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S1: When you're several thousand feet up in the air, you

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S1: get a perspective on the lay of the land you

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S1: just don't see when you're on the ground. What if

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S1: I told you the same thing is true of how

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S1: we look at Scripture? Coming up, special guest Colin Smith

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S1: shows us how and why the view from above is

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S1: so majestic. Plus, we'll look at your latest Bible questions

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S1: and bring you the top stories from the Middle East.

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S1: Enjoy an unusual flight with us now as you join

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S1: us for the land and the book. Welcome! I'm John Gager.

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S1: As always, our pilot is Captain Charlie Dyer, a respected

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S1: Middle East expert and author of many books, including the

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S1: recently released Who Owns the Land? You know Israel Charlie

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S1: has been in the news so much, we say that

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S1: all the time. But it's true. And the Bible, of course,

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S1: is jam packed with end times prophecies about epic world events,

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S1: the regathering of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland,

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S1: and Jesus return. It is crucial for us as believers, though,

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S1: to have a proper understanding of Bible prophecy so that

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S1: our view of the future is shaped by Scripture and

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S1: and not just today's headlines. Right?

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S2: I agree completely, John. And with that in mind, our

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S2: friends at Life and Messiah have published a book titled God,

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S2: Israel and Bible Prophecy, and they're offering it to listeners

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S2: of the land in the book for a limited time.

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S2: This informative book is focused on providing readers with a

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S2: deeper understanding and greater appreciation of what God has in

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S2: store for Israel and the nations by digging into what

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S2: the scriptures say about these issues. Now, if you're interested

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S2: in learning more about what God has in store, visit

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S2: Life in Messiah. Org and click on the Moody Radio

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S2: button to find out how you can receive your copy

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S2: of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org.

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S1: And now a look at current events. This weekend is

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S1: Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and earlier this week

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S1: was the one year anniversary of the attack by Hamas

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S1: on October the 7th. So much has happened over the

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S1: past 12 months, Charlie. Start by walking us through the

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S1: many events and milestones.

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S2: Yeah, John. And it all began with the horror of

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S2: October 7th, as thousands of Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters

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S2: broke through the border from Gaza to attack Israeli communities.

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S2: Over 1200 Israelis were killed, 5400 more were injured, and

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S2: 250 were carried back to Gaza as hostages. The next day,

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S2: Hezbollah in Lebanon began firing rockets, missiles and drones into Israel.

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S2: Nearly 80,000 Israeli citizens were forced to abandon their homes

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S2: and towns in northern Israel, out of fear that Hezbollah

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S2: was preparing to launch an invasion. One year later, those

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S2: people are still refugees. After rushing in forces to protect

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S2: both borders, Israel began a full scale attack on Gaza.

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S2: The goal was to eliminate Hamas and secure the return

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S2: of all Israeli hostages. One year on, neither goal has

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S2: yet been fully achieved. Much of Gaza has been destroyed

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S2: and around 18,000. Hamas fighters have been killed, but many

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S2: citizens in Gaza have also been killed because Hamas embedded

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S2: their fighters and their headquarters, their attack tunnels, their rocket

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S2: launchers among the civilian population. In the most bizarre twist,

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S2: the unprovoked attack by Hamas has unleashed a worldwide wave

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S2: of anti-Semitism, with Israel being charged with genocide for defending

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S2: itself against Hamas's genocidal attack. Iran encouraged its other proxies

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S2: to launch attacks against Israel to support Hamas. In addition

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S2: to the increasing attacks by Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen

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S2: launched missiles and drones and tried to block shipping in

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S2: the Red sea. Shiite groups in Syria and Iraq have

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S2: also launched rockets and drones. Israel has been hampered in

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S2: the fight against Hamas by trying to protect the remaining

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S2: hostages still being held in Gaza. But Israel did eliminate

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S2: the head of Hamas while he was in Tehran. in

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S2: the north. Israel began attacking Hezbollah's leadership over the course

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S2: of several months. They eliminated several thousand leaders and fighters

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S2: through the use of exploding pagers and walkie talkies, and

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S2: through air attacks. They eliminated Hezbollah's top leadership, including Nasrallah,

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S2: his top aides, and the top leadership of the Radwan force.

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S2: They also launched two attacks against the Houthis, putting two

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S2: of Yemen's major ports out of commission. But the main

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S2: enemy is still Iran. Iran armed and directed these groups.

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S2: They also launched two major missile attacks against Israel in

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S2: response to the assassination of the leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah.

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S2: Israel has vowed a major response, and that's where we

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S2: stand right now. Here's what everyone needs to remember, though,

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S2: from this past year. Israel didn't start this. Hamas did.

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S2: Israel isn't guilty of genocide, but Hamas is. Hamas, Hezbollah,

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S2: the Houthis and Iran all reject a two state solution.

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S2: All call for the elimination of the State of Israel.

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S2: Israel is in a fight. They didn't start. And the

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S2: other side has said it's either you or them. If

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S2: someone was trying to break into your house to kill

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S2: your family, how would you respond? That's the dilemma facing Israel.

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S1: Well, Charlie, if Iran is the country pulling all the

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S1: strings behind the scenes, why has Israel waited so long?

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S1: Many would ask to address the real threat. And and

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S1: how might this conflict yet unfold?

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S2: Well, Israel has waited this long for several reasons. First,

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S2: Iran's a large country, and at some distance away, Tehran

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S2: is over a thousand miles from Jerusalem. And that's taking

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S2: the most direct route over Jordan or Syria and Iraq.

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S2: Not exactly friendly territory. Second, the possible targets in Iran

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S2: are widely scattered. A surprise attack against multiple targets simultaneously

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S2: is impossible. And finally, Iran might be the ultimate threat.

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S2: But Hezbollah and Hamas are the nearer and more immediate

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S2: threats they needed to be addressed first. Now, in terms

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S2: of what might happen, Israel has said it will respond

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S2: to the two direct attacks Iran has already made. The

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S2: US is pressuring Israel to dial back its response and

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S2: not attack Iran's nuclear facilities or its oil facilities, or

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S2: its power grid. Three attacks that could definitely harm Iran

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S2: militarily and economically. The US initially said it would stand

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S2: with Israel against Iran, but it seems that that promise

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S2: is dependent on Israel abiding by our wishes. Iran has

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S2: threatened to launch more ballistic missiles and that is a

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S2: serious threat. They launched about 200 missiles in the last

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S2: attack on an Israeli airbase in the south, was hit

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S2: by up to 32 missiles. They didn't do any major damage,

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S2: but they did manage to get through the defense system.

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S2: Iran could cause more damage, especially if they chose to

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S2: attack other infrastructure in Israel. In more densely populated civilian areas, however,

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S2: Israel still has the ability to launch air and missile

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S2: attacks and further damage Iran's economy. Now, when this phase

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S2: of the war begins, it could be very intense and

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S2: very brutal. Hopefully it could also be very short.

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S1: From Moody Radio. This is the land and the book.

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S1: Doctor Charlie Dyer, our host, bringing us an update on

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S1: current events from the Middle East. I'm John Gager. You know, Charlie,

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S1: several weeks ago you said in passing one reason the

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S1: Romans attacked Masada was because of Jewish raids against the

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S1: balsam groves at Engedi in Jericho. A recent news report

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S1: says scientists there have found and have grown a balsam

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S1: plant that had been thought extinct for over a thousand years.

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S1: What do we know about this discovery? Yeah, this is fascinating.

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S2: The discovery actually happened several years ago, when archaeologists found

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S2: a single seed in a cave in the Judean desert

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S2: after years of attempting to germinate the seed. Scientists finally

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S2: got it to grow into a sapling. The plant belongs

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S2: to a unique species of the Commiphora family, which is

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S2: known for its aromatic gum resins. These resins were highly

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S2: prized in the ancient world, and they were used as perfume,

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S2: as incense and as medicine. Now, in a twist to

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S2: this story, this plant, at least so far, doesn't appear

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S2: to be strongly fragrant. But they've discovered that the sapling's

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S2: leaves have biologically active compounds with anti-inflammatory properties. It hasn't

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S2: yet produced flowers or fruit, which they hope will help

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S2: them compare it with modern day species. I love it,

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S2: Jeremiah 822. The prophet asked rhetorically, is there no balm

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S2: in Gilead? Well, hopefully we might soon learn more about

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S2: this ancient, fragrant plant, this balm or balsam, and its

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S2: healing properties.

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S1: I love to smell that fragrance. Well, finding an ideal

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S1: solution for weight loss is big business today, and two

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S1: Israeli companies are developing novel approaches to help people safely

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S1: shed those unwanted pounds. Tell us about these new innovations

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S1: from Amazing Israel.

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S2: Well, the first has already received FDA clearance, while the

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S2: second is still under development, the epitome weight loss capsule.

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S2: And that's spelled e p I t o m e.

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S2: But that weight loss capsule is a drug free ingestible

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S2: medical device. Once the capsule is swallowed and reaches the stomach,

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S2: it absorbs water and creates a three dimensional matrix that

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S2: takes up volume in the stomach, resulting in a sensation

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S2: of fullness. In essence, it mimics the presence of food

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S2: and activates the brain's sensation of feeling full. It lasts

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S2: a few hours in the stomach before moving to the intestine,

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S2: where it dissolves just within a few minutes. Actually, the

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S2: second approach is being developed by a Jerusalem based company

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S2: called metabolize. They're focusing on using two small molecules, known

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S2: as metabolites, that are produced in the body in response

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S2: to exercise or intermittent fasting or ketogenic diets. These metabolites

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S2: reduce appetite and weight like current medications, but they're less

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S2: aggressive and they don't have the unfortunate side effects. This

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S2: treatment would also be taken orally and could be used

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S2: in foods like protein bars and shakes, and it would

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S2: be classified as a new dietary ingredient rather than medication.

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S2: The company hopes to receive FDA approval within 18 months

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S2: and have it on the market sometime in late 2026. Now, hopefully,

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S2: these two new approaches to weight loss will make a

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S2: difference in the lives of many without causing some of

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S2: the more unfortunate side effects of current treatments.

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S1: Well, we've heard of the Israelites, the Hittites, the Jebusites,

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S1: now the metabolites. That's interesting Charlie. I like that story. Well,

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S1: a full program today, as always. Colin Smith, the pastor

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S1: you may well hear on the radio, will join us

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S1: in studio to talk about how and why the view

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S1: from above is majestic. A fascinating look, though, at a

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S1: simple way of sharing the plan of salvation with your friends.

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S1: Also part of that conversation. Later on, Charlie returns with

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S1: a fresh set of Bible questions, and of course, his

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S1: devotional is always worth sticking around for. Our website is

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S1: The Land and the book.org information about today's guest. Past programs.

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S1: Future programs. All there. Up next, it's a conversation with

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S1: Colin Smith. There is something about looking out the window

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S1: of an airplane that is absolutely mesmerizing. Up several thousand

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S1: feet in the air, you get a perspective on the

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S1: lay of the land you just don't get when you're

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S1: on the ground. But what if I told you the

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S1: same thing is true of the way we look at Scripture?

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S1: Today's guest, Pastor Colin Smith, says the view from above

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S1: is majestic, and we're about to take off for an

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S1: unusual flight here on the land. And the book, I'm

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S1: John Gager, and while I'm fastening my seat belt here

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S1: and making sure my phone is in airplane mode, let's

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S1: pause you and I for a quick thought on loving

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S1: Jewish friends and neighbors for Christ. If you're looking for

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S1: ways to reach out to your Jewish friends. The Jewish

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S1: calendar is filled with great pointers, including Yom Kippur. How

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S1: could that be a center of a of an outreach

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S1: kind of conversation? Let's ask Roy Schwartz of Chosen People Ministries.

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S3: Roy well, most Jewish people really come away from Yom

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S3: Kippur without an assurance that anything really happened, that sin

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S3: has been forgiven. And that's because Yom Kippur, the only

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S3: provision that God has made, is that without the shedding

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S3: of blood, there's no remission of sin. And so prayer

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S3: and fasting and repentance just doesn't cut it. We don't

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S3: have any real assurance, but as believers, we have assurance

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S3: based on the blood that God provided once and for all.

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S3: But I think it goes further than that, because most

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S3: Christians don't understand that Yom Kippur was actually a time

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S3: when God renewed his covenant with Israel, and it was

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S3: for national atonement. It wasn't for personal atonement. Personal atonement

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S3: was found every other day when the temple was open

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S3: and you laid your hands on a lamb and confessed

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S3: your sin, and the priest would give you the knife.

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S3: You had to slit the throat of the lamb. The

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S3: blood was gathered by the priest offered on the altar,

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S3: and there was remission of sin, but not Yom Kippur.

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S3: That was the day when the temple was closed. And

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S3: most Jewish people have no idea about any of that.

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S3: And so it's an opportunity to talk about what Yom

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S3: Kippur is. And when you have more knowledge about Yom

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S3: Kippur than they do from a biblical perspective, that's provoking

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S3: them to jealousy.

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S1: And that's Roy Schwarz of Chosen People Ministries on the

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S1: land and the book. Pastor Colin Smith serves as senior

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S1: pastor of The Orchard with six campuses across Chicagoland. Born

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S1: and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is her daily on

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S1: the radio broadcast. Open the Bible. He and his wife

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S1: Karen have two sons and five granddaughters. Colin has written

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S1: many books, including a moody publishers title that has kind

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S1: of sparked today's conversation, Fly Through the Bible A Brief introduction.

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S1: It is so good to finally connect with you again

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S1: on the land of the book, Pastor Colin John.

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S4: It's always a delight to talk to you and thank

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S4: you for the opportunity of being on your program.

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S1: Now, really, I think today's interview should be hosted by

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S1: our engineer and producer, Dan Anderson. You see, he's a

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S1: private pilot, and sometime you'll have to ask him about

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S1: the time he and I flew a mission that we

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S1: have called Operation Pig Lift. That's a story for another day.

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S1: You describe your book, Fly Through the Bible as a

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S1: high altitude exploration of the entire Bible story. What do

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S1: you mean by that?

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S4: Well, I mean that the whole Bible is one story.

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S4: It begins in a garden. It ends in a city.

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S4: And all the way through it is about the Lord

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S4: Jesus Christ. And of course, a lot of people know

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S4: stories from the Bible. You know, David and Goliath, Jonah

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S4: and the whale and so forth and so on. But

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S4: I find that when people grasp that the Bible itself

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S4: is one big story, that that actually gives them a

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S4: place to begin, and it gives them an understanding that

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S4: they may not have had before.

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S1: What will this book do for someone who has known

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S1: the Lord for a while? Or is it really intended

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S1: primarily for beginners?

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S4: Well, I think both. There are many folks I've found

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S4: who've been in church for a long time, who don't

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S4: have a sense of the big picture of the Bible story,

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S4: and many of the folks in the church that I

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S4: serve here would say that that has been something that

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S4: has significantly helped them. I mean, the analogy of the flight.

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S4: If you're flying over the Grand Canyon, you get a

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S4: sense of the vastness of what's there. But what it

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S4: does is it gives you an incentive to say, ah,

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S4: now I've seen what's there. I want to explore more

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S4: and get on the ground and do that. So that's

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S4: the intent. But the thing is always a place to begin.

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S4: And so for a newer Christian, this is a great

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S4: place to begin. And most of all, for a person

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S4: who really doesn't know anything about the Bible, this is

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S4: a place to begin. And that really has been my

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S4: primary intent in writing the book.

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S1: I do see this as a very friendly, very non

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S1: stuffy book that I could easily share with a non-believing friend,

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S1: and I'm assuming that's no accident. When did you get

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S1: the idea for this as a tool that could be

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S1: used for non-believers?

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S4: Well, I was at a conference in England now a

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S4: good number of years ago, and just happened to be

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S4: sitting opposite a brother who was a pioneer missionary to

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S4: an unreached people group. I'd never met him before, never

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S4: met him again. But over that lunch he told me

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S4: his story. That was absolutely fascinating. I mean, here is

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S4: a man who had gone to an unreached people group.

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S4: He had met the tribal chief, been invited to make

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S4: his home with this tribe, had built his own home,

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S4: had learned their language, and then made his life there

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S4: among them. And I'm listening to this stuff. I mean,

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S4: it was absolutely extraordinary. It was like an adventure story.

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S4: And at one point during the lunch, I said, Tony,

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S4: where would you even begin? In explaining the gospel to

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S4: people who don't even know who God is? And he said,

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S4: we tell them the Bible story. And I thought, if

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S4: that's how pioneer missionaries are operating to reach people who

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S4: know nothing about the God of the Bible, that's what

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S4: we need to do here in America and in the

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S4: West more broadly today, because we need to reach a

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S4: generation who really have not the faintest idea of who

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S4: God is or who we are, or what the human

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S4: problem is, or why we would even need a Savior,

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S4: let alone what Jesus Christ came into the world to accomplish.

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S4: But you see, the very nature of the Bible's story

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S4: is that God has laid out step by step these

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S4: things that we need to understand in order to grasp

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S4: the gospel who God is, who we are, what the

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S4: human problem is, why we need a deliverer, who he is,

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S4: what Jesus Christ has accomplished, and what he's therefore able

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S4: to do in our lives today. And so very simply,

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S4: fly through the Bible takes people through this in a

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S4: journey from Genesis to Revelation that lays out the big picture,

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S4: and it's intended to give people a place to begin.

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S1: Section one of the book is devoted to five people

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S1: in the Old Testament. Who are the five and how

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S1: did you choose them?

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S4: Well, actually, they're pretty well self-selected. I mean, you have

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S4: to have Adam. You certainly have to have Abraham and Moses.

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S4: You have to have King David, and then you have

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S4: to have someone from the end of the Old Testament story.

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S4: So that would be either Ezra or Nehemiah. And I

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S4: went with Ezra. Now these five, if you grasp their stories,

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S4: really give you and this is, of course, at a

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S4: very high altitude level, they do give you an overview

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S4: of what the Old Testament is teaching to us. God

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S4: introduces himself in the story of Adam, tells us who

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S4: we are in the creation of Adam, made in God's

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S4: image tells us the human problem right there in the

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S4: story of Abraham. God makes this wonderful promise to bring

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S4: blessing through the children of Abraham, and it's going to

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S4: be through Abraham's descendants. That blessing will come to all

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S4: the families of the earth. You follow the story through

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S4: King David and through Ezra. It's all pointing us to Jesus.

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S4: And the big picture of the Old Testament is it

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S4: shows us why we need the deliverer, and it shows

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S4: us why Jesus is the deliverer that we need.

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S1: If you're just joining us, Pastor Colin Smith is helping

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S1: us fly through the Bible. A new release from Moody Publishers.

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S1: I'm John Gager in the co-pilot seat, and this is

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S1: the land and the book. Well, section two focuses on

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S1: five events in the life of Jesus. Boy, with so

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S1: many exciting moments, let's be honest. What grid could you

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S1: possibly come up with to select just five?

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S4: Well, there are five events. They are that Jesus was born,

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S4: that he was tempted, that he was crucified, that he

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S4: is risen, and that he has ascended. Now, obviously there's

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S4: so much more in the Gospels about the Lord Jesus,

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S4: the teaching of Jesus, the miracles of Jesus, the parables

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S4: of Jesus, and so many wonderful events in the life

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S4: of Jesus. But if a person who knew very little

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S4: or nothing at all were to grasp the most important things,

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S4: I think that to know that Jesus was born and tempted, crucified, raised,

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S4: and ascended would give the first things that need to

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S4: be known about the Lord Jesus Christ. These are the

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S4: things that point us to who he is, and they're

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S4: the things that point us to why we should trust him.

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S1: Section three discusses five gifts for every believer. What are

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S1: those five? And again, how did you go about identifying

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S1: the five?

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S4: Well, that's perhaps the hardest of all because there are

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S4: so many gifts that are ours when we are in

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S4: the Lord Jesus Christ. But the gift of the Holy

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S4: Spirit clearly has to be the first from acts and

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S4: chapter two. The wonderful gift of faith, the gift of forgiveness,

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S4: then the gift of the church. That's one I think

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S4: that is often forgotten, that when God reconciles us to

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S4: Himself in Christ, he brings us into his body. Of course,

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S4: the last one selected itself. It has to be the

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S4: gift of heaven. So, I mean, here's a very, very

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S4: high altitude journey over the whole Bible story. Five people

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S4: in the Old Testament, five events in the Gospels from

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S4: the life of Jesus, five gifts that God gives to

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S4: all who believe. It's a very high altitude, but it's

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S4: a place to begin.

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S1: Colin Smith has a voice you might well recognize if

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S1: you listen to his daily radio broadcast. Open the Bible.

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S1: He joins us today on the Land and the book.

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S1: You've walked with the Lord for some time now. Been

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S1: a pastor for decades. Still, I have to ask what

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S1: surprised you as you put this book together?

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S4: Without question, you never come to an end of wonder

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S4: at the sheer grace of God. And I think writing

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S4: this and just trying to put together the big picture

389
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S4: at a high altitude level, the overwhelming sense is how

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S4: amazing God's grace and his extraordinary love to us in

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S4: Christ is that he would send His Son, that His

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S4: Son would give himself in all that that involved in

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S4: order to redeem rebel sinners like ourselves and to bring

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S4: people into the joy of knowing him, and then ultimately

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S4: into the joy of enjoying him forever in glory. I mean,

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S4: that is unfathomable. It is inexhaustible. And I hope that

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S4: as people would read the book and get the big

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S4: picture of the Bible story, they would say how amazing

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S4: God is and how wonderful to come to know him

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S4: and to enter into all that is ours in the

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S4: Lord Jesus Christ.

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S1: Now every chapter ends with questions for reflection and discussion.

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S1: Nothing new there, but I think the way that you

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00:22:24,460 --> 00:22:28,570
S1: phrase the questions does a terrific job of sparking and

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S1: then guiding conversations I would love to have with my

406
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S1: unsaved friends. What's your thought on this? What went into

407
00:22:35,410 --> 00:22:38,530
S1: those questions and how did you frame them just right?

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S4: Well, I have to give credit to my friend and

409
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S4: colleague Tim Augustine, who was the one who drafted the

410
00:22:44,140 --> 00:22:46,300
S4: questions on this. And I think that he has done

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S4: an outstanding job. And I think that for this reason,

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S4: that they're not the kind of questions that you need

413
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S4: to have a vast fund of knowledge to answer. And

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S4: they're not the kind of questions that just lead to

415
00:22:56,770 --> 00:22:59,290
S4: a yes no and a dead end in the conversation.

416
00:22:59,290 --> 00:23:04,570
S4: They're deliberately designed with a particular setting in view, a

417
00:23:04,570 --> 00:23:07,479
S4: believer talking to someone who does not yet know the

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S4: Lord Jesus Christ. And so the kinds of questions that

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S4: are here are very discussable over a cup of coffee.

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S4: I mean, for example, first question at the end of

421
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S4: the section on Adam, what's your first reaction to hearing

422
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S4: that we are made in the image of God? Well,

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S4: that's a very discussable question. What do you think you

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S4: would have liked about living in the Garden of Eden,

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S4: and why did you choose that? So you can see

426
00:23:30,530 --> 00:23:34,129
S4: these are questions that are designed to help people interact

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S4: with the big picture of the Bible's story. And because

428
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S4: of the conviction that if we can introduce the truth

429
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S4: of the Scripture to people's lives, it's living seed, and

430
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S4: if we put living seed in the ground, then we've

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S4: got reason to hope that there's going to be some

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S4: life that will actually grow up. So I find that

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S4: regularly now, for some time, we've been saying to the

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S4: folks in the church that I serve here now, who

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S4: is there in your life who needs to know the

436
00:24:01,190 --> 00:24:04,100
S4: God of the Bible and just might be open to

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S4: a conversation around the scriptures with you if you were

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S4: to ask them? And the whole idea of this book

439
00:24:09,830 --> 00:24:13,070
S4: is it's a very simple tool that a Christian could

440
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S4: use to open conversation with someone who needs to know

441
00:24:17,510 --> 00:24:19,550
S4: the God of the Bible and come to saving faith

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S4: in the Lord Jesus Christ. All right, I.

443
00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:23,300
S1: Have to ask. I know the book is fairly new yet,

444
00:24:23,300 --> 00:24:26,960
S1: but what kinds of stories have you heard as people

445
00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:30,290
S1: share this biblical view from above with others.

446
00:24:30,290 --> 00:24:32,510
S4: Well, I'm absolutely thrilled at the way that people are

447
00:24:32,510 --> 00:24:36,110
S4: using it. Folks are using it, for example, with their grandchildren,

448
00:24:36,109 --> 00:24:39,500
S4: as a means of trying to introduce grandchildren to the truth,

449
00:24:39,500 --> 00:24:41,720
S4: and especially if they're not coming to church. This is

450
00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:45,139
S4: a wonderful, wonderful means of doing that. We have people

451
00:24:45,140 --> 00:24:47,210
S4: who are using it over a cup of coffee, just

452
00:24:47,210 --> 00:24:50,960
S4: meeting with folks and using the questions. You can read

453
00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:54,290
S4: each section in, I don't know, John. Five minutes, just

454
00:24:54,290 --> 00:24:58,220
S4: five minutes. It's very easy. So it's easy to say, hey,

455
00:24:58,220 --> 00:24:59,870
S4: could we just read a little bit and then talk

456
00:24:59,869 --> 00:25:02,510
S4: about it? And people are doing that. We've had people

457
00:25:02,510 --> 00:25:05,449
S4: who are doing it over text, communicating in that kind

458
00:25:05,450 --> 00:25:08,810
S4: of way, sustaining conversations with people sometimes who are many,

459
00:25:08,810 --> 00:25:12,919
S4: many miles away but open to talk around the scriptures

460
00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:16,250
S4: and where the Word of God is drip fed into

461
00:25:16,250 --> 00:25:19,130
S4: a person's life, we can have great confidence that God

462
00:25:19,130 --> 00:25:19,940
S4: will bring fruit.

463
00:25:19,970 --> 00:25:22,490
S1: Okay, my conviction is that this book view from above

464
00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:25,250
S1: is sort of like a cheat sheet. All right, Pastor Collin,

465
00:25:25,250 --> 00:25:27,470
S1: you've done the work for us. Not only have you

466
00:25:27,500 --> 00:25:32,660
S1: made the scriptures plain level, simplified, understandable, but you've even

467
00:25:32,660 --> 00:25:35,869
S1: handed us the conversation material that we can use. I

468
00:25:35,869 --> 00:25:37,730
S1: just want to say a great big thank you.

469
00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:40,189
S4: Well thank you. I hope that people will find it

470
00:25:40,190 --> 00:25:41,150
S4: really useful.

471
00:25:41,180 --> 00:25:44,359
S1: That's Colin Smith, who's written the Moody Publishers book Fly

472
00:25:44,390 --> 00:25:46,700
S1: Through the Bible. Check it out, a link at our website.

473
00:25:46,730 --> 00:25:49,760
S1: The land and the book. Org and up next, it's

474
00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:51,920
S1: our friend Charlie Dyer, and I'm looking forward to his

475
00:25:51,920 --> 00:25:55,070
S1: answers to your questions. That's next on the land and

476
00:25:55,070 --> 00:26:09,169
S1: the book. From Moody Radio. This is the land and

477
00:26:09,170 --> 00:26:12,560
S1: the book. I'm John Gager. Boy, Israel has been in

478
00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:15,350
S1: the news a lot over the past year, and as

479
00:26:15,350 --> 00:26:18,139
S1: we know, the Bible is jam packed with end times

480
00:26:18,140 --> 00:26:21,770
S1: prophecies about epic world events, the regathering of the Jewish

481
00:26:21,770 --> 00:26:25,730
S1: people to their ancient homeland and Jesus soon return. It

482
00:26:25,730 --> 00:26:27,980
S1: is crucial for us as believers to have a proper

483
00:26:27,980 --> 00:26:31,459
S1: understanding of of Bible prophecy. So our view of the

484
00:26:31,460 --> 00:26:34,850
S1: future is shaped by Scripture and not just today's headlines.

485
00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:36,919
S2: And with that in mind, our friends at Life and

486
00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:41,420
S2: Messiah have published a book titled God, Israel and Bible Prophecy,

487
00:26:41,420 --> 00:26:43,520
S2: and they're offering it to listeners of the land in

488
00:26:43,520 --> 00:26:46,580
S2: the book for a limited time. This informative book is

489
00:26:46,580 --> 00:26:50,450
S2: focused on providing readers with a deeper understanding and greater

490
00:26:50,450 --> 00:26:53,960
S2: appreciation of what God has in store for Israel and

491
00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:56,780
S2: the nations by digging into what the scriptures say about

492
00:26:56,780 --> 00:27:00,260
S2: these issues. Now, if you're interested in learning more about

493
00:27:00,260 --> 00:27:04,100
S2: what God has in store, visit Life in Messiah. Org

494
00:27:04,100 --> 00:27:06,649
S2: and click on the Moody Radio button there to find

495
00:27:06,650 --> 00:27:10,220
S2: out how you can receive your copy of God, Israel

496
00:27:10,220 --> 00:27:14,540
S2: and Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org.

497
00:27:14,780 --> 00:27:17,240
S1: Thank you very much for that. And let's dig into

498
00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:20,480
S1: today's question, starting with Steve's. And he takes us to

499
00:27:20,510 --> 00:27:23,930
S1: the story of Joseph in Egypt managing the crisis of

500
00:27:23,930 --> 00:27:26,689
S1: the famine And ultimately, when the people run out of

501
00:27:26,690 --> 00:27:29,450
S1: money in Egypt to buy grain, Joseph has them sell

502
00:27:29,450 --> 00:27:32,600
S1: their livestock, then their land, and it all ultimately feels

503
00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:36,170
S1: like communism. Is that what this is really talking about here, Charlie?

504
00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:38,810
S2: Well, I read the account in a different way. The

505
00:27:38,810 --> 00:27:42,169
S2: seven years of abundance were apparently exceptionally Bountiful, and I

506
00:27:42,170 --> 00:27:45,050
S2: say that because just collecting 20% of the produce of

507
00:27:45,050 --> 00:27:48,109
S2: those seven good years was sufficient to feed the entire

508
00:27:48,109 --> 00:27:52,040
S2: population of Egypt and other countries for the next seven years.

509
00:27:52,070 --> 00:27:55,129
S2: Taxes were always a function of government, and in this

510
00:27:55,130 --> 00:27:57,650
S2: case the tax was collected to care for the people.

511
00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:00,830
S2: Another point I find fascinating is that if 20% was

512
00:28:00,830 --> 00:28:04,189
S2: sufficient to provide for the entire population, what did the

513
00:28:04,190 --> 00:28:07,400
S2: people do with the other 80% they kept? I suspect

514
00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:10,040
S2: the amount harvested each of those years would have produced

515
00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:13,369
S2: a large surplus for the people had they harbored their resources.

516
00:28:13,369 --> 00:28:16,100
S2: But human nature being what it is, much of the

517
00:28:16,100 --> 00:28:19,220
S2: bounty in those seven good years was likely consumed by

518
00:28:19,220 --> 00:28:23,420
S2: the people who somehow thought the Bountiful harvest would continue indefinitely. Now,

519
00:28:23,420 --> 00:28:27,080
S2: the idea of giving away the surplus in exchange for promises. Well,

520
00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:29,810
S2: that doesn't match the mindset of leaders at that time.

521
00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:33,200
S2: Pharaoh was responsible for outfitting and supporting a standing army

522
00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:36,560
S2: to protect the land. He had expenditures for building projects,

523
00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:39,470
S2: so funds were necessary. But finally, I see in the

524
00:28:39,470 --> 00:28:42,590
S2: phrases in chapter 47 about selling the land to Pharaoh

525
00:28:42,590 --> 00:28:45,950
S2: and becoming slaves to Pharaoh. In a more figurative sense.

526
00:28:45,950 --> 00:28:49,550
S2: In that context, as the bargain worked out, Joseph provided

527
00:28:49,550 --> 00:28:52,640
S2: the people with food and with seed to grow their crops.

528
00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:55,100
S2: They were to give 20% of what they produced to Pharaoh,

529
00:28:55,130 --> 00:28:59,180
S2: while they kept the remaining 80% for themselves. That's actually

530
00:28:59,180 --> 00:29:02,030
S2: paralleling the tax at the beginning of the section. So

531
00:29:02,030 --> 00:29:05,090
S2: they were still on their own land and still keeping 80%

532
00:29:05,090 --> 00:29:07,610
S2: of all they produced. And that's not communism.

533
00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:11,540
S1: Agreed. Todd takes us to Second Chronicles 14, verse nine,

534
00:29:11,540 --> 00:29:15,530
S1: where we read of a Kushite army of 1 million men.

535
00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:18,950
S1: He asks, were armies that size typical in the ancient

536
00:29:18,950 --> 00:29:19,850
S1: Middle East?

537
00:29:20,060 --> 00:29:22,310
S2: Well, I need to answer two ways. First, armies could

538
00:29:22,340 --> 00:29:24,739
S2: be large and I tend to take numbers found in

539
00:29:24,740 --> 00:29:27,770
S2: the Bible, even large numbers literally. For example, I take

540
00:29:27,770 --> 00:29:32,750
S2: the number of Israelite fighting men in numbers two, 603,550

541
00:29:32,780 --> 00:29:35,840
S2: at face value. I take the number of Assyrian soldiers

542
00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:40,280
S2: killed by God in Isaiah 37, the 185,000, as a

543
00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:44,000
S2: literal round number. There. Now, second, in this particular case,

544
00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:46,640
S2: I find it interesting that it's a very round number,

545
00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:50,060
S2: which suggests to me it's intended as an approximation the

546
00:29:50,060 --> 00:29:54,170
S2: literal wording. In Hebrew there is a thousand thousands, which

547
00:29:54,170 --> 00:29:57,710
S2: seems designed to describe a general number. The NIV actually

548
00:29:57,740 --> 00:30:00,830
S2: captures the essence of what was intended by translating it

549
00:30:00,830 --> 00:30:04,100
S2: not literally, but as a vast army. In that sense,

550
00:30:04,100 --> 00:30:06,380
S2: I see it similar to the description of the Midianite

551
00:30:06,380 --> 00:30:09,110
S2: army in judges seven, which was said to be as

552
00:30:09,110 --> 00:30:11,989
S2: numerous as the sand on the seashore. So could it

553
00:30:11,990 --> 00:30:14,240
S2: have been a 1 million man army? I'll have to

554
00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:17,600
S2: allow for that possibility that I'm not sure who would

555
00:30:17,630 --> 00:30:20,090
S2: have been doing that counting, though. I tend to think

556
00:30:20,090 --> 00:30:22,320
S2: of it, though, since it's from Israel's perspective as a

557
00:30:22,320 --> 00:30:25,020
S2: round number. It used to picture this vast army that

558
00:30:25,020 --> 00:30:28,800
S2: appeared from a human perspective to be unstoppable. And yet

559
00:30:28,830 --> 00:30:30,390
S2: God gives Israel the victory.

560
00:30:30,420 --> 00:30:34,410
S1: Renee asks, how do we know that Matthew, Levi, and

561
00:30:34,410 --> 00:30:38,370
S1: Zacchaeus were collecting taxes on behalf of the Romans, and

562
00:30:38,370 --> 00:30:41,520
S1: therefore traitors to their own people? Didn't the Jewish government

563
00:30:41,550 --> 00:30:42,600
S1: tax the people?

564
00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:45,330
S2: Well, there were two major types of taxes collected at

565
00:30:45,330 --> 00:30:47,490
S2: the time of Jesus. There was a temple tax to

566
00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:50,160
S2: be paid by individuals for the upkeep of the temple.

567
00:30:50,190 --> 00:30:53,280
S2: In fact, that tax is pictured in Matthew 17, where

568
00:30:53,280 --> 00:30:56,370
S2: Peter was asked if Jesus paid the temple tax. The

569
00:30:56,370 --> 00:30:59,940
S2: amount collected, which was a stater or a shekel, covered

570
00:30:59,940 --> 00:31:02,610
S2: both Jesus and Peter for the amount required to pay

571
00:31:02,610 --> 00:31:06,630
S2: that tax. Now the other case, when Jesus called Matthew

572
00:31:06,630 --> 00:31:09,540
S2: to follow him in Matthew nine, the account says Matthew

573
00:31:09,570 --> 00:31:12,810
S2: was seated at the tax booth, and later Jesus reclined

574
00:31:12,810 --> 00:31:15,720
S2: at table with many tax collectors. And it's the same

575
00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:18,480
S2: version of that word that's used there to describe those

576
00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:21,960
S2: who collected taxes, either for the Romans directly or for

577
00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:25,410
S2: those who, like Herod Agrippa, controlled the area and ruled

578
00:31:25,410 --> 00:31:28,080
S2: under Roman authority. Now, the first kind of tax for

579
00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:30,300
S2: the temple that was biblical in the sense that it

580
00:31:30,300 --> 00:31:33,390
S2: was described in the Bible, it was the tax required

581
00:31:33,390 --> 00:31:36,420
S2: by the Romans that was so hated. And the negative

582
00:31:36,420 --> 00:31:39,930
S2: response to Jesus dining with Matthew and the other tax collectors,

583
00:31:39,930 --> 00:31:42,150
S2: I think, is what lets us know that the ones

584
00:31:42,150 --> 00:31:45,360
S2: collecting the tax there were the ones supporting Rome.

585
00:31:45,390 --> 00:31:48,150
S1: Hope you're enjoying this third segment on the land and

586
00:31:48,150 --> 00:31:50,070
S1: the book, and I hope you know that your question

587
00:31:50,070 --> 00:31:52,650
S1: is always welcome. Love to add yours to the mix

588
00:31:52,650 --> 00:31:57,090
S1: when you email us at the Land and the book@moody.edu.

589
00:31:57,120 --> 00:31:59,760
S1: This next question takes us to the account of David

590
00:31:59,760 --> 00:32:02,850
S1: defeating Goliath. The Bible says that David killed him with

591
00:32:02,850 --> 00:32:06,510
S1: a stone from his sling, which of course hit Goliath's forehead.

592
00:32:06,510 --> 00:32:09,660
S1: Yet in reading the account, it seems like double talk.

593
00:32:09,660 --> 00:32:13,290
S1: David killed him and then took Goliath's sword and killed

594
00:32:13,290 --> 00:32:15,810
S1: him by cutting his head off. How do I answer

595
00:32:15,810 --> 00:32:18,960
S1: the person who brought this apparent contradiction to my attention,

596
00:32:18,990 --> 00:32:20,220
S1: asks this listener.

597
00:32:20,340 --> 00:32:22,620
S2: I have a great answer for this one because I

598
00:32:22,620 --> 00:32:26,550
S2: love that spot. The entire story, including those two statements

599
00:32:26,550 --> 00:32:29,459
S2: about Goliath dying, make perfect sense if we view it

600
00:32:29,460 --> 00:32:32,550
S2: in its geographical context. The battle took place in the

601
00:32:32,550 --> 00:32:35,730
S2: Ala valley. The Philistine forward lines it says in verse one,

602
00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:38,219
S2: were at Socoh. The Israelites were on a hill on

603
00:32:38,220 --> 00:32:40,230
S2: the other side of the valley between them. Now I've

604
00:32:40,260 --> 00:32:42,900
S2: been on Soco. I've stood there. The distance between the

605
00:32:42,900 --> 00:32:45,240
S2: front lines of the Philistines and where the battle took

606
00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:49,620
S2: place is about 4/10 of a mile. About 2100ft, or

607
00:32:49,650 --> 00:32:53,520
S2: about the equivalent of seven football fields. Now, from this distance,

608
00:32:53,520 --> 00:32:56,190
S2: the Philistines, they could make out Goliath and his Armorbearer,

609
00:32:56,190 --> 00:32:58,680
S2: and maybe young David. But they would have been rather

610
00:32:58,680 --> 00:33:01,920
S2: tiny figures in the distance. Now, here's why that's so important.

611
00:33:01,950 --> 00:33:04,200
S2: David took a stone, put it in his sling, struck

612
00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:07,110
S2: Goliath and killed him. And Goliath really was dead when

613
00:33:07,110 --> 00:33:09,540
S2: that stone, which was about the size of a human fist,

614
00:33:09,570 --> 00:33:12,630
S2: hit him in the forehead. But what did the Philistines

615
00:33:12,660 --> 00:33:14,820
S2: see from up on the hill? Well, they saw David

616
00:33:14,850 --> 00:33:17,550
S2: twirl his arm, and they saw Goliath fall to the ground.

617
00:33:17,550 --> 00:33:20,010
S2: But then they're wondering, did he stumble? You know, maybe

618
00:33:20,040 --> 00:33:22,620
S2: he just was stunned. They have no idea. And I

619
00:33:22,620 --> 00:33:24,390
S2: can almost hear him shouting out, hey, come on, Goliath!

620
00:33:24,420 --> 00:33:26,460
S2: Get up, big boy. You can do it. But then

621
00:33:26,460 --> 00:33:29,520
S2: David runs over, grabs Goliath's sword, chops off the head

622
00:33:29,520 --> 00:33:32,580
S2: and holds it up. And now the Philistines knew that

623
00:33:32,580 --> 00:33:35,610
S2: David had killed Goliath. So the first pronouncement of death

624
00:33:35,610 --> 00:33:39,000
S2: was the actual moment Goliath died. The second was the

625
00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:42,120
S2: actual moment the Philistines, and probably the Israelites as well,

626
00:33:42,150 --> 00:33:45,120
S2: could see for themselves that Goliath was dead.

627
00:33:45,150 --> 00:33:48,450
S1: Nancy asks, how important is it to be firm on

628
00:33:48,450 --> 00:33:52,590
S1: a pre-trib end times viewpoint, or is that presumptuous also?

629
00:33:52,620 --> 00:33:56,310
S1: What are the reasons that the pre-trib viewpoint is under attack?

630
00:33:56,340 --> 00:33:58,740
S2: Okay, that's like saying sic em to a dog. To me,

631
00:33:58,770 --> 00:34:01,440
S2: I hold to a pre-trib position because I think it

632
00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:04,260
S2: makes the most sense in what the Bible presents. Volumes

633
00:34:04,260 --> 00:34:06,300
S2: have been written here, so let me give a relatively

634
00:34:06,300 --> 00:34:09,330
S2: short summary. The ultimate issue is the purpose for the

635
00:34:09,330 --> 00:34:13,500
S2: coming tribulation period. That seven year period mentioned in Daniel nine,

636
00:34:13,620 --> 00:34:17,250
S2: verse 27, in verses 24 to 27 of that chapter,

637
00:34:17,280 --> 00:34:20,400
S2: God told Daniel that 70 weeks, that is, 70 groups

638
00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:23,790
S2: of seven years have been decreed for your people, the Jews,

639
00:34:23,790 --> 00:34:27,719
S2: and your holy city, Jerusalem. God then provides a timeline

640
00:34:27,719 --> 00:34:30,930
S2: going forth of of the future history of Jerusalem and

641
00:34:30,930 --> 00:34:34,410
S2: the Jewish people. The first 69 weeks of years, the

642
00:34:34,410 --> 00:34:38,100
S2: first 483 years, was fulfilled the very day Jesus rode

643
00:34:38,100 --> 00:34:41,070
S2: into Jerusalem as the Messiah on the colt, the foal

644
00:34:41,070 --> 00:34:44,670
S2: of a donkey. And then the timeline temporarily stops before

645
00:34:44,670 --> 00:34:47,160
S2: the beginning of the final seven year period. He says

646
00:34:47,160 --> 00:34:49,110
S2: the Messiah is going to be cut off and have nothing.

647
00:34:49,110 --> 00:34:51,240
S2: The prince who is to come will destroy the city

648
00:34:51,239 --> 00:34:53,250
S2: and the sanctuary in a time of trouble, for the

649
00:34:53,250 --> 00:34:55,890
S2: Jewish people will come. And then in verse 27, he

650
00:34:55,890 --> 00:34:58,680
S2: picks up the final seven year period and divides it

651
00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:01,739
S2: into two halves. But my point here is the entire period,

652
00:35:01,739 --> 00:35:04,290
S2: the entire seven years is for your people. That is,

653
00:35:04,290 --> 00:35:07,830
S2: the Jews and your holy city that is Jerusalem. In

654
00:35:07,830 --> 00:35:11,850
S2: Matthew 24, just before his crucifixion, Jesus gave his disciples

655
00:35:11,880 --> 00:35:14,910
S2: a picture of what the future held for them, and

656
00:35:14,910 --> 00:35:17,640
S2: he describes several things. In fact, at one point, though,

657
00:35:17,640 --> 00:35:20,700
S2: he says in verse 15, you'll see an abomination of

658
00:35:20,700 --> 00:35:23,730
S2: desolation spoken of through Daniel the prophet standing in the

659
00:35:23,730 --> 00:35:27,299
S2: holy place. Well, that comes from Daniel 927 and then

660
00:35:27,300 --> 00:35:30,360
S2: he says, when that happens, he puts it into a

661
00:35:30,360 --> 00:35:33,270
S2: Jewish context, because he says, those who are in Judea

662
00:35:33,270 --> 00:35:36,810
S2: must flee and pray. Your flight won't be on the Sabbath,

663
00:35:36,900 --> 00:35:38,910
S2: for there will be a great tribulation, such as has

664
00:35:38,910 --> 00:35:41,549
S2: not occurred since the beginning of the world. The point, though,

665
00:35:41,550 --> 00:35:45,030
S2: is as Jesus describes his future time of tribulation, he

666
00:35:45,030 --> 00:35:47,670
S2: connects it with Judea and with the Sabbath with the

667
00:35:47,670 --> 00:35:51,420
S2: Jewish people. Just like Daniel nine said, I could go

668
00:35:51,420 --> 00:35:53,489
S2: on in the book of revelation as well. But my

669
00:35:53,489 --> 00:35:57,120
S2: whole point here is the pre-tribulational position makes the most

670
00:35:57,120 --> 00:36:00,000
S2: sense if you take the Bible at face value. Now

671
00:36:00,030 --> 00:36:03,180
S2: why is the Pre-tribulational position under attack? I think it's

672
00:36:03,180 --> 00:36:06,180
S2: largely because people today really don't know the Bible, and

673
00:36:06,180 --> 00:36:08,400
S2: as a result, they're afraid to take a firm position

674
00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:11,489
S2: on anything unless they're sure most others agree with them.

675
00:36:11,520 --> 00:36:13,890
S2: You know, it's scholarly to question, even to scoff at

676
00:36:13,890 --> 00:36:17,070
S2: things that seem to be, quote, simplistic in their understanding

677
00:36:17,070 --> 00:36:20,310
S2: of the Bible. But I hold to a pre-tribulation rapture

678
00:36:20,310 --> 00:36:23,759
S2: because I believe the Bible pictures the final seven year period,

679
00:36:23,760 --> 00:36:26,580
S2: focusing on Israel in a unique and special way. So

680
00:36:26,580 --> 00:36:28,799
S2: God's going to remove the church from the earth and

681
00:36:28,800 --> 00:36:31,140
S2: then begin his program again with Israel for that final

682
00:36:31,140 --> 00:36:34,170
S2: period leading up to the second coming of Jesus. And

683
00:36:34,170 --> 00:36:36,480
S2: I think those two groups are distinct in the outworking

684
00:36:36,510 --> 00:36:37,590
S2: of God's plan.

685
00:36:37,860 --> 00:36:40,860
S1: I'm looking forward to Charlie's devotional. It's next right here

686
00:36:40,860 --> 00:36:56,070
S1: on the land and the book. Of revelation. Welcome back

687
00:36:56,070 --> 00:36:58,710
S1: to the land and the book with our host, Charlie Dyer.

688
00:36:58,739 --> 00:37:01,380
S1: I'm John Geiger and Charlie. I heard about a guy

689
00:37:01,410 --> 00:37:04,589
S1: the other day who was on the phone in the car,

690
00:37:04,890 --> 00:37:07,350
S1: his wife back home. He's driving to work, and she says,

691
00:37:07,350 --> 00:37:09,300
S1: you know, I heard there's a report of some guy

692
00:37:09,330 --> 00:37:12,420
S1: driving the wrong way on the on the highway. he says.

693
00:37:12,420 --> 00:37:15,450
S1: It's not just one guy, it's just about everybody driving

694
00:37:15,450 --> 00:37:18,420
S1: the wrong way. Charlie, I wonder if that isn't something

695
00:37:18,450 --> 00:37:21,270
S1: of a setup for your devotional today titled Going the

696
00:37:21,270 --> 00:37:23,640
S1: Wrong Way on a One Way Highway.

697
00:37:23,670 --> 00:37:26,520
S2: John, it's better than you can possibly imagine.

698
00:37:26,940 --> 00:37:29,400
S1: I'm looking forward to what you've got for us as

699
00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:32,130
S1: we begin a look at the High Holy Days. Before

700
00:37:32,130 --> 00:37:34,529
S1: we get to Charlie's devotional, though, let's pause for this

701
00:37:34,530 --> 00:37:37,680
S1: testimony from somebody who's traveled to the Holy Land and

702
00:37:37,680 --> 00:37:39,989
S1: comes back with this moment for us.

703
00:37:43,830 --> 00:37:47,580
S5: Hi, I'm Jackie, and this has been a wonderful experience

704
00:37:47,580 --> 00:37:51,509
S5: for me. I've traveled a great deal, and this was

705
00:37:51,840 --> 00:37:56,730
S5: a really important trip for me. And I just appreciate

706
00:37:56,730 --> 00:38:01,770
S5: all the minute things we've learned. Um, we went into

707
00:38:01,770 --> 00:38:05,760
S5: the Groovin Valley and down in a cave and saw

708
00:38:05,760 --> 00:38:10,440
S5: the oil press. The way that the early Jews had

709
00:38:10,440 --> 00:38:14,279
S5: to make oil from the olives, and I'd also had

710
00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:16,680
S5: a lesson in a small group at home where we

711
00:38:16,680 --> 00:38:18,960
S5: had done that. So it was really fun to see

712
00:38:18,960 --> 00:38:22,739
S5: the actual, you know, oil press and do that. And

713
00:38:22,770 --> 00:38:27,060
S5: the olive oil press and the word Gethsemane have the

714
00:38:27,060 --> 00:38:29,700
S5: same kind of meaning. And we always hear about the

715
00:38:29,700 --> 00:38:31,890
S5: Garden of Gethsemane. But that was a new way to

716
00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:35,970
S5: think about it. And it's just been a wonderful experience.

717
00:38:37,860 --> 00:38:39,750
S1: All right. We're headed to the Old Testament today. Where

718
00:38:39,750 --> 00:38:41,820
S1: are we going, Charlie, with your devotional. Uh, we're.

719
00:38:41,820 --> 00:38:44,310
S2: Heading into the book of Leviticus to talk about going

720
00:38:44,340 --> 00:38:46,980
S2: the wrong way on this one way highway. And, John,

721
00:38:46,980 --> 00:38:50,130
S2: where I live, there are a number of interstate highways

722
00:38:50,130 --> 00:38:52,980
S2: and other limited access roads. Uh, that's why I was

723
00:38:52,980 --> 00:38:56,400
S2: thinking of your opening comment there. The entrances and exits

724
00:38:56,400 --> 00:39:00,330
S2: are clearly marked. And yet several times every year, news

725
00:39:00,360 --> 00:39:03,510
S2: outlets carry stories of individuals who manage to drive past

726
00:39:03,510 --> 00:39:07,140
S2: giant wrong way, do not enter signs, and head up

727
00:39:07,140 --> 00:39:09,900
S2: the off ramp onto the divided highway going in the

728
00:39:09,900 --> 00:39:13,410
S2: wrong direction. Sometimes the police are able to arrive in

729
00:39:13,410 --> 00:39:16,500
S2: time to avoid an accident, but sadly there have been

730
00:39:16,500 --> 00:39:20,730
S2: serious injuries and fatalities as these clueless drivers head into

731
00:39:20,760 --> 00:39:25,080
S2: oncoming traffic. Now such Wrong-Way driving usually results from one

732
00:39:25,110 --> 00:39:29,430
S2: of four reasons. Impaired judgment caused by drugs or alcohol

733
00:39:29,460 --> 00:39:34,680
S2: diminished sight, especially among the elderly, mental impairment, and finally

734
00:39:34,680 --> 00:39:37,620
S2: a lack of familiarity with the area. The highway system

735
00:39:37,620 --> 00:39:41,759
S2: or the signage. The specific cause for each incident might vary,

736
00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:44,969
S2: but the end result can be a serious accident. Yet

737
00:39:44,969 --> 00:39:47,430
S2: while driving the wrong way on a one way highway

738
00:39:47,430 --> 00:39:51,210
S2: can cause a physical disaster. Going the wrong way spiritually

739
00:39:51,210 --> 00:39:55,380
S2: can have even more catastrophic results. To understand how we're

740
00:39:55,380 --> 00:39:59,520
S2: heading into the Sinai Peninsula after Israel's exodus from Egypt

741
00:39:59,610 --> 00:40:03,270
S2: in Exodus 40, the newly fashioned tabernacle is finally set

742
00:40:03,270 --> 00:40:06,150
S2: up on the first day of the first month. That's

743
00:40:06,150 --> 00:40:10,350
S2: almost exactly a year after the institution of Passover. And

744
00:40:10,350 --> 00:40:13,110
S2: what an eventful year it's been. But now Israel is

745
00:40:13,110 --> 00:40:15,810
S2: ready to serve the Lord and move forward. The Book

746
00:40:15,810 --> 00:40:18,420
S2: of Leviticus begins in chapters 1 to 7, with the

747
00:40:18,420 --> 00:40:21,810
S2: institution of the five main offerings to be presented to

748
00:40:21,840 --> 00:40:24,810
S2: the Lord. Then, in chapters eight and nine, Aaron and

749
00:40:24,810 --> 00:40:30,089
S2: his sons are ordained into the priesthood and begin their ministry. Unfortunately,

750
00:40:30,090 --> 00:40:32,400
S2: that's when two of Aaron's sons go for a priestly

751
00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:35,879
S2: joyride and start heading the wrong direction on a one

752
00:40:35,910 --> 00:40:40,469
S2: way spiritual highway. The account begins in Leviticus ten. Aaron's

753
00:40:40,469 --> 00:40:43,890
S2: sons Nadab and Abihu took their sensors, put fire in them,

754
00:40:43,890 --> 00:40:48,120
S2: and added incense, and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord,

755
00:40:48,120 --> 00:40:51,390
S2: contrary to his command. So fire came out from the

756
00:40:51,390 --> 00:40:54,330
S2: presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died

757
00:40:54,330 --> 00:40:57,090
S2: before the Lord. Now we're not told directly what they

758
00:40:57,120 --> 00:41:00,810
S2: had done wrong, though. Verses 8 to 10 suggest one

759
00:41:00,810 --> 00:41:04,590
S2: reason for this spiritual crash was drunkenness on their part.

760
00:41:04,620 --> 00:41:06,989
S2: Then the Lord said to Aaron, you and your sons

761
00:41:06,989 --> 00:41:09,930
S2: are not to drink wine or other fermented drink. Whenever

762
00:41:09,930 --> 00:41:12,210
S2: you go into the tent of meeting or you will die.

763
00:41:12,239 --> 00:41:15,660
S2: This is a lasting ordinance for generations to come. You

764
00:41:15,660 --> 00:41:18,750
S2: must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the

765
00:41:18,750 --> 00:41:22,830
S2: unclean and the clean. Aaron's sons had apparently been drinking

766
00:41:22,830 --> 00:41:26,310
S2: before going into God's presence to offer the incense. We're

767
00:41:26,310 --> 00:41:29,160
S2: not told exactly what they did wrong, apart from offering

768
00:41:29,160 --> 00:41:33,420
S2: strange or unauthorized fire before the Lord. Perhaps they used

769
00:41:33,420 --> 00:41:36,000
S2: coals in their sensors that hadn't come from off the

770
00:41:36,000 --> 00:41:39,300
S2: altar as prescribed by God. Or perhaps they came into

771
00:41:39,300 --> 00:41:41,550
S2: the tent at a time not set by God. Or

772
00:41:41,550 --> 00:41:44,160
S2: it could be that they took the opportunity while in there,

773
00:41:44,160 --> 00:41:46,739
S2: to look behind the veil into the Holy of Holies.

774
00:41:46,770 --> 00:41:49,860
S2: Whatever they did, in their drunken stupor, they went against

775
00:41:49,860 --> 00:41:53,819
S2: God's strict instructions and they ended up dead. This is

776
00:41:53,820 --> 00:41:57,000
S2: indeed a sad story, but why share it now? What

777
00:41:57,000 --> 00:41:59,070
S2: does this have to do with the Day of Atonement,

778
00:41:59,100 --> 00:42:02,940
S2: Yom Kippur, which began last night? Well, assuming the events

779
00:42:02,940 --> 00:42:06,360
S2: in the Pentateuch are chronological, this must have taken place

780
00:42:06,360 --> 00:42:10,350
S2: sometime after the spring festivals, but before the first celebration

781
00:42:10,350 --> 00:42:13,259
S2: of the fall festivals. And I say that because of

782
00:42:13,260 --> 00:42:17,070
S2: the way the Day of Atonement is introduced in Leviticus 16.

783
00:42:17,100 --> 00:42:19,440
S2: The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the

784
00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:22,500
S2: two sons of Aaron, who died when they approached the Lord.

785
00:42:22,650 --> 00:42:25,380
S2: That's Nadab and Abihu there back in chapter ten. The

786
00:42:25,380 --> 00:42:28,230
S2: Lord said to Moses, tell your brother Aaron not to

787
00:42:28,260 --> 00:42:31,470
S2: come whenever he chooses, into the Most Holy place behind

788
00:42:31,469 --> 00:42:34,080
S2: the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark,

789
00:42:34,080 --> 00:42:36,390
S2: or else he will die, because I will appear in

790
00:42:36,390 --> 00:42:40,739
S2: the cloud over the atonement cover. Why introduce the regulations

791
00:42:40,739 --> 00:42:44,009
S2: for the Day of Atonement by first rehearsing the spiritual

792
00:42:44,010 --> 00:42:47,400
S2: wreck caused by Nadab and Abihu. What is it that

793
00:42:47,400 --> 00:42:50,190
S2: ties them into the Day of Atonement? Well, I see

794
00:42:50,219 --> 00:42:53,219
S2: two elements in the story that apply following their deaths.

795
00:42:53,250 --> 00:42:54,960
S2: God made it clear that the priests were not to

796
00:42:54,989 --> 00:42:58,440
S2: drink wine or other fermented drink. And the second element

797
00:42:58,440 --> 00:43:01,830
S2: is God's strict prohibition on Aaron not to come whenever

798
00:43:01,830 --> 00:43:05,110
S2: he chooses, into the most holy place behind the curtain

799
00:43:05,110 --> 00:43:07,989
S2: in front of the atonement cover on the Ark at

800
00:43:07,989 --> 00:43:10,480
S2: the Day of Atonement was the most solemn day on

801
00:43:10,480 --> 00:43:13,690
S2: Israel's religious calendar. This was the day that a blood

802
00:43:13,690 --> 00:43:17,110
S2: sacrifice was sprinkled before the mercy seat on the Ark

803
00:43:17,110 --> 00:43:19,840
S2: of the covenant. The blood came between the tablets of

804
00:43:19,840 --> 00:43:22,870
S2: the law inside the ark and the Shekinah glory of God,

805
00:43:22,870 --> 00:43:25,960
S2: who dwelled above the ark. Using repetition, God made it

806
00:43:25,960 --> 00:43:28,569
S2: clear what the purpose was for the Day of Atonement.

807
00:43:28,600 --> 00:43:31,629
S2: Leviticus 16. He said, this day, atonement will be made

808
00:43:31,630 --> 00:43:34,060
S2: for you, to cleanse you. Then before the Lord you

809
00:43:34,060 --> 00:43:36,910
S2: will be clean from all your sins. Later, in verses

810
00:43:36,910 --> 00:43:39,700
S2: 32 to 34, he says, the high priest is to

811
00:43:39,730 --> 00:43:41,860
S2: make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen

812
00:43:41,860 --> 00:43:44,890
S2: garment and make atonement for the most holy place, for

813
00:43:44,890 --> 00:43:47,080
S2: the tent of meeting and the altar, and for the

814
00:43:47,080 --> 00:43:49,480
S2: priests and all the people of the community. This is

815
00:43:49,480 --> 00:43:52,120
S2: to be a lasting ordinance for you. Atonement is to

816
00:43:52,120 --> 00:43:54,700
S2: be made once a year for all the sins of

817
00:43:54,700 --> 00:43:58,299
S2: the Israelites. The ceremony being performed by the high priests

818
00:43:58,330 --> 00:44:01,780
S2: was designed to illustrate what must happen if an unholy

819
00:44:01,780 --> 00:44:04,990
S2: people seek to dwell with the Holy God. Sin must

820
00:44:04,989 --> 00:44:08,770
S2: be addressed. The specific details described by God in Leviticus

821
00:44:08,770 --> 00:44:12,970
S2: 16 are very precise, and each part was essential from

822
00:44:12,969 --> 00:44:15,430
S2: the high priest. First needing to offer a sacrifice for

823
00:44:15,430 --> 00:44:18,430
S2: himself to his, then being able to offer atonement for

824
00:44:18,430 --> 00:44:21,730
S2: the people. He could only enter into God's presence at

825
00:44:21,730 --> 00:44:24,279
S2: this one time of the year, and it required the

826
00:44:24,280 --> 00:44:27,430
S2: shedding of blood. It also included the confession of sin

827
00:44:27,430 --> 00:44:30,370
S2: over the scapegoat, which was then symbolically led out of

828
00:44:30,370 --> 00:44:33,640
S2: the camp into the wilderness. Every detail was to be

829
00:44:33,640 --> 00:44:36,969
S2: performed exactly as God commanded. There was no room for

830
00:44:36,969 --> 00:44:40,720
S2: variation or improvisation. Each year the priest was to enact,

831
00:44:40,719 --> 00:44:43,690
S2: in a very visible and dramatic way, a story of

832
00:44:43,690 --> 00:44:47,170
S2: atonement that pointed ultimately to the work of Jesus. The

833
00:44:47,170 --> 00:44:50,440
S2: writer of Hebrews explains the reality that was pictured by

834
00:44:50,440 --> 00:44:53,230
S2: the Day of Atonement when he writes in Hebrews nine,

835
00:44:53,230 --> 00:44:55,419
S2: when Christ came as a high priest of the good

836
00:44:55,420 --> 00:44:58,150
S2: things that are already here, he went through the greater

837
00:44:58,150 --> 00:45:01,030
S2: and more perfect tabernacle that is not man made, that

838
00:45:01,030 --> 00:45:03,489
S2: is to say, not a part of this creation. He

839
00:45:03,489 --> 00:45:05,440
S2: did not enter by the means of the blood of

840
00:45:05,469 --> 00:45:07,930
S2: goats and calves, but he entered the Most Holy Place

841
00:45:07,930 --> 00:45:12,430
S2: once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.

842
00:45:12,460 --> 00:45:15,460
S2: God took very seriously how he was to be approached

843
00:45:15,489 --> 00:45:18,730
S2: on a certain day, in a certain way, and always

844
00:45:18,730 --> 00:45:21,670
S2: with the blood of the sacrifice to atone for sin.

845
00:45:21,700 --> 00:45:25,210
S2: It was a one way street established by God Himself

846
00:45:25,210 --> 00:45:28,300
S2: to try to approach God any other way brought death

847
00:45:28,300 --> 00:45:32,380
S2: and destruction, as Nadab and Abihu discovered. All the details

848
00:45:32,410 --> 00:45:35,049
S2: pointed to the ultimate Lamb of God who died to

849
00:45:35,080 --> 00:45:38,140
S2: pay for our sin. He said, I am the way

850
00:45:38,140 --> 00:45:40,540
S2: and the truth and the life. No one comes to

851
00:45:40,570 --> 00:45:44,080
S2: the father except through me. The ultimate message on the

852
00:45:44,080 --> 00:45:46,480
S2: Day of Atonement can be stated this way. There is

853
00:45:46,480 --> 00:45:49,480
S2: a holy and righteous God who must judge sin. But

854
00:45:49,480 --> 00:45:51,850
S2: this God is also a loving God who has reached

855
00:45:51,850 --> 00:45:55,960
S2: down to provide a way for sinful humanity to experience forgiveness.

856
00:45:55,989 --> 00:45:58,810
S2: It involves the death of a substitute, one whose blood

857
00:45:58,810 --> 00:46:01,810
S2: was shed to pay the penalty for that sin. The

858
00:46:01,810 --> 00:46:04,450
S2: Day of Atonement looked forward to Jesus, who was the

859
00:46:04,450 --> 00:46:07,779
S2: ultimate sacrifice for our sin. His death on the cross

860
00:46:07,780 --> 00:46:10,870
S2: was sufficient to pay that penalty, but now we're faced

861
00:46:10,870 --> 00:46:13,930
S2: with a choice. We can choose to ignore his sacrifice

862
00:46:13,930 --> 00:46:16,090
S2: and seek to find some other roadway, to try to

863
00:46:16,090 --> 00:46:18,489
S2: reach God on our own. Or we can choose to

864
00:46:18,520 --> 00:46:22,480
S2: accept his sacrifice on our behalf and turn to him

865
00:46:22,480 --> 00:46:26,410
S2: to experience God's forgiveness. The choice is yours, but the

866
00:46:26,410 --> 00:46:29,560
S2: consequences for choosing to go the wrong way on God's

867
00:46:29,560 --> 00:46:33,489
S2: one way street are eternally catastrophic. So be sure to

868
00:46:33,520 --> 00:46:35,259
S2: choose wisely.

869
00:46:35,290 --> 00:46:38,020
S1: And if you'd like to choose to follow Jesus, a

870
00:46:38,020 --> 00:46:40,359
S1: friend will pray with you now at eight, eight, eight.

871
00:46:40,390 --> 00:46:44,440
S1: Need him, 888 need him. That'll do it for today's

872
00:46:44,440 --> 00:46:47,860
S1: broadcast for our host, Charlie Dyer. Our producer, Dan Anderson,

873
00:46:47,860 --> 00:46:50,770
S1: I'm John Geiger. Thanks for listening. The land and the

874
00:46:50,770 --> 00:46:53,500
S1: book is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of

875
00:46:53,530 --> 00:46:55,210
S1: Moody Bible Institute.