S1: Last week, the stock market seemed to melt down. Economists
S1: began to speculate about our economy, wondering if we'll have
S1: a soft landing or a hard recession. How should we
S1: think about our personal finances? Stay with me. We'll talk
S1: about that in just a moment. Hello, friends. Welcome to
S1: Open Line with doctor Michael Redlick Moody Radio's Bible Study
S1: Across America. I'm that very same Michael Ray Melnick that
S1: I just mentioned. I'm the academic dean and professor of
S1: Jewish Studies and Bible at Moody Bible Institute. It's time
S1: for our Bible study across America. We're sitting around the
S1: radio kitchen table. We have our Bibles open, and I'm
S1: ready for your, uh, we also have a cup of
S1: coffee here. Steaming. Tricia, thank you so much for bringing
S1: me that coffee. And, uh, we're sitting around here waiting
S1: for your calls. If you have a question about the Bible, God,
S1: or the spiritual life, just give us a call. The
S1: phone number here. (877) 548-3675. Let me give it to you
S1: one more time, because now's a great time to call.
S1: People always want to know when can I get in?
S1: When can I get my, my, my question through? The
S1: way to do that is to call right now. (877) 548-3675. Well,
S1: Tricia is in the producer's chair. Chris Sigurd's handling all
S1: things technical. And, uh, is it to who's answering the phones? Tierra.
S1: Tierra is answering the phones. Sorry about, uh, that's. You know,
S1: people wonder why don't. Why doesn't he know? Well, it's
S1: a completely different room. I don't see her, so that's why.
S1: But anyway, I'm glad she's here answering the phones again.
S1: The phone number (877) 548-3675. Now go get yourself a cup
S1: of coffee. Open your Bible, because we're about to study
S1: the scriptures together. If you think your 401 K had
S1: a bad time last week, think about Jeff Bezos, chairman
S1: of Amazon. I read a news report that in just
S1: two days, Bezos lost $23,000,000,000.20 3 billion. But don't worry
S1: about Jeff. His net worth is still about $185 billion.
S1: so I think he'll just be fine. He'll be fine. Uh,
S1: but a colleague of mine was so distressed about the
S1: markets that she said, now I won't be able to
S1: retire after this year. So it could be stressful. Well,
S1: whether we have a retirement account, a 401 K, an IRA,
S1: a savings account, whatever we have, whenever the markets are
S1: in turmoil, it brings stress. So how should we think
S1: about finance? The answer is in the book of God's wisdom,
S1: the book of Proverbs in chapter 30, verses eight and nine,
S1: here's what it says give me neither poverty nor wealth.
S1: Feed me with the food I need. Otherwise I might
S1: have too much and deny you saying, who is the Lord?
S1: Or I might have nothing and steal profaning the name
S1: of of my God. This is written by Edgar. And
S1: so what can we learn from Edgar? From Proverbs 30
S1: verses eight and nine? First, our prayer should be for
S1: God to provide only what we need. That's why he asks.
S1: Edgar asks God for neither poverty nor riches, but only
S1: asked for the food that he needs. This is what
S1: the Lord Jesus meant when he taught us to pray.
S1: Give us this day our daily bread. We're to pray
S1: for only what we need, not everything we might want.
S1: And then he gives the reason with the second point. Secondly,
S1: Hagar teaches us both wealth and poverty can be spiritually dangerous.
S1: How so? Well, the danger of wealth is that it
S1: may cause us to deny God by forgetting him otherwise.
S1: Agar says I might have too much and deny you, saying,
S1: who is the Lord? We all become when we have
S1: too much, we become too self-reliant. We start thinking, I
S1: don't need the Lord to provide. Look at all I have.
S1: This attitude made me think of a story. One day,
S1: a pastor was invited to John D Rockefeller's mansion. As
S1: he drove up the winding drive lined with tall trees
S1: with the massive house, he said, my, my. This is
S1: what the Lord might have done if he'd only had
S1: the money. Well, the truth of it is, everything that
S1: anyone has comes from the Lord. Yet when we get
S1: so wealthy, we think that we're independent of God and
S1: we can deny him or forget him. The second danger
S1: of is in poverty. The danger of poverty is that
S1: it may cause us to dishonor God by stealing from others.
S1: We don't want to deny him, but we might dishonor him.
S1: I might have nothing, Agha says, and steal and profane
S1: the name of my God. That's another form of self-reliance,
S1: we might say. I won't trust God to provide for me,
S1: but instead I'll just take it for myself. And you know,
S1: this isn't limited to breaking and entering. We can steal
S1: by cheating on our taxes, or gouging our customers, or
S1: taking supplies from work or any number of creative ways.
S1: All these actions bring dishonor to God, whether we are
S1: caught or not. Both poverty and riches are dangerous because
S1: they both tap into our greed, and our culture has
S1: inflamed our natural greed as we've grown up. According to
S1: Kevin Millar, it's estimated that we each have seen ready
S1: for this 40,000 advertisements per year from childhood upward. Children,
S1: even at the age of 18 months, can recognize the
S1: golden arches because of commercials. John Ortberg says that when
S1: we buy our kid a Happy Meal, this is what happens.
S1: You're not just buying fries, McNuggets, and a dinosaur stamp,
S1: you're buying happiness. The advertisements have convinced my children they
S1: have a little McDonald's McDonald's shaped vacuum in their hearts.
S1: Our souls are restless till they find their rest in
S1: a happy meal. The problem with the Happy Meal is
S1: that the happy wears off and they need a new fix.
S1: No child discovers lasting happiness in just one. Remember that
S1: happy Meal? What great joy I found there. No, no.
S1: Happy meals bring happiness only to McDonald's. You ever wonder
S1: why Ronald McDonald wears that grin? 20 Billion Happy Meals.
S1: That's why, Wartburg concludes, when we get older, we don't
S1: get any smarter. Our Happy Meals are just more expensive.
S1: So what do we do about our inclination towards greed?
S1: It's not to pursue wealth or to steal. We're already
S1: warned about that. Here's what we do. First, we need
S1: to pray. Give me neither poverty nor wealth, but only
S1: what I need. Second, we need to give generously to
S1: God's work. Fred Smith has said, giving is the drain
S1: plug of our greed. As we give to God, our
S1: grasping for more gives us, gives way to contentment. Because
S1: godliness or spiritual maturity with contentment is great gain. We
S1: don't have to be stressed by the ups and downs
S1: of the markets. As long as we're walking with the
S1: creator of the universe. Well, I hope that's an encouragement
S1: to you. It's an encouragement and a reminder to me
S1: as well. We're going to talk with Nathan in Chicago, Illinois.
S1: That's our first call calling from listening on Wmbi. Welcome
S1: to Open Line, Nathan. How can I help you today?
S2: Oh, I'm fine, Doctor Redlich. Um, how can you help
S2: me if I study in Leviticus 25? I see from, uh,
S2: verses 10 to 51, it talks about the 50th year jubilee. And, uh,
S2: I'm just wondering, did they did ancient Israel ever experience it?
S1: I don't know.
S2: They ever get there.
S1: I don't know, uh, here's what I do know. Is
S1: that the reason Israel went into captivity when they did
S1: is they were supposed to have every seventh year off, right?
S1: They were supposed to take a seventh year sabbatical, not
S1: grow grain, not right. And what happened was they went
S1: into 490 years is what, uh, 70? I'm sorry. Uh,
S1: after 490 years, they went into captivity because they missed the, uh,
S1: the seven year sabbatical 70 times. That's what Jeremiah tells us.
S1: And so therefore, they had to go into captivity for
S1: 70 years to make up for the that God said,
S1: I'm going to rest the land for 70 years. So
S1: it sounds to me like they didn't follow the, the, uh,
S1: sabbatical year, uh, very often. And therefore I would guess
S1: that they didn't follow the Jubilee year as well. Okay.
S2: So this came after the instructions they received in Leviticus 25.
S1: Then apparently they didn't keep them. But you know what?
S1: We may I don't know everything. Um, maybe they did sometime,
S1: but they did meet. They did miss 70 years of
S1: sabbatical years. Okay, Nathan, you know, one of the things
S1: you just said, one of those things that is really
S1: important when the Bible doesn't answer it. You said you
S1: read the Bible. I don't see them keeping it any,
S1: any year. Do you know what that means, Nathan?
S2: You don't need to know.
S1: We don't need to know. And we don't know. We
S1: just can't know. Uh, I love a quote by D.L. Moody.
S1: One of my. You might have heard of him. Moody
S1: Bible Institute's name for him. Right? He said God didn't
S1: give us the scriptures to satisfy our curiosity, but to
S1: transform our lives. And so often when we're reading the
S1: scriptures where we're looking to have our curiosity, did they
S1: ever do this? Did they not? And, you know, those
S1: are a lot of questions that we have. I have those, uh,
S1: but my curiosity, that's not why God gave me the Bible.
S1: He wants to change my life. So that's I think
S1: the same is true for you, Nathan. Don't you think so?
S2: I think I totally agree. There's one quick follow up. Yeah.
S2: Will this be a reestablished in the millennium?
S1: I don't know. That doesn't say what? Uh, because, you know,
S1: it says in Isaiah two the law will go forth
S1: from Zion, but that's just instruction in the messianic kingdom there.
S1: I think we'll be living under a messianic Torah. Uh,
S1: not necessarily the mosaic. So I don't know what will
S1: be taken from the mosaic and part of the the
S1: Messianic Torah. Okay.
S2: Well, thank you so much, sir.
S1: Yep. Thank you for your call. Really appreciate it. Uh,
S1: we're going to go to a break. But before we do,
S1: I do want to mention, uh, our current resource. Uh,
S1: someone wrote to me and they wanted to know, uh,
S1: why I think this book is so good. It's acts
S1: in the Everyday Bible Commentary by Charles Ryrie. I think
S1: there are so many factors that make it good, but
S1: one that I especially like is that the book of
S1: acts shows the progress of the gospel from Jerusalem to
S1: the whole world, and this commentary brings it out and
S1: helps us to have a perspective for, uh, being world,
S1: world Christians, you know, being concerned for reaching the whole world.
S1: And I think that's that's just a great, uh, a
S1: great benefit. So if you're interested in this book, uh,
S1: we want to send it to you as a thank
S1: you for a gift of any size. And if, uh,
S1: so if you just send in a gift, we want
S1: to say thanks. We'll send you acts by Charles Ryrie, uh,
S1: in the Everyday Bible commentary. Here's what you do. You
S1: can go to Openline radio. Org and give your gift there.
S1: Or you can just call (888) 644-7122. That's (888) 644-7122. And uh,
S1: that's uh, just the way. Remember ask for acts by
S1: Charles Ryrie, the everyday Bible commentary by Charles Ryrie. We're
S1: going to come back with more of your questions in
S1: just a moment, so don't go away. This is Michael
S1: Radonich and you are listening to Open Line. Welcome back
S1: to Open Line with Mike Radonich. You know, I mentioned
S1: something last week. I want to mention it again. You'll
S1: be hearing a lot about it. It's something that's really
S1: on my heart. The world has seen this explosion of anti-Semitism,
S1: not just here in the United States, but across the globe,
S1: not just about Israel, but about Jewish people everywhere. And
S1: it's heartbreaking. And one of the things that we stand
S1: for at Moody Bible Institute is that God has an
S1: eternal love for his chosen people, the Jewish people. And
S1: as a result, we have called a summit a one
S1: day conference opposing anti-Semitism. It's upcoming on November 9th. Uh,
S1: and it's being co-sponsored between Moody and Chosen People Ministries.
S1: I'm going to talk about chosen people in just a moment,
S1: but I'm so grateful that we're going to do this.
S1: Some of the speakers I'll be speaking. Mitch Glazer, president
S1: of Chosen People, will be speaking. Mark Jobe, president of Moody,
S1: will be speaking at the summit. And also Don Sweeting, uh,
S1: who is the chancellor of Colorado Christian University, but the
S1: son of Moody, former Moody president, uh, Doctor George Sweeting.
S1: So we're it's going to be a great lineup. We're
S1: going to have a great time, uh, exploring how the
S1: church can stand with the Jewish people and oppose anti-Semitism.
S1: And it's November 9th. If you want to find out more,
S1: the best place to go is go to Moody Conferences.
S1: Org and you'll see a link there that you can
S1: click on that says, uh, the summit Opposing antisemitism. Okay,
S1: that's November 9th. And uh, people will be coming from
S1: all over. There's all sorts of information if you need
S1: to get a hotel for the the night or something
S1: like that, uh, where you can do that and how
S1: much it costs and all the different things that you
S1: might be interested in, just go to that website, Moody Conferences.
S1: Org and click on the summit opposing anti-Semitism. You can
S1: register there as well. Now why? I mentioned that when
S1: I think about the whole history of the Jewish people,
S1: it's been a history. It's called the longest hatred. anti-Semitism.
S1: anti-Semitism has lasted so long. And every time you think, oh,
S1: it started with Pharaoh and Egypt and then went to Haman.
S1: And now today with Hamas, it just doesn't matter. There's
S1: this long heritage of anti-Semitism. And, uh, yet God has
S1: preserved his people. And that's why Chosen People Ministries has
S1: this fantastic Jewish art calendar that they're offering for free. Uh,
S1: what it does is each picture shows God's faithfulness to
S1: Israel throughout Jewish history. Despite the surge of anti-Semitism, despite
S1: past anti-Semitism, God has always been faithful. That's what the
S1: art calendar is about. And Jewish calendars, of course, start
S1: in September with the Jewish New Year. And so this
S1: art calendar is available to you. Chosen people wants to
S1: give it to you for free. It's yours. All you
S1: have to do is go to our website, openline radio.org,
S1: and then you can click on the link that says
S1: a free gift from Chosen People Ministries, and they'll send
S1: you this beautiful, really meaningful calendar. So don't miss out.
S1: Go to Openline radio.org and click on a free gift
S1: from Chosen People Ministries. We're going to talk to Janet
S1: now in Cleveland, Ohio, listening on Wqrf. Wcff. Welcome to
S1: Open Line. Janet. How can I help you?
S3: Well good morning. Good morning. I appreciate Open Line. I
S3: appreciate your sharing with us in so many ways. Thank you.
S3: My question is, how would what's the best way to
S3: be able to talk with and approach someone who has
S3: heard the gospel multiple times, but just doesn't believe it?
S3: The Bible is true. Wonders if it's just mythological. Um,
S3: she friends with a lot of, uh, believing people she's
S3: been shared with many times, but she just simply just
S3: seems to fall on deaf ears.
S1: Mhm. Uh, well, you know, you can have a good
S1: argument about it, you know that. But I'm not sure
S1: that that's going to be all that helpful, you know? Uh,
S1: here's here's how I would come at it, you know, um,
S1: and this is I think what's so crucial is so
S1: often the issue isn't about the cognitive, the academic, the
S1: give me the five evidences that you that make you
S1: believe whatever it is that you believe. Uh, so here's
S1: the thing that I think melts people, opens them up,
S1: and that is relationship. Uh, that without a good, warm friendship,
S1: it's really hard to share seeds of the gospel. You know,
S1: you got to cultivate, cultivate the soil with a relationship.
S1: And and so there's one aspect is just being a
S1: really good friend and being faithful. Secondly, what I would
S1: say is live a transformed life. Your life has to
S1: be something that a person looks at you and says,
S1: there's something different about Janet. Uh, you know, I know
S1: that I disagree with her about Jesus and the Bible,
S1: but boy, the Bible sure has changed her. The Bible
S1: has made her into a better person. Jesus has transformed her.
S1: That's the second key. First relationship, second, uh, transformation. Living
S1: a transformed life before someone. And then when when things
S1: happen in your life. When things. When the Lord answers
S1: a prayer, when the Lord gives you encouragement, when there's
S1: something really, really important like that that you would share
S1: with any friend, then, uh, what you need to do
S1: and even when you have a need, saying, I'm having
S1: people pray for me about whatever it is. Uh, I
S1: know you don't pray, but I did want you to
S1: know that people are praying for me about this. And
S1: then when God answers that prayer, tell your friend about that.
S1: That answer to prayer, how God has worked in your life,
S1: got what you have learned and what God is doing.
S1: As you raise those flags, what you're doing is you're
S1: making this person jealous for your relationship that you have
S1: with the Lord Jesus. And then the the last step,
S1: I would say when she says, well, how could you
S1: believe the Bible? I would so like to believe what
S1: you have, but how is it that you can believe this? Well,
S1: I would always go right to the resurrected Lord Jesus.
S1: Here's the reasons I believe in the resurrection and Jesus
S1: if if indeed, and he has been. But if indeed
S1: Jesus is raised from the dead, then he's God, because
S1: that's who he claimed to be and God raised. And
S1: then he was raised from the dead. And if Jesus
S1: believed the Bible, then I'm going to believe the Bible.
S1: That's where I would start with that. So but it's
S1: not an immediate thing. I wouldn't start there. I would,
S1: I would go, I would go with that relationship transformed life,
S1: and then raising the flag from time to time about
S1: what God is doing in your life. And then ultimately
S1: the resurrected Jesus, who is God, believed the Bible. That's
S1: how I would go at it. Okay.
S4: Okay. Yes. Yeah.
S3: Thank you very much.
S1: Yeah. I'm so glad. Thank you. You know, so often
S1: we think if we just give people the four reasons
S1: or five reasons that we believe the Bible, they're going
S1: to say, oh, that's fine. Uh, it doesn't work that way. Usually,
S1: usually what works is, is a relationship. So the key
S1: to evangelism, in my opinion, is a transformed life. So
S1: that's that's a great reminder for me because sometimes I
S1: forget that that's the key not to win the argument,
S1: but to win the person. And think about this. I
S1: once heard someone say that if we want to see
S1: people make a decision for the Lord, but really, if
S1: we're caring for people, the truth is it's a series
S1: of many decisions. It might be a decision to hear
S1: your story, or it might be a decision to read
S1: a book of the Bible. It might be a decision
S1: to talk with you. It's a series of many decisions
S1: rather than one big decision. We have to lead people
S1: from not wanting and helping them to see they need,
S1: and then help them to make that decision in the end.
S1: So anyway, that's the story. Janet, thanks for your call.
S1: We're going to talk to Mary listening in Illinois and Wwdm,
S1: welcome to Open Line. Mary. How can I help you today?
S4: Yes.
S1: Go ahead.
S4: Mary, um, I was wondering. I'm sorry. I am a Christian,
S4: and I know what Romans 13 teaches us. Um, to, um,
S4: respect our leaders unless it's contrary to God. Um, but
S4: I was wondering about does God allow, uh, the presidents
S4: to that we get to be selected? I have heard
S4: that there is scripture to back that up. And if
S4: there is, where is that scripture?
S1: Um, it's in the book of Daniel, I think that's
S1: probably the place I would go. Uh, uh let me
S1: find the verse. Uh it says. Uh, Daniel chapter four,
S1: verse 17, right in the middle. Here's what it says.
S1: This is so the living will know. That's us. You
S1: and me. Right, Mary? We're the living that the Most
S1: High is ruler over the kingdom of men. He gives
S1: it to anyone he wants and sets the lowliest of
S1: men over it. So who's the real ruler? God himself,
S1: who puts even lowly men in the position of king
S1: or president or sovereign. Well, it's God himself, God's sovereign
S1: over human government. Okay.
S5: Okay, okay.
S4: I was just, um, wondering where that scripture was, and
S4: I've heard that I've heard that said. But I, um.
S4: And I know it's true, but I just didn't know
S4: where it was. Yeah. Thank you very much, Daniel.
S1: For 17. It's great reminder. You know, uh, sometimes we
S1: look at leaders and we can't believe that they're in charge,
S1: but we trust the sovereign one. Think about that. That
S1: was Nebuchadnezzar that this is said of. And God had
S1: a way of humbling Nebuchadnezzar as well. Remember Nebuchadnezzar the
S1: Babylonian tyrant? Well, he was humbled and ultimately had to
S1: come to respect the sovereignty of God. Uh, that's a
S1: great reminder. At this election season, you know, sometimes we
S1: think that, uh, this is like the most important thing
S1: in the world. I think the most important thing in
S1: the world is to recognize the sovereign of the universe,
S1: not the president of the United States. And that that's
S1: just where it's at. You know, it's scary. Everyone has
S1: their political opinions. Some people say if this person is
S1: person's elected, then I'm going to leave the country. Well, no.
S1: If the other person's elected, I'm going to leave the country.
S1: You know what? I'm sticking around. I'm going to be
S1: in this country by God's grace, and I'm going to
S1: do my best to serve the sovereign of the universe. Uh,
S1: at that, whoever is elected, that's the key. And and,
S1: you know, the Bible teaches we need to pray for
S1: our leaders. Uh, it also says honor the emperor in
S1: first Peter, I think. I think that was Nero. Uh.
S1: So when you think about it, uh, God calls us
S1: to do that, not to have blind loyalty when the
S1: government is doing something evil. But we have to speak up.
S1: But nevertheless, we have to honor the King. Anyway, we'll
S1: be right back with the mailbag. Trish is coming in.
S1: She's dragging that mailbag right now, so stay with us.
S1: This is open line with Michael Radnich. Welcome back to
S1: Open Line. It's time for the Febc mailbag. Febc far
S1: Eastern Broadcasting Company is a marvelous ministry that brings the
S1: gospel through media to places that we could never reach.
S1: They also have people on the ground and they do
S1: follow up. I love this ministry. It does a tremendous work.
S1: And if you'd like to know more, you can go
S1: to their website FBC. Org and click on the link
S1: about their podcast called Until All Have Heard. You're just
S1: going to be really impressed with all that they are
S1: doing and so don't miss out. And that thank. I
S1: am grateful to FBC for partnering with us to bring
S1: you the mailbag, and you have sent these questions in
S1: and Tricia has put them together. Hey, Tricia. Hello. This
S1: is Tricia McMillan. I always, I assume, like, everyone knows
S1: who Eva is, that they know who Tricia is. It's
S1: Tricia McMillan, producer of the mailbag. And, uh, everyone, they say,
S1: who's this Eva he's talking about all the time? That's
S1: my wife. Yeah. So she's the one that texts me
S1: the answers when people write. Yeah. So, anyway, uh, I'm
S1: grateful that you put these, uh, questions together. The best
S1: way to reach us with your question is go to
S1: Openline radio.org and click on the link that says Ask
S1: Michael a question. And then Tricia puts them in the mailbag.
S1: And you had some update for me about the summit
S1: opposing anti-Semitism.
S6: I did so also on our website. There's that form
S6: to fill out that emails me basically your question. It's
S6: a little form with your question that you can fill out,
S6: but it also has a link with a banner right
S6: across the top of our website, which is Open Line
S6: radio.org for that, um, summit on anti-Semitism conference on November 9th.
S6: So you don't have to remember. You can remember the
S6: other the other website you gave earlier works. But if
S6: if you just can remember Open Line radio.org, click on,
S6: then click on the banner, the banner on our website.
S1: That's great.
S6: Thank you. Easy way to do that. Yeah.
S1: You're welcome. That's great. Okay, so before we go to
S1: the mailbag I have a mailbag question for you.
S6: Oh, boy. Okay, okay.
S1: Here's here's my question. Uh, we even I did a
S1: bunch of Bible study moments for the summer. Yes. Have
S1: you been listening to them?
S6: I mean, I was there when we recorded, I mean,
S6: right when it was written.
S1: Yeah, yeah, not not when they were sent out. But
S1: we were there about the covenants And I think that
S1: sometimes people, uh, don't understand that the covenants really are
S1: the backbone of the scriptures. And, uh, I think it
S1: was a really a fun time for me to go
S1: through the covenants of the Bible for the Bible study moments.
S1: And that's what made made me think of you being there.
S1: And we were talking about it and it was so
S1: much fun. And then I thought, well, how do you
S1: get those Bible study moments? Well, become a kitchen table partner.
S1: That's one of the things that we do for our
S1: kitchen table partners. People who partner with this ministry by
S1: giving monthly. One of the ways we say thank you
S1: is sending every other week a Bible study moment, uh,
S1: about a particular topic usually. But we're doing the covenants
S1: this summer and that's that's been kind of fun to
S1: do and I so appreciate it. And now what's the
S1: best thing I think about being a kitchen table partner?
S6: Oh, there are lots of great things.
S1: Well, I'll tell you the. Well, of course I.
S6: What do you think is the.
S1: Best thing to get if a person commits to $30
S1: a month, which I'm so grateful for everyone that does this.
S1: But if they do, then they get half off of
S1: everything in a moody publishers catalog. And, you know, I
S1: just think that school's coming up. You know, people are
S1: getting back to school. There might be books they need
S1: to get and things like that. And so I think
S1: that that's one of the coolest things to about being
S1: a kitchen table partner and has nothing to do with me. It's.
S1: So and.
S6: It's everything. It's kids books, it's Bibles. It's the Moody
S6: Bible Commentary, which we talk about frequently because we think
S6: that's a valuable tool.
S1: Yep, that's exactly.
S6: All of the things. But I do want to say
S6: if if you're wondering about those, uh, the covenant series,
S6: we are exactly halfway through. We did ten of those
S6: recordings on the covenants because there are five covenants. We
S6: are we just did the. So we've covered so far
S6: the Abrahamic Covenant. There were two parts to that the
S6: mosaic covenant, two parts to that we just sent out
S6: on Thursday two days ago, The, uh, first part of
S6: the land covenant. So there are five left. If you
S6: join now and you're like, oh no, I missed them.
S6: You can go back. There's a link on your email.
S6: You can go back and listen to the ones you've missed.
S6: Oh that's great. Yeah. So so even if you became
S6: one do that so.
S1: I can see what I said because I don't remember. Yeah.
S6: No they're really good. They are really good and very helpful.
S6: Especially in light of what's happening, um, in Israel right now.
S6: Like just wondering which parts of these are still valid
S6: and still promised that God will keep his promises to Israel?
S1: You know, people always ask me about the covenants and
S1: I say, If God's not faithful to his covenants with Israel,
S1: then we're on a slippery slope because he's made a
S1: covenant of redemption with us. He's he's, you know, and
S1: if he can break that, the word that he's made
S1: in the past, then he can break the word he's
S1: made with us, and he won't. He's faithful. Yeah. So, yeah. Okay.
S1: So how do you become a kitchen table partner? All
S1: you have to do is go to Openline radio org.
S1: There's a link there for that. Or you can call (888) 644-7122.
S1: And uh uh okay. We might as well answer questions
S1: since that's what we're supposed.
S6: To do, right? Our first question is from Deborah in Alabama,
S6: listens to Ww.w, uh, in Second Chronicles 25, verse 24,
S6: Obed edom is mentioned. So it says, he took all
S6: the gold, silver, all the utensils that were found with
S6: Obed edom in God's temple, the treasures of the king's palace,
S6: and the hostages. Then he returned to Samaria, and she
S6: remembered that in second Samuel the ark of the covenant
S6: is taken to Obed edom in a failed attempt to
S6: bring it to Jerusalem. It says the Ark of the
S6: Lord remained in his house three months, and the Lord
S6: blessed Obed-edom and his whole family. Mhm. Are those two connected?
S1: Well, think about this in second Samuel six. That's when
S1: is that taking place? That's taking place when David is
S1: first king of Israel. Right. So let's put that about
S1: 1000 BC and then, uh, in Second Chronicles 25, it's
S1: talking about the captivity. And so, so that's hundreds of
S1: years later. So it's just the same name, not the
S1: same person. Okay. That's it.
S6: All right. So with that, some sometimes. Hmm.
S1: Sometimes we think it's just like this.
S6: It's a very unique name.
S1: Listen, I know it's a unique name to us. Yes. Uh, however,
S1: not in the ancient Near East. It was not a
S1: unique name. It means, uh, servant of Edam, of Edam. And, uh, no,
S1: it wasn't a unique, unique name. Think about it. We
S1: our our second president of the United States, John Adams. Right.
S1: And then.
S6: Of course, his son, John Quincy Adams.
S1: Right. And then, of course, later on, if we didn't
S1: have last names, think about this. John Fitzgerald. Kennedy. John.
S1: Another John, is that the same president? No, no, it's
S1: hundreds of years later. Right.
S6: So okay, so similarly, though I think we we run
S6: into similar names like this. And I think it causes
S6: us confusion when we're studying but can also drive us
S6: to deeper study. So Deb also, um, in Alabama went
S6: to know of King Artaxerxes in Ezra is the same
S6: one who was Esther's king?
S1: Well, actually Esther's king was Ahasuerus or Xerxes, not Artaxerxes. Uh,
S1: there were I think she got the question wrong. I
S1: think she meant, uh, is the king Artaxerxes in Ezra
S1: the same king Artaxerxes in Nehemiah? Okay. And and yes,
S1: it is the same one in both Ezra and Nehemiah.
S1: In fact, in the Hebrew Bible, it's one book.
S6: Ezra and Nehemiah are one book.
S1: Yeah.
S6: Okay, so then it would be referring to the same person. Exactly.
S1: Uh, the Xerxes, who is an Esther, was king from
S1: 485 to 465 BC. And then Artaxerxes. Xerxes, who is
S1: Artaxerxes who is king in Ezra and Nehemiah is king
S1: from 464 to 424 BC.
S6: Okay, I think the same thing happens with Herod, because
S6: Herod or Caesar, you know, like you can take it
S6: out of the Bible, like there are these, these titles,
S6: these titles that get used and there's Herod. It's like, well,
S6: which Herod is this? Is this Herod the Great or
S6: Herod Agrippa, or, you know, and it and to us
S6: who are not used to these titles and don't have
S6: a chronology in front of us, of of when something
S6: is happening in the Bible, we don't it's harder for
S6: us to, to keep in mind when it's happening, because
S6: it's all in the past and we don't have this
S6: in our head. So what is a good place to know? Um,
S6: like you just rattled off these years, I wouldn't have
S6: been able to say that. And I realize you had
S6: the questions ahead of time. You may have looked it up,
S6: but where would I even look that up to know
S6: that they're not even alive? At the same time.
S1: I think there's a really helpful tool that everyone should
S1: have along with their moody Bible commentary. And that's the
S1: Unger's Bible Dictionary. Uh, that would be a helpful tool
S1: because you could look up Xerxes, you could look up Artaxerxes,
S1: you can look up Ahasuerus, you can look up Obed-edom.
S1: You can look up Herod, Herod the Great.
S6: Herod Agrippa, the years that they.
S1: It'll give you a little biography. Okay. Of each of
S1: these it works.
S6: Like a regular dictionary. Well, instead of a definition, it's.
S1: Like a little. It's a handbook or more of a
S1: Bible dictionary, which is it's doesn't define the words so
S1: much as it gives you a.
S6: Little summary of summary, who or what this was.
S1: It's like a mini encyclopedia. Okay.
S6: But it's called Unger's Bible Dictionary.
S1: Yeah, and it's by Moody Publishers. And, uh, if a
S1: person is a kitchen table partner for $30 a month
S1: or more, they can get it for half off.
S6: That's a great.
S1: Yeah, it's a great tool. Okay. You know, one of
S1: the when I came to Moody Bible Institute 50 years
S1: ago this month.
S6: Wow.
S1: 50 years ago. And I was I was just an
S1: infant at the time, But, uh, when I came here,
S1: the man who discipled me, Dan Rigney, now with the Lord, uh,
S1: the Irish rabbi, uh, he he gave me three books
S1: for my time at Moody, uh, a Wycliffe Bible Commentary,
S1: which is still available, but pretty much the Moody Bible
S1: commentaries replaced, and then the Wycliffe Bible Commentary and Unger's
S1: Bible Dictionary and a Unger's Bible Handbook. And really, when
S1: I first started at Moody to study the Bible in
S1: a more, um, serious way than I had for the
S1: two years I had known the Lord before I came
S1: to Moody. Uh, those were the three books that guided
S1: me through everything. And and they're still, to this day,
S1: a one volume commentary, like the Moody Bible Commentary and
S1: the Unger's Bible Handbook. And the Unger's Bible Dictionary will
S1: get a person real far. Mm. Uh, if if that's
S1: what they're interested in studying in terms of the scriptures.
S1: All right.
S6: So if you just need some basic, basic Bible resource books. Yeah,
S6: that's a good place to start.
S1: Those are a great place to start. All right. Thank you. Well,
S1: that's a lot of fun. Tricia. Come back. There's more questions.
S1: I'll try and answer more next time. Uh. All right. Okay.
S1: Next hour. Uh, that was Tricia McMillan. I'm Michael Redlick.
S1: We'll be right back with more of your questions. Uh,
S1: right here on Open Line. In fact, we're going to
S1: try and get to a whole bunch of them real quick. So, uh,
S1: don't don't hang up. Stay with us. We're coming right back.
S1: Welcome back to Open Line. So glad to be with
S1: you this morning. We're going to go right to the
S1: phones and we're going to talk to Femi in Florida.
S1: Did I say your name right? Femi.
S7: Yes you did.
S1: Good. Well how can I help you? Good morning. Good morning.
S7: Yes. Good morning. Um, I have a question about how
S7: that consecutive verbs are translated in Genesis 219. Some translations
S7: have it as imperfect tense, which has fuelled animals created
S7: after Adam, and other types of pluperfect, which has those
S7: animals created before Adam. If it's pluperfect, how do we
S7: determine that?
S1: Okay, so no one understands your question. I mean, I do, but, uh,
S1: but no one understands your question. So, Lord God formed
S1: out of the ground every wild animal and every bird
S1: of the sky, and brought each to the man to
S1: see what he would call it. Uh, the question here is,
S1: it's that would seem to contradict, uh, the, uh, the
S1: the sixth day of creation in, uh, uh, the chapter one. Uh,
S1: I think that it should be I think the, the
S1: vav consecutive is irrelevant. It's the word so but it
S1: really is, uh, the the tense, uh, how do we
S1: translate it? It should be. So the Lord God who
S1: had formed out of the ground pluperfect, every wild animal
S1: and every bird of the sky, now brought them to
S1: Adam to name. That's how I think it. And that's
S1: a perfectly reasonable way of translating that verse with that verb. Uh,
S1: and it makes sense in light of the previous chapter,
S1: that that's when God, he had already created them. But
S1: now he brought them to Adam to name. Okay. Is
S1: that is that not good?
S7: I mean, I still have more questions.
S1: Well, Femi, Femi, I think we're going to move on, uh,
S1: to because we've got a bunch of callers here that
S1: need to talk with me. But thanks for your question. Uh,
S1: we're going to talk to Shirley now in Florida, listening
S1: on Wmbb. Welcome to Open Line. Shirley. How can I
S1: help you?
S8: Hello, doctor. Thank you so much for taking my call.
S8: I really appreciate listening to you. Um, so my question
S8: is regarding prayer. I, you know, I use the Lord's
S8: Prayer as my guide, um, in praying, you know, and
S8: obviously I pray I change changed the words depending on
S8: whatever the needs are or whatever I want to be
S8: thankful for. But, um, I address it always to father
S8: in heaven, you know, my father, God in heaven. And
S8: I'm confused because sometimes I'm at church and some of
S8: the praises or some of the songs like, you know,
S8: some of the songs are like prayers, right?
S9: Mhm.
S8: So I'm like thinking, okay, we're, you know, I'm singing
S8: this song, I'm praying this song. And then all of
S8: a sudden they'll, they'll call Jesus father or, or when
S8: they're praying, they're praying, you know, like to Jesus and um,
S8: or they're starting, they'll start praying to God first, God
S8: in heaven, our father in heaven. And then down the line.
S1: They start addressing the Lord Jesus. Right?
S8: Or they start. You know, addressing the whole prayer to Jesus. Yeah. Now,
S8: I always pray in the name of Jesus. In the end,
S8: I always pray that.
S1: Okay, okay, so so surely let me let me see
S1: if I can answer your concern. First of all, I
S1: think that people aren't. They just think they're praying to
S1: God and they know that Jesus is God and they
S1: get kind of, uh, confused about the triune nature of God.
S1: I don't think God is up there saying, uh, no,
S1: not going to answer this prayer because, uh, you're not
S1: getting it exactly right. I think God's a lot more
S1: tolerant with us than than than we would think because, uh,
S1: he cares about us. And just like, you know, my
S1: grandkids come up and they talk to me, and they.
S1: They call me papi, and, uh, they they will sometimes
S1: then automatically, without even looking at it, look over at
S1: their Nana Eva and talk with them. And we're pretty
S1: tolerant with our grandkids because we love them so much.
S1: And so I think God's just as tolerant with us
S1: when we pray. Second, uh, and this is important, I think,
S1: that we should be more conscious of how to pray
S1: according to the scriptures. Uh, there's only one example in
S1: Scripture of someone addressing the Lord Jesus after he has
S1: ascended to heaven. And that's when Stephen is being martyred.
S1: He says, Lord Jesus, into your hands I commit my spirit.
S1: That's the only prayer that we have directed to the
S1: Lord Jesus. That's perfect. It shows it's okay, but it's
S1: not the norm. The Lord Jesus taught us to pray.
S1: We should pray to the father in the name of
S1: the son, by the power of the Holy Spirit, by
S1: the guidance of the Holy Spirit. That's that's how we
S1: should pray. And, you know, I think that's a pretty
S1: important thing. And we should be more careful. Although God's tolerant,
S1: if we could be more careful when we pray, recognizing
S1: we're coming to the father boldly by the throne of
S1: to his throne of grace, because we're coming in the
S1: name of Jesus. That's that's what I would say. Uh,
S1: so there, there you have that. Okay. That's what I
S1: would suggest. Does that help at all?
S9: Yes.
S8: It's very helpful. Now my confusion is is it do
S8: I call I mean, is it okay? Is it okay
S8: when when people sometimes call Jesus father?
S1: Well, he's spiritual father. You know, uh, some people base that.
S1: I don't think it's the right translation. Some people base
S1: that on Isaiah nine six because it says his name
S1: shall be called Wonderful Counselor. Uh, and then it says
S1: Everlasting Father. And so, in a sense, the Lord Jesus
S1: is not the father in heaven, but he is our father. Uh,
S1: in that sense, I think a better translation of Isaiah
S1: nine six is father of eternity. He's the father of
S1: all time. He's the creator of the universe. That's what
S1: father means. Father of eternity. So that that's what. But
S1: you know, the Lord Jesus said, I call you friend, right?
S1: So some people might, uh, I knew I know of
S1: a a man who came to the Lord on the
S1: Mount of Olives in 1882, uh, a Jewish man, uh,
S1: from Kishinev, and he read the Gospel of Matthew, looked
S1: at it and said, this is our brother Jesus. And
S1: he always prayed in the name of our brother Jesus. Uh. Uh.
S1: That was what he did. Some people praying. The name
S1: of our friend Jesus. What a friend we have in Jesus.
S1: You know, uh, here's what I do. I pray in
S1: the name of the Lord Jesus because he's my king. So, uh,
S1: I'd rather recognize him as my sovereign, even though he
S1: calls me friend, which that's kind of hard to believe. Uh,
S1: I I, I, you know, I don't know how I
S1: got in the habit of calling him Lord Jesus. Uh,
S1: and and the or the Messiah Jesus, which is a
S1: title of deity, uh, or kingship, I should say, uh, royalty.
S1: But I think it goes back to 40 years or
S1: so ago in graduate school. And I had a professor
S1: who said, uh, Michael, don't be flippant when you talk
S1: in the name of the Lord Jesus, call him Lord.
S1: And that's, I think, crucial. Well, that's our our I
S1: hope that helps. Uh, as we pray, uh, we're going
S1: to be back with another hour of Open line in
S1: just a bit, so don't go away during the break.
S1: Check out our web page open Line Radio org has
S1: all the links you're looking for right there. The Bible
S1: study across America will continue in the second hour, so
S1: stay with us. Open line with Doctor Michael Ray Zelnick
S1: is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody
S1: Bible Institute. We'll be right back.