
S5: New Testament.
S1: Thank you for that. That's very clarifying. Appreciate it. And again,
S1: if you've got a question, why not get an answer?
S1: As you cruise through scripture, something boggles your mind, troubles
S1: your soul, or just arrests your attention. It's welcome. Fair game.
S1: When you email us at The Land and the Book
S1: at Moody's, our website, by the way, where we've got
S1: information about today's guest and past programs and future programs
S1: and more is the land and the book.org. Well, don't
S1: go away. One more great segment to come. It's Charlie
S1: Dyer and his devotional right here on the land and
S1: the book. Willie Nelson sang about being on the road again.
S1: Scott Peck wrote about the road less traveled. But today
S1: we're about to ponder the road to Calvary. Welcome back
S1: to the land and the book segment for I'm John
S1: Gager with our host, Charlie Dyer. What's ahead in today's devotional, Charlie?
S2: Well, John, it's Easter weekend and we're looking at the
S2: road to Calvary.
S1: Okay, look forward to your perspective on that after we
S1: pause for another experience from somebody who's been to the
S1: Holy Land and shares this testimony with you and me.
S6: Hello. I went to Israel back in 1959. I am
S6: now 77 years old, but I was very fortunate to
S6: go and teach school in Egypt, in Cairo. And over
S6: the Easter holiday, a friend and I were able to
S6: go to Israel. We were able to fly into Israel and, um,
S6: we were able to see the Mount of Olives, Garden
S6: of Gethsemane. Uh, we went to the Dead Sea and
S6: touched our foot into it. We were on a rowboat
S6: across The Jordan River. We went on Easter morning to
S6: the Garden Tomb and were able to sit there and
S6: quietly just sit there and meditate. I've wished ever since
S6: to be able to go back, but yet I still
S6: see Jerusalem. I still see the river. Oh thank you.
S1: It's Easter weekend and no more fitting a devotional than
S1: this one that you've titled The Road to Calvary. Charlie,
S1: I'll let you take it away.
S2: Thanks, John. Inside old Jerusalem, the sun's rays reflect off
S2: the limestone walls, its brightness giving the city almost a
S2: black and white look of an old photograph. And yet,
S2: in spite of the heat, the streets during Holy Week
S2: are alive with activity. A group of pilgrims wearing brightly
S2: colored hats that mark them as tourists snake their way
S2: down the traditional Via Dolorosa, the way of sorrow traveled
S2: by Jesus on his final journey to Calvary. They walked
S2: carefully down the stone paved streets, its limestone blocks worn
S2: to a slippery smoothness. Every few yards, they step around
S2: a puddle of water or a pile of garbage left
S2: over reminders that people still live and work in the
S2: houses and shops that crowd against the street on every side.
S2: Trying to ignore these distractions, the pilgrims attempt to focus
S2: on the incredible events that unfolded in this tiny city
S2: 20 centuries ago. They want to experience what it was
S2: like during that Passover, when the Lamb of God was
S2: slain for the sins of the world. They try to
S2: imagine the physical pain felt by our Lord, the anguish
S2: and fear of his followers, the harsh shouts of the
S2: guards marching the condemned prisoners to the place of death.
S2: But the cries of vendors calling from shops shatters that
S2: sacred moment. 30 postcards, $1 hand carved olive wood crosses.
S2: You are my first customer. I'll make you a special deal.
S2: Any last hope for pious reflection is shattered when the
S2: group finds the via de la Rosa temporarily blocked by
S2: a Coca-Cola truck making deliveries. At first glance, this commercialism
S2: seems to mock the sacredness of the site. But as
S2: is so often the case in the Middle East, the
S2: profane hawking of religious trinkets is probably closer to the
S2: reality of the day Jesus hung on the cross than
S2: the sacred veil we try to drape over the event.
S2: The day the soldiers marched Jesus through Jerusalem, the streets
S2: were also lined with vendors hoping for a profitable holiday
S2: shopping season. They shouted at those passing by to stop
S2: and shop at their stores, offering the latest in lamps, oil, cloth,
S2: leather and other items needed by the pilgrims coming to
S2: worship at the temple. Likely, the vendors paused briefly as
S2: several condemned criminals were shoved down the street, the wooden
S2: beams of their crosses lashed to their shoulders. Shopkeepers and
S2: shoppers alike retreated into the stores, not wanting to block
S2: the way or attract the attention of these brutal soldiers.
S2: But scarcely had the grotesque parade marched past when the
S2: stores reopened and the bargaining began anew. What was the
S2: day of Christ's crucifixion really like? Jesus was not the quiet,
S2: impassive savior carrying the T-shaped cross while dressed in white.
S2: He was bruised and bloody, caked with dirt and stained
S2: with sweat. The cross beam he was carrying was coarse,
S2: rough hewn, splintered. It was the work of a soldier,
S2: not a craftsman. Its purpose was utilitarian, not aesthetic. It
S2: represented death. Crosses today are too symmetrical, too polished, too shiny,
S2: too perfect. They're more decoration than declaration, more fashion statement
S2: than faith. And Jesus didn't carry his cross to a
S2: grass covered hill far away. The place of crucifixion stood
S2: outside the gate along the road, so those traveling by
S2: could see the ugly horror of capital punishment. And think
S2: twice about defying the government of Rome. The authorities intended
S2: for the accusation, posted over the head of the condemned,
S2: to be read by those passing by, so they would
S2: know why the individual had to die. This was also
S2: a time to practice a crude form of victims rights.
S2: Those who had been harmed by the condemned individual could
S2: now vent their anger and derision. They could mock, curse,
S2: even spit on the one who had caused them such
S2: pain and grief in the past. At Jesus's crucifixion, it
S2: was the religious leaders who rejoiced over the pain and
S2: suffering he was experiencing. And yet then, as now, most
S2: simply chose to ignore Christ's crucifixion. Maybe they were too
S2: busy shopping, or cleaning, or cooking, or preparing for Passover
S2: to notice the brutal parade, or hear the hammer blows
S2: as iron nails push through human flesh and embedded in wood.
S2: Others perhaps knew and even were troubled by the events
S2: of that day, but they were too afraid or distracted
S2: or apathetic to do anything. For whatever reason, the crowd
S2: that gathered around the cross was largely composed of religious
S2: leaders and Roman soldiers. Only a few of Jesus's followers
S2: dared to gather and watch. Before that day ended, Jesus's
S2: lifeless body was pulled from the cross and handed to
S2: Joseph of Arimathea for a hasty burial. The sun was setting.
S2: Passover was at hand, and it was no time for
S2: the smell of death to permeate the homes of Jerusalem.
S2: Jesus died amid two thieves, but he was buried in
S2: the new grave of a wealthy man. And yet, even
S2: in death, he was the subject of controversy. The religious
S2: leaders remembered his promise to rise from the dead, and
S2: asked the Romans to seal and guard the grave. But
S2: Sunday morning brought the declaration of Jesus's victory over sin
S2: and death. God shattered the stillness of the early morning,
S2: shook the earth, rolled away the stone, and posted his
S2: own angelic guards to make sure all who came knew
S2: that he is not here. He has risen just as
S2: he said. My favorite spot in Jerusalem is not the
S2: via de la Rosa, or the church of the Holy Sepulchre,
S2: or even the hill often called Gordon's Calvary. Those are special,
S2: and they're meaningful, and they're haunting in the spiritual hold
S2: they've had on generations of pilgrims. But the spot that
S2: excites me most is the Garden Tomb, and the simple
S2: sign that used to hang on its now removed door,
S2: which read he is not here, for he is risen.
S2: We don't worship the grave. We worship the Son of
S2: God who rose from that grave. Places are important because
S2: they do remind us of the reality of the events
S2: that occurred there. But always remember, our hope rests in
S2: a living Savior, not a cold slab of limestone that
S2: once served as the temporary resting place for his human
S2: body over two centuries ago. Isaac Watts pondered the death
S2: and resurrection of Christ, and the response we as believers
S2: should have to such an incredible act of love. Listen
S2: and reflect on the words he penned. Alas! And did
S2: my Savior bleed? And did my sovereign die? Would he
S2: devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?
S2: Was it for crimes that I had done? He groaned
S2: upon the tree. Amazing pity, grace unknown, and love beyond degree. Well,
S2: might the sun in darkness hide and shut its glories in.
S2: When God, the mighty maker died for man the creature's sin.
S2: Thus might I hide my blushing face. While his dear
S2: cross appears. Dissolve my heart in thankfulness, and melt my
S2: eyes to tears. But drops of grief can never repay
S2: the debt of love I owe here. Lord, I give
S2: myself away. Tis all that I can do.
S1: Thank you, Charlie, for taking us down the road to Calvary.
S1: Maybe for you. It's finally making sense that Jesus died
S1: on that cross, not just because he was some rabble rouser,
S1: but because he was really there to pay for our wrongdoing,
S1: our sins. And you don't know what to do with that.
S1: A friend is willing to pray with you. Explain how
S1: you can know Jesus as your Savior right now. If
S1: you'll just call 888 need him. 888 need him. We
S1: sure appreciate it. When you visit our website, the Land
S1: and Thebook. Org. Do check out the podcast. It's available
S1: not just for you, but your friends as well. And
S1: be sure to email us your question about the Bible prophecy.
S1: Anything that's going on in your your life as you
S1: walk with God. That question is welcome at the land
S1: and the book at Moody. Well, our time has gone.
S1: Been a fun, fast paced hour. Glad to have shared
S1: that with you. I want to say thank you to
S1: our producer, Dan Anderson, our host, Charlie Dyer. I'm John Yeager,
S1: reminding you that the land and the book is a
S1: production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.