WEBVTT - Reaching Restricted Muslim Nations 0:00:08.000 --> 0:00:11.240 How do you reach restricted Muslim nations with the Gospel 0:00:11.240 --> 0:00:15.410 of Christ? Bibles aren't allowed in, missionaries are forbidden, and 0:00:15.410 --> 0:00:20.300 trading Islam for Christianity is often punishable by death. Just ahead, 0:00:20.300 --> 0:00:24.740 Bonny Sallah brings us stories of hope from restricted Muslim countries. Plus, 0:00:24.739 --> 0:00:27.500 we've got a fascinating set of listener Bible questions coming 0:00:27.500 --> 0:00:30.230 your way. Hey, welcome to the land and the book. 0:00:30.230 --> 0:00:32.570 It's the one hour program that makes you feel like 0:00:32.570 --> 0:00:34.820 you've traveled to the Middle East without ever leaving the 0:00:34.820 --> 0:00:37.550 comfort of your own home. Doctor Charlie Dyer is the 0:00:37.550 --> 0:00:39.980 man behind it all. He's an Old Testament scholar, a 0:00:39.979 --> 0:00:43.669 middle East expert, and a great friend. I'm John Gager, 0:00:43.670 --> 0:00:46.310 and maybe you have wondered sometimes, how do you share 0:00:46.310 --> 0:00:49.580 the gospel with a Jewish person and do it effectively? 0:00:49.580 --> 0:00:53.840 Because of cultural, historical, and religious differences, it's sometimes challenging 0:00:53.840 --> 0:00:57.950 to navigate a gospel conversation with somebody from a Jewish background. 0:00:57.950 --> 0:01:00.980 So have you ever wondered how the professionals do it? 0:01:00.980 --> 0:01:03.320 Yeah, and to answer that question, our friends at Life 0:01:03.320 --> 0:01:06.169 and Messiah want to mail you samples of the tracks 0:01:06.170 --> 0:01:09.320 their staff use as they share the gospel. This will 0:01:09.319 --> 0:01:11.990 serve a dual purpose of equipping you with methods of 0:01:11.990 --> 0:01:15.259 presenting the gospel, while also supplying you with tracks you 0:01:15.260 --> 0:01:18.050 can share with your Jewish friends and neighbors. Life in 0:01:18.050 --> 0:01:20.990 Messiah's Prayer is that those tracks will help further the 0:01:20.990 --> 0:01:23.990 spread of the gospel among the Jewish people. Now, to 0:01:23.990 --> 0:01:26.810 receive this helpful assortment of tracks, all you need to 0:01:26.810 --> 0:01:30.020 do is visit Life in Messiah org and click on 0:01:30.020 --> 0:01:33.470 the Moody Radio button there for more information. That's Life 0:01:33.470 --> 0:01:38.090 in messiah.org. Don't miss out on this great opportunity. 0:01:38.090 --> 0:01:40.370 And let's swing our focus now toward current events from 0:01:40.370 --> 0:01:43.670 the Middle East all unfolding this past week. Story number 0:01:43.670 --> 0:01:47.270 one President Biden's announcement of a freeze in sending key 0:01:47.300 --> 0:01:51.559 weapons and ammunition to Israel sent shock waves throughout the country. 0:01:51.560 --> 0:01:54.680 What's the real reason for the decision? And more importantly, 0:01:54.680 --> 0:01:57.770 what impact will all that have on the war with Hamas? 0:01:57.770 --> 0:02:01.309 Yeah, and Israel was in shock over the decision, in 0:02:01.310 --> 0:02:03.470 spite of assurances from the white House that the two 0:02:03.500 --> 0:02:08.300 countries remain firm allies. Following widespread criticism of the announcement, 0:02:08.389 --> 0:02:11.960 the administration told lawmakers it would send $1 billion worth 0:02:11.960 --> 0:02:15.770 of arms, including tank and mortar shells, but apparently not 0:02:15.770 --> 0:02:19.340 the bombs that they're withholding. Many are looking for deeper significance, 0:02:19.340 --> 0:02:22.970 or the real reason for the blunt message from President Biden. 0:02:22.970 --> 0:02:26.870 And in reality, there's likely no single reason for the announcement. 0:02:26.990 --> 0:02:29.570 The white House and Israel don't see eye to eye 0:02:29.570 --> 0:02:33.139 on the prosecution of the war. President Biden was especially 0:02:33.139 --> 0:02:36.260 concerned over what has turned out to be inflated casualty 0:02:36.260 --> 0:02:40.550 figures from Hamas and warnings of catastrophic famine from the 0:02:40.550 --> 0:02:44.180 UN officials and other aid groups. There's also concern in 0:02:44.180 --> 0:02:46.940 the white House over a growing rift in the progressive 0:02:46.940 --> 0:02:49.730 wing of the Democratic Party, and a growing fear that 0:02:49.730 --> 0:02:52.760 the demonstrations and riots could end up costing them the 0:02:52.760 --> 0:02:56.840 election in November. Talking tough on Israel could be their 0:02:56.840 --> 0:03:00.619 way to help calm the growing rebellion among the progressives. Now, 0:03:00.620 --> 0:03:03.140 all of those reasons might be true, but they still 0:03:03.139 --> 0:03:07.220 don't explain everything that's been taking place. Another key scenario 0:03:07.220 --> 0:03:10.130 is one I mentioned just briefly last week. It's possible 0:03:10.130 --> 0:03:12.980 the effort to keep Israel from going into Rafah is 0:03:12.980 --> 0:03:15.350 part of a larger attempt to push for a new 0:03:15.350 --> 0:03:18.320 grand design for the Middle East. The US is trying 0:03:18.320 --> 0:03:21.620 to broker a security pact with Saudi Arabia and other 0:03:21.620 --> 0:03:24.799 Arab states against Iran. The goal would be to connect 0:03:24.800 --> 0:03:28.160 the different Sunni Muslim countries, along with Israel, in a 0:03:28.160 --> 0:03:32.329 broad alliance to help thwart Iran's designs for the region. 0:03:32.330 --> 0:03:36.140 The major sticking point right now, from America's perspective, anyway, 0:03:36.140 --> 0:03:39.320 is the war between Israel and Hamas. The war was 0:03:39.320 --> 0:03:42.320 started by Hamas, in part to upend the push already 0:03:42.320 --> 0:03:46.730 underway to broker that peace treaty between Israel and Saudi Arabia. 0:03:46.970 --> 0:03:49.070 The US would like to bring the war to an end, 0:03:49.100 --> 0:03:52.280 even if it allows Hamas to remain in power and 0:03:52.280 --> 0:03:55.640 to reset the stage for that grand bargain. The problem, 0:03:55.640 --> 0:03:58.460 of course, is that Israel isn't willing to let Hamas 0:03:58.460 --> 0:04:02.840 remain in power. Israel also opposes a Palestinian state that 0:04:02.840 --> 0:04:05.510 could be taken over by Hamas to launch even more 0:04:05.510 --> 0:04:09.260 deadly attacks. The White House's threat to withhold weapons and 0:04:09.260 --> 0:04:12.170 ammunition could have been its way of trying to force 0:04:12.170 --> 0:04:15.710 Israel to bend to its will. Now, following the criticism, 0:04:15.710 --> 0:04:19.250 they seem to have backpedaled by offering to share information 0:04:19.250 --> 0:04:22.489 on where Hamas leaders are hiding in exchange for not 0:04:22.490 --> 0:04:26.000 attacking Rafah. But that raised questions as to why they 0:04:26.000 --> 0:04:29.090 weren't already sharing that information with Israel. And then they 0:04:29.089 --> 0:04:33.440 responded by denying they were withholding information, which raised questions 0:04:33.440 --> 0:04:36.589 as to whether that offer they were making was actually valid. 0:04:36.710 --> 0:04:40.340 These apparent misstatements placed the white House in an awkward position, 0:04:40.339 --> 0:04:43.580 and call into question its sincerity and its trustworthiness as 0:04:43.580 --> 0:04:46.280 an ally both to Israel and to other nations in 0:04:46.279 --> 0:04:49.460 the region to whom they're also making promises. Now, Hamas 0:04:49.460 --> 0:04:51.770 has been encouraged by all of this. It helps them 0:04:51.770 --> 0:04:54.590 stiffen their resolve to not give in. And of course, 0:04:54.589 --> 0:04:56.839 other nations are looking at this and saying, if that's 0:04:56.839 --> 0:04:59.030 what they do to their ally Israel, what will they 0:04:59.029 --> 0:05:02.060 do to us? So it's really creating more uncertainty in 0:05:02.060 --> 0:05:04.040 the Middle East, and that is not good. 0:05:04.070 --> 0:05:07.099 Well, bottom line though, Charlie, how does that impact the. 0:05:07.300 --> 0:05:10.300 The fight with Hamas militarily from a hardware standpoint, is 0:05:10.300 --> 0:05:12.820 it a big dent? Is it a hiccup? Is it 0:05:12.820 --> 0:05:13.750 a huge thing? 0:05:13.779 --> 0:05:17.050 Well, if Israel wants to go into Rafah and take Rafah, 0:05:17.050 --> 0:05:19.960 what they've seen is that the air power really does 0:05:19.960 --> 0:05:22.870 make a difference. And of course, Hezbollah is always there 0:05:22.870 --> 0:05:25.090 in the horizon. Israel is going to be very careful 0:05:25.089 --> 0:05:28.359 to not use up all of its ammunition fighting in Rafah. 0:05:28.450 --> 0:05:31.179 If they have another battle coming just over the horizon. 0:05:31.240 --> 0:05:35.289 As Israel celebrated its 76th Independence Day this past week, 0:05:35.290 --> 0:05:39.039 they also published information on the growth of the country's population. 0:05:39.040 --> 0:05:40.930 What are some of the key metrics for the state 0:05:40.930 --> 0:05:43.240 as it begins its 77th year? 0:05:43.270 --> 0:05:45.969 Well, perhaps the greatest metric was the fact that Israel's 0:05:45.970 --> 0:05:50.620 population has now grown to just under 9.9 million people. Now, 0:05:50.620 --> 0:05:57.430 of that amount, 73.2% are Jewish, 21.1% are Arab, and 5.7% 0:05:57.430 --> 0:06:00.640 are made up of other minority groups. If the current 0:06:00.640 --> 0:06:04.210 rate of growth continues by next year, Israel's population is 0:06:04.210 --> 0:06:09.160 expected to surpass 10 million. The population grew by 1.9%, 0:06:09.160 --> 0:06:11.860 which is slightly below the growth rate of a year ago. Now, 0:06:11.860 --> 0:06:14.140 part of the reason was a decline in the number 0:06:14.140 --> 0:06:17.260 of immigrants, probably in light of the war. One sad 0:06:17.260 --> 0:06:22.510 note is that 760 soldiers and 834 civilians were killed 0:06:22.510 --> 0:06:25.360 since the last Memorial Day. Most of those were the 0:06:25.360 --> 0:06:29.260 result of Hamas's October 7th attack and the subsequent war. 0:06:29.260 --> 0:06:33.460 And that's nearly 1600 Israelis killed. And that number continues 0:06:33.460 --> 0:06:36.400 to rise. That numbers, though, can become little more than 0:06:36.400 --> 0:06:39.850 mind numbing statistics. So in light of the vicious Hamas 0:06:39.850 --> 0:06:45.159 attack and growing worldwide anti-Semitism, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra prepared 0:06:45.160 --> 0:06:50.320 a virtual worldwide choir to sing Hatikvah, Israel's national anthem 0:06:50.320 --> 0:06:54.039 for Independence Day. The result? Jon, is quite moving. In fact, 0:06:54.040 --> 0:06:56.710 if people are interested in watching it, I posted a 0:06:56.710 --> 0:06:59.589 link to it on our land in the book Facebook page, 0:06:59.589 --> 0:07:03.430 and so if anyone's interested, go to Facebook, type in 0:07:03.430 --> 0:07:06.670 land and the book. You'll get to our page and 0:07:06.670 --> 0:07:09.460 you'll see a link there to Hatikvah. And let me 0:07:09.460 --> 0:07:11.920 tell you, it's definitely worth viewing. That's Doctor. 0:07:11.920 --> 0:07:14.800 Charlie Dyer. I'm John Geiger, this is the Land and 0:07:14.800 --> 0:07:17.320 the book from Moody Radio, where we're looking at current 0:07:17.320 --> 0:07:19.630 events from the past week based in the Middle East. 0:07:19.660 --> 0:07:23.770 Israel's government continues to face serious internal struggles and divisions 0:07:23.770 --> 0:07:26.440 that could force the coalition to disband and call for 0:07:26.440 --> 0:07:29.590 new elections. What are the major issues and could new 0:07:29.590 --> 0:07:31.480 elections be just around the corner? 0:07:31.510 --> 0:07:34.660 Yeah, there are reports that the emergency government is close 0:07:34.660 --> 0:07:37.840 to collapse. Now. That's not the same as the coalition. 0:07:37.840 --> 0:07:41.920 The emergency government was formed following October 7th, when Benny 0:07:41.920 --> 0:07:45.489 Gantz's National Unity Party crossed the aisle to join with 0:07:45.490 --> 0:07:49.600 the coalition. If Gantz's party leaves the emergency government, it 0:07:49.600 --> 0:07:52.510 will create a greater degree of uncertainty, but the government 0:07:52.510 --> 0:07:56.410 will still be intact. The key problems impacting Israel's unity 0:07:56.410 --> 0:07:59.770 right now are the hostages, the issue of drafting the 0:07:59.770 --> 0:08:03.070 ultra-Orthodox into the army, and the demands being made to 0:08:03.070 --> 0:08:06.760 expand settlements by the more right wing parties in the government. 0:08:06.760 --> 0:08:10.390 The hostage negotiations appear to have reached an impasse when 0:08:10.390 --> 0:08:13.270 the deal Israel thought it was reaching with Hamas was 0:08:13.270 --> 0:08:16.900 changed at the last minute, apparently with the countries mediating it, 0:08:16.900 --> 0:08:20.050 not telling Israel about the changes until they were announced 0:08:20.050 --> 0:08:25.630 by Hamas. The initial ultra-Orthodox draft proposal was also quite contentious, 0:08:25.630 --> 0:08:29.020 with opponents claiming it would not require the enlistment of 0:08:29.020 --> 0:08:33.730 ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students. The prime minister then advanced a proposal, 0:08:33.730 --> 0:08:37.690 previously endorsed by Gantz, to lower the age of exemption 0:08:37.690 --> 0:08:41.800 for yeshiva students from 26 to 21. However, it's still 0:08:41.800 --> 0:08:44.950 not clear if the plan will satisfy the opposition or 0:08:44.950 --> 0:08:48.250 the courts to the extent that the coalition depends on 0:08:48.250 --> 0:08:51.939 those more right wing parties and the ultra-Orthodox parties, it's 0:08:51.940 --> 0:08:55.240 going to continue to struggle to reach broad consensus on 0:08:55.240 --> 0:08:57.640 all of these issues. Now, all that to say, the 0:08:57.640 --> 0:09:00.609 collapse of the coalition might not be imminent, but the 0:09:00.610 --> 0:09:03.460 government still seems to be on shaky ground. 0:09:03.460 --> 0:09:06.970 Well, a new gel being developed in Israel aims to 0:09:06.970 --> 0:09:11.110 help broken bones heal back better and faster. Tell us 0:09:11.110 --> 0:09:13.780 about this latest innovation from amazing Israel. 0:09:13.780 --> 0:09:16.330 Anyone who's ever struggled with a broken bone knows the 0:09:16.330 --> 0:09:19.480 pain it can bring, and the healing process often includes 0:09:19.480 --> 0:09:22.209 having to wear a cast and having additional weeks of 0:09:22.210 --> 0:09:25.810 discomfort and misery. And that's where this latest innovation comes in. 0:09:25.809 --> 0:09:29.380 The Israeli company called Ortho Treat has developed a process 0:09:29.380 --> 0:09:32.590 that involves injecting a gel like substance at the site 0:09:32.590 --> 0:09:35.320 of the fracture. The gel is applied directly to the 0:09:35.320 --> 0:09:37.870 surface of the bone as a bonding agent, and rather 0:09:37.870 --> 0:09:41.680 than using external apparatus like grafts or screws, the gel 0:09:41.679 --> 0:09:45.970 facilitates the body's own healing mechanism. Over the next 21 days, 0:09:45.970 --> 0:09:49.630 the gel helps enhance the process of bone regeneration by 0:09:49.630 --> 0:09:53.679 up to 35%, improving outcomes and minimizing risk. Now they 0:09:53.679 --> 0:09:56.170 hope to have all the human trials completed and have 0:09:56.170 --> 0:09:59.350 this on the market by 2028. And one key advantage 0:09:59.350 --> 0:10:01.750 will be the price. They believe the cost will end 0:10:01.750 --> 0:10:03.970 up being less than the cost of a single screw 0:10:03.970 --> 0:10:06.250 now used by orthopedic surgeons. 0:10:06.250 --> 0:10:08.350 For that is amazing. Thank you Charlie. And that's a 0:10:08.350 --> 0:10:11.319 look at current events. Coming up, how do you reach 0:10:11.320 --> 0:10:14.890 restricted Muslim nations with the gospel of Christ? Bibles aren't 0:10:14.890 --> 0:10:18.910 allowed in. Missionaries are forbidden, and trading Islam for Christianity 0:10:18.910 --> 0:10:22.570 is often punishable by death. Well, just ahead, Bonny Sallah 0:10:22.570 --> 0:10:26.230 brings us stories of hope from restricted Muslim nations ahead 0:10:26.230 --> 0:10:44.500 here on the land and the book. Restricted access. Boy, 0:10:44.500 --> 0:10:48.220 that label describes many Muslim countries today in the Middle East. 0:10:48.220 --> 0:10:51.309 So how do you reach these people with the gospel, 0:10:51.309 --> 0:10:53.410 and what does it take to be effective in sharing 0:10:53.410 --> 0:10:56.440 the message of Christ? We've got some mighty encouraging stories 0:10:56.440 --> 0:10:59.319 you're going to love coming up. Hey, welcome to segment 0:10:59.320 --> 0:11:02.260 two of The Land and the book. I'm John Geiger. 0:11:02.260 --> 0:11:03.910 And you know, it's one thing to talk about sharing 0:11:03.910 --> 0:11:07.179 Christ with Muslims in restricted nations. But what about the 0:11:07.179 --> 0:11:10.809 Muslims in your neighborhood? In my neighborhood or at the office? 0:11:10.809 --> 0:11:14.680 Here's a quick thought. When engaging your Muslim friend, how 0:11:14.679 --> 0:11:18.670 upfront can you be about your own faith in Jesus? Well, 0:11:18.670 --> 0:11:21.550 you know, I've had the experience being on a train ride, 0:11:21.550 --> 0:11:26.170 and the Muslim friend next to me immediately commented about 0:11:26.170 --> 0:11:28.569 my reading the Bible and wanted to engage me about 0:11:28.570 --> 0:11:31.090 his faith versus mine. So it sounds to me like 0:11:31.090 --> 0:11:34.600 Muslims are open to a pretty aggressive discussion about religion. 0:11:34.600 --> 0:11:37.060 True or false? Stefano Farah with call of Hope. What 0:11:37.059 --> 0:11:37.720 do you say? 0:11:37.840 --> 0:11:42.550 True and false? Okay, it depends on the person here 0:11:42.550 --> 0:11:46.150 in the US, in American. Are all Americans open to 0:11:46.150 --> 0:11:48.880 talk about their faith? No, they are not. No, some 0:11:48.880 --> 0:11:51.250 of them are. Some of them are not the same 0:11:51.250 --> 0:11:54.520 with Muslims, you know, some are open, some are not. 0:11:54.520 --> 0:11:57.610 But when they are open, like this person on the 0:11:57.610 --> 0:12:02.770 train talking to you, hey, then they even expect you 0:12:02.770 --> 0:12:06.820 being open. And you can make no mistake. Tell them 0:12:06.820 --> 0:12:10.600 what you believe. No mistake can happen. 0:12:10.600 --> 0:12:14.170 Okay, so it's just like here in America, uh, non-Muslims 0:12:14.170 --> 0:12:17.920 not always open to discussions about faith, Muslims. Same thing. 0:12:17.920 --> 0:12:19.720 Good advice to keep in mind as you reach out 0:12:19.720 --> 0:12:22.689 to your Muslim friends. Stefano Farah is with call of Hope, 0:12:22.690 --> 0:12:24.880 always a pleasure to visit with him here on Moody 0:12:24.880 --> 0:12:29.860 Radio's The Land and the book. Bonnie Sylla is president 0:12:29.860 --> 0:12:33.730 and CEO of guidelines, a ministry started by her parents, 0:12:33.730 --> 0:12:37.809 Harold and Darlene Sylla. But Bonnie has taken guidelines global 0:12:37.809 --> 0:12:42.610 in its second generation, expanding the ministry through enthusiastic cultivation 0:12:42.610 --> 0:12:47.260 of great Commission partnerships among the body of Christ worldwide. 0:12:47.290 --> 0:12:51.400 Bonnie writes and voices the Daily Reset audio devotional. Maybe 0:12:51.400 --> 0:12:54.100 you've heard her share from her time spent with Jesus 0:12:54.100 --> 0:12:57.340 and His Word. We are really glad to reconnect with 0:12:57.340 --> 0:13:00.040 you today. Bonnie, thank you for joining us on the 0:13:00.040 --> 0:13:01.570 land and the book. Thank you. 0:13:01.570 --> 0:13:03.550 John, it is a pleasure to talk with you. 0:13:03.580 --> 0:13:06.130 Well, let's start with a quick definition. We use the 0:13:06.130 --> 0:13:09.970 word restricted to describe many Muslim countries in the Middle East. 0:13:09.970 --> 0:13:12.610 What is this restriction thing look like? 0:13:12.640 --> 0:13:16.929 Well, the restriction really applies to or describes the fact 0:13:16.929 --> 0:13:19.930 that you are not allowed to change your religion. In 0:13:19.929 --> 0:13:22.449 many countries of the Middle East, you are born into 0:13:22.450 --> 0:13:24.699 a religion. If you are born Muslim, for example, in 0:13:24.700 --> 0:13:27.309 the country of Egypt, it will appear on your driver's 0:13:27.309 --> 0:13:30.400 license and it is actually against the law to become 0:13:30.400 --> 0:13:34.300 anything other than Muslim. It also refers to the fact 0:13:34.300 --> 0:13:38.170 that you cannot share your faith. You cannot share faith 0:13:38.170 --> 0:13:41.140 in Jesus with anyone else. So if you are a Christian, 0:13:41.140 --> 0:13:44.020 it is illegal to share that faith and to try 0:13:44.020 --> 0:13:48.250 to convert anyone. So obviously you're not allowed to broadcast, 0:13:48.250 --> 0:13:51.400 you're not allowed to have Christian books or publications. 0:13:51.820 --> 0:13:54.760 I understand one strategy that your team is using is 0:13:54.760 --> 0:13:59.530 online programming like guidelines, devotionals in Arabic. My first question is, 0:13:59.530 --> 0:14:03.550 how do nonbelievers in a restricted Muslim nation even find 0:14:03.550 --> 0:14:05.140 out about this content? 0:14:05.140 --> 0:14:08.050 Well, in many countries of the Middle East, they do 0:14:08.050 --> 0:14:10.390 have access to the internet. You know, it's not like 0:14:10.390 --> 0:14:13.809 it's North Korea where that shut down. So through the internet, 0:14:13.809 --> 0:14:16.360 through satellite, there's such a thing as satellite radio and 0:14:16.390 --> 0:14:19.930 of course satellite TV. They are able to search and 0:14:19.930 --> 0:14:23.560 they are able to find the programming and the content. 0:14:23.560 --> 0:14:25.840 And of course, on social media, let's not forget about 0:14:25.840 --> 0:14:29.980 social media. That's a huge venue of access for people 0:14:29.980 --> 0:14:32.050 who want to inquire about Jesus. 0:14:32.050 --> 0:14:35.980 Bani Salah is president and CEO of guidelines. Joining us 0:14:35.980 --> 0:14:38.890 today on the land and the book. Many listeners might 0:14:38.890 --> 0:14:43.420 not understand the misconceptions that Muslims have about God. What 0:14:43.420 --> 0:14:45.340 have you learned in your journey here? 0:14:45.340 --> 0:14:47.800 Yes, it's been very interesting as we've been working with 0:14:47.800 --> 0:14:50.890 our partners in these restricted access countries of the Middle 0:14:50.890 --> 0:14:53.979 East and other parts of the world, and we've come 0:14:53.980 --> 0:14:58.570 to understand that all their lives, Muslims are taught the 0:14:58.570 --> 0:15:01.810 wrong things about Jesus. You know, they're taught incorrect things. 0:15:01.810 --> 0:15:06.220 In fact, it's an entire worldview that their minds have 0:15:06.220 --> 0:15:08.890 soaked in all of their lives. And so I'd love 0:15:08.890 --> 0:15:11.380 to share some stories today as we're talking. Well, I'm. 0:15:11.380 --> 0:15:12.220 Going to let you jump right. 0:15:12.220 --> 0:15:14.200 In. I sure was the first one that comes to mind. 0:15:14.200 --> 0:15:16.600 I have a story here from a woman named Heba. 0:15:16.600 --> 0:15:19.570 She says. I'm a 24 year old young woman. I 0:15:19.570 --> 0:15:22.180 often feel inadequate in my worship of God, and as 0:15:22.180 --> 0:15:24.760 a result, I believe I am missing out on everything 0:15:24.760 --> 0:15:27.850 in my life. Once I spoke with the counselor of 0:15:27.850 --> 0:15:29.800 the page and I'm not going to mention the name 0:15:29.800 --> 0:15:33.010 of the page who elaborated on the significance of worship 0:15:33.010 --> 0:15:35.560 and its goals in our lives. He began to correct 0:15:35.560 --> 0:15:39.580 my perceptions of God, who is not lurking around or 0:15:39.580 --> 0:15:43.060 seeking to have us fall into sins or transgressions to 0:15:43.060 --> 0:15:46.390 punish us. From that point forward, I began to understand 0:15:46.390 --> 0:15:49.180 God's love and the type of relationship he yearns for 0:15:49.180 --> 0:15:53.860 us to have. Later, I learned the reasons for Jesus's incarnation, crucifixion, 0:15:53.860 --> 0:15:58.870 and resurrection. So I trusted in Jesus and accepted the love, redemption, 0:15:58.870 --> 0:16:02.230 and deliverance he had already prepared for me. I accepted 0:16:02.230 --> 0:16:05.110 him as my Savior. I am immensely grateful to the 0:16:05.110 --> 0:16:07.120 Lord for what he has done for me and for 0:16:07.120 --> 0:16:10.150 the gift of eternal life. And she mentions, you know, 0:16:10.150 --> 0:16:12.730 the fear of a God who was just waiting to 0:16:12.730 --> 0:16:15.430 punish them. And so we hear that many, many times 0:16:15.430 --> 0:16:18.490 in those who have come to Christ out of Islam 0:16:18.490 --> 0:16:21.310 is that they had a dread of God and a 0:16:21.310 --> 0:16:24.190 dread of being punished for their sins, which they didn't 0:16:24.190 --> 0:16:27.130 really have any sure way to rid themselves of. 0:16:27.640 --> 0:16:30.610 Now, how do you establish contact, or do you, by 0:16:30.610 --> 0:16:32.440 way of follow up with somebody like that? 0:16:32.440 --> 0:16:36.880 Well, we work through partnerships. So guidelines has partners throughout 0:16:36.880 --> 0:16:39.130 the Middle East. One of them that these stories are 0:16:39.130 --> 0:16:42.160 coming from is called Miracle Connect. And they have an 0:16:42.160 --> 0:16:46.180 online ministry. Like I said, it is largely through social media. 0:16:46.180 --> 0:16:49.510 And so they will post the guidelines, content and content 0:16:49.510 --> 0:16:52.120 that they develop in Arabic. And there will be a 0:16:52.120 --> 0:16:54.670 call to action. There will be a question maybe that's 0:16:54.670 --> 0:16:59.110 asked and people will respond over social media through, you know, Facebook, 0:16:59.110 --> 0:17:03.400 through Instagram, on WhatsApp, the different messaging platforms. And they 0:17:03.400 --> 0:17:06.820 will actually, as they continue to contact them with questions, 0:17:06.820 --> 0:17:09.880 they'll be assigned to a counselor one on one, who 0:17:09.880 --> 0:17:12.909 will develop a friendship with that person. And the goal 0:17:12.910 --> 0:17:15.310 is and what is happening is that they will come 0:17:15.310 --> 0:17:18.550 to relationship in Jesus and be able to be discipled. 0:17:18.550 --> 0:17:20.470 It's called digital discipleship. 0:17:20.470 --> 0:17:23.350 I love it. Bonnie Salah of Guidelines, joining us today 0:17:23.350 --> 0:17:26.560 on the land and the book. Another insight you've learned 0:17:26.560 --> 0:17:31.100 along the way is the. Irresistible attraction of unconditional love. 0:17:31.100 --> 0:17:31.730 Elaborate on. 0:17:31.730 --> 0:17:32.150 That. 0:17:32.150 --> 0:17:36.050 Well, it really is true. Much of what we're posting 0:17:36.050 --> 0:17:39.109 through our partners really does talk about God's love. And 0:17:39.109 --> 0:17:41.869 when we talk about how irresistible it is before I 0:17:41.869 --> 0:17:44.810 share a story, let me share a few numbers for you. 0:17:44.810 --> 0:17:50.180 In the last year, between 2022 and 2023, the engagement 0:17:50.180 --> 0:17:53.850 of our one particular partner went from 7 to 15 0:17:53.850 --> 0:17:57.619 million engagements on Facebook and on Instagram. They went from 0:17:57.619 --> 0:18:02.540 302,000 to 1 million engagements. Wow. And this is what 0:18:02.540 --> 0:18:06.500 is drawing people. Here's a story from someone named Fatma 0:18:06.500 --> 0:18:09.740 from Morocco who said, I contacted one of the pages. 0:18:09.740 --> 0:18:12.469 This is the online pages. I was wondering why Satan 0:18:12.470 --> 0:18:15.650 always tries to prevent us from performing our duty of praying. 0:18:15.650 --> 0:18:17.750 Though prayer is essential in life, it is easy to 0:18:17.750 --> 0:18:21.860 become distracted and follow Satan's deviations. I quite often have 0:18:21.859 --> 0:18:25.130 the impression that God is dissatisfied with me, and that 0:18:25.130 --> 0:18:27.379 he does not love me because of my sins and 0:18:27.380 --> 0:18:32.510 other transgressions. The counselor spoke to me about God's unchanging love. 0:18:32.510 --> 0:18:35.840 It is an unconditional love. It has nothing to do 0:18:35.840 --> 0:18:39.260 with my current situation, if either good or bad. I 0:18:39.260 --> 0:18:42.290 was thrilled to hear such a statement, I felt relief. 0:18:42.290 --> 0:18:44.960 Since then, she has been telling me about God's love, 0:18:44.960 --> 0:18:47.990 which sets free those who are bound. She went over 0:18:47.990 --> 0:18:52.399 the redemption story from the beginning to Christ's incarnation, crucifixion, 0:18:52.400 --> 0:18:55.340 and resurrection. Then she prayed with me. And since I've 0:18:55.340 --> 0:18:58.850 been reading the gospel and feeling God's presence in my life, 0:18:58.850 --> 0:19:01.609 my heart is overflowing with joy. 0:19:01.670 --> 0:19:05.750 God is at work and your ministry guidelines is living proof. 0:19:05.750 --> 0:19:08.300 How does that tweak your own soul as you show 0:19:08.300 --> 0:19:10.130 up in the office and get one of these emails? 0:19:10.130 --> 0:19:13.670 Well, what tweaks my soul is having been able to 0:19:13.670 --> 0:19:16.940 visit some of these counselors who are receiving these messages, 0:19:16.940 --> 0:19:20.720 and they are the most joyful believers I have ever met. 0:19:20.720 --> 0:19:23.990 Our partner ministry, Miracle Connect in Egypt has a group 0:19:23.990 --> 0:19:26.960 of young people that that are trained, you know, Bible 0:19:26.960 --> 0:19:30.260 background to do this counseling and they are absolutely filled 0:19:30.260 --> 0:19:35.090 with joy, although they are constantly in danger, constantly paying 0:19:35.090 --> 0:19:38.270 the price. I mean, I have actually met people that 0:19:38.270 --> 0:19:41.870 have been imprisoned and have been beaten, and I've never 0:19:41.869 --> 0:19:44.690 met more joyful people, and that just humbles me and 0:19:44.690 --> 0:19:47.240 inspires me. I have a story here from a young 0:19:47.240 --> 0:19:50.810 woman in Algeria. Her name is Sarah. She says. I 0:19:50.810 --> 0:19:52.730 was once engaged to a man who was ten years 0:19:52.730 --> 0:19:55.430 older than me. I never had feelings for him. I 0:19:55.430 --> 0:19:58.369 did contact the ministries page and they advised me to 0:19:58.369 --> 0:20:01.790 be honest with my family about my thoughts and attempt 0:20:01.790 --> 0:20:04.129 to clear the true situation. I did so and it 0:20:04.130 --> 0:20:07.370 was a relief. My family agreed with me. Later, the 0:20:07.369 --> 0:20:10.070 team sent me a message about God's love for me, 0:20:10.070 --> 0:20:13.130 which caught my attention because I'd always wanted to learn 0:20:13.130 --> 0:20:16.159 more about God's love for humanity. I was convinced at 0:20:16.160 --> 0:20:18.710 first that the Prophet Muhammad was the only one who 0:20:18.710 --> 0:20:23.000 was sinless, but eventually I discovered otherwise. Jesus was the 0:20:23.000 --> 0:20:25.669 only one without sin. He became a human in order 0:20:25.670 --> 0:20:28.340 to save me. But on the other side of the story, 0:20:28.340 --> 0:20:31.070 I've never heard of God becoming flesh and living among 0:20:31.070 --> 0:20:34.250 the people. I was so excited that I couldn't stand 0:20:34.250 --> 0:20:37.760 any interruptions in learning the conclusion of the story. So 0:20:37.760 --> 0:20:40.879 I told the counselor to keep on. I fervently sought 0:20:40.910 --> 0:20:43.430 to understand Christ and find out the truth. I spent 0:20:43.430 --> 0:20:46.070 a lot of time alone in my room, giving up 0:20:46.070 --> 0:20:49.220 any other occupation I may have had in order to 0:20:49.220 --> 0:20:52.910 learn more about Jesus. When they asked, I couldn't help 0:20:52.910 --> 0:20:55.160 but beg for the Lord Jesus to come into my 0:20:55.160 --> 0:20:57.740 life and believe in him. I could never have expressed 0:20:57.740 --> 0:21:01.340 how happy, excited, and relieved I was at that moment. 0:21:01.340 --> 0:21:04.100 I could feel something has changed in my inner soul. 0:21:04.100 --> 0:21:07.129 My heart clung to Christ so that I pleaded the 0:21:07.130 --> 0:21:10.340 counselor not to hold on, but to continue talking about him. 0:21:10.340 --> 0:21:13.550 I felt like I was born again. Since then, anytime 0:21:13.550 --> 0:21:16.160 the counselor is not available to chat with me online, 0:21:16.160 --> 0:21:18.410 I always left a note urging her to tell me 0:21:18.410 --> 0:21:22.310 more about Jesus. My heart was on fire inside of 0:21:22.310 --> 0:21:24.980 me and as I started reading the Bible she sent me. 0:21:24.980 --> 0:21:27.740 I could not get enough. As a result, I'm looking 0:21:27.740 --> 0:21:31.040 forward to further spiritual growth and maturity in my faith. 0:21:31.040 --> 0:21:33.440 I've engaged in the discipleship program. 0:21:33.859 --> 0:21:36.170 Wow. I mean, these are very powerful stories. 0:21:36.170 --> 0:21:36.919 They really are. 0:21:36.920 --> 0:21:38.600 And these are deep people. I mean, these are not 0:21:38.600 --> 0:21:40.310 lightweight letters that you're getting either. 0:21:40.400 --> 0:21:40.700 No. 0:21:40.700 --> 0:21:42.859 And another thing to note is that these people are 0:21:42.859 --> 0:21:47.030 not just hearing the gospel and they're just necessarily automatically, 0:21:47.030 --> 0:21:49.700 you know, springing to faith. This this is a process. 0:21:49.700 --> 0:21:52.970 And this is why media is so intimate and it's 0:21:52.970 --> 0:21:56.270 so powerful because they hear of God's love over and 0:21:56.270 --> 0:21:59.060 over and over, and the Holy Spirit really begins to 0:21:59.060 --> 0:22:03.560 transform that mindset and that worldview that has been so, 0:22:03.560 --> 0:22:06.500 you know, it's been deeply seated for all of their lives. 0:22:06.500 --> 0:22:09.530 Bonnie Salah of Guidelines joins us today on the land 0:22:09.530 --> 0:22:12.919 and the book. Earlier, we referenced some of the false 0:22:12.920 --> 0:22:16.939 notions that Muslims have about Christianity, about God himself. What 0:22:16.940 --> 0:22:19.130 are some of those things that maybe we wouldn't think 0:22:19.130 --> 0:22:21.830 about that they bring as a starting point to any 0:22:21.830 --> 0:22:23.060 conversation about Christ? 0:22:23.060 --> 0:22:27.290 Well, the question that I hear frequently is that they have. 0:22:27.440 --> 0:22:31.040 Heard of Jesus. Esau is one of the prophets in Islam, 0:22:31.040 --> 0:22:35.479 but they are longing to know, is he God? They're very, 0:22:35.480 --> 0:22:37.880 very skeptical. They just, you know, that's such a hard 0:22:37.880 --> 0:22:40.490 thing for them to comprehend. But they want to know. 0:22:40.490 --> 0:22:44.030 And frequently, you know, we've had stories of Jesus appearing 0:22:44.060 --> 0:22:47.180 to people in dreams saying, I am Jesus, I am God. 0:22:47.180 --> 0:22:50.120 And so I think that's really the major stumbling blocks. 0:22:50.119 --> 0:22:52.100 And isn't it true for all of us? The most 0:22:52.100 --> 0:22:55.010 important question is Who is Jesus? And we each have 0:22:55.010 --> 0:22:56.330 to answer that question. 0:22:56.330 --> 0:22:59.210 Muslims teach that the Bible is corrupted. So here you 0:22:59.210 --> 0:23:02.120 are teaching from the Bible, you know, how do you 0:23:02.119 --> 0:23:04.640 leap over that hurdle? What's the solution there? 0:23:04.640 --> 0:23:07.130 You know, just like Jesus did when you meet each 0:23:07.130 --> 0:23:11.090 person with what they're ready for. And so I think 0:23:11.090 --> 0:23:13.129 in the beginning, you know, you may start from a 0:23:13.130 --> 0:23:15.980 place of need in the person's life. You may, you know, 0:23:15.980 --> 0:23:21.020 address their loneliness or their fear or their anxiety. And 0:23:21.020 --> 0:23:24.260 then as you address those problems, they come to you 0:23:24.260 --> 0:23:27.350 introduce the source of our power of, you know, the 0:23:27.350 --> 0:23:30.920 only source of transformation that we as humans will ever have. 0:23:30.920 --> 0:23:33.409 And then you begin to introduce the claims of Christ 0:23:33.410 --> 0:23:35.810 and and Scripture bit by bit. 0:23:35.810 --> 0:23:37.820 As best you know, God, of course, is the one 0:23:37.820 --> 0:23:40.189 doing the leading and the doing itself. What do you 0:23:40.190 --> 0:23:43.429 see on the horizon for ministry to Muslims through guidelines? 0:23:43.430 --> 0:23:47.659 Well, we continue to see God opening doors for more 0:23:47.660 --> 0:23:50.270 versions of language programs. You know, you think you have 0:23:50.270 --> 0:23:53.270 a program in Arabic, but no, you don't. There's Lebanese Arabic, 0:23:53.270 --> 0:23:57.260 there's Egyptian Arabic, there's Tunisian Arabic, you know, so as 0:23:57.260 --> 0:23:59.510 we're talking with our partners and they're saying, could we 0:23:59.510 --> 0:24:01.790 have this version and that version, we're praying that God 0:24:01.790 --> 0:24:06.530 will provide for some new versions of Arabic, our devotional contexts, 0:24:06.530 --> 0:24:07.970 in different types of Arabic. 0:24:07.970 --> 0:24:09.890 Any last story you want to leave us with? This 0:24:09.890 --> 0:24:10.550 is your shot. 0:24:10.550 --> 0:24:13.730 I do, I think that as we think of our 0:24:13.730 --> 0:24:17.209 Muslim background believing brothers and sisters, we always have to 0:24:17.210 --> 0:24:20.030 remember the high cost that they're paying for their faith. 0:24:20.030 --> 0:24:23.750 And I have a letter here from a man named Amar. 0:24:23.750 --> 0:24:26.480 He says I'm a married Iraqi man with a family. 0:24:26.480 --> 0:24:29.359 I tried to contact numerous Christian websites to learn about 0:24:29.359 --> 0:24:31.669 the Bible because it has captured my interest for a 0:24:31.670 --> 0:24:35.210 long time. I did contact Miracle Page. That's a page 0:24:35.210 --> 0:24:37.760 of our partner and my yearning for the Lord has 0:24:37.760 --> 0:24:43.220 grown since then, especially after learning that Christ is God incarnate. 0:24:43.220 --> 0:24:45.320 There you go. At the outset, in a dream, I 0:24:45.320 --> 0:24:48.200 heard a voice telling me, this is my son, the 0:24:48.200 --> 0:24:51.770 chosen one. Listen to him. I began searching the internet 0:24:51.770 --> 0:24:53.810 for this phrase, so I found out it was from 0:24:53.810 --> 0:24:57.230 the Bible. My faith in Jesus began to grow. From 0:24:57.230 --> 0:25:00.560 that moment on, I kept on reading the Bible and commentaries. 0:25:00.560 --> 0:25:04.670 Things were going smoothly and peacefully until my family discovered 0:25:04.670 --> 0:25:09.320 my tendency to Christianity. They literally ruined my life and 0:25:09.320 --> 0:25:12.620 militias have started to go after me. I hurried out 0:25:12.619 --> 0:25:15.350 of that region since it was legal for them to 0:25:15.350 --> 0:25:18.650 shed my blood. Wow, he says, I'm still looking for 0:25:18.650 --> 0:25:21.020 a local church to join, so we don't know where 0:25:21.020 --> 0:25:24.800 he's landed. But this is the price that many, many 0:25:24.800 --> 0:25:29.030 pay for following Jesus and we should remember them in prayer. 0:25:29.030 --> 0:25:32.810 And I think that we should remember our own opportunity 0:25:32.810 --> 0:25:35.780 as our Bible is sitting next to us on the shelf. 0:25:35.780 --> 0:25:38.270 Well, always enlightening to sit down with you. Bonnie Salah, 0:25:38.270 --> 0:25:41.600 president and CEO of guidelines. Thanks for these stories, for 0:25:41.600 --> 0:25:43.399 your courage, for your ministry. It's always a. 0:25:43.400 --> 0:25:44.840 Pleasure. Thank you so much. 0:25:44.840 --> 0:25:47.990 And as we head into segment three, I'm curious about 0:25:47.990 --> 0:25:51.560 what makes you curious when you open your Bible and study. 0:25:51.560 --> 0:25:54.200 Looking forward to that question and answer time. Next on 0:25:54.200 --> 0:26:09.109 the land and the book. Little else is more satisfying 0:26:09.109 --> 0:26:11.420 than getting an answer to a question that's really been 0:26:11.420 --> 0:26:14.510 kind of rattling around in your brain, right? Well, get 0:26:14.510 --> 0:26:16.820 ready for a whole lot of satisfaction as you stay 0:26:16.820 --> 0:26:19.610 with us on this third segment at The Land and 0:26:19.609 --> 0:26:22.820 the book. I'm John Gager. Our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer, 0:26:22.820 --> 0:26:25.070 is the one with the answers. You're the one with 0:26:25.070 --> 0:26:28.129 the questions. And those questions are welcome anytime with a 0:26:28.130 --> 0:26:32.960 quick email to the land and the book@moody.edu. Well, here's 0:26:32.960 --> 0:26:34.909 a question. How do you share the gospel with a 0:26:34.910 --> 0:26:39.109 Jewish person? Because of cultural, historical, and religious differences, it's 0:26:39.109 --> 0:26:43.130 sometimes kind of challenging to navigate a gospel conversation with 0:26:43.130 --> 0:26:46.340 somebody from a Jewish background. You ever wondered how the 0:26:46.340 --> 0:26:48.260 quote professionals do it? Well? 0:26:48.260 --> 0:26:50.359 And to answer that question, our friends at Life and 0:26:50.359 --> 0:26:53.449 Messiah want to mail you samples of the tracks their 0:26:53.450 --> 0:26:56.480 staff use as they share the gospel. This will serve 0:26:56.480 --> 0:26:59.480 a dual purpose of equipping you with methods of presenting 0:26:59.480 --> 0:27:02.240 the gospel, and also of supplying you with tracks you 0:27:02.240 --> 0:27:05.510 can share with your Jewish friends and neighbors. Life in 0:27:05.510 --> 0:27:08.480 Messiah's prayer is that these tracks will help further the 0:27:08.480 --> 0:27:11.570 spread of the gospel among the Jewish people. To receive 0:27:11.570 --> 0:27:14.330 this helpful assortment of tracks, all you need to do 0:27:14.330 --> 0:27:17.389 is visit Life in Messiah org and click on the 0:27:17.390 --> 0:27:22.490 Moody Radio button for more information. That's life in Messiah org. 0:27:22.520 --> 0:27:25.040 Don't miss out on this great opportunity. 0:27:25.040 --> 0:27:27.800 I see that Charlie's Bible is open. I see there's 0:27:27.800 --> 0:27:30.410 a smile on his face, and I see we've got 0:27:30.410 --> 0:27:32.270 a big stack of questions we need to get to, 0:27:32.270 --> 0:27:36.110 so let's dig in. Jackie's question is first, she says, 0:27:36.109 --> 0:27:38.990 whenever I've thought about God's glory in the past, I 0:27:38.990 --> 0:27:41.480 thought of him occupying the temple with a cloud at 0:27:41.480 --> 0:27:46.010 Solomon's dedication. Now I'm learning. Glory and glorify is a verb. 0:27:46.010 --> 0:27:48.560 Can you please help me understand how God and Jesus 0:27:48.560 --> 0:27:52.190 glorify each other and how I glorify God? 0:27:52.190 --> 0:27:56.000 Yeah, okay. I divide that answer into several parts here. First, 0:27:56.000 --> 0:27:58.879 the word for glorify or glory has the idea of 0:27:58.880 --> 0:28:02.270 exalting or holding in honor. You know, one lexicon says 0:28:02.510 --> 0:28:04.970 that use is not found in secular writings. It has 0:28:04.970 --> 0:28:07.940 the idea of bringing renown or causing dignity and worth 0:28:07.940 --> 0:28:10.820 of a person or or object to be manifest and acknowledged. 0:28:11.030 --> 0:28:15.409 You're actually making it known. Second, in that, especially in 0:28:15.410 --> 0:28:18.859 John 13, where Jesus used the verb for glorify five 0:28:18.859 --> 0:28:21.739 times and the first three uses the verbs in the 0:28:21.740 --> 0:28:25.370 aorist passive, and the last two it's in the future active. 0:28:25.369 --> 0:28:27.800 And and that's actually important as we talk about what 0:28:27.800 --> 0:28:31.370 Jesus was saying there just after Judas left the upper room, 0:28:31.369 --> 0:28:34.040 Jesus seemed to describe all that was about to happen 0:28:34.040 --> 0:28:36.680 as a single event, which is why he uses what 0:28:36.680 --> 0:28:39.590 in Greek, it's the aorist tense. Through his imminent death 0:28:39.590 --> 0:28:42.800 and resurrection, Jesus would be glorified in the sense of 0:28:42.800 --> 0:28:46.490 being vindicated and exalted by God the Father through his 0:28:46.490 --> 0:28:49.160 victory over death, and at the same time, God the 0:28:49.160 --> 0:28:53.060 Father would be exalted and honored by Jesus's obedience and 0:28:53.060 --> 0:28:56.180 willingness to go to the cross, each joined together to 0:28:56.180 --> 0:28:59.090 exalt or lift up the other in bringing about the 0:28:59.090 --> 0:29:02.240 work of salvation. And Jesus then switches from the heiress 0:29:02.270 --> 0:29:04.670 to the future in the final two uses of the 0:29:04.670 --> 0:29:08.750 verb to affirm that God will ultimately glorify Jesus through 0:29:08.750 --> 0:29:11.630 the resurrection. By the way, I see a parallel between 0:29:11.630 --> 0:29:15.440 Jesus's words here and what Paul wrote in Philippians two. 0:29:15.470 --> 0:29:19.130 Paul connects Jesus's willingness to humble himself and go to 0:29:19.130 --> 0:29:22.670 the cross with two results. He says, Therefore God exalted 0:29:22.670 --> 0:29:24.980 him to the highest place and gave him the name 0:29:24.980 --> 0:29:27.440 that's above every name. And then in doing that, it 0:29:27.440 --> 0:29:30.680 says it ultimately caused people to confess that Jesus Christ 0:29:30.680 --> 0:29:33.770 is Lord to the glory of God the Father. So 0:29:33.770 --> 0:29:37.700 Jesus's death and resurrection are the events that ultimately display 0:29:37.700 --> 0:29:40.760 the glory, honor, and renown of both God the Father 0:29:40.760 --> 0:29:44.000 and God the Son. And in that passage, Paul tells 0:29:44.000 --> 0:29:46.280 us to have this mind in us that was also 0:29:46.280 --> 0:29:49.070 in Christ Jesus. In other words, the application to us 0:29:49.070 --> 0:29:52.310 is that we glorify God through our obedience to His 0:29:52.310 --> 0:29:55.130 Word and His will, and we can do so knowing 0:29:55.160 --> 0:29:57.740 that he will honor us at the proper time. 0:29:57.740 --> 0:30:01.670 Mark is puzzling over Luke chapter seven. Here the centurion 0:30:01.670 --> 0:30:04.400 asks some elders of the Jews to request healing of 0:30:04.400 --> 0:30:07.430 a valued servant. Jesus went with them, and as he 0:30:07.430 --> 0:30:09.950 neared their house, some friends of the centurion came with 0:30:09.950 --> 0:30:13.700 this message. Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I don't deserve 0:30:13.700 --> 0:30:17.120 to have you come under my roof. But say the word. 0:30:17.150 --> 0:30:20.300 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him and 0:30:20.300 --> 0:30:24.200 turned to the crowd. I'm surprised that Jesus was amazed 0:30:24.200 --> 0:30:26.660 if if he means he was taken by surprise. Time 0:30:26.660 --> 0:30:29.150 and again, Scripture tells us that he knew what they 0:30:29.150 --> 0:30:31.520 were thinking or he knew what was in their hearts. 0:30:31.520 --> 0:30:34.730 Can you clarify this phrase? Jesus was amazed. 0:30:34.730 --> 0:30:37.250 Yeah, this event's only one of two accounts in the 0:30:37.250 --> 0:30:40.850 Bible where it says Jesus was amazed. In this case, 0:30:40.850 --> 0:30:44.600 and in Matthew 810, Jesus was amazed or astonished at 0:30:44.600 --> 0:30:47.990 the faith of this Gentile centurion. And in Mark six, 0:30:47.990 --> 0:30:50.540 Jesus was amazed at the lack of faith on the 0:30:50.540 --> 0:30:52.790 part of the people at Nazareth. But now, to answer 0:30:52.790 --> 0:30:55.970 the question, I start with the assumption that as God, 0:30:55.970 --> 0:30:59.660 Jesus wasn't taken by surprise by the centurion's response or 0:30:59.660 --> 0:31:01.490 by his faith, you know, he knew that was going 0:31:01.490 --> 0:31:05.360 to happen. It's possible Luke is describing an emotional reaction 0:31:05.360 --> 0:31:09.070 rather than. Simply an intellectual one on Jesus's part. It's 0:31:09.070 --> 0:31:12.430 not that he's saying Jesus wasn't expecting the response, but 0:31:12.430 --> 0:31:15.940 rather he's portraying Jesus's response and very human terms as 0:31:15.940 --> 0:31:19.330 admiring this amazing example of faith on the part of 0:31:19.330 --> 0:31:22.780 a Gentile. The word used for astonished or amazed is 0:31:22.780 --> 0:31:25.630 thou matzo. It means to wonder at, to be surprised by, 0:31:25.630 --> 0:31:29.050 or be astonished by, or even to admire. It has 0:31:29.050 --> 0:31:32.229 that range of meaning. For example, in Luke 218, people 0:31:32.230 --> 0:31:35.680 were amazed at what the shepherds reported in connection with 0:31:35.680 --> 0:31:38.350 the birth of Jesus. So I think perhaps using the 0:31:38.350 --> 0:31:41.800 word admire might be the better understanding of what happened 0:31:41.800 --> 0:31:44.800 in Jesus there. Now, if I can use a personal example, 0:31:44.800 --> 0:31:48.070 I have a sweet granddaughter who's on the autism spectrum. 0:31:48.070 --> 0:31:51.010 I was the matzo when she texted me the other 0:31:51.010 --> 0:31:53.080 day to wish me a happy birthday and say she 0:31:53.080 --> 0:31:55.960 loved me. Her feelings didn't take me by surprise because 0:31:55.960 --> 0:31:58.720 I know she's expressed him before, but her thinking of 0:31:58.720 --> 0:32:00.730 me and taking time to send that message on my 0:32:00.730 --> 0:32:04.900 birthday was something I definitely admired. Jesus knew what was 0:32:04.900 --> 0:32:07.840 in this man's heart, and he admired the man's grasp 0:32:07.840 --> 0:32:09.250 of the essence of faith. 0:32:09.280 --> 0:32:12.220 Naomi says, when the angel of the Lord appears to 0:32:12.220 --> 0:32:16.540 Gideon in Judges six, verses 11, was this an angel 0:32:16.540 --> 0:32:19.660 or the pre-incarnate Christ? I've always been taught it was 0:32:19.660 --> 0:32:23.500 the pre-incarnate Christ. But now I'm wondering why your thoughts? 0:32:23.500 --> 0:32:26.350 Yeah, one of the main reasons is that the characteristics 0:32:26.350 --> 0:32:29.320 and attributes given to the angel of the Lord are 0:32:29.320 --> 0:32:32.410 identical to those given to the Lord himself. For example, 0:32:32.500 --> 0:32:34.990 in judges six, he's called the angel of the Lord. 0:32:34.990 --> 0:32:37.990 But in verses 14 to 18 he's then referred to 0:32:38.020 --> 0:32:41.740 as the Lord. He also receives the sacrifice offered by 0:32:41.740 --> 0:32:45.640 Gideon in verses 18 to 21. Now in another passage, 0:32:45.640 --> 0:32:48.820 the angel of the Lord spoke with Hagar in Genesis 16, 0:32:48.820 --> 0:32:51.610 but she responds by saying to him, you are the 0:32:51.610 --> 0:32:55.030 God who sees me. In Genesis 22, the angel of 0:32:55.030 --> 0:32:57.940 the Lord appears to Abraham on Mount Moriah, but in 0:32:57.940 --> 0:33:00.670 verses 15 and 16 the angel of the Lord says, 0:33:00.670 --> 0:33:04.270 I swear by myself, declares the Lord, and then reissues 0:33:04.270 --> 0:33:07.420 the Abrahamic Covenant. And my point is that the actions 0:33:07.420 --> 0:33:10.540 ascribed to the angel of the Lord always parallel actions 0:33:10.540 --> 0:33:13.570 ascribed to God Himself. So he's God, and yet he's 0:33:13.570 --> 0:33:16.840 also the angel or messenger of God. And this division 0:33:16.840 --> 0:33:19.390 within the persons of the Trinity is also why I 0:33:19.390 --> 0:33:22.480 believe the angel of the Lord is also the pre-incarnate Christ, 0:33:22.480 --> 0:33:25.570 and not simply a manifestation of God the Father. 0:33:25.570 --> 0:33:28.540 If you're joining us midstream, this is the land and 0:33:28.540 --> 0:33:32.290 the book segment three Questions and Answers, and yours is 0:33:32.290 --> 0:33:37.750 welcome anytime at the land and the book@moody.edu, Naomi says, 0:33:37.750 --> 0:33:40.270 I really appreciated studying the life of Jephthah in the 0:33:40.270 --> 0:33:42.940 Book of Judges. So much in his life was just 0:33:42.940 --> 0:33:46.630 tragic and the consequences of sin. Yet I was very 0:33:46.630 --> 0:33:50.290 surprised that he knew Israel's history so well. Here's my 0:33:50.290 --> 0:33:53.860 question about his daughter. Did he offer her as a sacrifice, 0:33:53.860 --> 0:33:56.860 or was she simply never allowed to marry? 0:33:56.860 --> 0:33:58.900 I suspect there will be some people listening who will 0:33:58.900 --> 0:34:01.330 disagree with me, but I don't believe he took his 0:34:01.330 --> 0:34:04.270 daughter's life in sacrifice. He had made a vow to 0:34:04.270 --> 0:34:06.910 sacrifice whatever came out of his house. Assuming I believe 0:34:06.910 --> 0:34:08.680 that he thought it was going to be an animal. 0:34:08.680 --> 0:34:10.660 But when he returned and it turned out to be 0:34:10.660 --> 0:34:13.029 his daughter, I believe he gave her to the Lord 0:34:13.030 --> 0:34:15.430 as a servant for the tabernacle. Now I say that 0:34:15.430 --> 0:34:19.090 for several reasons. First, the stress in the text is 0:34:19.090 --> 0:34:22.540 that she remained a virgin, not that she was killed 0:34:22.690 --> 0:34:24.310 if he was about to kill her. I don't think 0:34:24.310 --> 0:34:26.379 the main thing that they would have been concerned about 0:34:26.380 --> 0:34:31.210 was not having been married or having engaged in sexual relations. Second, 0:34:31.210 --> 0:34:33.160 there's also a stress in the text that she was 0:34:33.160 --> 0:34:35.830 his only child. Uh, the point there is that there's 0:34:35.830 --> 0:34:39.250 no other heirs to carry on his family line. And third, 0:34:39.250 --> 0:34:43.570 in first Samuel 222, we're told how Eli's sons slept 0:34:43.570 --> 0:34:45.549 with the women who served at the entrance to the 0:34:45.550 --> 0:34:48.580 tent of meeting, which suggests that there were younger women 0:34:48.580 --> 0:34:51.370 given to serve the Lord, much like Samuel was given 0:34:51.370 --> 0:34:54.640 by his mother. Anyway, I believe that rather than physically 0:34:54.640 --> 0:34:57.610 killing his daughter, Jephthah gave her over to the Lord, 0:34:57.610 --> 0:35:01.150 willingly bringing to an end his own family line rather 0:35:01.150 --> 0:35:02.860 than breaking the vow he had made. 0:35:02.950 --> 0:35:06.550 Isabel asks, why wouldn't the Israeli people have the right 0:35:06.550 --> 0:35:09.250 to build homes and live wherever they want to in 0:35:09.250 --> 0:35:12.489 Judea and Samaria, Israel? What's the basis for it all 0:35:12.489 --> 0:35:13.989 being so controversial? 0:35:14.170 --> 0:35:16.330 That's a good question, and unfortunately it's a little bit 0:35:16.330 --> 0:35:18.670 complex for an answer. But I have a book coming 0:35:18.670 --> 0:35:21.100 out with Moody Publishers later in the year that answers 0:35:21.100 --> 0:35:23.140 the question, and it's entitled Who Owns the Land now? 0:35:23.140 --> 0:35:26.500 The bottom line God did promise the land to Abraham 0:35:26.500 --> 0:35:30.040 and his descendants through Isaac. But historically, Abraham only owned 0:35:30.040 --> 0:35:33.040 a small portion which he purchased. When Israel came into 0:35:33.040 --> 0:35:35.320 the land under Joshua, they were to take possession of 0:35:35.320 --> 0:35:37.690 all the land. But the Book of Judges makes it 0:35:37.690 --> 0:35:40.330 clear they failed to accomplish it, and throughout their history 0:35:40.330 --> 0:35:44.530 they never fully occupied the land. Uh, in 1947, the 0:35:44.530 --> 0:35:47.950 UN partitioned the land between the Jewish people and the Palestinians. 0:35:47.950 --> 0:35:51.279 The Jews reluctantly accepted, but the Palestinians and other Arab 0:35:51.280 --> 0:35:55.060 states did not. Uh, in 1967, that's when Israel conquered 0:35:55.090 --> 0:35:57.910 the West Bank and Gaza Strip and Golan Heights. And 0:35:57.910 --> 0:36:00.040 that's where the issue of building in Judea and Samaria 0:36:00.040 --> 0:36:02.080 came up. So much of the land on which the 0:36:02.080 --> 0:36:05.989 Jewish people have built since 1967 was unoccupied. And the 0:36:05.989 --> 0:36:09.200 ownership of some is disputed. But basically Israel has a 0:36:09.200 --> 0:36:11.029 right to the land since it was deeded to them 0:36:11.030 --> 0:36:14.690 by God. But the Palestinians also have legitimate claims to 0:36:14.690 --> 0:36:17.360 their houses and property, and that's part of the struggle. 0:36:17.450 --> 0:36:20.030 I've just provided a real simplistic history of it all, 0:36:20.030 --> 0:36:22.670 but the reality is far more complex. And my fear 0:36:22.670 --> 0:36:25.340 is the US and other countries are trying to impose 0:36:25.340 --> 0:36:29.540 simplistic solutions on a very complex reality. And that might 0:36:29.540 --> 0:36:32.450 not be a very satisfying answer, but I hope that 0:36:32.450 --> 0:36:33.919 it helps at least somewhat. 0:36:34.100 --> 0:36:36.799 Well, Charlie's devotional is next. He's going to take a 0:36:36.800 --> 0:36:39.680 passage of Scripture, take us to a place in Israel, 0:36:39.680 --> 0:36:41.779 and I think you'll never forget either one of them. 0:36:41.780 --> 0:36:57.760 That's next here on the land and the book. Face it, 0:36:57.760 --> 0:37:00.430 you're looking for an adventure. Something different. Well, the good 0:37:00.430 --> 0:37:02.980 news is, on segment four of The Land of the book, 0:37:02.980 --> 0:37:05.380 we've got something in store for you. It's a climb. 0:37:05.380 --> 0:37:09.490 Not just any climb. A climb to the top of Azekah. Charlie, 0:37:09.489 --> 0:37:10.960 I'm looking forward to your devotional. 0:37:10.960 --> 0:37:12.580 Well, thank you, John, I am too. 0:37:12.580 --> 0:37:14.500 All right. We're going to get to that after this 0:37:14.500 --> 0:37:17.020 quick thought from somebody who's been to Israel and wanted 0:37:17.020 --> 0:37:19.060 to share this from their point of view. 0:37:22.860 --> 0:37:27.420 It has been a dream come true for my husband 0:37:27.420 --> 0:37:31.080 and I to be here. Um, before we left, there 0:37:31.080 --> 0:37:34.080 were so many Jewish friends of ours, in addition to 0:37:34.080 --> 0:37:38.730 Christian friends who were talking so much about Israel and 0:37:38.730 --> 0:37:43.950 their experiences there. I was afraid that somehow they were 0:37:43.950 --> 0:37:48.630 building up my expectations too much. And so I had 0:37:48.630 --> 0:37:52.980 several people pray that I was going to get everything 0:37:52.980 --> 0:37:57.180 I needed to get out of it every day. Being 0:37:57.180 --> 0:38:00.660 here with the group who is wonderful, all of you 0:38:00.660 --> 0:38:05.700 who have privileged us by being so organized and detailed, 0:38:05.969 --> 0:38:13.470 has far surpassed any expectations I could have ever had. And, um, 0:38:13.469 --> 0:38:16.950 it's just hard to express the contents of my heart 0:38:17.040 --> 0:38:20.700 every moment. It's so much to take in, but God 0:38:20.700 --> 0:38:24.240 is making all that happen. And so we just thank 0:38:24.239 --> 0:38:25.920 you so much. 0:38:27.630 --> 0:38:31.290 Jeremiah 34. That's where we're headed today, Charlie. I'm looking 0:38:31.290 --> 0:38:32.700 forward to what you got for us. 0:38:32.730 --> 0:38:35.430 Well, thank you, John. You know, six weeks ago we 0:38:35.460 --> 0:38:38.190 hiked together to the top of Telascica in the foothills 0:38:38.190 --> 0:38:40.950 or Shfela, between the hill country of Judah and the 0:38:40.950 --> 0:38:43.410 Philistine plain. And I said at the time, I wanted 0:38:43.410 --> 0:38:46.740 to bring us here to witness three historical conflicts. Then 0:38:46.739 --> 0:38:49.200 three weeks ago, we returned to view the second of 0:38:49.200 --> 0:38:52.860 the three battles connected with Azekah. And today we're climbing 0:38:52.890 --> 0:38:55.319 to the summit one last time to view the third 0:38:55.320 --> 0:38:59.040 and final contest. But if the battles connected with Joshua 0:38:59.040 --> 0:39:03.090 and David ended with Israel being victorious, at today's outcome 0:39:03.090 --> 0:39:06.660 ends much differently. But before we watch the battle unfold, 0:39:06.660 --> 0:39:08.850 let's once again get our bearings from up here on 0:39:08.850 --> 0:39:12.779 the summit. Off to the west is the Philistine plain flatland, 0:39:12.780 --> 0:39:15.960 where travel was easy from before the time of Moses, 0:39:15.960 --> 0:39:19.260 a well traveled route extended from Egypt through the plain 0:39:19.260 --> 0:39:22.770 on its way north, connecting Egypt with the civilizations along 0:39:22.770 --> 0:39:26.640 the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Depending on the time in history, 0:39:26.640 --> 0:39:29.489 we could have watched the chariots and soldiers of Egypt 0:39:29.489 --> 0:39:34.980 march north along that international highway or Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, 0:39:34.980 --> 0:39:39.210 Greek and Roman soldiers marching south along the same roadway. 0:39:39.210 --> 0:39:41.520 Now follow me over to the east side of the hill. 0:39:41.910 --> 0:39:44.549 Off in the distance you see a ridge of higher mountains. 0:39:44.550 --> 0:39:47.790 That's the hill country of Judah. A road extends along 0:39:47.790 --> 0:39:51.630 the ridgeline in those hills and stretches from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, 0:39:51.630 --> 0:39:55.469 and then on to Hebron, before ending at Beersheba. Following 0:39:55.500 --> 0:39:57.780 the breakup of the Kingdom of Israel after the death 0:39:57.780 --> 0:40:01.050 of Solomon, those hills were the heart of the southern 0:40:01.050 --> 0:40:04.440 Kingdom of Judah. And between those hills and the spot 0:40:04.440 --> 0:40:07.770 where we're now standing were the low foothills, the Shfela, 0:40:07.770 --> 0:40:11.490 which guarded the approach into the hill country. The cities 0:40:11.489 --> 0:40:14.040 in the Shfela were the front lines of defense. Here 0:40:14.040 --> 0:40:17.669 on the western edge of the kingdom, protecting Judah from attack. 0:40:17.670 --> 0:40:21.180 Three particular cities are worthy of note. At the northern 0:40:21.180 --> 0:40:24.750 end of the Shfela stood Gezer, given to Solomon by Pharaoh. 0:40:24.750 --> 0:40:29.400 It guarded the main roadway from the plain up to Jerusalem. Sadly, 0:40:29.400 --> 0:40:33.300 it was recaptured by Egypt from Rehoboam, Solomon's son. The 0:40:33.300 --> 0:40:37.230 two other cities were strategic for Judah and Jerusalem's defense. 0:40:37.230 --> 0:40:40.109 One was Lachish, just to the south of where we're 0:40:40.110 --> 0:40:43.050 now standing. It was the second largest city in the 0:40:43.050 --> 0:40:46.650 Kingdom of Judah. Only Jerusalem was larger, and the third 0:40:46.650 --> 0:40:50.400 major city was Azekah. The spot where we are now standing. 0:40:50.400 --> 0:40:53.969 Lachish guarded the road that led up toward Hebron, while 0:40:53.969 --> 0:40:57.450 Azekah guarded a road that led up toward Bethlehem. In 0:40:57.450 --> 0:41:00.870 Judah's history, both the Assyrians and the Babylonians understood the 0:41:00.870 --> 0:41:05.100 significance of those last two major cities. Both realized they 0:41:05.100 --> 0:41:08.280 had to be taken before Jerusalem could be captured. They 0:41:08.280 --> 0:41:10.950 were also the secret to stopping the Egyptian army from 0:41:10.950 --> 0:41:13.980 coming to Jerusalem's aid, and from keeping the people of 0:41:13.980 --> 0:41:19.110 Jerusalem from fleeing south toward Egypt. King Sennacherib of Assyria 0:41:19.110 --> 0:41:23.100 never succeeded in taking Jerusalem or Azekah, but he did 0:41:23.100 --> 0:41:26.040 capture Lachish and decorated a room in his palace at 0:41:26.040 --> 0:41:29.940 Nineveh with reliefs illustrating the fall of that vital city. 0:41:30.090 --> 0:41:34.049 But for Nebuchadnezzar, failure wasn't an option. And that's what 0:41:34.080 --> 0:41:36.900 brings us back here to the top of Azekah the 0:41:36.900 --> 0:41:41.640 situation for Judah looks grim. Nebuchadnezzar has placed Jerusalem under siege, 0:41:41.640 --> 0:41:45.180 planning to starve the city into submission. Meanwhile, the rest 0:41:45.180 --> 0:41:48.060 of his army has been systematically working its way through 0:41:48.060 --> 0:41:51.780 the land, capturing all the cities and villages in its path. 0:41:51.780 --> 0:41:56.130 The 30 month siege was temporarily broken when reports arrived 0:41:56.130 --> 0:41:59.220 that the Egyptian army was coming to Judah's aid, but 0:41:59.219 --> 0:42:02.430 the Babylonians made short work of the Egyptian threat. And 0:42:02.430 --> 0:42:05.370 now time is running out for Judah, the last king 0:42:05.370 --> 0:42:09.840 of Judah. Zedekiah rules over a steadily shrinking kingdom, as 0:42:09.840 --> 0:42:13.890 hope gives way to despair and panic inside the capital. 0:42:13.980 --> 0:42:17.490 In chapter 34 of his book, God calls on Jeremiah 0:42:17.489 --> 0:42:20.670 to deliver a series of messages to Zedekiah as the 0:42:20.670 --> 0:42:24.390 end approaches and Jeremiah pauses in verses six and seven 0:42:24.390 --> 0:42:28.560 to provide a historical marker, a time stamp describing exactly 0:42:28.560 --> 0:42:32.280 when the message was delivered. Then Jeremiah the prophet told 0:42:32.280 --> 0:42:35.580 all this to Zedekiah, king of Judah in Jerusalem, while 0:42:35.580 --> 0:42:38.010 the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against 0:42:38.010 --> 0:42:41.040 Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah that were still 0:42:41.040 --> 0:42:45.420 holding out Lachish and Azekah, these were the only fortified 0:42:45.420 --> 0:42:50.850 cities left in Judah. Only three fortified cities remained standing 0:42:50.850 --> 0:42:54.540 Lachish and Azekah. In the Shfela and the capital city 0:42:54.540 --> 0:42:59.430 of Jerusalem. All the other cities were gone, destroyed, ravaged, looted. 0:42:59.430 --> 0:43:03.570 The people killed or deported. Apart from resistance fighters still 0:43:03.570 --> 0:43:08.430 roaming the countryside, the defenses of Judah were almost totally shattered. 0:43:08.430 --> 0:43:12.450 But Nebuchadnezzar isn't finished yet. He won't stop until all 0:43:12.450 --> 0:43:15.360 the cities are gone. But do we know the order 0:43:15.360 --> 0:43:19.170 in which they fell? We do, though not from the Bible. 0:43:19.170 --> 0:43:22.650 That information came from a broken piece of pottery found 0:43:22.650 --> 0:43:24.960 in the city gate of Lachish. It was part of 0:43:24.960 --> 0:43:28.170 a series of 18 letters or corresponding. Sent to the 0:43:28.170 --> 0:43:31.170 commander at Lachish from Jewish forces still out in the 0:43:31.170 --> 0:43:35.190 field fighting against the Babylonians. Written in ink. These letters 0:43:35.190 --> 0:43:39.300 provide a fragmentary and one sided report from these forces. 0:43:39.450 --> 0:43:41.850 The most significant for us today is referred to as 0:43:41.850 --> 0:43:46.080 Lachish Letter number four, in part. Here's what's inscribed on 0:43:46.110 --> 0:43:49.650 that broken piece of pottery. May Yahweh cause my Lord 0:43:49.650 --> 0:43:52.560 to hear this day tidings of good. And now, according 0:43:52.590 --> 0:43:54.660 to everything that my Lord has written, so has your 0:43:54.660 --> 0:43:57.480 servant done. I've written on the door, according to all 0:43:57.480 --> 0:43:59.880 that my Lord has written me. And let my Lord 0:43:59.880 --> 0:44:02.370 know that we are watching for the signals of Lachish, 0:44:02.370 --> 0:44:05.100 according to all the indications which my Lord has given, 0:44:05.100 --> 0:44:09.779 for we cannot see Azekah. Don't miss that last phrase. 0:44:09.780 --> 0:44:14.400 We cannot see Azekah. Evidently the city's lit signal fires 0:44:14.400 --> 0:44:17.430 to communicate with the remaining forces in the field. The 0:44:17.430 --> 0:44:20.940 writer was continuing to watch for the signal fires from Lachish, 0:44:20.940 --> 0:44:24.660 but the ones from Azekah were no longer visible. Azekah 0:44:24.660 --> 0:44:30.900 had fallen. Azekah was overrun in then Lachish and finally Jerusalem. 0:44:30.900 --> 0:44:34.050 They were the last three dominoes to fall, but they 0:44:34.050 --> 0:44:37.860 did fall along with all of Judah. Just as God 0:44:37.860 --> 0:44:41.219 had announced, the people who stood right where we're standing 0:44:41.219 --> 0:44:43.950 now no doubt felt safe in their high perch when 0:44:43.950 --> 0:44:47.279 the rebellion against Babylon began. And even as the war 0:44:47.280 --> 0:44:49.739 dragged on, they could look around and see how much 0:44:49.739 --> 0:44:52.950 more secure they were than the smaller towns and villages 0:44:52.950 --> 0:44:56.910 in the region. But the Babylonians were relentless, and one 0:44:56.910 --> 0:45:00.120 by one the lights of the surrounding towns flickered out 0:45:00.120 --> 0:45:05.520 until just Jerusalem, Lachish and Azekah remained, and then Azekah 0:45:05.550 --> 0:45:08.609 ceased to exist as well. Let's face it, this third 0:45:08.640 --> 0:45:11.730 trek to the top of Azekah is depressing. Those who 0:45:11.730 --> 0:45:14.850 hadn't died of starvation or disease were either killed by 0:45:14.850 --> 0:45:17.850 the Babylonians when they finally broke into the city, or 0:45:17.850 --> 0:45:21.270 taken away as slaves, but why did this have to happen? 0:45:21.270 --> 0:45:24.960 And what application can it have for us today? Earlier 0:45:24.960 --> 0:45:28.200 in the book, Jeremiah explained in part why the nation 0:45:28.200 --> 0:45:31.860 would collapse so dramatically. It was the logical outcome of 0:45:31.860 --> 0:45:35.010 the choices the people had made. Or as he writes, 0:45:35.010 --> 0:45:39.600 the prophets prophesy lies. The priests rule by their own authority. 0:45:39.600 --> 0:45:42.660 And my people love it this way. But what will 0:45:42.660 --> 0:45:47.069 you do in the end when human wisdom replaces God's wisdom? 0:45:47.070 --> 0:45:51.300 When leaders substitute their opinions for God's revealed truth, and 0:45:51.300 --> 0:45:54.870 when people prefer good times and short term pleasure over 0:45:54.870 --> 0:45:58.259 God's standards of right and wrong, then a nation is 0:45:58.260 --> 0:46:02.820 careening toward catastrophe. And, as Jeremiah so poignantly adds as 0:46:02.820 --> 0:46:06.120 a PS but what will you do in the end? 0:46:06.120 --> 0:46:09.000 And that's the question I leave you with today. This 0:46:09.000 --> 0:46:12.090 empty hill on which we're standing is the stark reminder 0:46:12.090 --> 0:46:15.630 for both individuals and nations. We can choose our course 0:46:15.630 --> 0:46:20.610 of action, but we can't choose the consequences. In Jeremiah 21, 0:46:20.610 --> 0:46:23.609 the prophet had one final word about God. This is 0:46:23.610 --> 0:46:26.339 what the Lord says. See, I'm setting before you the 0:46:26.340 --> 0:46:29.370 way of life and the way of death. And our 0:46:29.370 --> 0:46:33.300 task today is to make sure we choose wisely. 0:46:33.870 --> 0:46:35.910 I like to think about in that devotion a lot 0:46:35.910 --> 0:46:37.739 of details there, and you can hear it all again 0:46:37.739 --> 0:46:42.120 at our website. The land and the book org. Our 0:46:42.120 --> 0:46:44.130 time is gone, but we thank you for listening to 0:46:44.130 --> 0:46:47.250 our program today. On behalf of our team, Charlie Dyer, 0:46:47.250 --> 0:46:50.100 our host, and Anderson, our producer, I'm John Gager. The 0:46:50.100 --> 0:46:52.589 land and the book is a production of Moody Radio, 0:46:52.590 --> 0:46:55.020 a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.