WEBVTT - Hour 1: Bible Study 0:00:08.690 --> 0:00:12.950 We're all called to fulfill the Great Commission. So what 0:00:12.950 --> 0:00:17.300 does it take to be a great commission follower of Jesus? 0:00:17.329 --> 0:00:22.070 Stay with me. We'll talk about that in just a moment. Hello, friends. 0:00:22.070 --> 0:00:25.340 Welcome to Open Line with Michael Dolnick. This is Moody 0:00:25.340 --> 0:00:29.180 Radio's Bible study across America. My name is Michael Dolnick. 0:00:29.180 --> 0:00:32.570 I'm the academic dean at Moody Bible Institute, also professor 0:00:32.570 --> 0:00:36.080 of Jewish studies and Bible there. And we are together 0:00:36.080 --> 0:00:40.430 now live sitting around the radio kitchen table taking your 0:00:40.430 --> 0:00:44.930 questions about the Bible, God and the spiritual life. If 0:00:44.930 --> 0:00:47.960 you have a question and you'd like to call, here's 0:00:47.960 --> 0:00:55.370 the phone number. Write it down (877) 548-3675. Let me give 0:00:55.370 --> 0:01:03.670 that to you again. 483675. Always a little clue. People 0:01:03.700 --> 0:01:06.010 wonder how do I get through? How do I get 0:01:06.010 --> 0:01:08.080 my my question on the air? The best thing to 0:01:08.080 --> 0:01:10.929 do is call at the beginning of the program, because 0:01:10.930 --> 0:01:13.810 that's when the lines are really open. So now's the 0:01:13.810 --> 0:01:20.410 time to give me a call. (877) 548-3675. Tricia McMillan is 0:01:20.410 --> 0:01:23.259 in the producer's chair. Chris Siegert is our tech guy 0:01:23.290 --> 0:01:29.050 today and tiara is answering the phones now. Time to 0:01:29.080 --> 0:01:31.990 go get yourself a cup of coffee. Open your Bible. 0:01:31.990 --> 0:01:40.060 We're about to study the scriptures together. Uh, this week, 0:01:40.060 --> 0:01:42.580 Eve and I will be leaving for a tour of 0:01:42.580 --> 0:01:46.390 the journeys of Paul. And in fact, uh, Chris Seeger 0:01:46.540 --> 0:01:49.000 is going along to do the tech stuff that we need. 0:01:49.000 --> 0:01:53.080 So Chris and will be leaving as well. And it 0:01:53.080 --> 0:01:55.330 made me think that one place we're going to go 0:01:55.360 --> 0:01:59.670 that I have never been before is the city of Miletus. 0:01:59.700 --> 0:02:03.660 It's an ancient city. It's, uh. Actually, the only time 0:02:03.660 --> 0:02:05.820 I've ever been there is by book. I read the 0:02:05.820 --> 0:02:09.060 book of acts, and it's mentioned in acts 20. Paul 0:02:09.060 --> 0:02:11.460 was heading back to Jerusalem. He had the elders from 0:02:11.460 --> 0:02:15.780 the congregation at Ephesus meet him there on April 30th 0:02:15.780 --> 0:02:20.070 through May 2nd, AD 57. This is about 25 years 0:02:20.070 --> 0:02:24.390 after he or 20 years, I'd say 20 some years 0:02:24.389 --> 0:02:26.970 after he came to faith in Jesus, he came to 0:02:27.000 --> 0:02:31.590 know the Lord in the year 35. So he's there 0:02:31.590 --> 0:02:34.320 to say farewell to them. He had spent three years 0:02:34.320 --> 0:02:37.530 in Ephesus, and now he was going back to Jerusalem. 0:02:37.530 --> 0:02:40.140 He was going to challenge them in their leadership roles 0:02:40.139 --> 0:02:45.090 by reflecting on his ministry among them. And in this 0:02:45.090 --> 0:02:48.360 meeting he reviewed his own legacy. And I want to 0:02:48.360 --> 0:02:51.960 focus on just one verse, not all that he did there, 0:02:51.960 --> 0:02:56.250 but there's one verse that Paul used to describe his 0:02:56.250 --> 0:03:01.190 own experience, his own perspective as a great commission follower 0:03:01.190 --> 0:03:05.750 of Jesus. It's in acts 2021. This gives us a 0:03:05.750 --> 0:03:11.030 great model for what does it mean for us, each 0:03:11.030 --> 0:03:15.290 of us, to become a great commission follower of Jesus? 0:03:15.320 --> 0:03:20.750 Here's what he said in acts 20, verse 21. He 0:03:20.750 --> 0:03:24.410 said of his ministry in Ephesus, I testified to both 0:03:24.410 --> 0:03:29.960 Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in 0:03:29.960 --> 0:03:33.770 our Lord Jesus. This is what the Apostle Paul said. 0:03:34.010 --> 0:03:37.430 That was his legacy for his time in Ephesus. I 0:03:37.430 --> 0:03:40.970 believe it was his legacy for his entire ministry, some 0:03:40.970 --> 0:03:46.130 25 years or 22 years at this point. And if 0:03:46.160 --> 0:03:49.850 we're to be great commission followers of Jesus, just like Paul, 0:03:49.880 --> 0:03:54.230 first of all, we need to expand our vision. I 0:03:54.230 --> 0:03:57.130 love what Paul says process here. I testified to both 0:03:57.130 --> 0:04:01.450 Jews and Greeks. The reason I say we need to 0:04:01.480 --> 0:04:06.070 expand our vision. Many people would think that. What's Paul 0:04:06.070 --> 0:04:07.840 talking about? I was talking about the whole world at 0:04:07.870 --> 0:04:10.900 that time and still today, really, when we talk tactically, 0:04:10.900 --> 0:04:14.380 what does the Bible say about what? What people what 0:04:14.380 --> 0:04:16.390 are the peoples the world consists of? It consists of 0:04:16.390 --> 0:04:19.360 the Jewish people and the Gentiles, the rest of the world. 0:04:19.360 --> 0:04:23.440 Paul says he testified to Jews and Gentiles, Jews and Greeks. 0:04:23.440 --> 0:04:26.469 And I think it's significant. Here's Paul, the apostle to 0:04:26.500 --> 0:04:30.790 the Gentiles. He never forgot his own people. Everywhere he went, 0:04:30.820 --> 0:04:34.900 he talked to Jewish people. He never forgot his own people. 0:04:34.900 --> 0:04:38.109 And that's crucial. A lot of times people say, well, 0:04:38.110 --> 0:04:43.420 Jewish people, they're not so open to hearing about Jesus. And, uh, 0:04:43.420 --> 0:04:47.739 they're somewhat resistant. And so, you know, go find some 0:04:47.740 --> 0:04:50.440 people that would be more open. But the truth of 0:04:50.440 --> 0:04:53.440 the matter is, they were the Jewish people weren't so 0:04:53.440 --> 0:04:56.100 open to Paul, But he never forgot them. He loved them. 0:04:56.100 --> 0:04:58.740 He cared for them. He proclaimed the good news to them. 0:04:58.740 --> 0:05:03.270 But also, here's this Pharisee, this Hebrew of Hebrews. He 0:05:03.270 --> 0:05:06.869 never forgot the Gentiles. He says he testified to Greeks. 0:05:06.870 --> 0:05:10.770 He talked. He understood his calling everywhere he went. He 0:05:10.770 --> 0:05:13.080 didn't set up obstacles. He didn't make it harder for 0:05:13.110 --> 0:05:16.289 for Gentiles. In fact, he made it really clear for 0:05:16.290 --> 0:05:18.990 Gentiles that they needed to put their faith in Jesus 0:05:18.990 --> 0:05:22.770 as well. And so he testified to both Jews and Greeks. 0:05:22.800 --> 0:05:28.470 You know, here's what is so important about our great 0:05:28.470 --> 0:05:33.270 Commission vision. We have to believe that everyone, everyone we meet, 0:05:33.270 --> 0:05:36.150 everyone we encounter, really needs to know Jesus. I will 0:05:36.150 --> 0:05:39.779 tell you the most surprising aspect of my ministry many 0:05:39.779 --> 0:05:44.730 years serving, particularly reaching Jewish people with. The good news is, 0:05:44.730 --> 0:05:48.600 I never hesitated to talk to people who weren't Jewish 0:05:48.600 --> 0:05:51.359 about the Lord. Yes, this is my calling. I tried 0:05:51.360 --> 0:05:55.400 to direct my attention to reaching Jewish people for many, 0:05:55.400 --> 0:05:59.390 many years, uh, with, uh, with Jewish ministry leading a 0:05:59.390 --> 0:06:03.890 messianic congregation. The biggest surprise for me was one of 0:06:03.890 --> 0:06:06.650 the people that I prayed with to receive the Lord 0:06:07.190 --> 0:06:12.169 back in that messianic congregation was an Iranian Muslim of 0:06:12.170 --> 0:06:15.650 all things. It surprised me because God brought this person 0:06:15.650 --> 0:06:19.250 to my path. Uh, even I loved her. And I 0:06:19.250 --> 0:06:23.660 remember the day that the morning I spoke on John 20, 0:06:23.779 --> 0:06:27.320 when Thomas confesses, my Lord and my God, and falls 0:06:27.320 --> 0:06:31.880 at the feet of Jesus. After that message, this Iranian 0:06:31.880 --> 0:06:35.600 Muslim woman came up to me and said, Michael, I'm ready. 0:06:35.600 --> 0:06:38.210 And she trusted the Lord with me. We can't we 0:06:38.210 --> 0:06:40.970 can't narrow our vision so much that we're only going 0:06:41.000 --> 0:06:44.300 to reach one people, one group, one kind know to 0:06:44.330 --> 0:06:48.680 be a great commission believer. We testify to all Jews 0:06:48.680 --> 0:06:56.060 and Greeks, Muslims, Hindus. Doesn't matter what their background. Indians, 0:06:56.060 --> 0:06:59.989 South American, whatever it is, we're going to bring the 0:06:59.990 --> 0:07:02.779 good news to everyone. That's what it means to be 0:07:02.779 --> 0:07:06.590 a great commission follower of Jesus. Secondly, we need to 0:07:06.620 --> 0:07:10.820 simplify our message. I think it's so crucial that we 0:07:10.850 --> 0:07:14.360 simplify what we say. What does Paul say? He testified 0:07:14.390 --> 0:07:19.850 to Jews and Greeks. Verse 21 says about repentance toward 0:07:19.850 --> 0:07:23.690 God and faith in our Lord Jesus. He had a 0:07:23.690 --> 0:07:27.650 very simple message. I just want to say repentance and 0:07:27.650 --> 0:07:33.320 faith are two sides of the same coin. Repentance means 0:07:33.320 --> 0:07:36.500 that we're turning away from what we used to count on, 0:07:36.500 --> 0:07:39.470 what we used to rely on for our relationship with 0:07:39.470 --> 0:07:44.090 God and or whatever, for life or significance, whatever it 0:07:44.090 --> 0:07:46.700 is that we used to trust in. We're turning away 0:07:46.700 --> 0:07:50.850 from it, and instead we're turning to the Lord. To 0:07:50.880 --> 0:07:54.390 the Lord Jesus. Our faith is in him. Our trust 0:07:54.390 --> 0:07:57.930 is in him. So what does it mean? It means 0:07:57.930 --> 0:08:00.120 that we're turning away from that which we used to trust, 0:08:00.120 --> 0:08:02.970 and turning to the one we will trust. We will 0:08:02.970 --> 0:08:06.180 trust that Jesus died for our sins, taking our punishment, 0:08:06.180 --> 0:08:12.660 and was raised again, uh uh, proving that he is 0:08:12.660 --> 0:08:17.790 indeed God. That's that's what that message is. Uh, it's 0:08:17.790 --> 0:08:20.970 two sides of the same coin turning away from that 0:08:20.970 --> 0:08:24.630 which we used to rely on, and turning to the one, 0:08:24.660 --> 0:08:27.390 the Lord Jesus, who died for us and rose again. 0:08:27.390 --> 0:08:30.720 That's the message. I think too often we add stuff 0:08:30.720 --> 0:08:34.620 to it. Oh, you have to really, uh, commit your life. 0:08:34.620 --> 0:08:37.890 So you're going to try and grow spiritually? Yeah, I 0:08:37.890 --> 0:08:40.500 think that will happen. But not when you trust the Lord. 0:08:40.500 --> 0:08:46.980 It's only afterwards. Uh, and then, of course, people want 0:08:47.010 --> 0:08:51.560 to say, well, if you are sincere enough. Well, let 0:08:51.559 --> 0:08:54.140 the Lord judge that. What we do is we simplify 0:08:54.140 --> 0:08:56.930 the message. We don't have to have people prove it 0:08:56.929 --> 0:08:59.809 to us. We just have to invite them to trust 0:08:59.809 --> 0:09:02.600 in the Lord Jesus. Turn from what they used to trust, 0:09:02.630 --> 0:09:07.880 repentance and then faith. Two sides of the same coin. 0:09:07.910 --> 0:09:10.970 Simplify the message. I often think what will be my 0:09:10.970 --> 0:09:14.390 legacy in life? I'm getting to the age now where 0:09:14.390 --> 0:09:17.689 I start thinking about that, and I also think about 0:09:17.690 --> 0:09:21.860 what will be your legacy. Let me tell you, I 0:09:21.860 --> 0:09:25.160 think the most important legacy we can leave is to 0:09:25.190 --> 0:09:30.380 be great commission followers of Jesus, just like Paul the Apostle, 0:09:30.559 --> 0:09:34.580 that we will have this commitment to reach all people 0:09:34.580 --> 0:09:38.209 with the with the with the simple message of faith 0:09:38.210 --> 0:09:47.860 in the good news of Jesus, the Messiah. Well, I 0:09:47.890 --> 0:09:50.500 hope you'll be praying for us as we head off 0:09:50.500 --> 0:09:54.910 to the journeys of Paul. We're going to have some great, uh, 0:09:55.210 --> 0:09:58.510 couple of, uh, guest hosts for the next two weeks 0:09:58.510 --> 0:10:02.170 while I'm away. Steve Sanchez from Moody Bible Institute, and 0:10:02.170 --> 0:10:06.370 Mike Fabares, who is the pastor of Compass Bible Church 0:10:06.370 --> 0:10:15.250 in Orange County, California. So that's what we're going to do. And, uh, uh, Hazel, 0:10:15.250 --> 0:10:17.260 we're going to talk with you first calling from the 0:10:17.260 --> 0:10:21.910 Grand Rapids area. Uh, listening to Wndb. Welcome to Open Line, Hazel. 0:10:21.940 --> 0:10:23.050 How can I help you? 0:10:24.400 --> 0:10:28.390 Well. Thank you. It's a pleasure to be on it. Um, 0:10:28.480 --> 0:10:33.640 I have a question that I've never heard anyone, um, ask, 0:10:33.640 --> 0:10:37.630 but perhaps you have. I have Bibles from when I 0:10:37.630 --> 0:10:42.790 was a teenager, and I'm 89 at this point, and 0:10:42.820 --> 0:10:44.890 I just don't know what to do with them. Their 0:10:44.890 --> 0:10:49.050 worn out pages are falling out, but I just like 0:10:49.080 --> 0:10:50.220 old friends. 0:10:50.400 --> 0:10:53.880 And. And you don't want to throw them away, right? 0:10:54.600 --> 0:10:55.920 No. You're right. 0:10:55.950 --> 0:11:00.000 That's right. Yeah, I don't either. Not with my old Bibles. Uh, 0:11:00.000 --> 0:11:03.360 you know what? What? I think Judaism has a great legacy. 0:11:03.390 --> 0:11:10.050 What we have in Judaism is, uh, sort of a burial, uh, 0:11:10.050 --> 0:11:14.340 place called a geniza. And, uh, Jewish people take old, 0:11:14.340 --> 0:11:19.530 worn out Torah scrolls and sacred books, and they put 0:11:19.530 --> 0:11:23.070 them in this special room that's like a burial place 0:11:23.070 --> 0:11:27.329 for unused sacred scriptures. And I think that that would 0:11:27.330 --> 0:11:29.820 be I wish we had those. But I think the 0:11:29.820 --> 0:11:32.699 best thing to do, my advice to you would be, 0:11:32.730 --> 0:11:36.390 is to contact the Bible League. And the Bible League 0:11:36.420 --> 0:11:40.860 accepts old worn out Bibles and finds use uses for them. 0:11:40.860 --> 0:11:44.070 So I don't. And you may have to pack them 0:11:44.070 --> 0:11:46.849 up and mail them to the Bible League. I would 0:11:46.850 --> 0:11:49.699 contact them and find out what the Bible League. Uh, 0:11:49.700 --> 0:11:52.730 they they have tremendous use. That's. My wife and I 0:11:52.760 --> 0:11:55.670 were in the process of moving out of our house. 0:11:55.670 --> 0:11:59.839 We're packing up our boxes. I found Bibles from 52 0:11:59.840 --> 0:12:03.860 years ago for me. And I know I'll never read 0:12:03.860 --> 0:12:07.280 that Bible again. It's kind of bent and fallen out. 0:12:07.280 --> 0:12:11.929 And like you say, pages are loose. I'm contacting the 0:12:11.929 --> 0:12:18.170 Bible League and that's where I'm going to bring them, so. Okay. Hazel. Okay, great. Yeah. 0:12:18.170 --> 0:12:21.530 Thank you. Thanks so much for your call. We're going 0:12:21.559 --> 0:12:26.059 to take a break here. Remember, you're listening to Open Line. 0:12:26.059 --> 0:12:28.610 Now's the time to call with your question about the Bible, 0:12:28.640 --> 0:12:36.440 God or the spiritual life. The phone number (877) 548-3675. Call 0:12:36.440 --> 0:12:39.860 with your question. I'm looking forward to speaking with you. Uh, 0:12:39.860 --> 0:12:41.570 you're going to be we're going to be right back. 0:12:41.600 --> 0:12:44.380 My name is Michael Redlich. Stay right there. This is 0:12:44.380 --> 0:13:02.680 open line. Welcome back to Open Line. I am so excited. 0:13:02.679 --> 0:13:05.590 Michael Dolnick here. In case you're wondering, who is this person? 0:13:05.620 --> 0:13:13.060 It's Michael Dolnick. Uh, so, so often I'm always excited 0:13:13.059 --> 0:13:16.000 about our current resource, whatever the resource is, but I 0:13:16.030 --> 0:13:20.980 am doubly excited about our current resource. It starts today. 0:13:21.040 --> 0:13:26.110 It is a terrific book. You know, people tell me 0:13:26.110 --> 0:13:28.690 all the time that they would like to read the Bible, 0:13:28.720 --> 0:13:34.120 but they kind of struggle to to get understanding what 0:13:34.150 --> 0:13:39.190 to know what to look for. It's I wish I 0:13:39.220 --> 0:13:44.170 were better at reading the Bible. Well, my friend and 0:13:44.170 --> 0:13:48.640 fellow Moody Professor Jim Coakley has produced a book called 0:13:48.640 --> 0:13:52.960 14 Fresh Ways to Enjoy the Bible. It's such an 0:13:52.960 --> 0:13:59.949 enlightening book. It reveals some really simple techniques to understand 0:13:59.950 --> 0:14:03.610 biblical authors, and it gives us a real fresh lens 0:14:03.610 --> 0:14:08.050 for viewing the scriptures. I don't believe you'll be disappointed. 0:14:08.050 --> 0:14:11.020 This book is just a little book, but man, it's 0:14:11.020 --> 0:14:15.310 won awards and it's fairly new. I love this book. 0:14:15.340 --> 0:14:17.680 In fact, I looked at it recently because we are 0:14:17.679 --> 0:14:20.110 offering it and the very when I opened it, the 0:14:20.110 --> 0:14:24.010 first endorsement was me because I loved this book even 0:14:24.250 --> 0:14:27.100 before it was published. And I said, I am thrilled 0:14:27.130 --> 0:14:29.140 to endorse this book, and I am so glad that 0:14:29.140 --> 0:14:32.050 we were able to obtain it so that we can 0:14:32.080 --> 0:14:34.420 offer it. If you give a gift of any size, 0:14:34.420 --> 0:14:36.820 we want to say thank you by sending you a 0:14:36.820 --> 0:14:42.200 copy of 14 Fresh Ways to enjoy the Bible. You 0:14:42.200 --> 0:14:45.770 won't regret it. This will really, really help you. And 0:14:45.770 --> 0:14:48.560 the way to to get your copy is send a 0:14:48.590 --> 0:14:52.520 gift of any size. Just feel as God leads you 0:14:52.520 --> 0:14:55.730 and then we will say thanks by sending you this 0:14:55.730 --> 0:15:01.040 gift of appreciation. 14 Fresh Ways to Enjoy the Bible. 0:15:01.040 --> 0:15:09.380 Here's the number to call (888) 644-7122. Or you can go 0:15:09.380 --> 0:15:14.720 to Openline radio.org and you can give that way as well. 0:15:14.720 --> 0:15:19.760 But remember ask for 14 fresh ways to enjoy the Bible. Uh, 0:15:19.760 --> 0:15:25.790 we're going to speak with Louise. Uh, on I love 0:15:25.790 --> 0:15:28.670 the name of this town. Mentor on the lake. Mentor 0:15:28.670 --> 0:15:32.990 on the lake, uh, in Ohio. Hey, Louise, welcome to 0:15:33.020 --> 0:15:34.550 Open Line. How can I help you? 0:15:35.510 --> 0:15:40.390 Uh. Thank you. This is, uh. Well, I have a problem. 0:15:41.560 --> 0:15:45.790 My daughter has been a long time Christian, but she's 0:15:45.790 --> 0:15:50.470 on the internet a lot. And now she believes that 0:15:50.470 --> 0:15:55.270 the that Israel was the church in the Old Testament 0:15:55.450 --> 0:15:59.260 and not now in the New Testament. And she sent 0:15:59.260 --> 0:16:03.280 me six pages of a, a book by a man 0:16:03.280 --> 0:16:12.490 named Stephen Sizer. Um, and it's called Zion's Christian Soldiers. 0:16:12.520 --> 0:16:13.900 Have you ever heard of him? 0:16:14.680 --> 0:16:15.970 Oh, yes. Anyway. 0:16:16.330 --> 0:16:20.440 Anyway, she sent me these six pages and I have 0:16:20.440 --> 0:16:23.770 read them. I haven't said anything to her, and she 0:16:23.770 --> 0:16:26.860 hasn't asked me. And I don't want to get into 0:16:26.860 --> 0:16:31.510 an argument with her. But can you help me to, uh, 0:16:31.750 --> 0:16:35.170 understand or give me something in case she brings it 0:16:35.170 --> 0:16:38.610 up that I can read? Yeah, sure. 0:16:38.910 --> 0:16:40.530 Well, first of all, I think we need to know 0:16:40.530 --> 0:16:46.800 who Stephen Sizer is. Uh, he's he's endorsed Nazis. Uh, 0:16:46.800 --> 0:16:55.380 he has, uh, endorsed Hezbollah, Hamas terrorist groups. And in fact, ultimately, 0:16:55.380 --> 0:16:57.780 he was removed from his pulpit. He was a Church 0:16:57.780 --> 0:17:02.040 of England, uh, Anglican pastor in England. He was removed 0:17:02.040 --> 0:17:07.469 from his pulpit by the Anglican Church for his blatant and, uh, 0:17:07.470 --> 0:17:15.750 really terrible anti-Semitism. So, uh, so he's not exactly a 0:17:15.750 --> 0:17:24.780 fair witness on this matter. He he uses replacement theology 0:17:24.780 --> 0:17:29.040 as a justification for his hatred of Jewish people and 0:17:29.070 --> 0:17:33.690 of the state of Israel. So, uh, uh, it's unfortunate 0:17:33.690 --> 0:17:38.900 I've encountered him. I've actually debated him once. Uh, he's, uh, he's. 0:17:38.900 --> 0:17:42.740 But he's been ultimately he was removed from his his church, 0:17:42.740 --> 0:17:47.449 from his position because of anti-Semitism and was chastened by 0:17:47.450 --> 0:17:52.940 the Anglican church. Uh. Mm. Uh, the best book. And 0:17:52.940 --> 0:17:55.130 this is the book I would recommend everyone read that's 0:17:55.130 --> 0:17:59.660 interested in this question. It's written by Michael Vlock v 0:17:59.660 --> 0:18:03.979 l a c h. Michael Vlock. And I'll try and 0:18:03.980 --> 0:18:06.619 get a page. 0:18:06.890 --> 0:18:07.430 Okay. 0:18:07.460 --> 0:18:11.540 Uh, it's written by Michael Vlock. And, uh, and Michael 0:18:11.540 --> 0:18:15.650 Vlock wrote a book called Has the Church Replaced Israel? 0:18:16.580 --> 0:18:19.609 It's a very biblical book. You know, Michael is a 0:18:19.609 --> 0:18:22.400 friend of mine, and I became friends with him because 0:18:22.400 --> 0:18:24.350 I read this book. And I went and sought him out. 0:18:24.350 --> 0:18:28.280 And I told him, uh, Michael, this is the only 0:18:28.280 --> 0:18:30.230 book I've ever read that I wish I had written. 0:18:30.230 --> 0:18:34.730 It's so good. So, uh. But I'm glad he wrote it. 0:18:34.760 --> 0:18:38.870 He did a great job. And it's a it's a wonderful, 0:18:38.869 --> 0:18:42.260 wonderful book. I acquired it when I used to teach 0:18:42.260 --> 0:18:45.680 biblical interpretation at Moody. It was my collateral book that 0:18:45.680 --> 0:18:49.460 I always required, because it's a very important discussion about 0:18:49.460 --> 0:18:53.060 how do we interpret the Bible. And and that was 0:18:53.060 --> 0:18:57.109 the collateral reading I required. I recommend it strongly. Has 0:18:57.109 --> 0:19:02.899 the church replaced Israel by Michael Vlock v l A, 0:19:02.930 --> 0:19:07.220 C H and Tricia, I know you're you're listening in here. 0:19:07.220 --> 0:19:09.770 If you could find that and post it on Facebook 0:19:09.800 --> 0:19:12.530 that would be great. Uh, Michael Bloch, has the church 0:19:12.530 --> 0:19:16.490 replaced Israel? And I think that, you know, I always 0:19:16.490 --> 0:19:19.639 like to be positive and not talk about people that are, uh, 0:19:19.970 --> 0:19:25.910 critical of of what the Bible says. But, uh, here's 0:19:25.910 --> 0:19:29.179 the big difference, I think, between the view that Michael 0:19:29.180 --> 0:19:33.500 Bloch proposes versus the view that says the church has 0:19:33.520 --> 0:19:37.840 replaced Israel. What one view, says Michael Bloch's view, is 0:19:37.840 --> 0:19:41.800 we read the Bible progressively, so it starts starting in 0:19:41.800 --> 0:19:45.220 Genesis and all the way through the New Testament. We 0:19:45.220 --> 0:19:48.790 allow the Old Testament to inform our understanding of the new, 0:19:48.910 --> 0:19:54.460 what the other view says. This replacement theology, it says, 0:19:54.460 --> 0:19:56.139 we're going to take the New Testament, and we're going 0:19:56.170 --> 0:19:58.090 to read it back in the Old Testament. And we're 0:19:58.090 --> 0:20:00.130 going to say, there's a church in the Old Testament, 0:20:00.130 --> 0:20:04.120 and the church was Israel, but today the church is 0:20:04.119 --> 0:20:08.440 not Israel. Uh, but there is no the church began. 0:20:08.470 --> 0:20:14.170 Remember what the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 16. He said, 0:20:14.170 --> 0:20:19.000 I will future tense build my church. I will build 0:20:19.000 --> 0:20:23.140 my church. Uh, when did he start building that church? 0:20:23.170 --> 0:20:26.680 Not in the Old Testament. He started building it. Jew 0:20:26.680 --> 0:20:30.669 and Gentile being made one in the Messiah. Uh, in 0:20:30.700 --> 0:20:34.939 at the book of acts, chapter two at Pentecost. That's 0:20:34.940 --> 0:20:38.150 when the church began. So we don't want to read 0:20:38.150 --> 0:20:40.369 the New Testament back into the old. We want to 0:20:40.369 --> 0:20:43.550 read the Old Testament as the background and understanding for 0:20:43.550 --> 0:20:48.260 the new. That's progressive revelation. So anyway, thank you, Louise, 0:20:48.290 --> 0:20:52.070 for your call. And be sure to get a copy 0:20:52.070 --> 0:20:56.450 of Michael Bloch's Has the Church Replaced Israel? Okay. 0:20:56.480 --> 0:20:57.740 It is from Moody. 0:20:58.220 --> 0:21:00.710 Uh, no, it's B and H publishers. 0:21:01.280 --> 0:21:03.680 Oh B and H publishers. 0:21:03.980 --> 0:21:09.230 Mhm. It's, uh, Michael is not a Southern Baptist, but 0:21:09.230 --> 0:21:11.480 that's a Southern Baptist publishing house. 0:21:12.109 --> 0:21:12.919 Okay. 0:21:13.070 --> 0:21:13.639 Okay. 0:21:13.670 --> 0:21:15.080 All right. Thank you very. 0:21:15.080 --> 0:21:17.810 Much. Thank you for your call, Louise. Appreciate it. We're 0:21:17.810 --> 0:21:20.959 going to talk to Esmeralda in Houston, Texas, listening on 0:21:20.960 --> 0:21:23.000 the Moody Radio app. So glad you have the Moody 0:21:23.030 --> 0:21:26.300 Radio app. If, uh. Yes, tell your friends about it. 0:21:26.480 --> 0:21:31.510 All of you listening on the radio. Uh, you know Esmeralda, 0:21:31.540 --> 0:21:33.760 you found us. Did you used to live in a 0:21:33.760 --> 0:21:36.400 moody area where there was a moody station? 0:21:37.060 --> 0:21:39.639 Actually, yes. I lived in Chicago for three years in 0:21:39.640 --> 0:21:43.060 the early 2000. So that's how I knew about y'all. So. 0:21:43.090 --> 0:21:43.480 Oh. 0:21:43.510 --> 0:21:46.810 That's great. You don't have y'all down here. I, of course, 0:21:46.810 --> 0:21:49.270 had to download the app. So, you. 0:21:49.270 --> 0:21:52.330 Know, we live in Chicago. My wife listens on the 0:21:52.330 --> 0:21:54.520 Moody Radio app because we don't for some reason, in 0:21:54.520 --> 0:21:59.470 our neighborhood it's really bad reception. So she always listens 0:21:59.470 --> 0:22:02.050 on the on the app too. So funny. 0:22:02.080 --> 0:22:06.430 Oh, awesome. Yeah. Well, Doctor Rideout, the reason I called 0:22:06.430 --> 0:22:09.280 because I actually I meant to ask this question last week, 0:22:09.280 --> 0:22:12.310 but I called too late. But and I've had this 0:22:12.310 --> 0:22:17.140 question on my mind all week to ask you is one. 0:22:17.140 --> 0:22:20.619 It's kind of like a two fold question. Why doesn't 0:22:20.650 --> 0:22:25.480 the Bible describe Jesus physical appearance? I'm just. And this, 0:22:25.510 --> 0:22:29.020 you know, I've missed something. Or do you? I mean, 0:22:29.050 --> 0:22:31.110 would you have any insight on that? 0:22:31.140 --> 0:22:34.770 Well, first of all, I would say anytime I ask, 0:22:34.770 --> 0:22:37.440 why doesn't the Bible include something? I have to believe 0:22:37.440 --> 0:22:42.209 that the Bible gives us everything we need. And so obviously, 0:22:42.210 --> 0:22:45.060 if we don't have everything we're looking for, you know, 0:22:45.090 --> 0:22:48.210 one of the things that D.L. Moody used to say 0:22:48.210 --> 0:22:51.450 is God didn't give us the scriptures to satisfy our curiosity. 0:22:51.480 --> 0:22:55.080 He gave us the scriptures to transform our lives. And 0:22:55.080 --> 0:22:59.670 so so we have a lot of curious questions. And 0:22:59.670 --> 0:23:03.780 and yet, you know, if God doesn't think that's important, 0:23:03.780 --> 0:23:06.870 then he's not going to give us the information. Who 0:23:06.869 --> 0:23:11.010 knows what people would have done if they had a 0:23:11.010 --> 0:23:13.020 detailed description of the Lord Jesus? We don't have a 0:23:13.020 --> 0:23:16.050 lot of you know, we know that that David was 0:23:16.050 --> 0:23:19.619 ruddy faced and handsome and we we don't have a 0:23:19.619 --> 0:23:22.020 whole lot of descriptions. You know, we have from church 0:23:22.020 --> 0:23:25.800 history that the Apostle Paul was short and bald, which 0:23:25.800 --> 0:23:29.879 gives me hope, you know, because I'm not exactly tall. 0:23:31.290 --> 0:23:33.600 Now that you mention that, I heard a preacher. I 0:23:33.600 --> 0:23:35.070 wish I could remember who it was, but it was 0:23:35.070 --> 0:23:37.980 a long time ago. Who said that? More than likely, 0:23:37.980 --> 0:23:41.460 Jesus Christ probably wasn't that good looking, that he maybe 0:23:41.490 --> 0:23:44.429 even resembled kind of what you just said about Paul. So, 0:23:44.460 --> 0:23:46.800 I don't know. I'm just curious because and this also 0:23:46.800 --> 0:23:49.200 came up because I saw something about the Shroud of 0:23:49.200 --> 0:23:50.820 Turin lately. Yeah. 0:23:50.850 --> 0:23:55.169 Well, you know, again, that's not the Bible. Uh, Esmeralda, 0:23:55.200 --> 0:23:57.270 that's not the Bible. The Shroud of Turin. I don't 0:23:57.270 --> 0:23:59.970 have to worry about the Shroud of Turin. So let 0:23:59.970 --> 0:24:02.580 me let me give you one verse, though. And I 0:24:02.580 --> 0:24:07.560 think people misread it because they want to read it 0:24:07.560 --> 0:24:11.100 and to say something that it doesn't say. Here's what 0:24:11.100 --> 0:24:16.710 Isaiah 53 verse two says. It's, uh, it's a prophecy 0:24:16.710 --> 0:24:19.440 of the Messiah. And it says he will grow up 0:24:19.440 --> 0:24:23.129 before him like a young plant and like a root 0:24:23.130 --> 0:24:27.410 out of dry ground. He doesn't have an impressive form 0:24:27.410 --> 0:24:31.730 or majesty that we should look at him. No appearance 0:24:31.730 --> 0:24:35.240 that we should desire him. So people say from that 0:24:35.270 --> 0:24:40.550 that somehow the Lord Jesus wasn't attractive or that he 0:24:40.550 --> 0:24:44.689 was somehow ugly or something like that. That's not what 0:24:44.690 --> 0:24:47.510 that's saying. What that verse is saying is that the 0:24:47.510 --> 0:24:51.020 Lord Jesus looked like an ordinary man. He didn't look 0:24:51.020 --> 0:24:55.609 like a royal figure. He didn't have a lot of charisma. 0:24:55.609 --> 0:25:00.199 He didn't look like, uh, Cary Grant or one of 0:25:00.200 --> 0:25:04.850 those famous Hollywood actors that just looked, uh, outstanding. And 0:25:05.150 --> 0:25:08.179 he just looked like a regular guy. That's the point 0:25:08.180 --> 0:25:10.550 that this is making. It has more to do with 0:25:10.550 --> 0:25:15.740 his bearing than his, uh, actual physical features. And so 0:25:15.740 --> 0:25:18.410 we have to be careful when people say, oh, he 0:25:18.410 --> 0:25:23.960 was not good looking. No, he was ordinary looking. And 0:25:23.990 --> 0:25:28.600 of course, that's because he represents everyone. And also he 0:25:28.600 --> 0:25:33.609 came sort of, as I would call him, Clark Kent, 0:25:33.640 --> 0:25:38.770 you know, ordinary, not like Superman. And that's what the 0:25:38.770 --> 0:25:41.200 answer is. Anyway, thanks for your call. We're going to 0:25:41.200 --> 0:25:43.540 come right back with the mailbag, so don't go away. 0:25:43.540 --> 0:26:06.340 This is open line with Michael Ray Melnick. Welcome back 0:26:06.340 --> 0:26:09.760 to Open Line. So glad that you are listening in 0:26:09.760 --> 0:26:12.760 on this Saturday morning. We're having a great time around 0:26:12.760 --> 0:26:18.610 the world studying the scriptures. Uh, I'm really, really grateful 0:26:18.609 --> 0:26:23.350 to Far Eastern Broadcasting Company because what they have done 0:26:23.350 --> 0:26:28.169 is they, uh, partner with Open Line and Moody. Moody 0:26:28.200 --> 0:26:35.520 radio to bring you the weekly Febc mailbag. Even, uh, 0:26:35.520 --> 0:26:38.250 even weeks when we don't have a mailbag. But but 0:26:38.250 --> 0:26:40.170 especially on the weeks that we have the mailbag, we're 0:26:40.170 --> 0:26:45.210 really grateful for them. Uh, they, uh, they are doing 0:26:45.210 --> 0:26:49.260 so much to reach the world through media and through 0:26:49.260 --> 0:26:53.040 personal touch of people talking to people. But their media 0:26:53.160 --> 0:26:56.820 ministry is having a tremendous impact, because if you'd like 0:26:56.820 --> 0:27:01.290 to learn more about their, uh, their ministry all around 0:27:01.290 --> 0:27:04.590 the world, just go to their website, febc. Org and 0:27:04.590 --> 0:27:07.560 click on their podcast. Until all I've heard, I think 0:27:07.560 --> 0:27:10.139 you're going to be really encouraged by that. Uh, and 0:27:10.140 --> 0:27:12.719 have a better understanding of how God is reaching people 0:27:12.720 --> 0:27:16.590 through febc. And joining me right now with the Febc 0:27:16.619 --> 0:27:22.709 mailbag in her hand is Tricia McMillan. Hey, Tricia. Hello. So, uh, 0:27:22.730 --> 0:27:24.980 you're going to be here holding the fort for the 0:27:24.980 --> 0:27:28.880 next couple of weeks while I'm, uh, traveling the world. Huh? 0:27:28.910 --> 0:27:32.209 Oh, yes. We're we're we're excited to hear when you 0:27:32.210 --> 0:27:36.109 get back. Yeah. On the things that you saw. Um, 0:27:36.109 --> 0:27:39.440 but we're excited. We'll have, um, Doctor Steve Sanchez, who 0:27:39.440 --> 0:27:42.800 was here this summer with us a little bit filling in, 0:27:42.800 --> 0:27:46.580 and then, uh, doctor Mike Faber is the next week. Yeah. So? 0:27:46.609 --> 0:27:47.360 So it'll be good. 0:27:47.540 --> 0:27:51.950 Yeah. Uh, the thing I, I was looking for someone like. 0:27:52.070 --> 0:27:56.180 Like doctor Mike, uh, fibers, uh, to fill in for 0:27:56.180 --> 0:27:58.130 me just so that we wouldn't have to only rely 0:27:58.130 --> 0:28:01.879 on one person, you know, but when I'm away. But 0:28:01.910 --> 0:28:04.580 one of the things I was looking for is someone 0:28:04.580 --> 0:28:09.020 that's unafraid and will be willing to take questions and 0:28:09.020 --> 0:28:11.300 unafraid to say, I don't know. Which is, I think, 0:28:11.330 --> 0:28:14.659 the first. Yeah. It's not just unafraid to take the question, 0:28:14.660 --> 0:28:17.090 but unafraid to say, well, maybe I have to do 0:28:17.090 --> 0:28:20.149 some more research on that one. Yes. And, uh, so 0:28:20.150 --> 0:28:21.770 I found another guy from Brooklyn. 0:28:22.010 --> 0:28:22.430 So. 0:28:25.369 --> 0:28:27.800 Steve. That's it. That's the. 0:28:27.830 --> 0:28:29.419 That's the main reason we picked him. 0:28:29.450 --> 0:28:32.600 Yeah. That's right. We have the association of both being 0:28:32.600 --> 0:28:33.320 from Brooklyn. 0:28:33.980 --> 0:28:34.430 And of. 0:28:34.430 --> 0:28:36.110 Teaching at Moody Bible Institute. 0:28:36.140 --> 0:28:36.710 That's right. 0:28:36.740 --> 0:28:39.680 And have and also we both went to Dallas Theological Seminary. 0:28:39.710 --> 0:28:42.260 We've got a lot of contacts. Yeah. So there we go. 0:28:42.290 --> 0:28:46.070 So anyway, uh, well, uh, what have we got here? 0:28:46.070 --> 0:28:46.880 What kind of questions? 0:28:46.910 --> 0:28:49.370 Okay, well, one thing I do want to say, we, 0:28:49.370 --> 0:28:52.460 as part of Moody Bible Institute, we have there's a 0:28:52.460 --> 0:28:56.450 devotional put out every month called today in the word. 0:28:56.450 --> 0:29:00.470 And I noticed last month that we had they studied 0:29:00.470 --> 0:29:03.230 the book of job, and we had several questions that 0:29:03.230 --> 0:29:05.960 came in about the book of Job. And this month 0:29:05.960 --> 0:29:08.990 they're studying the book of Ecclesiastes. And so we have 0:29:08.990 --> 0:29:11.660 a couple questions from Ecclesiastes. And so I love that 0:29:11.660 --> 0:29:15.650 people are studying the Bible and reading the Bible. Um, 0:29:15.650 --> 0:29:19.670 but if you detect a theme that is part of why. Gotcha. 0:29:19.710 --> 0:29:22.230 That's a little bit of the background. So the first 0:29:22.230 --> 0:29:24.600 two questions are from the book of Ecclesiastes. 0:29:24.630 --> 0:29:25.320 Okay. 0:29:25.680 --> 0:29:30.600 So the first one is, um, from Jane in Illinois. 0:29:30.630 --> 0:29:34.890 She listens to WMI and she said in one of 0:29:34.890 --> 0:29:39.810 the devotionals, the writer references the teacher's allusion teacher being 0:29:39.810 --> 0:29:42.989 the author of Ecclesiastes, an allusion to the Book of 0:29:42.990 --> 0:29:49.260 Genesis based on Ecclesiastes two one through 11. And she 0:29:49.260 --> 0:29:52.260 checked her moody Bible commentary and didn't see this, and 0:29:52.260 --> 0:29:56.340 so was wondering, which is not exhaustive. When you look, 0:29:56.370 --> 0:29:58.740 when you read a commentary, they are not exhaustive, but 0:29:58.740 --> 0:30:01.920 they do try and answer some of the common questions. Um, 0:30:01.920 --> 0:30:06.690 is the passage Ecclesiastes two one through 11 an allusion 0:30:06.690 --> 0:30:09.660 to creation in Genesis? 0:30:09.960 --> 0:30:12.750 Well, it seems to me when I look at it, 0:30:12.780 --> 0:30:15.780 it says there is it's a very distant allusion, but 0:30:15.780 --> 0:30:18.860 there is an allusion. Uh, it talks about the sun 0:30:18.860 --> 0:30:25.160 rises and the sun sets. Uh, it says, uh, streams 0:30:25.160 --> 0:30:28.760 flow to the sea. Yet the sea is never full. 0:30:28.910 --> 0:30:33.230 Streams are flowing to the place. And they flow there again. Uh, 0:30:33.800 --> 0:30:38.150 what he is saying is he's really talking about that 0:30:38.150 --> 0:30:44.630 these things have existed since creation, and nothing has changed 0:30:44.630 --> 0:30:48.050 about them since that time. So the main emphasis is 0:30:48.050 --> 0:30:53.900 the uniformity of the world since creation. So it alludes 0:30:53.900 --> 0:30:59.570 in a distant way to creation because it mentions, uh, the, 0:30:59.570 --> 0:31:03.410 the wind, it mentions the sun rising, it mentions the 0:31:03.410 --> 0:31:06.350 streams and the sea, which are all there because the 0:31:06.350 --> 0:31:10.640 Lord made them in Genesis. So that's the illusion. But 0:31:10.640 --> 0:31:14.960 really it's more talking about since creation, things remain stable 0:31:14.960 --> 0:31:19.330 and unchanged. There's nothing new under the sun, is what 0:31:19.330 --> 0:31:20.080 he's saying. 0:31:20.110 --> 0:31:21.040 Okay. 0:31:21.520 --> 0:31:26.020 Because he's talking about enlarging and growing gardens and making 0:31:26.020 --> 0:31:28.090 those and making ponds of water and. 0:31:28.120 --> 0:31:28.810 Oh, I see. 0:31:29.410 --> 0:31:30.880 I was looking at Ecclesiastes one. 0:31:31.030 --> 0:31:31.540 Okay. Yeah. 0:31:31.570 --> 0:31:35.590 Ecclesiastes two. I'm sorry. Um, where he's talking about making 0:31:35.590 --> 0:31:41.110 these things and, um, enlarging his works. 0:31:41.140 --> 0:31:42.100 Yeah. 0:31:42.640 --> 0:31:44.590 Uh, which verse are we looking at there where. 0:31:44.590 --> 0:31:45.580 You said that? One through. 0:31:45.610 --> 0:31:46.570 11. 0:31:46.600 --> 0:31:47.620 Yeah. One through 11. 0:31:47.650 --> 0:31:50.950 Um, but the ones I was referencing are verses four 0:31:50.980 --> 0:31:52.270 through seven. 0:31:52.300 --> 0:31:54.220 Yeah. Eight ish. Okay. 0:31:54.250 --> 0:31:59.170 Got it. I see it. Uh, but you see, uh. 0:32:00.700 --> 0:32:02.950 But it would still be a similar thing where God 0:32:02.980 --> 0:32:05.140 has created it and. Yeah. 0:32:05.410 --> 0:32:07.870 He is. And the preacher is. 0:32:07.960 --> 0:32:12.730 Is is saying I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. 0:32:12.730 --> 0:32:15.940 I made gardens, and so I can see what the 0:32:15.960 --> 0:32:20.970 the devotional writer was saying was that God planted a garden. 0:32:21.360 --> 0:32:24.959 And in fact, uh, I think in many respects, when 0:32:24.960 --> 0:32:26.940 we think about God's creation of the world, it gave 0:32:26.940 --> 0:32:31.290 us a model for how we work. You know, uh, 0:32:31.830 --> 0:32:35.220 I owned herds of cattle and flocks. Well, God made 0:32:35.220 --> 0:32:38.940 those herds and cattles and flocks. So, uh, just about 0:32:38.940 --> 0:32:40.979 every time when we see these kinds of things, I 0:32:40.980 --> 0:32:44.280 think all we're seeing is, uh, a recognition that there's 0:32:44.280 --> 0:32:48.900 an underlying message, I think, in every, uh, book of 0:32:48.900 --> 0:32:51.420 the Bible when it comes to talking about the world, 0:32:51.420 --> 0:32:54.600 is that there's a creator. There's no there's no getting 0:32:54.600 --> 0:32:58.800 around that. And so you can find, uh, minor allusions 0:32:58.800 --> 0:33:02.219 to creation because it's the underlying assumption that there is 0:33:02.220 --> 0:33:02.910 a creator. 0:33:02.940 --> 0:33:04.800 Okay. Okay. All right. 0:33:04.800 --> 0:33:07.890 Thank you. That that's even in our in our general 0:33:07.890 --> 0:33:12.210 Bible reading because it is all one book. Yeah. Telling 0:33:12.240 --> 0:33:15.800 a bigger story. Not just these small like, oh, here's 0:33:15.800 --> 0:33:18.620 the story of creation. Okay, on to the next story. 0:33:18.620 --> 0:33:21.020 But they are all connected and related. 0:33:21.260 --> 0:33:23.870 This kind of makes me think of the question that 0:33:23.870 --> 0:33:27.350 kids often said, well, if everything has been created, who 0:33:27.350 --> 0:33:32.600 created God? And people think that stumps people, but that 0:33:32.600 --> 0:33:36.920 doesn't stump me. The point of it all is that 0:33:36.920 --> 0:33:41.390 everything has a creation. Everything has a, you know, every cause, 0:33:41.420 --> 0:33:43.970 every effect has a cause. Until you come to the 0:33:43.970 --> 0:33:48.020 first cause, and by definition, the first cause is God. 0:33:48.140 --> 0:33:52.760 By definition, if everything is created, therefore there must be 0:33:52.760 --> 0:33:58.460 one that is uncreated and by definition the creator is God. 0:33:58.460 --> 0:34:03.050 And so the the one being that doesn't have a 0:34:03.080 --> 0:34:09.170 creator is the creator. The one person or the one, uh, 0:34:09.170 --> 0:34:14.410 that doesn't have a cause is the first cause. he 0:34:14.410 --> 0:34:17.950 always existed, and that sets him apart from all of creation. 0:34:17.950 --> 0:34:21.250 And that's the message of the Bible that God is 0:34:21.250 --> 0:34:23.440 the creator. He is the one that's separate from all 0:34:23.469 --> 0:34:26.020 of creation. And we, when we look at it and 0:34:26.020 --> 0:34:29.620 we say, well, who created God? He's not. He's uncreated. 0:34:29.620 --> 0:34:33.430 He's the uncreated being. He's separate from the creation. We 0:34:33.430 --> 0:34:35.560 look at the creation, say, oh, and the creation everything 0:34:36.010 --> 0:34:40.390 has a cause. Well, no, he is separate from that. 0:34:40.600 --> 0:34:43.089 So that's by definition, is what makes him God. 0:34:43.120 --> 0:34:46.420 Okay. Thank you. So our next question is in Ecclesiastes 0:34:46.450 --> 0:34:50.110 two is verse nine from Kenneth in Illinois as well 0:34:50.110 --> 0:34:53.859 listens to Wmbi. It says, Solomon says, in all this 0:34:53.890 --> 0:34:57.549 my wisdom stayed with me. And so Kenneth wants to know, 0:34:57.550 --> 0:35:00.760 how does wisdom relate to a man who is enjoying 0:35:00.760 --> 0:35:04.480 all of these things for his own pleasure, and even 0:35:04.480 --> 0:35:08.440 violating some of God's commands, like multiplying horses? How does 0:35:08.440 --> 0:35:11.500 one how does one live in wisdom and not in 0:35:11.500 --> 0:35:13.470 God's will. Is that possible? 0:35:14.070 --> 0:35:21.270 Uh, well. And and there's two kinds of wisdom. Solomon 0:35:21.270 --> 0:35:25.110 was granted wisdom as a gift from God, and then 0:35:25.110 --> 0:35:27.870 he didn't always follow it. Wisdom is skill for living. 0:35:27.870 --> 0:35:31.020 And what the book of Ecclesiastes is doing is it 0:35:31.050 --> 0:35:34.320 reflects on Solomon near the end of his life, where 0:35:34.320 --> 0:35:37.649 he has not just wisdom that he received from God, 0:35:37.650 --> 0:35:41.640 but wisdom by experience. And, you know, experience is the 0:35:41.640 --> 0:35:45.120 best teacher, but it's a lot less painful, uh, to 0:35:45.150 --> 0:35:47.730 just go with the experience of others and. 0:35:48.210 --> 0:35:50.160 Right, right, right. Yeah. 0:35:50.190 --> 0:35:52.319 And so what he is saying is, look, this is 0:35:52.320 --> 0:35:54.960 the stuff I did, and he goes through his work, 0:35:54.960 --> 0:36:01.290 he goes through, uh, seeking, you know, book knowledge, pleasure knowledge, uh, 0:36:01.290 --> 0:36:05.400 work knowledge, all these different things that he's looking for. 0:36:05.400 --> 0:36:07.770 And at the end of the. I don't think you 0:36:07.770 --> 0:36:13.820 can read verse nine. Uh, my wisdom remained with me. 0:36:13.850 --> 0:36:16.850 He's learning about here. He's learning about the wisdom of 0:36:16.850 --> 0:36:21.470 of the emptiness of possessions because he sought possessions. Uh, things. 0:36:21.469 --> 0:36:23.630 I amassed silver and gold for myself. 0:36:23.660 --> 0:36:24.350 Right. 0:36:24.620 --> 0:36:27.140 And he. And he still wasn't satisfied. 0:36:27.350 --> 0:36:28.190 Well, and I. 0:36:28.400 --> 0:36:31.640 I think even in context, looking at like if you 0:36:31.670 --> 0:36:36.200 continue reading just that section, verse 11, thus I considered 0:36:36.200 --> 0:36:38.660 all my activities which my hands had done, and the 0:36:38.660 --> 0:36:42.589 labor which I had exerted, and behold, all was vanity 0:36:42.590 --> 0:36:45.739 and striving after wind, and there was no profit under 0:36:45.739 --> 0:36:49.310 the sun. So even even the wisdom that, like I 0:36:49.310 --> 0:36:52.520 could see, you know, you're telling a story, I was wise, 0:36:52.520 --> 0:36:55.700 I had wisdom, and then I realized it wasn't all 0:36:55.730 --> 0:36:56.870 worth it. Like all these things. 0:36:56.870 --> 0:36:58.400 I was doing. Utility. Yeah. Yeah. 0:36:58.430 --> 0:37:02.120 Vanity. Nothing. And then really, what we come to at 0:37:02.120 --> 0:37:07.520 the end of the book, he says absolute futility. This 0:37:07.520 --> 0:37:12.910 is 12 eight. Everything is futile. And then he says, uh, 0:37:13.870 --> 0:37:16.120 all the things that he did, he sought to find 0:37:16.120 --> 0:37:20.920 delightful sayings. And he says, beyond these, this is what 0:37:20.920 --> 0:37:23.440 I've learned. Verse 13, when it has been heard, the 0:37:23.440 --> 0:37:29.109 conclusion of the matter is, Fear God and keep his commandments, 0:37:29.110 --> 0:37:32.920 because this is for all humanity. What's the bottom line? 0:37:32.920 --> 0:37:35.830 He says, I did all these things and I found 0:37:35.830 --> 0:37:38.650 them to be futile. The only thing that isn't futile 0:37:38.680 --> 0:37:42.610 the the true wisdom, is to fear God. So that's 0:37:42.610 --> 0:37:46.210 that's the message of the book of Ecclesiastes. Uh, I 0:37:46.210 --> 0:37:48.160 was talking with my friend Michael Brown. He was going 0:37:48.160 --> 0:37:51.280 to do a debate with an atheist at Ohio State University, 0:37:51.280 --> 0:37:54.700 and he said, the guy is really focusing on Ecclesiastes. 0:37:54.700 --> 0:37:58.150 I said, do you want my one sentence summary of 0:37:58.150 --> 0:38:01.540 the book of Ecclesiastes? And he said, sure. And I said, 0:38:01.540 --> 0:38:05.860 living without God isn't living at all. That's what he learned. 0:38:05.860 --> 0:38:09.480 Living without God isn't living at all, he says. Oh 0:38:09.480 --> 0:38:11.310 that's good. And then he used it in the debate, 0:38:11.310 --> 0:38:15.450 so I was really happy. Uh, but, uh, anyway, that's 0:38:15.450 --> 0:38:18.239 that's the key. You have to remember the book of Ecclesiastes. 0:38:18.239 --> 0:38:20.640 One of the keys to understand it is not to 0:38:20.670 --> 0:38:25.290 read it in a, uh, atomistic, isolated way, but to 0:38:25.320 --> 0:38:28.110 read it holistically, to bring you to the point that 0:38:28.110 --> 0:38:30.660 the writer comes to at the end when he says, 0:38:30.660 --> 0:38:34.140 living without God isn't living at all. Fear God. That's 0:38:34.140 --> 0:38:36.899 the key to life. That's it. So it's it's all 0:38:36.900 --> 0:38:39.060 designed to bring you there. Hey, before we go, I 0:38:39.060 --> 0:38:42.359 do want to mention something before the break. Uh, I 0:38:42.360 --> 0:38:48.029 appreciate so much the team here. Uh, I'm thinking about it. 0:38:48.030 --> 0:38:50.700 Part of the team, Chris Seeger. He's coming with me 0:38:50.700 --> 0:38:53.100 to Europe. But there are other people like Amy Rios 0:38:53.130 --> 0:38:55.500 who are going to jump in, uh, and take care 0:38:55.500 --> 0:39:00.930 of the the the the engineering of the program. Trish, 0:39:00.930 --> 0:39:02.940 you're going to stay behind. Uh, we're going to bring 0:39:02.940 --> 0:39:05.400 you some guest hosts. I love the team and I 0:39:05.430 --> 0:39:08.660 especially Appreciate the rest of the team, the listeners who 0:39:08.660 --> 0:39:11.989 keep listening. And even more so there are members of 0:39:11.989 --> 0:39:15.469 the team who help keep open line on the air 0:39:15.469 --> 0:39:18.560 by being kitchen table partners. They give every month so 0:39:18.560 --> 0:39:21.170 that we can stay on the air every week, and 0:39:21.170 --> 0:39:23.900 they'll continue to listen and support Open Line, even for 0:39:23.900 --> 0:39:25.760 the two weeks that I'll be away. I'm so grateful 0:39:25.760 --> 0:39:28.700 for them. And if you would like to consider becoming 0:39:28.730 --> 0:39:31.400 a kitchen table partner and give monthly, one of the 0:39:31.400 --> 0:39:35.360 things that we do here is we prepare Bible study moments. 0:39:35.360 --> 0:39:37.400 We send them out to you every other week in 0:39:37.400 --> 0:39:40.460 an email. You get to listen to it. And I'm 0:39:40.520 --> 0:39:43.820 just really grateful for our kitchen table partners. And if 0:39:43.850 --> 0:39:45.980 you'd like to consider becoming one, all you have to 0:39:45.980 --> 0:39:51.500 do is call (888) 644-7122. I'd appreciate it so much. Or 0:39:51.500 --> 0:39:55.640 you can just go online to Open Line radio.org and 0:39:55.640 --> 0:39:59.150 become a kitchen table partner there. And we're going to 0:39:59.150 --> 0:40:03.620 come right back. Tricia with more calls you're listening to. Michael. Right. 0:40:04.010 --> 0:40:09.040 Tricia Macmillan right here on Moody Radio's Open Line. We're 0:40:09.040 --> 0:40:11.080 going to come back with more of your calls in 0:40:11.080 --> 0:40:35.800 just a moment. So stay right there. And we're back. 0:40:35.800 --> 0:40:38.410 So glad to be with you this Saturday morning. My 0:40:38.410 --> 0:40:41.470 name is Michael Ray Dolnick. And talking about your questions 0:40:41.469 --> 0:40:44.950 about the Bible, God and the spiritual life. Before we 0:40:44.950 --> 0:40:48.009 go back to the phones, I do want to mention 0:40:48.010 --> 0:40:53.170 this that when autumn rolls around, people are always interested 0:40:53.170 --> 0:40:58.060 in the fall holy days that Jewish people celebrate. Chosen 0:40:58.060 --> 0:41:03.009 People Ministries is offering a free, very helpful booklet called 0:41:03.010 --> 0:41:06.750 Celebrate Israel's High Holy Days. This little booklet explores the 0:41:06.750 --> 0:41:09.839 fall Jewish High Holy Days, the three of them that 0:41:09.840 --> 0:41:12.510 you may know, Rosh Hashanah or the Feast of Trumpets 0:41:12.510 --> 0:41:14.460 in the Bible or the Jewish New Year. Today it's 0:41:14.460 --> 0:41:18.150 called Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and Sukkot, the 0:41:18.150 --> 0:41:23.250 Feast of Booths. They are all really interesting and this 0:41:23.250 --> 0:41:26.640 little booklet explains them for you. I hope you'll check 0:41:26.640 --> 0:41:31.140 it out. Uh, just go to the Open Line website. 0:41:31.140 --> 0:41:35.850 That's open Line radio.org. Scroll down and you'll see a 0:41:35.850 --> 0:41:39.150 link that says A Free gift from Chosen People Ministries. 0:41:39.150 --> 0:41:41.700 Click on that and you'll be taken to a page 0:41:41.700 --> 0:41:43.500 where you can fill out the form and sign up 0:41:43.500 --> 0:41:47.609 for your very own free copy of, uh, these this 0:41:47.610 --> 0:41:51.330 book on celebrate Israel's high Holy Days. This little booklet 0:41:51.360 --> 0:41:53.520 you'll I think you're going to really like it. Don't 0:41:53.520 --> 0:41:55.859 miss out. And also, I'm really grateful that we have 0:41:55.860 --> 0:42:00.630 partnered with Chosen People Ministries here at Moody Radio. Now, 0:42:00.630 --> 0:42:03.710 for the entire time that I've been hosting Open Line 0:42:03.710 --> 0:42:07.250 for 12 years plus. And one of the things that 0:42:07.250 --> 0:42:12.410 we're going to partner with, Chosen People Ministries again this 0:42:12.410 --> 0:42:17.240 coming November, November 9th, we're going to do a summit 0:42:17.270 --> 0:42:23.450 opposing anti-Semitism. It's a growing problem. It's unbelievable. Actually. I 0:42:23.450 --> 0:42:27.530 feel like we're experiencing the kind of anti-Semitism that was 0:42:27.530 --> 0:42:33.259 prevalent in the world almost 90 years ago, in the 1930s. And, uh, 0:42:33.260 --> 0:42:38.719 it's Moody's legacy always. We've always opposed anti-Semitism. It's always 0:42:38.719 --> 0:42:41.360 been the case that Moody Bible Institute in the 1970s, 0:42:41.360 --> 0:42:44.360 when the Nazis marched in Skokie, doctor Sweden took out 0:42:44.390 --> 0:42:48.500 a full page ad, uh, standing with the Jewish community 0:42:48.500 --> 0:42:52.280 and opposing anti-Semitism. He was the president of Moody at 0:42:52.280 --> 0:42:55.700 the time. That's that's what we're about. And so we're 0:42:55.700 --> 0:42:57.920 going to have a one day conference to help Christians 0:42:57.920 --> 0:43:01.550 learn how they, too, can oppose anti-Semitism. If you if 0:43:01.550 --> 0:43:03.980 you're interested in joining us, I hope you will in 0:43:03.980 --> 0:43:07.819 Tory Auditorium in Chicago at Moody Bible Institute. Uh, just 0:43:07.820 --> 0:43:11.690 go to the Open Line radio.org website. There's a banner 0:43:11.690 --> 0:43:16.340 there on the summit on opposing anti-Semitism. And please do 0:43:16.370 --> 0:43:19.969 join us. It's crucial that you join us for that day. 0:43:19.969 --> 0:43:25.280 And we're going to go to the phones right now, uh, to, 0:43:25.310 --> 0:43:29.150 I believe, Alice listening in Georgia and WNBA. Welcome to 0:43:29.180 --> 0:43:31.069 Open Line. Alice, how can I help you? 0:43:32.210 --> 0:43:36.110 Thank you. You're welcome. Michael. 0:43:36.350 --> 0:43:37.280 Good morning. 0:43:37.280 --> 0:43:43.310 I am, uh, we're starting to study, uh, Noah in 0:43:43.310 --> 0:43:48.530 a lady's Bible study. And I'm reading in, in Genesis 0:43:48.530 --> 0:43:54.890 617 where God says he's going to destroy everything that 0:43:54.890 --> 0:43:59.030 has the breath of life in it. And I'm wondering 0:43:59.060 --> 0:44:03.060 I'm wondering why he is destroying the animals. 0:44:05.219 --> 0:44:05.850 Uh. 0:44:06.239 --> 0:44:09.450 I think God just wanted to start the whole creation anew. 0:44:09.480 --> 0:44:13.920 He didn't destroy every animal. He, uh. He took on, 0:44:13.950 --> 0:44:16.799 you know, the two by twos that we all know 0:44:16.830 --> 0:44:21.900 of from the, uh, the Ark. Uh, he took on the, uh, 0:44:21.900 --> 0:44:25.649 the the clean animals, which were probably animals for sacrifice 0:44:25.650 --> 0:44:32.850 in pairs of seven. Uh, but, uh, the, uh, I 0:44:32.850 --> 0:44:36.900 think it was just, uh, to to start creation anew. 0:44:37.140 --> 0:44:41.610 I think that's that's really all it was. Uh, you know, 0:44:42.030 --> 0:44:45.270 some might say, well, why why get get rid of 0:44:45.270 --> 0:44:49.290 all those other animals? Uh, you know, I'm not privy 0:44:49.290 --> 0:44:53.790 to God's, uh, decision making about that. I do think 0:44:53.790 --> 0:44:56.850 he makes it clear he's going to start afresh, start anew. 0:44:56.850 --> 0:45:00.620 And that's why he's going to do it, so I hope. Okay. 0:45:00.650 --> 0:45:03.469 You know, that's that's sufficient for me. It may not 0:45:03.469 --> 0:45:06.800 be sufficient for you. That's how I understand it. Okay. 0:45:07.730 --> 0:45:10.460 That sounds good to me. Thank you very much. 0:45:10.730 --> 0:45:15.110 Great. Uh, we're going to talk to Kristen Whiting, Indiana. 0:45:15.140 --> 0:45:18.290 Welcome to Open Line. Kristen, how can I help you? 0:45:18.290 --> 0:45:20.360 Good morning, doctor Mike. 0:45:20.420 --> 0:45:22.640 I've got go ahead with your question. We're running out 0:45:22.640 --> 0:45:24.860 of time here. Go ahead. 0:45:25.160 --> 0:45:31.550 Quick question about if a person has chosen to be cremated, 0:45:31.580 --> 0:45:38.210 does that preclude them from participating in the Millennial Kingdom? 0:45:38.420 --> 0:45:42.919 Well, you know, a body decays, uh, and God's able 0:45:42.920 --> 0:45:45.710 to take a decayed body or someone that's, you know, 0:45:45.739 --> 0:45:50.120 drowns at sea and their body decays. Uh, and the 0:45:50.120 --> 0:45:55.310 fish eat parts of it and, you know, uh, things 0:45:55.310 --> 0:45:58.810 like that. And yet the molecules never really go away, 0:45:58.810 --> 0:46:03.610 and supernaturally God is able to restore them. In the 0:46:03.640 --> 0:46:10.060 same way, he'll restore cremated, uh, bodies, uh, miraculously. I 0:46:10.060 --> 0:46:13.660 don't think that anything will keep God from renewing and 0:46:13.660 --> 0:46:17.980 restoring those molecules, so don't you worry about it, Kristen. Uh, 0:46:17.980 --> 0:46:23.230 cremation is not what my preferred approach is, but nevertheless, 0:46:23.350 --> 0:46:28.120 God's able to restore those bodies at the resurrection. Uh, well, 0:46:28.120 --> 0:46:31.480 that's the our. Can't believe it. It's go so fast, 0:46:31.480 --> 0:46:32.920 but we're going to come back with the second hour 0:46:32.950 --> 0:46:35.350 of open line on most of these stations. Check out 0:46:35.350 --> 0:46:38.260 the Moody Radio app or the podcast, or listen online 0:46:38.260 --> 0:46:41.500 if your station doesn't carry it, the Bible Study America 0:46:41.500 --> 0:46:45.100 is going to continue, uh, in the second hour. So 0:46:45.100 --> 0:46:48.550 stay with us. Open line with Doctor Michael Melnick is 0:46:48.550 --> 0:46:53.020 a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute. 0:46:53.050 --> 0:46:53.739 Stay with.