S1: When you're several thousand feet up in the air, you
S1: get a perspective on the lay of the land you
S1: just don't see when you're on the ground. What if
S1: I told you the same thing is true of how
S1: we look at Scripture? Coming up, special guest Colin Smith
S1: shows us how and why the view from above is
S1: so majestic. Plus, we'll look at your latest Bible questions
S1: and bring you the top stories from the Middle East.
S1: Enjoy an unusual flight with us now as you join
S1: us for the land and the book. Welcome! I'm John Gager.
S1: As always, our pilot is Captain Charlie Dyer, a respected
S1: Middle East expert and author of many books, including the
S1: recently released Who Owns the Land? You know Israel Charlie
S1: has been in the news so much, we say that
S1: all the time. But it's true. And the Bible, of course,
S1: is jam packed with end times prophecies about epic world events,
S1: the regathering of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland,
S1: and Jesus return. It is crucial for us as believers, though,
S1: to have a proper understanding of Bible prophecy so that
S1: our view of the future is shaped by Scripture and
S1: and not just today's headlines. Right?
S2: I agree completely, John. And with that in mind, our
S2: friends at Life and Messiah have published a book titled God,
S2: Israel and Bible Prophecy, and they're offering it to listeners
S2: of the land in the book for a limited time.
S2: This informative book is focused on providing readers with a
S2: deeper understanding and greater appreciation of what God has in
S2: store for Israel and the nations by digging into what
S2: the scriptures say about these issues. Now, if you're interested
S2: in learning more about what God has in store, visit
S2: Life in Messiah. Org and click on the Moody Radio
S2: button to find out how you can receive your copy
S2: of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org.
S1: And now a look at current events. This weekend is
S1: Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and earlier this week
S1: was the one year anniversary of the attack by Hamas
S1: on October the 7th. So much has happened over the
S1: past 12 months, Charlie. Start by walking us through the
S1: many events and milestones.
S2: Yeah, John. And it all began with the horror of
S2: October 7th, as thousands of Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters
S2: broke through the border from Gaza to attack Israeli communities.
S2: Over 1200 Israelis were killed, 5400 more were injured, and
S2: 250 were carried back to Gaza as hostages. The next day,
S2: Hezbollah in Lebanon began firing rockets, missiles and drones into Israel.
S2: Nearly 80,000 Israeli citizens were forced to abandon their homes
S2: and towns in northern Israel, out of fear that Hezbollah
S2: was preparing to launch an invasion. One year later, those
S2: people are still refugees. After rushing in forces to protect
S2: both borders, Israel began a full scale attack on Gaza.
S2: The goal was to eliminate Hamas and secure the return
S2: of all Israeli hostages. One year on, neither goal has
S2: yet been fully achieved. Much of Gaza has been destroyed
S2: and around 18,000. Hamas fighters have been killed, but many
S2: citizens in Gaza have also been killed because Hamas embedded
S2: their fighters and their headquarters, their attack tunnels, their rocket
S2: launchers among the civilian population. In the most bizarre twist,
S2: the unprovoked attack by Hamas has unleashed a worldwide wave
S2: of anti-Semitism, with Israel being charged with genocide for defending
S2: itself against Hamas's genocidal attack. Iran encouraged its other proxies
S2: to launch attacks against Israel to support Hamas. In addition
S2: to the increasing attacks by Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen
S2: launched missiles and drones and tried to block shipping in
S2: the Red sea. Shiite groups in Syria and Iraq have
S2: also launched rockets and drones. Israel has been hampered in
S2: the fight against Hamas by trying to protect the remaining
S2: hostages still being held in Gaza. But Israel did eliminate
S2: the head of Hamas while he was in Tehran. in
S2: the north. Israel began attacking Hezbollah's leadership over the course
S2: of several months. They eliminated several thousand leaders and fighters
S2: through the use of exploding pagers and walkie talkies, and
S2: through air attacks. They eliminated Hezbollah's top leadership, including Nasrallah,
S2: his top aides, and the top leadership of the Radwan force.
S2: They also launched two attacks against the Houthis, putting two
S2: of Yemen's major ports out of commission. But the main
S2: enemy is still Iran. Iran armed and directed these groups.
S2: They also launched two major missile attacks against Israel in
S2: response to the assassination of the leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah.
S2: Israel has vowed a major response, and that's where we
S2: stand right now. Here's what everyone needs to remember, though,
S2: from this past year. Israel didn't start this. Hamas did.
S2: Israel isn't guilty of genocide, but Hamas is. Hamas, Hezbollah,
S2: the Houthis and Iran all reject a two state solution.
S2: All call for the elimination of the State of Israel.
S2: Israel is in a fight. They didn't start. And the
S2: other side has said it's either you or them. If
S2: someone was trying to break into your house to kill
S2: your family, how would you respond? That's the dilemma facing Israel.
S1: Well, Charlie, if Iran is the country pulling all the
S1: strings behind the scenes, why has Israel waited so long?
S1: Many would ask to address the real threat. And and
S1: how might this conflict yet unfold?
S2: Well, Israel has waited this long for several reasons. First,
S2: Iran's a large country, and at some distance away, Tehran
S2: is over a thousand miles from Jerusalem. And that's taking
S2: the most direct route over Jordan or Syria and Iraq.
S2: Not exactly friendly territory. Second, the possible targets in Iran
S2: are widely scattered. A surprise attack against multiple targets simultaneously
S2: is impossible. And finally, Iran might be the ultimate threat.
S2: But Hezbollah and Hamas are the nearer and more immediate
S2: threats they needed to be addressed first. Now, in terms
S2: of what might happen, Israel has said it will respond
S2: to the two direct attacks Iran has already made. The
S2: US is pressuring Israel to dial back its response and
S2: not attack Iran's nuclear facilities or its oil facilities, or
S2: its power grid. Three attacks that could definitely harm Iran
S2: militarily and economically. The US initially said it would stand
S2: with Israel against Iran, but it seems that that promise
S2: is dependent on Israel abiding by our wishes. Iran has
S2: threatened to launch more ballistic missiles and that is a
S2: serious threat. They launched about 200 missiles in the last
S2: attack on an Israeli airbase in the south, was hit
S2: by up to 32 missiles. They didn't do any major damage,
S2: but they did manage to get through the defense system.
S2: Iran could cause more damage, especially if they chose to
S2: attack other infrastructure in Israel. In more densely populated civilian areas, however,
S2: Israel still has the ability to launch air and missile
S2: attacks and further damage Iran's economy. Now, when this phase
S2: of the war begins, it could be very intense and
S2: very brutal. Hopefully it could also be very short.
S1: From Moody Radio. This is the land and the book.
S1: Doctor Charlie Dyer, our host, bringing us an update on
S1: current events from the Middle East. I'm John Gager. You know, Charlie,
S1: several weeks ago you said in passing one reason the
S1: Romans attacked Masada was because of Jewish raids against the
S1: balsam groves at Engedi in Jericho. A recent news report
S1: says scientists there have found and have grown a balsam
S1: plant that had been thought extinct for over a thousand years.
S1: What do we know about this discovery? Yeah, this is fascinating.
S2: The discovery actually happened several years ago, when archaeologists found
S2: a single seed in a cave in the Judean desert
S2: after years of attempting to germinate the seed. Scientists finally
S2: got it to grow into a sapling. The plant belongs
S2: to a unique species of the Commiphora family, which is
S2: known for its aromatic gum resins. These resins were highly
S2: prized in the ancient world, and they were used as perfume,
S2: as incense and as medicine. Now, in a twist to
S2: this story, this plant, at least so far, doesn't appear
S2: to be strongly fragrant. But they've discovered that the sapling's
S2: leaves have biologically active compounds with anti-inflammatory properties. It hasn't
S2: yet produced flowers or fruit, which they hope will help
S2: them compare it with modern day species. I love it,
S2: Jeremiah 822. The prophet asked rhetorically, is there no balm
S2: in Gilead? Well, hopefully we might soon learn more about
S2: this ancient, fragrant plant, this balm or balsam, and its
S2: healing properties.
S1: I love to smell that fragrance. Well, finding an ideal
S1: solution for weight loss is big business today, and two
S1: Israeli companies are developing novel approaches to help people safely
S1: shed those unwanted pounds. Tell us about these new innovations
S1: from Amazing Israel.
S2: Well, the first has already received FDA clearance, while the
S2: second is still under development, the epitome weight loss capsule.
S2: And that's spelled e p I t o m e.
S2: But that weight loss capsule is a drug free ingestible
S2: medical device. Once the capsule is swallowed and reaches the stomach,
S2: it absorbs water and creates a three dimensional matrix that
S2: takes up volume in the stomach, resulting in a sensation
S2: of fullness. In essence, it mimics the presence of food
S2: and activates the brain's sensation of feeling full. It lasts
S2: a few hours in the stomach before moving to the intestine,
S2: where it dissolves just within a few minutes. Actually, the
S2: second approach is being developed by a Jerusalem based company
S2: called metabolize. They're focusing on using two small molecules, known
S2: as metabolites, that are produced in the body in response
S2: to exercise or intermittent fasting or ketogenic diets. These metabolites
S2: reduce appetite and weight like current medications, but they're less
S2: aggressive and they don't have the unfortunate side effects. This
S2: treatment would also be taken orally and could be used
S2: in foods like protein bars and shakes, and it would
S2: be classified as a new dietary ingredient rather than medication.
S2: The company hopes to receive FDA approval within 18 months
S2: and have it on the market sometime in late 2026. Now, hopefully,
S2: these two new approaches to weight loss will make a
S2: difference in the lives of many without causing some of
S2: the more unfortunate side effects of current treatments.
S1: Well, we've heard of the Israelites, the Hittites, the Jebusites,
S1: now the metabolites. That's interesting Charlie. I like that story. Well,
S1: a full program today, as always. Colin Smith, the pastor
S1: you may well hear on the radio, will join us
S1: in studio to talk about how and why the view
S1: from above is majestic. A fascinating look, though, at a
S1: simple way of sharing the plan of salvation with your friends.
S1: Also part of that conversation. Later on, Charlie returns with
S1: a fresh set of Bible questions, and of course, his
S1: devotional is always worth sticking around for. Our website is
S1: The Land and the book.org information about today's guest. Past programs.
S1: Future programs. All there. Up next, it's a conversation with
S1: Colin Smith. There is something about looking out the window
S1: of an airplane that is absolutely mesmerizing. Up several thousand
S1: feet in the air, you get a perspective on the
S1: lay of the land you just don't get when you're
S1: on the ground. But what if I told you the
S1: same thing is true of the way we look at Scripture?
S1: Today's guest, Pastor Colin Smith, says the view from above
S1: is majestic, and we're about to take off for an
S1: unusual flight here on the land. And the book, I'm
S1: John Gager, and while I'm fastening my seat belt here
S1: and making sure my phone is in airplane mode, let's
S1: pause you and I for a quick thought on loving
S1: Jewish friends and neighbors for Christ. If you're looking for
S1: ways to reach out to your Jewish friends. The Jewish
S1: calendar is filled with great pointers, including Yom Kippur. How
S1: could that be a center of a of an outreach
S1: kind of conversation? Let's ask Roy Schwartz of Chosen People Ministries.
S3: Roy well, most Jewish people really come away from Yom
S3: Kippur without an assurance that anything really happened, that sin
S3: has been forgiven. And that's because Yom Kippur, the only
S3: provision that God has made, is that without the shedding
S3: of blood, there's no remission of sin. And so prayer
S3: and fasting and repentance just doesn't cut it. We don't
S3: have any real assurance, but as believers, we have assurance
S3: based on the blood that God provided once and for all.
S3: But I think it goes further than that, because most
S3: Christians don't understand that Yom Kippur was actually a time
S3: when God renewed his covenant with Israel, and it was
S3: for national atonement. It wasn't for personal atonement. Personal atonement
S3: was found every other day when the temple was open
S3: and you laid your hands on a lamb and confessed
S3: your sin, and the priest would give you the knife.
S3: You had to slit the throat of the lamb. The
S3: blood was gathered by the priest offered on the altar,
S3: and there was remission of sin, but not Yom Kippur.
S3: That was the day when the temple was closed. And
S3: most Jewish people have no idea about any of that.
S3: And so it's an opportunity to talk about what Yom
S3: Kippur is. And when you have more knowledge about Yom
S3: Kippur than they do from a biblical perspective, that's provoking
S3: them to jealousy.
S1: And that's Roy Schwarz of Chosen People Ministries on the
S1: land and the book. Pastor Colin Smith serves as senior
S1: pastor of The Orchard with six campuses across Chicagoland. Born
S1: and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is her daily on
S1: the radio broadcast. Open the Bible. He and his wife
S1: Karen have two sons and five granddaughters. Colin has written
S1: many books, including a moody publishers title that has kind
S1: of sparked today's conversation, Fly Through the Bible A Brief introduction.
S1: It is so good to finally connect with you again
S1: on the land of the book, Pastor Colin John.
S4: It's always a delight to talk to you and thank
S4: you for the opportunity of being on your program.
S1: Now, really, I think today's interview should be hosted by
S1: our engineer and producer, Dan Anderson. You see, he's a
S1: private pilot, and sometime you'll have to ask him about
S1: the time he and I flew a mission that we
S1: have called Operation Pig Lift. That's a story for another day.
S1: You describe your book, Fly Through the Bible as a
S1: high altitude exploration of the entire Bible story. What do
S1: you mean by that?
S4: Well, I mean that the whole Bible is one story.
S4: It begins in a garden. It ends in a city.
S4: And all the way through it is about the Lord
S4: Jesus Christ. And of course, a lot of people know
S4: stories from the Bible. You know, David and Goliath, Jonah
S4: and the whale and so forth and so on. But
S4: I find that when people grasp that the Bible itself
S4: is one big story, that that actually gives them a
S4: place to begin, and it gives them an understanding that
S4: they may not have had before.
S1: What will this book do for someone who has known
S1: the Lord for a while? Or is it really intended
S1: primarily for beginners?
S4: Well, I think both. There are many folks I've found
S4: who've been in church for a long time, who don't
S4: have a sense of the big picture of the Bible story,
S4: and many of the folks in the church that I
S4: serve here would say that that has been something that
S4: has significantly helped them. I mean, the analogy of the flight.
S4: If you're flying over the Grand Canyon, you get a
S4: sense of the vastness of what's there. But what it
S4: does is it gives you an incentive to say, ah,
S4: now I've seen what's there. I want to explore more
S4: and get on the ground and do that. So that's
S4: the intent. But the thing is always a place to begin.
S4: And so for a newer Christian, this is a great
S4: place to begin. And most of all, for a person
S4: who really doesn't know anything about the Bible, this is
S4: a place to begin. And that really has been my
S4: primary intent in writing the book.
S1: I do see this as a very friendly, very non
S1: stuffy book that I could easily share with a non-believing friend,
S1: and I'm assuming that's no accident. When did you get
S1: the idea for this as a tool that could be
S1: used for non-believers?
S4: Well, I was at a conference in England now a
S4: good number of years ago, and just happened to be
S4: sitting opposite a brother who was a pioneer missionary to
S4: an unreached people group. I'd never met him before, never
S4: met him again. But over that lunch he told me
S4: his story. That was absolutely fascinating. I mean, here is
S4: a man who had gone to an unreached people group.
S4: He had met the tribal chief, been invited to make
S4: his home with this tribe, had built his own home,
S4: had learned their language, and then made his life there
S4: among them. And I'm listening to this stuff. I mean,
S4: it was absolutely extraordinary. It was like an adventure story.
S4: And at one point during the lunch, I said, Tony,
S4: where would you even begin? In explaining the gospel to
S4: people who don't even know who God is? And he said,
S4: we tell them the Bible story. And I thought, if
S4: that's how pioneer missionaries are operating to reach people who
S4: know nothing about the God of the Bible, that's what
S4: we need to do here in America and in the
S4: West more broadly today, because we need to reach a
S4: generation who really have not the faintest idea of who
S4: God is or who we are, or what the human
S4: problem is, or why we would even need a Savior,
S4: let alone what Jesus Christ came into the world to accomplish.
S4: But you see, the very nature of the Bible's story
S4: is that God has laid out step by step these
S4: things that we need to understand in order to grasp
S4: the gospel who God is, who we are, what the
S4: human problem is, why we need a deliverer, who he is,
S4: what Jesus Christ has accomplished, and what he's therefore able
S4: to do in our lives today. And so very simply,
S4: fly through the Bible takes people through this in a
S4: journey from Genesis to Revelation that lays out the big picture,
S4: and it's intended to give people a place to begin.
S1: Section one of the book is devoted to five people
S1: in the Old Testament. Who are the five and how
S1: did you choose them?
S4: Well, actually, they're pretty well self-selected. I mean, you have
S4: to have Adam. You certainly have to have Abraham and Moses.
S4: You have to have King David, and then you have
S4: to have someone from the end of the Old Testament story.
S4: So that would be either Ezra or Nehemiah. And I
S4: went with Ezra. Now these five, if you grasp their stories,
S4: really give you and this is, of course, at a
S4: very high altitude level, they do give you an overview
S4: of what the Old Testament is teaching to us. God
S4: introduces himself in the story of Adam, tells us who
S4: we are in the creation of Adam, made in God's
S4: image tells us the human problem right there in the
S4: story of Abraham. God makes this wonderful promise to bring
S4: blessing through the children of Abraham, and it's going to
S4: be through Abraham's descendants. That blessing will come to all
S4: the families of the earth. You follow the story through
S4: King David and through Ezra. It's all pointing us to Jesus.
S4: And the big picture of the Old Testament is it
S4: shows us why we need the deliverer, and it shows
S4: us why Jesus is the deliverer that we need.
S1: If you're just joining us, Pastor Colin Smith is helping
S1: us fly through the Bible. A new release from Moody Publishers.
S1: I'm John Gager in the co-pilot seat, and this is
S1: the land and the book. Well, section two focuses on
S1: five events in the life of Jesus. Boy, with so
S1: many exciting moments, let's be honest. What grid could you
S1: possibly come up with to select just five?
S4: Well, there are five events. They are that Jesus was born,
S4: that he was tempted, that he was crucified, that he
S4: is risen, and that he has ascended. Now, obviously there's
S4: so much more in the Gospels about the Lord Jesus,
S4: the teaching of Jesus, the miracles of Jesus, the parables
S4: of Jesus, and so many wonderful events in the life
S4: of Jesus. But if a person who knew very little
S4: or nothing at all were to grasp the most important things,
S4: I think that to know that Jesus was born and tempted, crucified, raised,
S4: and ascended would give the first things that need to
S4: be known about the Lord Jesus Christ. These are the
S4: things that point us to who he is, and they're
S4: the things that point us to why we should trust him.
S1: Section three discusses five gifts for every believer. What are
S1: those five? And again, how did you go about identifying
S1: the five?
S4: Well, that's perhaps the hardest of all because there are
S4: so many gifts that are ours when we are in
S4: the Lord Jesus Christ. But the gift of the Holy
S4: Spirit clearly has to be the first from acts and
S4: chapter two. The wonderful gift of faith, the gift of forgiveness,
S4: then the gift of the church. That's one I think
S4: that is often forgotten, that when God reconciles us to
S4: Himself in Christ, he brings us into his body. Of course,
S4: the last one selected itself. It has to be the
S4: gift of heaven. So, I mean, here's a very, very
S4: high altitude journey over the whole Bible story. Five people
S4: in the Old Testament, five events in the Gospels from
S4: the life of Jesus, five gifts that God gives to
S4: all who believe. It's a very high altitude, but it's
S4: a place to begin.
S1: Colin Smith has a voice you might well recognize if
S1: you listen to his daily radio broadcast. Open the Bible.
S1: He joins us today on the Land and the book.
S1: You've walked with the Lord for some time now. Been
S1: a pastor for decades. Still, I have to ask what
S1: surprised you as you put this book together?
S4: Without question, you never come to an end of wonder
S4: at the sheer grace of God. And I think writing
S4: this and just trying to put together the big picture
S4: at a high altitude level, the overwhelming sense is how
S4: amazing God's grace and his extraordinary love to us in
S4: Christ is that he would send His Son, that His
S4: Son would give himself in all that that involved in
S4: order to redeem rebel sinners like ourselves and to bring
S4: people into the joy of knowing him, and then ultimately
S4: into the joy of enjoying him forever in glory. I mean,
S4: that is unfathomable. It is inexhaustible. And I hope that
S4: as people would read the book and get the big
S4: picture of the Bible story, they would say how amazing
S4: God is and how wonderful to come to know him
S4: and to enter into all that is ours in the
S4: Lord Jesus Christ.
S1: Now every chapter ends with questions for reflection and discussion.
S1: Nothing new there, but I think the way that you
S1: phrase the questions does a terrific job of sparking and
S1: then guiding conversations I would love to have with my
S1: unsaved friends. What's your thought on this? What went into
S1: those questions and how did you frame them just right?
S4: Well, I have to give credit to my friend and
S4: colleague Tim Augustine, who was the one who drafted the
S4: questions on this. And I think that he has done
S4: an outstanding job. And I think that for this reason,
S4: that they're not the kind of questions that you need
S4: to have a vast fund of knowledge to answer. And
S4: they're not the kind of questions that just lead to
S4: a yes no and a dead end in the conversation.
S4: They're deliberately designed with a particular setting in view, a
S4: believer talking to someone who does not yet know the
S4: Lord Jesus Christ. And so the kinds of questions that
S4: are here are very discussable over a cup of coffee.
S4: I mean, for example, first question at the end of
S4: the section on Adam, what's your first reaction to hearing
S4: that we are made in the image of God? Well,
S4: that's a very discussable question. What do you think you
S4: would have liked about living in the Garden of Eden,
S4: and why did you choose that? So you can see
S4: these are questions that are designed to help people interact
S4: with the big picture of the Bible's story. And because
S4: of the conviction that if we can introduce the truth
S4: of the Scripture to people's lives, it's living seed, and
S4: if we put living seed in the ground, then we've
S4: got reason to hope that there's going to be some
S4: life that will actually grow up. So I find that
S4: regularly now, for some time, we've been saying to the
S4: folks in the church that I serve here now, who
S4: is there in your life who needs to know the
S4: God of the Bible and just might be open to
S4: a conversation around the scriptures with you if you were
S4: to ask them? And the whole idea of this book
S4: is it's a very simple tool that a Christian could
S4: use to open conversation with someone who needs to know
S4: the God of the Bible and come to saving faith
S4: in the Lord Jesus Christ. All right, I.
S1: Have to ask. I know the book is fairly new yet,
S1: but what kinds of stories have you heard as people
S1: share this biblical view from above with others.
S4: Well, I'm absolutely thrilled at the way that people are
S4: using it. Folks are using it, for example, with their grandchildren,
S4: as a means of trying to introduce grandchildren to the truth,
S4: and especially if they're not coming to church. This is
S4: a wonderful, wonderful means of doing that. We have people
S4: who are using it over a cup of coffee, just
S4: meeting with folks and using the questions. You can read
S4: each section in, I don't know, John. Five minutes, just
S4: five minutes. It's very easy. So it's easy to say, hey,
S4: could we just read a little bit and then talk
S4: about it? And people are doing that. We've had people
S4: who are doing it over text, communicating in that kind
S4: of way, sustaining conversations with people sometimes who are many,
S4: many miles away but open to talk around the scriptures
S4: and where the Word of God is drip fed into
S4: a person's life, we can have great confidence that God
S4: will bring fruit.
S1: Okay, my conviction is that this book view from above
S1: is sort of like a cheat sheet. All right, Pastor Collin,
S1: you've done the work for us. Not only have you
S1: made the scriptures plain level, simplified, understandable, but you've even
S1: handed us the conversation material that we can use. I
S1: just want to say a great big thank you.
S4: Well thank you. I hope that people will find it
S4: really useful.
S1: That's Colin Smith, who's written the Moody Publishers book Fly
S1: Through the Bible. Check it out, a link at our website.
S1: The land and the book. Org and up next, it's
S1: our friend Charlie Dyer, and I'm looking forward to his
S1: answers to your questions. That's next on the land and
S1: the book. From Moody Radio. This is the land and
S1: the book. I'm John Gager. Boy, Israel has been in
S1: the news a lot over the past year, and as
S1: we know, the Bible is jam packed with end times
S1: prophecies about epic world events, the regathering of the Jewish
S1: people to their ancient homeland and Jesus soon return. It
S1: is crucial for us as believers to have a proper
S1: understanding of of Bible prophecy. So our view of the
S1: future is shaped by Scripture and not just today's headlines.
S2: And with that in mind, our friends at Life and
S2: Messiah have published a book titled God, Israel and Bible Prophecy,
S2: and they're offering it to listeners of the land in
S2: the book for a limited time. This informative book is
S2: focused on providing readers with a deeper understanding and greater
S2: appreciation of what God has in store for Israel and
S2: the nations by digging into what the scriptures say about
S2: these issues. Now, if you're interested in learning more about
S2: what God has in store, visit Life in Messiah. Org
S2: and click on the Moody Radio button there to find
S2: out how you can receive your copy of God, Israel
S2: and Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org.
S1: Thank you very much for that. And let's dig into
S1: today's question, starting with Steve's. And he takes us to
S1: the story of Joseph in Egypt managing the crisis of
S1: the famine And ultimately, when the people run out of
S1: money in Egypt to buy grain, Joseph has them sell
S1: their livestock, then their land, and it all ultimately feels
S1: like communism. Is that what this is really talking about here, Charlie?
S2: Well, I read the account in a different way. The
S2: seven years of abundance were apparently exceptionally Bountiful, and I
S2: say that because just collecting 20% of the produce of
S2: those seven good years was sufficient to feed the entire
S2: population of Egypt and other countries for the next seven years.
S2: Taxes were always a function of government, and in this
S2: case the tax was collected to care for the people.
S2: Another point I find fascinating is that if 20% was
S2: sufficient to provide for the entire population, what did the
S2: people do with the other 80% they kept? I suspect
S2: the amount harvested each of those years would have produced
S2: a large surplus for the people had they harbored their resources.
S2: But human nature being what it is, much of the
S2: bounty in those seven good years was likely consumed by
S2: the people who somehow thought the Bountiful harvest would continue indefinitely. Now,
S2: the idea of giving away the surplus in exchange for promises. Well,
S2: that doesn't match the mindset of leaders at that time.
S2: Pharaoh was responsible for outfitting and supporting a standing army
S2: to protect the land. He had expenditures for building projects,
S2: so funds were necessary. But finally, I see in the
S2: phrases in chapter 47 about selling the land to Pharaoh
S2: and becoming slaves to Pharaoh. In a more figurative sense.
S2: In that context, as the bargain worked out, Joseph provided
S2: the people with food and with seed to grow their crops.
S2: They were to give 20% of what they produced to Pharaoh,
S2: while they kept the remaining 80% for themselves. That's actually
S2: paralleling the tax at the beginning of the section. So
S2: they were still on their own land and still keeping 80%
S2: of all they produced. And that's not communism.
S1: Agreed. Todd takes us to Second Chronicles 14, verse nine,
S1: where we read of a Kushite army of 1 million men.
S1: He asks, were armies that size typical in the ancient
S1: Middle East?
S2: Well, I need to answer two ways. First, armies could
S2: be large and I tend to take numbers found in
S2: the Bible, even large numbers literally. For example, I take
S2: the number of Israelite fighting men in numbers two, 603,550
S2: at face value. I take the number of Assyrian soldiers
S2: killed by God in Isaiah 37, the 185,000, as a
S2: literal round number. There. Now, second, in this particular case,
S2: I find it interesting that it's a very round number,
S2: which suggests to me it's intended as an approximation the
S2: literal wording. In Hebrew there is a thousand thousands, which
S2: seems designed to describe a general number. The NIV actually
S2: captures the essence of what was intended by translating it
S2: not literally, but as a vast army. In that sense,
S2: I see it similar to the description of the Midianite
S2: army in judges seven, which was said to be as
S2: numerous as the sand on the seashore. So could it
S2: have been a 1 million man army? I'll have to
S2: allow for that possibility that I'm not sure who would
S2: have been doing that counting, though. I tend to think
S2: of it, though, since it's from Israel's perspective as a
S2: round number. It used to picture this vast army that
S2: appeared from a human perspective to be unstoppable. And yet
S2: God gives Israel the victory.
S1: Renee asks, how do we know that Matthew, Levi, and
S1: Zacchaeus were collecting taxes on behalf of the Romans, and
S1: therefore traitors to their own people? Didn't the Jewish government
S1: tax the people?
S2: Well, there were two major types of taxes collected at
S2: the time of Jesus. There was a temple tax to
S2: be paid by individuals for the upkeep of the temple.
S2: In fact, that tax is pictured in Matthew 17, where
S2: Peter was asked if Jesus paid the temple tax. The
S2: amount collected, which was a stater or a shekel, covered
S2: both Jesus and Peter for the amount required to pay
S2: that tax. Now the other case, when Jesus called Matthew
S2: to follow him in Matthew nine, the account says Matthew
S2: was seated at the tax booth, and later Jesus reclined
S2: at table with many tax collectors. And it's the same
S2: version of that word that's used there to describe those
S2: who collected taxes, either for the Romans directly or for
S2: those who, like Herod Agrippa, controlled the area and ruled
S2: under Roman authority. Now, the first kind of tax for
S2: the temple that was biblical in the sense that it
S2: was described in the Bible, it was the tax required
S2: by the Romans that was so hated. And the negative
S2: response to Jesus dining with Matthew and the other tax collectors,
S2: I think, is what lets us know that the ones
S2: collecting the tax there were the ones supporting Rome.
S1: Hope you're enjoying this third segment on the land and
S1: the book, and I hope you know that your question
S1: is always welcome. Love to add yours to the mix
S1: when you email us at the Land and the book@moody.edu.
S1: This next question takes us to the account of David
S1: defeating Goliath. The Bible says that David killed him with
S1: a stone from his sling, which of course hit Goliath's forehead.
S1: Yet in reading the account, it seems like double talk.
S1: David killed him and then took Goliath's sword and killed
S1: him by cutting his head off. How do I answer
S1: the person who brought this apparent contradiction to my attention,
S1: asks this listener.
S2: I have a great answer for this one because I
S2: love that spot. The entire story, including those two statements
S2: about Goliath dying, make perfect sense if we view it
S2: in its geographical context. The battle took place in the
S2: Ala valley. The Philistine forward lines it says in verse one,
S2: were at Socoh. The Israelites were on a hill on
S2: the other side of the valley between them. Now I've
S2: been on Soco. I've stood there. The distance between the
S2: front lines of the Philistines and where the battle took
S2: place is about 4/10 of a mile. About 2100ft, or
S2: about the equivalent of seven football fields. Now, from this distance,
S2: the Philistines, they could make out Goliath and his Armorbearer,
S2: and maybe young David. But they would have been rather
S2: tiny figures in the distance. Now, here's why that's so important.
S2: David took a stone, put it in his sling, struck
S2: Goliath and killed him. And Goliath really was dead when
S2: that stone, which was about the size of a human fist,
S2: hit him in the forehead. But what did the Philistines
S2: see from up on the hill? Well, they saw David
S2: twirl his arm, and they saw Goliath fall to the ground.
S2: But then they're wondering, did he stumble? You know, maybe
S2: he just was stunned. They have no idea. And I
S2: can almost hear him shouting out, hey, come on, Goliath!
S2: Get up, big boy. You can do it. But then
S2: David runs over, grabs Goliath's sword, chops off the head
S2: and holds it up. And now the Philistines knew that
S2: David had killed Goliath. So the first pronouncement of death
S2: was the actual moment Goliath died. The second was the
S2: actual moment the Philistines, and probably the Israelites as well,
S2: could see for themselves that Goliath was dead.
S1: Nancy asks, how important is it to be firm on
S1: a pre-trib end times viewpoint, or is that presumptuous also?
S1: What are the reasons that the pre-trib viewpoint is under attack?
S2: Okay, that's like saying sic em to a dog. To me,
S2: I hold to a pre-trib position because I think it
S2: makes the most sense in what the Bible presents. Volumes
S2: have been written here, so let me give a relatively
S2: short summary. The ultimate issue is the purpose for the
S2: coming tribulation period. That seven year period mentioned in Daniel nine,
S2: verse 27, in verses 24 to 27 of that chapter,
S2: God told Daniel that 70 weeks, that is, 70 groups
S2: of seven years have been decreed for your people, the Jews,
S2: and your holy city, Jerusalem. God then provides a timeline
S2: going forth of of the future history of Jerusalem and
S2: the Jewish people. The first 69 weeks of years, the
S2: first 483 years, was fulfilled the very day Jesus rode
S2: into Jerusalem as the Messiah on the colt, the foal
S2: of a donkey. And then the timeline temporarily stops before
S2: the beginning of the final seven year period. He says
S2: the Messiah is going to be cut off and have nothing.
S2: The prince who is to come will destroy the city
S2: and the sanctuary in a time of trouble, for the
S2: Jewish people will come. And then in verse 27, he
S2: picks up the final seven year period and divides it
S2: into two halves. But my point here is the entire period,
S2: the entire seven years is for your people. That is,
S2: the Jews and your holy city that is Jerusalem. In
S2: Matthew 24, just before his crucifixion, Jesus gave his disciples
S2: a picture of what the future held for them, and
S2: he describes several things. In fact, at one point, though,
S2: he says in verse 15, you'll see an abomination of
S2: desolation spoken of through Daniel the prophet standing in the
S2: holy place. Well, that comes from Daniel 927 and then
S2: he says, when that happens, he puts it into a
S2: Jewish context, because he says, those who are in Judea
S2: must flee and pray. Your flight won't be on the Sabbath,
S2: for there will be a great tribulation, such as has
S2: not occurred since the beginning of the world. The point, though,
S2: is as Jesus describes his future time of tribulation, he
S2: connects it with Judea and with the Sabbath with the
S2: Jewish people. Just like Daniel nine said, I could go
S2: on in the book of revelation as well. But my
S2: whole point here is the pre-tribulational position makes the most
S2: sense if you take the Bible at face value. Now
S2: why is the Pre-tribulational position under attack? I think it's
S2: largely because people today really don't know the Bible, and
S2: as a result, they're afraid to take a firm position
S2: on anything unless they're sure most others agree with them.
S2: You know, it's scholarly to question, even to scoff at
S2: things that seem to be, quote, simplistic in their understanding
S2: of the Bible. But I hold to a pre-tribulation rapture
S2: because I believe the Bible pictures the final seven year period,
S2: focusing on Israel in a unique and special way. So
S2: God's going to remove the church from the earth and
S2: then begin his program again with Israel for that final
S2: period leading up to the second coming of Jesus. And
S2: I think those two groups are distinct in the outworking
S2: of God's plan.
S1: I'm looking forward to Charlie's devotional. It's next right here
S1: on the land and the book. Of revelation. Welcome back
S1: to the land and the book with our host, Charlie Dyer.
S1: I'm John Geiger and Charlie. I heard about a guy
S1: the other day who was on the phone in the car,
S1: his wife back home. He's driving to work, and she says,
S1: you know, I heard there's a report of some guy
S1: driving the wrong way on the on the highway. he says.
S1: It's not just one guy, it's just about everybody driving
S1: the wrong way. Charlie, I wonder if that isn't something
S1: of a setup for your devotional today titled Going the
S1: Wrong Way on a One Way Highway.
S2: John, it's better than you can possibly imagine.
S1: I'm looking forward to what you've got for us as
S1: we begin a look at the High Holy Days. Before
S1: we get to Charlie's devotional, though, let's pause for this
S1: testimony from somebody who's traveled to the Holy Land and
S1: comes back with this moment for us.
S5: Hi, I'm Jackie, and this has been a wonderful experience
S5: for me. I've traveled a great deal, and this was
S5: a really important trip for me. And I just appreciate
S5: all the minute things we've learned. Um, we went into
S5: the Groovin Valley and down in a cave and saw
S5: the oil press. The way that the early Jews had
S5: to make oil from the olives, and I'd also had
S5: a lesson in a small group at home where we
S5: had done that. So it was really fun to see
S5: the actual, you know, oil press and do that. And
S5: the olive oil press and the word Gethsemane have the
S5: same kind of meaning. And we always hear about the
S5: Garden of Gethsemane. But that was a new way to
S5: think about it. And it's just been a wonderful experience.
S1: All right. We're headed to the Old Testament today. Where
S1: are we going, Charlie, with your devotional. Uh, we're.
S2: Heading into the book of Leviticus to talk about going
S2: the wrong way on this one way highway. And, John,
S2: where I live, there are a number of interstate highways
S2: and other limited access roads. Uh, that's why I was
S2: thinking of your opening comment there. The entrances and exits
S2: are clearly marked. And yet several times every year, news
S2: outlets carry stories of individuals who manage to drive past
S2: giant wrong way, do not enter signs, and head up
S2: the off ramp onto the divided highway going in the
S2: wrong direction. Sometimes the police are able to arrive in
S2: time to avoid an accident, but sadly there have been
S2: serious injuries and fatalities as these clueless drivers head into
S2: oncoming traffic. Now such Wrong-Way driving usually results from one
S2: of four reasons. Impaired judgment caused by drugs or alcohol
S2: diminished sight, especially among the elderly, mental impairment, and finally
S2: a lack of familiarity with the area. The highway system
S2: or the signage. The specific cause for each incident might vary,
S2: but the end result can be a serious accident. Yet
S2: while driving the wrong way on a one way highway
S2: can cause a physical disaster. Going the wrong way spiritually
S2: can have even more catastrophic results. To understand how we're
S2: heading into the Sinai Peninsula after Israel's exodus from Egypt
S2: in Exodus 40, the newly fashioned tabernacle is finally set
S2: up on the first day of the first month. That's
S2: almost exactly a year after the institution of Passover. And
S2: what an eventful year it's been. But now Israel is
S2: ready to serve the Lord and move forward. The Book
S2: of Leviticus begins in chapters 1 to 7, with the
S2: institution of the five main offerings to be presented to
S2: the Lord. Then, in chapters eight and nine, Aaron and
S2: his sons are ordained into the priesthood and begin their ministry. Unfortunately,
S2: that's when two of Aaron's sons go for a priestly
S2: joyride and start heading the wrong direction on a one
S2: way spiritual highway. The account begins in Leviticus ten. Aaron's
S2: sons Nadab and Abihu took their sensors, put fire in them,
S2: and added incense, and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord,
S2: contrary to his command. So fire came out from the
S2: presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died
S2: before the Lord. Now we're not told directly what they
S2: had done wrong, though. Verses 8 to 10 suggest one
S2: reason for this spiritual crash was drunkenness on their part.
S2: Then the Lord said to Aaron, you and your sons
S2: are not to drink wine or other fermented drink. Whenever
S2: you go into the tent of meeting or you will die.
S2: This is a lasting ordinance for generations to come. You
S2: must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the
S2: unclean and the clean. Aaron's sons had apparently been drinking
S2: before going into God's presence to offer the incense. We're
S2: not told exactly what they did wrong, apart from offering
S2: strange or unauthorized fire before the Lord. Perhaps they used
S2: coals in their sensors that hadn't come from off the
S2: altar as prescribed by God. Or perhaps they came into
S2: the tent at a time not set by God. Or
S2: it could be that they took the opportunity while in there,
S2: to look behind the veil into the Holy of Holies.
S2: Whatever they did, in their drunken stupor, they went against
S2: God's strict instructions and they ended up dead. This is
S2: indeed a sad story, but why share it now? What
S2: does this have to do with the Day of Atonement,
S2: Yom Kippur, which began last night? Well, assuming the events
S2: in the Pentateuch are chronological, this must have taken place
S2: sometime after the spring festivals, but before the first celebration
S2: of the fall festivals. And I say that because of
S2: the way the Day of Atonement is introduced in Leviticus 16.
S2: The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the
S2: two sons of Aaron, who died when they approached the Lord.
S2: That's Nadab and Abihu there back in chapter ten. The
S2: Lord said to Moses, tell your brother Aaron not to
S2: come whenever he chooses, into the Most Holy place behind
S2: the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark,
S2: or else he will die, because I will appear in
S2: the cloud over the atonement cover. Why introduce the regulations
S2: for the Day of Atonement by first rehearsing the spiritual
S2: wreck caused by Nadab and Abihu. What is it that
S2: ties them into the Day of Atonement? Well, I see
S2: two elements in the story that apply following their deaths.
S2: God made it clear that the priests were not to
S2: drink wine or other fermented drink. And the second element
S2: is God's strict prohibition on Aaron not to come whenever
S2: he chooses, into the most holy place behind the curtain
S2: in front of the atonement cover on the Ark at
S2: the Day of Atonement was the most solemn day on
S2: Israel's religious calendar. This was the day that a blood
S2: sacrifice was sprinkled before the mercy seat on the Ark
S2: of the covenant. The blood came between the tablets of
S2: the law inside the ark and the Shekinah glory of God,
S2: who dwelled above the ark. Using repetition, God made it
S2: clear what the purpose was for the Day of Atonement.
S2: Leviticus 16. He said, this day, atonement will be made
S2: for you, to cleanse you. Then before the Lord you
S2: will be clean from all your sins. Later, in verses
S2: 32 to 34, he says, the high priest is to
S2: make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen
S2: garment and make atonement for the most holy place, for
S2: the tent of meeting and the altar, and for the
S2: priests and all the people of the community. This is
S2: to be a lasting ordinance for you. Atonement is to
S2: be made once a year for all the sins of
S2: the Israelites. The ceremony being performed by the high priests
S2: was designed to illustrate what must happen if an unholy
S2: people seek to dwell with the Holy God. Sin must
S2: be addressed. The specific details described by God in Leviticus
S2: 16 are very precise, and each part was essential from
S2: the high priest. First needing to offer a sacrifice for
S2: himself to his, then being able to offer atonement for
S2: the people. He could only enter into God's presence at
S2: this one time of the year, and it required the
S2: shedding of blood. It also included the confession of sin
S2: over the scapegoat, which was then symbolically led out of
S2: the camp into the wilderness. Every detail was to be
S2: performed exactly as God commanded. There was no room for
S2: variation or improvisation. Each year the priest was to enact,
S2: in a very visible and dramatic way, a story of
S2: atonement that pointed ultimately to the work of Jesus. The
S2: writer of Hebrews explains the reality that was pictured by
S2: the Day of Atonement when he writes in Hebrews nine,
S2: when Christ came as a high priest of the good
S2: things that are already here, he went through the greater
S2: and more perfect tabernacle that is not man made, that
S2: is to say, not a part of this creation. He
S2: did not enter by the means of the blood of
S2: goats and calves, but he entered the Most Holy Place
S2: once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.
S2: God took very seriously how he was to be approached
S2: on a certain day, in a certain way, and always
S2: with the blood of the sacrifice to atone for sin.
S2: It was a one way street established by God Himself
S2: to try to approach God any other way brought death
S2: and destruction, as Nadab and Abihu discovered. All the details
S2: pointed to the ultimate Lamb of God who died to
S2: pay for our sin. He said, I am the way
S2: and the truth and the life. No one comes to
S2: the father except through me. The ultimate message on the
S2: Day of Atonement can be stated this way. There is
S2: a holy and righteous God who must judge sin. But
S2: this God is also a loving God who has reached
S2: down to provide a way for sinful humanity to experience forgiveness.
S2: It involves the death of a substitute, one whose blood
S2: was shed to pay the penalty for that sin. The
S2: Day of Atonement looked forward to Jesus, who was the
S2: ultimate sacrifice for our sin. His death on the cross
S2: was sufficient to pay that penalty, but now we're faced
S2: with a choice. We can choose to ignore his sacrifice
S2: and seek to find some other roadway, to try to
S2: reach God on our own. Or we can choose to
S2: accept his sacrifice on our behalf and turn to him
S2: to experience God's forgiveness. The choice is yours, but the
S2: consequences for choosing to go the wrong way on God's
S2: one way street are eternally catastrophic. So be sure to
S2: choose wisely.
S1: And if you'd like to choose to follow Jesus, a
S1: friend will pray with you now at eight, eight, eight.
S1: Need him, 888 need him. That'll do it for today's
S1: broadcast for our host, Charlie Dyer. Our producer, Dan Anderson,
S1: I'm John Geiger. Thanks for listening. The land and the
S1: book is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of
S1: Moody Bible Institute.