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S1: Do you ever wonder why God didn't keep the serpent

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S1: out of the Garden of Eden? And were Adam and

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S1: Eve somehow to blame for Cain's failure? Coming up, you'll

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S1: meet the characters of creation, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel,

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S1: the serpent, and more. Plus, Charlie Dyer's devotional will help

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S1: you understand the Jewish festival known as Sukkot. And of course,

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S1: we'll leave plenty of time to answer your questions about

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S1: the Bible, Israel, and more. It's a lively conversation straight

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S1: ahead on today's edition of The Land and the book. Welcome.

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S1: I'm John Gager. Our host is author and Israel expert

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S1: doctor Charlie Dyer. Boy, lots of news coming out of

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S1: the Middle East today. Charlie. Oh, John. There is it's amazing.

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S2: Just trying to keep up with it all. But that

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S2: gives me a great thing to do every morning.

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S1: That's right. And of course, Israel has been in the

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S1: news so much this past year, Israel being focused on

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S1: in the Bible, where it's jam packed with end times

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S1: prophecies about epic world events, the regathering of the Jewish

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S1: people to their ancient homeland. That, of course, Jesus return.

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S1: So crucial, though, for us as believers to have a

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S1: proper understanding of Bible prophecy. Why? So our view of

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S1: the future is shaped by Scripture and not just today's headlines. Right, Charlie.

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S2: That's absolutely right, John. And with that in mind, our

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S2: friends at Life and Messiah have published a book titled God,

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S2: Israel and Bible Prophecy that they're offering to listeners of

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S2: the land in the book for a limited time. This

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S2: informative book is focused on providing readers with a deeper

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S2: understanding and greater appreciation of what God has in store

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S2: for Israel and the nations by digging into what the

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S2: scriptures say about these issues. Now, if you're interested in

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S2: learning more about what God has in store, visit Life

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S2: in Messiah. Org and click on the Moody Radio button

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S2: to find out how you can receive your copy of God,

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S2: Israel and Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org.

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S1: And now a look at the stories coming out of

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S1: the Middle East this past week. Since October the 1st,

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S1: the world has been waiting to see how Israel would

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S1: respond to the barrage of missiles fired against them by Iran.

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S1: What do we know right now about this attack?

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S2: Well, we know it's not a question of if Israel

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S2: is going to respond, but how and when. And right now,

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S2: we're still waiting for those answers. The expectation is that

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S2: a key part of the response will be a strike

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S2: by Israel's air force. And apparently Israel has already decided

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S2: on the targets to be hit in addition to its

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S2: air force. Israel also has its own arsenal of ballistic missiles,

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S2: though it's unclear if they will use them in the attack.

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S2: Israel's defense minister said Israel's response would be precise, painful

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S2: and surprising, possibly alluding to more than just an aerial attack.

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S2: For example, it could include cyber attacks, assassinations of key

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S2: leaders and sabotaged equipment. They've used all of those in

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S2: the past against Hezbollah and Hamas. Most Israelis see this

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S2: as the ideal opportunity to strike Iran's nuclear program, which

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S2: Israel views as an existential threat. But President Biden has

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S2: said the U.S. opposes any attack on Iran's nuclear facilities

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S2: or its oil production facilities, and with the U.S. providing

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S2: both offensive weapons and defensive support, Israel is taking his

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S2: warning very seriously. In addition, because of an apparent shortage

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S2: of interceptor missiles, Israel and the U.S. are working to

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S2: counter Iran's expected response. The U.S. sent an advanced Thad,

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S2: or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system to Israel to

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S2: add an additional layer of protection for the country, while

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S2: Iran's nuclear sites and oil production facilities might be off

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S2: the table. Israel could still hit military bases, missile and

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S2: drone production sites, and Iran's power grid. Now, as we're

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S2: recording this program, the attack hasn't yet happened, but it

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S2: could take place at any time. In fact, even between

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S2: now and when the programme is aired. One thing though,

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S2: is for sure when Israel finally responds, it will send

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S2: a clear message to Iran that Israel is serious about

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S2: defending itself against all foreign threats. In the past, Iran's

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S2: three biggest threats against Israel were Hezbollah, Hamas and Iran's missiles.

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S2: Now they'll experience what Israel is capable of doing.

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S1: Well, in a meeting last week with Iran's president, Russian

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S1: President Putin called for a new world order. Who does

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S1: he envision being part of this new order, and what

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S1: impact might it all have on Israel and the U.S.?

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S2: Well, Putin's New world order definitely involves Russia and Iran,

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S2: but it also includes other allies of the two countries

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S2: that he wants to bring together to counter the power

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S2: and influence of the West. Some of the other countries

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S2: that attended the conference included the heads of Central Asian

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S2: nations like Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan. I guess

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S2: you had to be a Stan stun to be included there.

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S2: In fact, he also wanted to include Turkmenistan and other

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S2: countries like China and a number of African nations. These

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S2: strengthening ties include both economic and military cooperation. Russia's increased

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S2: ties with Iran are the model for what Putin would

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S2: like to develop elsewhere. Recently, Iran sent two satellites to

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S2: Russia to be launched into orbit. One is a high

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S2: resolution imaging satellite, the other a smaller communications satellite. Iran

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S2: says the imaging satellite will be used for agriculture, environmental monitoring,

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S2: disaster management and communication, but it could also be used

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S2: to identify targets in Israel. In terms of the impact

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S2: this might have on the US and the West, well,

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S2: Putin is definitely trying to carve out an alliance that

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S2: could help these countries bypass sanctions imposed by the West.

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S2: He's also hoping to replace the West's influence in the

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S2: Middle East and Africa with this new alliance. This complements

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S2: the influence Russia has already been trying to carve out

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S2: for itself in different countries in Africa, and it also

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S2: aligns with Iran's attempts to expand its influence in the

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S2: same region. From a biblical perspective, it parallels the alliance

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S2: described in Ezekiel 38 and 39 that will someday form

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S2: against Israel as part of the end times. Not all

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S2: the countries listed there are currently part of this budding alliance,

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S2: but the parallels are striking. Russia, Iran, Libya and Sudan

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S2: are listed in those chapters, and they're currently aligning with

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S2: or under the influence of this new axis. Boy, that's.

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S1: An interesting development. This is the land and the book

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S1: from Moody Radio. If you've joined us midstream, our host,

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S1: Doctor Charlie Dyer, is working us through a list of

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S1: current events stories from the week. Archaeologists claim to have

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S1: uncovered evidence detailing how Assyrian King Sennacherib's invasion of Judah

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S1: impacted Judah's economy in the days of King Hezekiah. What

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S1: exactly did they uncover, and how valid are the connections

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S1: they're apparently making?

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S2: Well, this report shows both the significance and the limitations

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S2: of archaeology. Archaeologists discovered the remains of two royal administrative

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S2: centers about halfway between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. The first was

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S2: completely destroyed, with the second built directly on top of

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S2: its ruins. Inside the ruins, 180 jar handles with seal

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S2: impressions were found. The original building had a mixture of

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S2: handles with private names and handles that were stamped belonging

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S2: to the king, or in Hebrew, la melek. In the

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S2: rebuilt center, only handles stamped with Elimelech belonging to the

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S2: king were found. Both sites date to the end of

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S2: the eighth century BC, around the time of King Hezekiah

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S2: and the Assyrian invasion of Judah. As we know from

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S2: the Bible and from Assyrian sources, that Assyria invaded Judah

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S2: and devastated the land, but weren't able to conquer Jerusalem

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S2: or remove Hezekiah from the throne. The archaeologists are suggesting

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S2: the Assyrians destroyed the first structure and then built the

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S2: second on top of it to collect taxes from Judah

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S2: after re-establishing control over the country. In their view, the

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S2: lamella seals represented the collection of taxes in oil and

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S2: grain to be paid to the Assyrians. However, the Bible

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S2: actually offers a different understanding of the events. In 701 BC.

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S2: Second Kings 18 and 19 begin with a summary of

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S2: what happened. Hezekiah rebelled. Assyria attacked, and when it was

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S2: all over, Hezekiah remained on the throne, though being forced

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S2: to pay a heavy financial penalty that included a large

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S2: payment of both gold and silver. Jerusalem itself was spared

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S2: by divine intervention. When the Angel of the Lord killed

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S2: 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, forcing Sennacherib to withdraw. However, Judah was devastated,

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S2: with both cities, towns and fields destroyed. Likely, the first

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S2: building was destroyed by the Assyrians. If it was a

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S2: royal storage facility, the Assyrians would have looted the oil

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S2: and grain for their army and to try to starve

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S2: out the country. But the Hebrew lamella handles in the

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S2: rebuilt structure would seem to point to control of the

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S2: facility by Judah, not the Assyrians. Lamella seals like this

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S2: have been found at other sites, and suggest a place

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S2: where produce was collected as taxes. In two Kings 19,

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S2: Isaiah tells Hezekiah, this year you'll eat what grows by itself,

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S2: and the second year what springs from that. But in

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S2: the third year, sow and reap, plant vineyards and eat

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S2: their fruit. Now that suggests that Judah would experience a

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S2: prolonged food shortage following the Assyrian attack. And perhaps that's

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S2: why the new building was constructed, and a system to

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S2: store and distribute grain and oil was reestablished. Not to

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S2: pay taxes to the Assyrians, but to provide food for

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S2: those left in the land. The archaeology provides some pieces,

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S2: but in this case we need to look to the

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S2: biblical text for the larger picture.

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S1: Smart aid, an Israeli non-governmental organization or NGO, has sent

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S1: power and communication equipment to hurricane stricken areas in the US.

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S1: Tell us about this humanitarian organization from Amazing Israel.

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S2: Yeah, we're used to hearing about US aid groups traveling

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S2: around the world to help in times of need. You know,

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S2: Samaritan's Purse is one of those organizations that comes to mind,

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S2: but Israel also has groups that do the same thing.

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S2: And we've talked in the past about rescue workers and

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S2: doctors and portable hospitals they send. But this story is

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S2: about another organization, this smart aid group that sends solar

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S2: power units and communication systems to hard hit areas in

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S2: the wake of Hurricane Helene. They immediately shipped two units

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S2: to Asheville, North Carolina, to provide electrical and communications support

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S2: to first responders, local charities, and the communities at large,

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S2: and more mobile trailers are on the way. Each trailer

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S2: is staffed by five people and uses solar panels to

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S2: provide electricity to shelters and clinics without power. They also

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S2: provide a place where emergency responders can charge their cell phones,

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S2: and they help keep communications systems operational. In addition, each

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S2: unit also has solar powered water pumps and atmospheric water

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S2: generators to provide fresh water literally out of thin air.

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S2: When a disaster strikes, no group can do everything, but

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S2: a group like this from Amazing Israel has focused on

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S2: this one area where they can do something to make

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S2: a positive impact. And all I want to say is

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S2: a hearty thank you to Smart Aid and their volunteers

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S2: from Amazing Israel.

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S1: Great story to wrap up our opening segment. Thank you Charlie.

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S1: I'm looking forward, though, to this conversation about the characters

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S1: of creation that's next on the land and the book.

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S1: We call this program The Land and the book. But

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S1: if you don't properly understand that book, the Bible, well,

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S1: it can lead to all kinds of trouble. That's why

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S1: it's so important that we begin at the beginning. This

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S1: is the land and the book. I'm John Gager and

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S1: you're about to meet the characters of creation. First, though,

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S1: let's give some thought to a fresh idea on loving

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S1: our Jewish friends and neighbors for Christ. If you're interested

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S1: in your Jewish friend, you better be interested in their holidays.

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S1: Like the Feast of Tabernacles. Roy Schwartz is with Chosen

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S1: People Ministries. How can we seize this holiday to spice

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S1: a conversation up for Jesus?

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S3: Well, you can say, I am so grateful for the

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S3: Feast of Tabernacles because it reminds me that I'm just

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S3: passing through, that I'm just dwelling in a sukkah, that

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S3: my body is a tabernacle, is a sukkah, a dwelling place.

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S3: And it's a reminder that I'm in the wilderness and

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S3: Tabernacles is an annual reminder that I am just passing through,

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S3: and that God provided for me, just like he provided

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S3: for the Jewish people. Water in the wilderness, his presence

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S3: by a pillar of fire by night and a cloud

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S3: by day. And he tabernacled in the midst of us,

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S3: he tabernacled among us. And that's what God has done

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S3: in the Messiah and Feast of Tabernacles. Reminds me of

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S3: all of that.

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S1: Great thoughts from Roy Schwartz of Chosen People Ministries. Daniel

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S1: Darling is an author, pastor, and leader. He was recently

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S1: appointed as the director of the Land Center for Cultural

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S1: Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dan is a best

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S1: selling author of several books, including his newest Moody Publishers release,

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S1: The Characters of Creation The Men, women, Creatures, and Serpent

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S1: Present at the beginning of the world. He and his

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S1: wife Angela have four children. It's really good to have

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S1: you back on the land and the book, Dan.

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S4: Well, thank you, and I'm so grateful to be on

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S4: here and grateful to be on Moody Radio again. We're

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S4: so many good things happen. Yeah.

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S1: Well, you know, when you come to that creation story,

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S1: there is no character greater or more central to the

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S1: story than God Himself. He is the story. But what

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S1: do we sometimes overlook? Do you think about his role

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S1: in creation?

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S4: Well, I think we overlook the fact that the Bible

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S4: opens with this really bold declaration that God is like

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S4: in the beginning, God. And, you know, it really is

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S4: counter to a lot of the ways that people think

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S4: about God, whether they're contemporary ideas about, you know, how

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S4: the world came to be or even ancient myths that,

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S4: you know, the world came to be as a clash

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S4: of deities or all these things? And the Bible says, no,

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S4: God always was. As theologians call it, the pre-existence of God.

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S4: And that the world, you see is created by a

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S4: loving father who created things for his glory. He created

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S4: us in his image. And I think Moses is trying

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S4: to set the tone to say all that comes after.

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S4: All the things that you see stem from the fact

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S4: that God is. And if God is and he is

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S4: who he says he is, then everything else follows from that.

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S1: Adam and Eve, Our first parents may not have been

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S1: the best parents. Is it possible that the godless path

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S1: Cain took is at least somewhat rooted in a failure

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S1: of Adam and Eve to pass on their faith? Or

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S1: am I being too harsh here? I mean, adult children.

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S1: They do make their own choices. What do you think?

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S4: Well, I mean, I think at the very least we

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S4: clearly see that, you know, when James says in the

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S4: book of James, when sin conceives, it brings forth death.

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S4: It's really true that sin is not something to be

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S4: trifled with. When Adam and Eve first abandoned the way

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S4: of the father, they listened to the voice of the serpent.

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S4: They sought to live life on their own and dabble

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S4: with sin. That the serpent was wrong, that you will

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S4: surely die, that sin as it shows itself in marvels

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S4: its way into the human heart. It brings forth death.

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S4: And already in the first generation you have a brother

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S4: murdering another brother. And so this is the problem with sin.

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S4: This is the Bible's opening passages and saying, you know,

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S4: this is what's wrong with the human heart. There's something

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S4: fundamentally corrupt about it. And so, yeah, I think in

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S4: some ways, you know, Adam, you imagine the grief him

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S4: and Eve felt knowing that they did once walk with

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S4: God in the cool of the day, they lost that

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S4: through their sin with the serpent. And then they had

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S4: to see that play out in their own generation, their

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S4: own family. How that must have been just grievous for them. Yeah.

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S1: Daniel Darling is an author, pastor and leader. We're talking

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S1: with him today about his newest Moody publishers release, The

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S1: Characters of Creation. Well, the question that so many have

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S1: asked through the centuries, Dan, is why not just bar

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S1: the serpent from even entering the Garden of Eden? Your thoughts?

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S4: That's a great question. And, you know, theologians have wrestled

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S4: with that for all of human history. But, you know,

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S4: it's hard for us to understand the mind of God.

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S4: But God was not surprised, obviously, by the serpent and

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S4: even uses Satan's deceptions and lies and destruction toward his

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S4: glory and toward his end that God has even. It's

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S4: hard for us to understand this, but God is even

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S4: using those things for his own glory. As Joseph said,

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S4: you know what others intend for evil? God intends for good.

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S4: And so, buried in the awful tragedy of the garden

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S4: is this beautiful story of God's redemption, his sending of Jesus,

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S4: his rescuing of the human race, and rescuing of the planet.

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S1: Which character in the creation story? As you look at

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S1: the whole collection, do you think we least understand?

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S4: That's a great question. I mean, I think, you know,

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S4: I think it's interesting. We do spend a lot of

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S4: time on Adam and Eve. But I do think what's

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S4: interesting about Adam is that even though Eve was the

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S4: first one who was deceived, you know, it's God who

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S4: judges Adam first. It's Paul who uses Adam to typify humans,

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S4: deal with the devil. And, you know, the first Adam,

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S4: and then Jesus is the second Adam. I think in

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S4: a weird way, we don't really understand Adam. And just

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S4: imagine what it must have been like to be him,

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S4: to be on both sides of the fall and to

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S4: see his sin play out. I mean, all of us,

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S4: in some respect, see our sinful choices play out before us.

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S4: For fathers, we see, even as we do our best

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S4: to raise our children, we see our choices play out

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S4: some negative ways. We see that traits picked up by

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S4: our kids. Adam had that in real living color. And

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S4: yet we see in the garden one of my most

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S4: favorite passages, when God comes searching for Adam and he

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S4: asks Adam, where are you? And it's not God saying,

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S4: you know that he lost Adam, but that he was

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S4: searching and going after Adam and in his worst moment

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S4: in his sin. And that's the kind of God we have,

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S4: that he comes after us and searches after us, and

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S4: he finds us even when we're in the midst of

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S4: our worst moments. You know, the Bible says, when when

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S4: we were sinners in the midst of our sin, Christ

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S4: died for us.

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S1: I want to go back to Cain for a moment.

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S1: Here in the book, you make the comment, you wonder

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S1: how Cain got this way. Was it a slow journey

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S1: of rebellion? Well, I wonder that too. What's your best guess, Dan?

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S4: You know, the Bible doesn't give you a lot of

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S4: that narrative, but clearly when you have the the story

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S4: of him and Abel, you know, they're clearly older. We

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S4: don't know how old they are, but, you know, sin

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S4: doesn't sort of just happen over, you know, these big

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S4: egregious sins like murder don't happen overnight. In fact, the

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S4: the Lord warned him earlier and said, hey, sin crouches

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S4: at your door when God rejected his offering and he

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S4: didn't repent. He said, this little seed of sin that

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S4: you're nurturing, this resentment, this anger, this rebellion, is going

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S4: to manifest into something bigger that you can't control. And

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S4: that's really a lesson for us. There's an old song

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S4: that says, I think it's an old gospel song that says,

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S4: sin will take you farther than you want to go.

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S4: And that's really what happened with Cain. And I do wonder,

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S4: does it nurture over time this, this rivalry with his brother? Clearly,

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S4: when he brought his sacrifice, he knew that he was

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S4: making a rebellious statement. You know, they clearly knew what

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S4: was expected. You know, Abel knew what was expected in

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S4: the sacrifice. So here Cain tries to go his own way.

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S4: He tries to do his own thing and is rejected

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S4: by God. And that slowly, over time, sin manifests. That's

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S4: what happens when we nurture sin in our hearts. Whether

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S4: it's anger, whether it's lust, whether it's pride, if we

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S4: don't deal with it. As John Owens says, we don't

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S4: be killing sin. It will kill us.

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S1: You're listening to The Land and the book. I'm John Gager,

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S1: talking today with Moody Publishers author Daniel Darling, who's recently

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S1: released The Characters of Creation. A major character in the

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S1: story of Creation, of course, is the deceiver in the

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S1: Garden of Eden. He takes on the form of a serpent.

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S1: In the book, you comment. The serpent's appeals, so crafty

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S1: and surgical, are repeated by the enemy every day since

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S1: that fateful day in the garden. Give me an example

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S1: or two.

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S4: Well, I think we sometimes view Satan as this big, lumbering, angry,

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S4: fiery red guy with horns. And in some ways he is.

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S4: He's right. He's looking about whom he may devour, but

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S4: he's crafty. The Bible says he's the craftiest and wisest

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S4: and most cunning member of the animal kingdom, and Satan

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S4: custom designs temptations specifically for each of us, and so

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S4: we have to be careful about pride in thinking, okay,

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S4: we watched somebody sin and we say, I could never

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S4: do that. Well, you may never do that, but Satan

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S4: is a custom designed temptation for you. And I think

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S4: we're foolish if we think we can resist Satan with

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S4: our own strength. This is why we need to pray

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S4: the Lord's Prayer. Lead me not into temptation. We need

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S4: the Holy Spirit's power to resist the wiles of Satan.

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S4: He will tempt us in ways that we don't see coming.

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S4: He will tempt us with influences that we don't see coming.

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S4: Sometimes he'll prey on our gifts, the things we're most

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S4: gifted at and and use that as a way to

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S4: bring about our downfall. You know, most of temptation doesn't

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S4: come in obvious ways. It comes through the back door. And,

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S4: you know, I think Satan is good at that. But

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S4: if we know Christ and through the power of the spirit,

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S4: we can overcome temptation and we can resist the devil,

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S4: and he will flee from us.

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S1: If there was a third seat in this conversation, a

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S1: chair and a microphone. And joining us were the Almighty himself.

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S1: And I mean no disrespect here. What do you think

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S1: he would respond if we were to ask him about

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S1: his thoughts that awful day when Adam and Eve succumbed

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S1: to temptation? Obviously, he had foreknowledge. Maybe we're talking more

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S1: about his heart, what he was feeling. What do you

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S1: think he was processing as that drama of deception unfolded?

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S4: Well, obviously you have to say that the heart of

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S4: God was grieved. You know, he does grieve at sin,

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S4: but you take a step backward and look just what

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S4: Adam and Eve were deciding in that moment. They were

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S4: looking around at this beautiful world that their loving father

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S4: created for them, full of beauty and goodness and light.

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S4: And they were given all the raw materials so that

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S4: they could be fruitful and multiply and subdue the earth.

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S4: They can create in the image of their loving creator.

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S4: They were walking with God in the cool of the day,

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S4: and to listen to the voice of the serpent who

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S4: comes along and what he says is basically he doubts

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S4: God's goodness. He gets Adam and Eve to think, well,

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S4: maybe the Heavenly Father who created us in his image,

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S4: who sculpted us with his hands from the dust of

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S4: the ground, who breathed into us the breath of life,

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S4: who crafted us with care and precision and and attention.

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S4: Maybe he's holding out on us. Maybe there's something we

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S4: don't know. Maybe we can live this life on our

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S4: own without him. And what a rejection that was at

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S4: the heart of it was ingratitude to say the father,

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S4: he's not a good father, and I need to order

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S4: my own life instead of letting the Heavenly Father order

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S4: it for me. And so that grieves the heart of God.

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S4: Sin grieves the heart of God. Yes. Yet he also

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S4: is a God of mercy who pursued Adam and Eve

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S4: and immediately offered that glimpse of a promise to renew

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S4: and restore the human race.

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S1: You have twice now referenced that verse in the Genesis account,

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S1: referring to Adam and Eve walking with God in the

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S1: cool of the day. I don't want to be out

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S1: of bounds here, but I'd like to go for a

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S1: morning walk when we're out at our camper. It is

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S1: so beautiful. So many trees are lining, arching over the

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S1: roads that I often stop from trying to memorize my

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S1: little scripture packet and just talk to God. And it

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S1: is such a lovely experience, and I keep going back

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S1: to the notion this had to be a little bit

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S1: what it was like to talk with God in the

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S1: cool of the day. Am I reaching too far?

439
00:23:53,300 --> 00:23:56,899
S4: I don't think so. I mean, obviously they were innocent.

440
00:23:56,900 --> 00:23:59,120
S4: They did not have sin, so there was no barrier

441
00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:01,070
S4: between them and God. Now, what's interesting about Adam and Eve?

442
00:24:01,100 --> 00:24:03,500
S4: They were innocent, but they were not necessarily righteous, right?

443
00:24:03,530 --> 00:24:06,260
S4: Jesus proved by his life that he was both innocent

444
00:24:06,260 --> 00:24:09,140
S4: and righteous. And one day we will be made fully righteous.

445
00:24:09,140 --> 00:24:12,229
S4: But they did have a relationship with God that was

446
00:24:12,230 --> 00:24:15,469
S4: uninhibited by sin. And of course, after the fall we

447
00:24:15,470 --> 00:24:17,510
S4: have sin. And so, you know, you look through the

448
00:24:17,510 --> 00:24:20,180
S4: narrative of the Old Testament that in order to meet God,

449
00:24:20,180 --> 00:24:22,129
S4: we have to have to be mediated, you know, through

450
00:24:22,130 --> 00:24:25,490
S4: the tabernacle, through the temple. But now in the new covenant,

451
00:24:25,490 --> 00:24:28,430
S4: because of Jesus death and resurrection, because he defeated sin

452
00:24:28,430 --> 00:24:31,010
S4: and death in the grave and the veil has been torn.

453
00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:32,929
S4: The Bible does say we can come boldly to the

454
00:24:32,930 --> 00:24:35,150
S4: throne of grace. We can have a relationship with God

455
00:24:35,150 --> 00:24:37,159
S4: through Christ. It may not be quite what Adam and

456
00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:39,709
S4: Eve had, but we can experience the fullness of a

457
00:24:39,710 --> 00:24:43,100
S4: relationship with God. We can talk to him. He can

458
00:24:43,100 --> 00:24:45,500
S4: be our friend. He can be our father, and he

459
00:24:45,500 --> 00:24:47,720
S4: listens to us and we hear from him. And so

460
00:24:47,720 --> 00:24:51,050
S4: I do think what you're describing is something that we

461
00:24:51,050 --> 00:24:53,810
S4: can have. And that's what's unique about Christianity, by the way,

462
00:24:53,810 --> 00:24:57,740
S4: that Christianity says that you can have a personal relationship

463
00:24:57,740 --> 00:24:59,930
S4: with the God of the universe. You can know and

464
00:24:59,930 --> 00:25:03,140
S4: be known by the God of the universe through Jesus,

465
00:25:03,140 --> 00:25:05,990
S4: because God has come among us and made a way.

466
00:25:06,020 --> 00:25:08,180
S4: And so, no, it's a beautiful thing. And I think

467
00:25:08,180 --> 00:25:11,150
S4: that's something that, um, you know, shameful in many ways

468
00:25:11,150 --> 00:25:12,740
S4: for many of us is we have access to God

469
00:25:12,740 --> 00:25:15,169
S4: through Christ, and we often don't take advantage of that.

470
00:25:15,170 --> 00:25:17,179
S4: And we don't have those conversations like we should, and

471
00:25:17,180 --> 00:25:19,550
S4: we don't walk with God like we can, like we're

472
00:25:19,550 --> 00:25:20,480
S4: invited to.

473
00:25:20,690 --> 00:25:23,870
S1: Well, you thought you understood the characters of creation, and

474
00:25:23,869 --> 00:25:26,390
S1: I'm sure you've got the basic facts, but if it's

475
00:25:26,390 --> 00:25:29,180
S1: been a while since you've dug a little deeper. This book,

476
00:25:29,210 --> 00:25:32,660
S1: easy to read, fascinating to digest, will put you in

477
00:25:32,660 --> 00:25:34,850
S1: touch in a fresh, new way. I recommend it from

478
00:25:34,850 --> 00:25:38,570
S1: Moody Publishers and today's guest, Daniel Darling. The Characters of

479
00:25:38,570 --> 00:25:41,660
S1: creation a link at our web site. The land and

480
00:25:41,660 --> 00:25:44,900
S1: the book.org. Dan, thanks so much for your time. Always

481
00:25:44,930 --> 00:25:46,190
S1: a great conversation.

482
00:25:46,220 --> 00:25:48,139
S5: John, thank you and thank you for your great thoughts.

483
00:25:48,140 --> 00:25:49,850
S5: I loved having this conversation with.

484
00:25:49,850 --> 00:25:52,610
S1: You, and we're looking forward to rejoining with Charlie Dyer

485
00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:54,350
S1: after the other side of this break here on the

486
00:25:54,350 --> 00:26:07,850
S1: land and the book. We're. So glad you've stuck with

487
00:26:07,850 --> 00:26:10,310
S1: us here at the Land and the book for segment three,

488
00:26:10,310 --> 00:26:12,890
S1: John Jaeger here with our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer. Questions

489
00:26:12,890 --> 00:26:15,470
S1: and answers coming your way. But of course, you know,

490
00:26:15,500 --> 00:26:17,870
S1: Charlie Israel has been in the news a lot over

491
00:26:17,869 --> 00:26:20,090
S1: the past year. And as we know, the Bible is

492
00:26:20,090 --> 00:26:23,570
S1: jam packed with end times prophecies about epic world events,

493
00:26:23,570 --> 00:26:26,510
S1: the regathering of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland.

494
00:26:26,510 --> 00:26:29,600
S1: And of course, Jesus returned. It is so crucial, I think,

495
00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:32,450
S1: for us as believers to have a proper understanding of

496
00:26:32,450 --> 00:26:35,090
S1: Bible prophecy. So our view of the future is shaped

497
00:26:35,090 --> 00:26:38,780
S1: by Scripture, not just whatever we're seeing online in the news. Right?

498
00:26:38,810 --> 00:26:41,450
S2: That's absolutely correct. And with that in mind, our friends

499
00:26:41,450 --> 00:26:44,600
S2: at Life and Messiah have published a book titled God,

500
00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:47,690
S2: Israel and Bible Prophecy, and they're offering it to listeners

501
00:26:47,690 --> 00:26:49,820
S2: of the land and the book for a limited time.

502
00:26:49,820 --> 00:26:53,209
S2: This informative book is focused on providing readers with a

503
00:26:53,210 --> 00:26:57,020
S2: deeper understanding and greater appreciation of what God has in

504
00:26:57,020 --> 00:27:00,110
S2: store for Israel and the nations by digging into what

505
00:27:00,109 --> 00:27:03,170
S2: the scriptures say about these issues. Now, if you're interested

506
00:27:03,170 --> 00:27:05,660
S2: in learning more about what God has in store, visit

507
00:27:05,690 --> 00:27:09,050
S2: Life in Messiah. Org and click on the Moody Radio

508
00:27:09,050 --> 00:27:11,510
S2: button there to find out how you can receive your

509
00:27:11,510 --> 00:27:17,600
S2: copy of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org.

510
00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:21,080
S1: All right, let's go to question number one from George.

511
00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:25,580
S1: Has any secular or archaeological history been found that collaborates

512
00:27:25,580 --> 00:27:29,960
S1: Israel's exodus from Egypt or Joseph's place in Egypt's history.

513
00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:32,929
S1: So many other historical events have been confirmed by the

514
00:27:32,930 --> 00:27:36,200
S1: Bible and other sources, yet I haven't seen anything concerning

515
00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:37,340
S1: these two events.

516
00:27:37,369 --> 00:27:39,619
S2: I need to answer this a couple of ways. First,

517
00:27:39,650 --> 00:27:41,720
S2: on the whole, there isn't a great deal of historical

518
00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:45,260
S2: evidence found in Egypt for Joseph or the Exodus, but

519
00:27:45,260 --> 00:27:49,070
S2: that's really not a problem for several reasons. Chronologically, Joseph

520
00:27:49,070 --> 00:27:53,420
S2: coincides with the Second Intermediate Period of Egypt's history following

521
00:27:53,450 --> 00:27:55,640
S2: the collapse of the Middle Kingdom, and there's really not

522
00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:58,790
S2: much information from that period. And while the Exodus took

523
00:27:58,790 --> 00:28:01,220
S2: place in the New Kingdom era, that was a time

524
00:28:01,250 --> 00:28:04,430
S2: of power and influence. But Egypt placed virtually no emphasis

525
00:28:04,460 --> 00:28:07,129
S2: in any of its monuments on its failures. Instead, it

526
00:28:07,130 --> 00:28:10,280
S2: always focused on glorifying its success and tended to leave

527
00:28:10,310 --> 00:28:13,489
S2: out the other stuff. But also there's some discoveries that

528
00:28:13,490 --> 00:28:16,129
S2: do help support the Bible. One is called the Dream

529
00:28:16,130 --> 00:28:18,800
S2: Stela of Thutmose. The fourth was found at the base

530
00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:22,129
S2: of the Sphinx, and it basically says the Pharaoh was there,

531
00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:23,929
S2: had a dream. And the God said to him, if

532
00:28:23,930 --> 00:28:26,180
S2: you clean away the sand from the Sphinx, I'll make

533
00:28:26,180 --> 00:28:28,369
S2: you Pharaoh. And of course, the question would be is

534
00:28:28,369 --> 00:28:30,530
S2: if he was the oldest son or the firstborn son,

535
00:28:30,530 --> 00:28:33,590
S2: he would become Pharaoh. So it suggests that he may

536
00:28:33,590 --> 00:28:35,720
S2: have had an older brother who died, and that would

537
00:28:35,750 --> 00:28:38,180
S2: have been right at the time of the exodus. Now, finally,

538
00:28:38,180 --> 00:28:40,910
S2: there's a scholar who's trying to find more direct and

539
00:28:40,910 --> 00:28:45,140
S2: credible links. I'm not professionally qualified to evaluate his arguments,

540
00:28:45,140 --> 00:28:49,220
S2: but I found the book interesting. His name is Douglas Petrovich.

541
00:28:49,370 --> 00:28:54,110
S2: It's Petrovich, and he's written a book titled origins of

542
00:28:54,110 --> 00:28:57,650
S2: the Hebrews New Evidence of Israelites in Egypt from Joseph

543
00:28:57,650 --> 00:29:00,020
S2: to the Exodus. And I'd encourage you to take a

544
00:29:00,020 --> 00:29:02,120
S2: look at that book and see what you think of that.

545
00:29:02,150 --> 00:29:04,760
S1: All right. Thank you for that question. Here's one from Bill.

546
00:29:04,790 --> 00:29:06,890
S1: He says, I have a Jewish friend to whom I

547
00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:09,770
S1: have tried to present Jesus in word and deed. She's

548
00:29:09,770 --> 00:29:13,340
S1: divorced in a horrible custody battle. The judge gave custody

549
00:29:13,340 --> 00:29:16,820
S1: to the ex-husband. And under his care, their son died.

550
00:29:16,820 --> 00:29:20,750
S1: She's devastated, doesn't want to live, feels life is meaningless.

551
00:29:20,750 --> 00:29:23,120
S1: I'm guessing now is not the time to be preaching

552
00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:25,820
S1: Jesus to her, even though that I know that that's

553
00:29:25,820 --> 00:29:28,460
S1: her only path to peace and comfort. How would you

554
00:29:28,490 --> 00:29:30,650
S1: handle this situation? Yeah, I'd.

555
00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:33,260
S2: Take a slightly different approach, I think, in responding here.

556
00:29:33,290 --> 00:29:35,840
S2: We're not told much in the Bible on things like

557
00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:38,450
S2: the age of accountability and others, so I wouldn't go there.

558
00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:41,420
S2: What I'd suggest is first, assure her of your concern

559
00:29:41,420 --> 00:29:44,150
S2: and your prayer reminder of verses in the Bible like

560
00:29:44,150 --> 00:29:48,140
S2: Psalm 3418, the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and

561
00:29:48,140 --> 00:29:51,140
S2: saves those who are crushed in spirit. I share other

562
00:29:51,140 --> 00:29:53,600
S2: verses with her, including some from the New Testament. I

563
00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:56,480
S2: think of Jesus's words in Matthew 11 come to me,

564
00:29:56,480 --> 00:29:58,250
S2: all you who are weary and burdened, and I will

565
00:29:58,250 --> 00:30:01,010
S2: give you rest. But use God's Word to share its

566
00:30:01,010 --> 00:30:03,830
S2: message of comfort and hope. And then when the time

567
00:30:03,830 --> 00:30:06,320
S2: might seem appropriate, and you'll have to just trust God's

568
00:30:06,320 --> 00:30:08,810
S2: leading in this, I would suggest you try to explain

569
00:30:08,810 --> 00:30:11,930
S2: as simply as possible the gospel message. Tell her God

570
00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:14,510
S2: understands what it means to lose a son, since he

571
00:30:14,510 --> 00:30:17,150
S2: gave his one and only son to pay for our sin.

572
00:30:17,180 --> 00:30:19,580
S2: If you can, let her know that even in her Bible,

573
00:30:19,580 --> 00:30:22,670
S2: the Tanakh, it talks about God sending the Messiah to

574
00:30:22,700 --> 00:30:24,980
S2: die to pay the penalty for our sin. See if

575
00:30:24,980 --> 00:30:29,180
S2: you can have a read Isaiah 5213 through 53. 12

576
00:30:29,210 --> 00:30:33,170
S2: now you definitely want to display care, concern and great tact,

577
00:30:33,170 --> 00:30:36,410
S2: but the message of God's love and salvation are the

578
00:30:36,410 --> 00:30:38,990
S2: message of hope that can make an eternal impact on

579
00:30:38,990 --> 00:30:41,420
S2: her life. So ask God to give you that wisdom

580
00:30:41,420 --> 00:30:44,450
S2: and also ask him to prepare her heart to respond.

581
00:30:44,810 --> 00:30:47,180
S1: This is the land in the book from Moody Radio.

582
00:30:47,180 --> 00:30:51,020
S1: Questions and answers the segment title with our host, Charlie Dyer.

583
00:30:51,050 --> 00:30:54,290
S1: Pat says in acts 16, when Paul and Silas are

584
00:30:54,290 --> 00:30:57,110
S1: in prison in Philippi and an earthquake opens the cells,

585
00:30:57,110 --> 00:31:00,230
S1: why do you suppose the other prisoners stayed there and

586
00:31:00,230 --> 00:31:03,320
S1: didn't try to escape, since it appears their chains fell

587
00:31:03,350 --> 00:31:06,380
S1: off as well and their prison doors were also opened.

588
00:31:06,410 --> 00:31:08,750
S1: That's always baffled me a little. What are your thoughts?

589
00:31:08,780 --> 00:31:11,330
S2: Yeah, and we're not told specifically in that text. So

590
00:31:11,330 --> 00:31:12,500
S2: you got to take what I'm going to say with

591
00:31:12,500 --> 00:31:15,710
S2: a grain of salt. But in verse 23, after having

592
00:31:15,710 --> 00:31:19,040
S2: them severely beaten, the magistrates commanded the jailer to guard

593
00:31:19,070 --> 00:31:22,340
S2: them securely or carefully. But the Greek word that's used

594
00:31:22,340 --> 00:31:25,550
S2: there is the same one Judas used in his instructions

595
00:31:25,550 --> 00:31:27,800
S2: to the guards. When he went to Jesus, he said,

596
00:31:27,800 --> 00:31:30,170
S2: whomever I kiss, he's the one. Seize him and lead

597
00:31:30,170 --> 00:31:34,130
S2: him away under guard. That's the word that's used there.

598
00:31:34,130 --> 00:31:35,660
S2: And the point is, they were to make sure he

599
00:31:35,660 --> 00:31:38,810
S2: didn't get away. So the Philippian jailer was under orders.

600
00:31:38,810 --> 00:31:41,810
S2: Make sure these prisoners are kept under strict security. But

601
00:31:41,810 --> 00:31:44,840
S2: the second thing I notice is the jailer apparently was

602
00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:46,670
S2: at the jail all night when it says he woke

603
00:31:46,670 --> 00:31:49,010
S2: up and saw the doors open. I take that to

604
00:31:49,040 --> 00:31:51,740
S2: mean he was right there in the prison. I suspect

605
00:31:51,740 --> 00:31:53,750
S2: the rumbling woke him up. You know, perhaps from a

606
00:31:53,750 --> 00:31:56,120
S2: deep sleep. And when he looked through the dust and

607
00:31:56,120 --> 00:31:58,550
S2: the darkness, he saw that all the doors were open

608
00:31:58,550 --> 00:32:00,740
S2: and simply assumed everyone had fled. And that's why he

609
00:32:00,740 --> 00:32:03,230
S2: was going to kill himself. But that leads to my

610
00:32:03,230 --> 00:32:07,340
S2: final observation, I suspect. The shaking, the rumbling, the rocks falling,

611
00:32:07,340 --> 00:32:11,630
S2: dust flying, chain snapping, doors flying open and banging against

612
00:32:11,630 --> 00:32:14,570
S2: the walls shocked and frightened the prisoners as much as

613
00:32:14,570 --> 00:32:17,660
S2: it did the jailer. When someone's paralyzed by fear, we

614
00:32:17,690 --> 00:32:19,760
S2: talk about him being like a deer in the headlights.

615
00:32:19,790 --> 00:32:23,150
S2: A natural reaction is just to freeze in place. Add

616
00:32:23,150 --> 00:32:25,400
S2: to that the fact that the prison was pitch dark,

617
00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:28,730
S2: since the jailer has to call for lights before rushing inside.

618
00:32:28,760 --> 00:32:31,790
S2: I think the prisoners were shocked by the earthquake, blinded

619
00:32:31,790 --> 00:32:35,240
S2: by the darkness and dust, and momentarily stunned, and he

620
00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:38,479
S2: rushed in before they could even think about any other options.

621
00:32:38,630 --> 00:32:42,590
S1: Jim says, I heard a reformed theology professor essentially state

622
00:32:42,590 --> 00:32:47,360
S1: that regeneration comes before faith because a dead man cannot choose.

623
00:32:47,390 --> 00:32:48,920
S1: What's your opinion on this?

624
00:32:48,950 --> 00:32:52,280
S2: Well, and Jim also quoted from Robert Soucy, and my

625
00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:55,250
S2: answer is I like what Robert Soucy said. The problem

626
00:32:55,250 --> 00:32:57,500
S2: with a pure reformed view is that if you take

627
00:32:57,500 --> 00:33:01,100
S2: it to its logical conclusion, it removes the incentive to witness.

628
00:33:01,250 --> 00:33:04,100
S2: Why bother to witness to a spiritual corpse? It also

629
00:33:04,100 --> 00:33:07,340
S2: ignores all the passages that talk about extending an invitation

630
00:33:07,340 --> 00:33:09,860
S2: to someone to exercise their will and come to faith.

631
00:33:09,890 --> 00:33:12,500
S2: You know, we just talked about the Philippian jailer in

632
00:33:12,530 --> 00:33:14,480
S2: that previous question. And when he said, what do I

633
00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:16,670
S2: need to do to be saved? Paul tells him to

634
00:33:16,700 --> 00:33:19,330
S2: believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. But how could Paul

635
00:33:19,330 --> 00:33:22,390
S2: tell him to do that, if indeed the reality is

636
00:33:22,390 --> 00:33:25,210
S2: that he could do nothing? So I personally think reconciling

637
00:33:25,210 --> 00:33:29,260
S2: individual faith and regeneration is a mystery. On the one hand,

638
00:33:29,260 --> 00:33:32,680
S2: we are called to exercise faith for salvation. On the other,

639
00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:35,410
S2: regeneration is a work of God. So I'll let God

640
00:33:35,410 --> 00:33:38,469
S2: handle the details of fitting those together. My role is

641
00:33:38,470 --> 00:33:41,350
S2: to encourage someone to exercise faith in Christ and to

642
00:33:41,380 --> 00:33:43,120
S2: call on him for salvation.

643
00:33:43,150 --> 00:33:47,080
S1: Brian says a lot of believers unfortunately backslide and fall

644
00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:50,020
S1: into deep sin. I heard someone else recently say, the

645
00:33:50,020 --> 00:33:52,959
S1: Bible teaches that God does not see sin in the

646
00:33:52,960 --> 00:33:55,870
S1: believer because we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ

647
00:33:55,900 --> 00:33:58,720
S1: the Son. I'm not excusing sin. I would like to

648
00:33:58,720 --> 00:34:01,990
S1: know the best way for us to understand this whole issue. Yeah,

649
00:34:02,020 --> 00:34:02,320
S1: and in.

650
00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:04,420
S2: First, John, I need to add a few details at

651
00:34:04,420 --> 00:34:06,970
S2: the beginning, just to give a larger context for my answer.

652
00:34:06,970 --> 00:34:09,490
S2: In all of John's writings, I see him speaking in

653
00:34:09,489 --> 00:34:12,219
S2: black and white terms. That is, John is looking at

654
00:34:12,219 --> 00:34:15,970
S2: spiritual matters in terms of absolutes. Light versus darkness, Life

655
00:34:15,969 --> 00:34:21,040
S2: versus death, sin versus righteousness. It's just his style in writing. Second,

656
00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:23,950
S2: I believe John is internally consistent, so you need to

657
00:34:23,950 --> 00:34:26,290
S2: interpret one part of what he says in light of

658
00:34:26,290 --> 00:34:28,180
S2: the rest of the book. So here's why I think

659
00:34:28,180 --> 00:34:31,150
S2: that's important. In chapter three, when John says, no one

660
00:34:31,150 --> 00:34:33,640
S2: who abides in him sins, or no one who's born

661
00:34:33,670 --> 00:34:36,430
S2: of God sins, we need to understand what he said

662
00:34:36,430 --> 00:34:39,279
S2: in a way that harmonizes what he'd already said in

663
00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:41,799
S2: chapter one. There he wrote, if we say we have

664
00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:44,170
S2: no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is

665
00:34:44,170 --> 00:34:46,150
S2: not in us. If we say we have not sinned,

666
00:34:46,150 --> 00:34:48,009
S2: we make him a liar and His word is not

667
00:34:48,010 --> 00:34:50,140
S2: in us. So I don't believe we can say that

668
00:34:50,140 --> 00:34:52,960
S2: the verses in chapter three mean God doesn't see sin.

669
00:34:52,989 --> 00:34:55,570
S2: That just seems to contradict what he's already said in

670
00:34:55,570 --> 00:34:58,870
S2: chapter one. I think the best approach in chapter three,

671
00:34:58,870 --> 00:35:01,540
S2: though not without its own problems, is to see John's

672
00:35:01,540 --> 00:35:04,330
S2: use of the present tense there to describe a present

673
00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:08,560
S2: habitual action. That's why many modern Bible versions like the NIV,

674
00:35:08,590 --> 00:35:13,270
S2: the ESV, translate it as keeps on sinning. Believers can backslide,

675
00:35:13,270 --> 00:35:16,290
S2: we can fall into grievous sin, but God continues to

676
00:35:16,320 --> 00:35:18,660
S2: work in the lives of his children to either bring

677
00:35:18,660 --> 00:35:21,420
S2: them to repentance, as was in the case, say, Peter,

678
00:35:21,420 --> 00:35:24,450
S2: when he denied Christ, or to bring about temporal judgment,

679
00:35:24,450 --> 00:35:27,360
S2: which Paul talks about in first Corinthians five. But as

680
00:35:27,360 --> 00:35:30,509
S2: John makes clear, as believers, we all do sin, but

681
00:35:30,510 --> 00:35:32,969
S2: our lives ought to be characterized by the new life

682
00:35:32,969 --> 00:35:35,910
S2: we've received from God. He patiently works in the lives

683
00:35:35,910 --> 00:35:38,820
S2: of his children to bring about spiritual growth, or to

684
00:35:38,850 --> 00:35:40,830
S2: discipline those who refuse to do so.

685
00:35:41,070 --> 00:35:42,930
S1: All right, let's squeeze one more question in. This one

686
00:35:42,930 --> 00:35:45,629
S1: from Jackie, who says, I've heard so many people say

687
00:35:45,630 --> 00:35:49,140
S1: the current situation in Israel is actually getting ready for

688
00:35:49,140 --> 00:35:53,160
S1: the Gog and Magog war, but Russia is not currently

689
00:35:53,160 --> 00:35:56,490
S1: in the mix. Can you give a ballpark timeline of

690
00:35:56,489 --> 00:36:00,210
S1: when you see the Gog Magog war happening before or

691
00:36:00,210 --> 00:36:01,440
S1: after the rapture?

692
00:36:01,469 --> 00:36:04,259
S2: I see it taking place after the rapture, but in

693
00:36:04,260 --> 00:36:06,690
S2: the very first part of the tribulation period. And I

694
00:36:06,690 --> 00:36:08,879
S2: really do see God setting the stage right now. You know,

695
00:36:08,910 --> 00:36:11,820
S2: Russia is currently occupied in its war with Ukraine, but

696
00:36:11,820 --> 00:36:14,440
S2: they're still interested in the Middle East. They have forces

697
00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:17,410
S2: stationed in Syria, and they're definitely growing closer to both

698
00:36:17,440 --> 00:36:20,650
S2: Iran and Turkey, which are two of Gog's allies mentioned

699
00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:24,160
S2: in Ezekiel 38. That's Persia and Togarmah. There. I don't

700
00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:26,230
S2: believe it will take very long for all these pieces

701
00:36:26,230 --> 00:36:29,319
S2: to come together once the rapture happens, and the Antichrist

702
00:36:29,350 --> 00:36:31,359
S2: confirms that covenant with Israel.

703
00:36:31,420 --> 00:36:32,980
S1: And that's a look at some of the questions that

704
00:36:32,980 --> 00:36:35,710
S1: have come in to our email inbox, and we'd love

705
00:36:35,710 --> 00:36:38,529
S1: to answer your question any old time. You can send

706
00:36:38,530 --> 00:36:43,810
S1: that email to us at The Land and the book@moody.edu.

707
00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:48,640
S1: The land and the book at Moody Dot. Edu. Well,

708
00:36:48,670 --> 00:36:51,819
S1: Charlie Dyer's devotional is next here on the land and

709
00:36:51,820 --> 00:37:06,730
S1: the book. Welcome back to the land and the book.

710
00:37:06,730 --> 00:37:09,460
S1: I'm John Gager with our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer at

711
00:37:09,460 --> 00:37:13,410
S1: segment four. Charlie's devotional. Charlie, if we were to survey

712
00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:16,680
S1: every single person listening to us right now about where

713
00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:19,980
S1: they read in the Bible today, I'm guessing not a

714
00:37:19,980 --> 00:37:23,009
S1: whole lot of them would say, ding ding. Leviticus.

715
00:37:23,280 --> 00:37:24,570
S6: Yeah, you're right John.

716
00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:28,290
S1: I'm guessing, though, that's exactly the anchor point for your

717
00:37:28,290 --> 00:37:29,700
S1: devotional today. Tell us more.

718
00:37:29,730 --> 00:37:32,100
S2: It is Leviticus 23 and we're going to be talking

719
00:37:32,100 --> 00:37:34,529
S2: about Sukkot as a many splendored thing.

720
00:37:34,560 --> 00:37:37,530
S1: Before we get to that, this Holy Land experience. Listen.

721
00:37:41,460 --> 00:37:46,260
S7: I'm mahnaz and I think what has overwhelmed me has

722
00:37:46,260 --> 00:37:51,420
S7: been being in the Judean wilderness. I will never, ever

723
00:37:51,420 --> 00:37:55,800
S7: look at the Psalms again, where David says, My God,

724
00:37:55,800 --> 00:38:00,660
S7: who is my rock, my fortress, my stronghold. I'll never

725
00:38:00,660 --> 00:38:04,170
S7: look at that the same again. It is. It just

726
00:38:04,170 --> 00:38:08,880
S7: comes to life. It is overwhelming to think of David

727
00:38:08,880 --> 00:38:13,290
S7: wandering through that At wilderness and trusting God and realizing

728
00:38:13,290 --> 00:38:18,120
S7: that God was going to deliver him, and also thinking

729
00:38:18,120 --> 00:38:24,270
S7: about Naomi and Ruth coming from Moab across the Dead Sea,

730
00:38:24,270 --> 00:38:28,470
S7: and just what they had to overcome to go through

731
00:38:28,469 --> 00:38:33,810
S7: that wilderness, those mountains, to get to Bethlehem. And thinking

732
00:38:33,840 --> 00:38:39,090
S7: about that older Jewish woman who longed for her home

733
00:38:39,090 --> 00:38:44,250
S7: so much, leading the younger Gentile woman. And I just

734
00:38:44,250 --> 00:38:48,000
S7: think that is what you intended, God, for the Jews

735
00:38:48,000 --> 00:38:53,040
S7: to lead the Gentiles to the light of who you are.

736
00:38:53,040 --> 00:38:56,129
S7: And I'll never look at that the same again when

737
00:38:56,130 --> 00:38:57,780
S7: I read the book of Ruth.

738
00:38:59,310 --> 00:39:03,030
S1: All right. Let's get to Leviticus with your devotional today, Charlie.

739
00:39:03,239 --> 00:39:05,670
S2: Thanks, John. Almost 20 years ago, I took my wife

740
00:39:05,670 --> 00:39:08,580
S2: to see Andy Williams in concert for Christmas. Now, I'm

741
00:39:08,580 --> 00:39:10,140
S2: not going to say that was a long time ago,

742
00:39:10,140 --> 00:39:13,170
S2: but Andy Williams is no longer with us, nor is

743
00:39:13,170 --> 00:39:15,870
S2: the concert venue where we went to see him. But

744
00:39:15,870 --> 00:39:18,120
S2: it was a good concert and Kathy enjoyed listening to

745
00:39:18,120 --> 00:39:21,270
S2: him sing. Many of the old classics, including Love Is

746
00:39:21,270 --> 00:39:24,450
S2: a many Splendored Thing from the film by the same name. Now,

747
00:39:24,450 --> 00:39:27,540
S2: for some reason, that song brings to mind the celebration

748
00:39:27,540 --> 00:39:30,990
S2: of Sukkot taking place right now, except the title needs

749
00:39:30,989 --> 00:39:34,410
S2: to be changed to Sukkot is a many Splendored Thing. Now,

750
00:39:34,410 --> 00:39:37,770
S2: to understand why, follow me into the wilderness as Moses

751
00:39:37,770 --> 00:39:41,940
S2: explains the many splendored aspects of that final festival in

752
00:39:41,940 --> 00:39:46,350
S2: Israel's annual cycle. At its inauguration, the festival was designed

753
00:39:46,350 --> 00:39:48,719
S2: to point the children of Israel to the past, the

754
00:39:48,719 --> 00:39:52,680
S2: present and the future. The festival is first introduced in

755
00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:56,010
S2: Exodus 23, even before the plans for the construction of

756
00:39:56,010 --> 00:39:59,850
S2: the tabernacle were given in verses 14 and 17, God

757
00:39:59,850 --> 00:40:02,340
S2: announces to Israel three times a year you are to

758
00:40:02,370 --> 00:40:05,190
S2: celebrate a festival to me three times a year all

759
00:40:05,190 --> 00:40:07,920
S2: the men are to appear before the sovereign Lord. The

760
00:40:07,950 --> 00:40:10,500
S2: last of the three is described in more detail in

761
00:40:10,500 --> 00:40:14,190
S2: verse 16. Celebrate the Feast of Ingathering at the end

762
00:40:14,190 --> 00:40:16,740
S2: of the year, when you gather in your crops from

763
00:40:16,739 --> 00:40:20,490
S2: the field. Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, is to mark

764
00:40:20,520 --> 00:40:23,790
S2: the end of the annual harvest cycle for the nation. Remember,

765
00:40:23,790 --> 00:40:26,790
S2: this is before the nation has even reached the Promised Land.

766
00:40:26,790 --> 00:40:30,000
S2: Everyone present at Mount Sinai had grown up in Egypt.

767
00:40:30,000 --> 00:40:32,819
S2: In fact, later in the book of Deuteronomy, God had

768
00:40:32,820 --> 00:40:35,280
S2: to explain the difference between the land of Egypt and

769
00:40:35,280 --> 00:40:37,859
S2: the Promised Land. He said, the land you are entering

770
00:40:37,890 --> 00:40:40,350
S2: to take over is not like the land of Egypt

771
00:40:40,350 --> 00:40:42,870
S2: from which you've come, where you planted your seed and

772
00:40:42,870 --> 00:40:45,990
S2: irrigated it by foot, as in a vegetable garden. This

773
00:40:45,989 --> 00:40:48,810
S2: new land was dependent on the rain of heaven, rain

774
00:40:48,810 --> 00:40:51,779
S2: that God promised to supply if they stayed faithful, and

775
00:40:51,780 --> 00:40:54,630
S2: to help them remember, God ordered them to appear before

776
00:40:54,630 --> 00:40:56,730
S2: him three times a year at the time of the

777
00:40:56,730 --> 00:40:59,640
S2: barley harvest, at the time of the wheat harvest, and

778
00:40:59,640 --> 00:41:02,069
S2: in late summer at the end of the harvest season,

779
00:41:02,070 --> 00:41:05,700
S2: Sukkot was a reminder of God's faithfulness to Israel and

780
00:41:05,700 --> 00:41:08,580
S2: the need for Israel to remain faithful to God. But

781
00:41:08,580 --> 00:41:12,270
S2: like a multi-faceted diamond, Southcote sparkled with another of its

782
00:41:12,270 --> 00:41:17,610
S2: many splendid purposes, which Moses described in Leviticus 23. After

783
00:41:17,610 --> 00:41:19,740
S2: entering the land, Succoth was still to be a time

784
00:41:19,770 --> 00:41:23,520
S2: of celebrating the ingathering of the harvest. But now Succoth

785
00:41:23,550 --> 00:41:26,460
S2: was also to be a reminder of God's past faithfulness

786
00:41:26,489 --> 00:41:29,880
S2: to them during their time in the wilderness. So, beginning

787
00:41:29,880 --> 00:41:32,399
S2: with the 15th day of the seventh month, after you've

788
00:41:32,430 --> 00:41:35,279
S2: gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival of

789
00:41:35,280 --> 00:41:39,240
S2: the Lord for seven days, live in booths for seven days.

790
00:41:39,239 --> 00:41:42,090
S2: All native born Israelites are to live in booths, so

791
00:41:42,090 --> 00:41:44,640
S2: your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live

792
00:41:44,640 --> 00:41:47,040
S2: in booths when I brought them out of Egypt. I'm

793
00:41:47,040 --> 00:41:50,160
S2: the Lord your God. Why were the Israelites to live

794
00:41:50,160 --> 00:41:53,760
S2: in Sukkot or booths for the seven days of the festival?

795
00:41:53,760 --> 00:41:56,219
S2: It was to remind them of the booths or tents,

796
00:41:56,219 --> 00:41:59,040
S2: or temporary structures the nation had to live in when

797
00:41:59,070 --> 00:42:02,040
S2: God brought them out of Egypt and through the wilderness.

798
00:42:02,070 --> 00:42:05,670
S2: It was a graphic visual history lesson for the nation,

799
00:42:05,700 --> 00:42:08,370
S2: a reminder of how God had taken care of them

800
00:42:08,370 --> 00:42:10,830
S2: at a time when they were totally dependent on him

801
00:42:10,830 --> 00:42:14,819
S2: for both food and shelter. Sometimes visual lessons can bring

802
00:42:14,820 --> 00:42:17,910
S2: history to light in a rather dramatic fashion. When I

803
00:42:17,910 --> 00:42:20,730
S2: was ten, I joined the local Boy Scout troop. The

804
00:42:20,730 --> 00:42:23,760
S2: Scoutmaster had a great summer project for us. Somehow he

805
00:42:23,790 --> 00:42:26,610
S2: had secured old silk parachutes which we were going to

806
00:42:26,640 --> 00:42:29,820
S2: fashion into teepees. We cut and sewed together the chutes

807
00:42:29,820 --> 00:42:33,300
S2: and constructed the wooden poles to which we secured the fabric.

808
00:42:33,300 --> 00:42:35,040
S2: And then we took them down and went for a

809
00:42:35,040 --> 00:42:38,130
S2: weekend camp out at Camp Lavigne. The local Boy Scout camp.

810
00:42:38,130 --> 00:42:40,140
S2: It was going to be a glorious weekend of camping

811
00:42:40,140 --> 00:42:44,250
S2: and cooking out. Unfortunately, it rained Friday night. Let me

812
00:42:44,250 --> 00:42:46,710
S2: rephrase that. The sky opened up and we had an

813
00:42:46,710 --> 00:42:51,239
S2: old fashioned cloudburst Friday night, and we learned a valuable lesson.

814
00:42:51,239 --> 00:42:54,060
S2: There was a reason Indians used buffalo hides and not

815
00:42:54,060 --> 00:42:58,320
S2: silk parachutes for their teepees. Parachutes leaked like a sieve.

816
00:42:58,350 --> 00:43:00,779
S2: We had to break camp and head home Saturday morning

817
00:43:00,780 --> 00:43:05,589
S2: because everything scouts, tents, backpacks, and our food were soaked.

818
00:43:05,620 --> 00:43:09,010
S2: That experience with a modern day tent or sukkah has

819
00:43:09,010 --> 00:43:12,340
S2: stayed with me for many years. God wanted his people

820
00:43:12,340 --> 00:43:15,610
S2: to remember to relive what it was like during the Exodus.

821
00:43:15,640 --> 00:43:18,250
S2: It was a crucial life lesson that they needed to

822
00:43:18,250 --> 00:43:22,750
S2: reenact annually. Sukkot is a many splendored thing. The festival

823
00:43:22,750 --> 00:43:24,640
S2: looked back to the time of the Exodus and the

824
00:43:24,640 --> 00:43:27,730
S2: wilderness wanderings, and it was a present reminder of God's

825
00:43:27,730 --> 00:43:31,390
S2: faithfulness in meeting their needs throughout the entire harvest season.

826
00:43:31,420 --> 00:43:34,810
S2: But there's also a future aspect to this festival. God

827
00:43:34,810 --> 00:43:37,330
S2: intended for it to look forward to their fulfillment of

828
00:43:37,330 --> 00:43:40,779
S2: his plan for all humanity. God had told Abraham that

829
00:43:40,780 --> 00:43:44,080
S2: through him and his descendants, all the world would be blessed,

830
00:43:44,080 --> 00:43:47,590
S2: and Sukkot served as a reminder that God's blessing would

831
00:43:47,590 --> 00:43:50,560
S2: extend through Israel to the nations. Now, the first hint

832
00:43:50,590 --> 00:43:53,739
S2: of this is in Deuteronomy 16, where God once again

833
00:43:53,739 --> 00:43:57,700
S2: describes the purpose for Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. He says,

834
00:43:57,700 --> 00:44:00,970
S2: Celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days after you

835
00:44:01,000 --> 00:44:03,580
S2: have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your

836
00:44:03,580 --> 00:44:06,580
S2: wine presses. Be joyful at your feast. You, your sons,

837
00:44:06,580 --> 00:44:09,700
S2: your daughters, your men's servants and maidservants, and the Levites,

838
00:44:09,700 --> 00:44:12,940
S2: the aliens and the fatherless, and the widows who live

839
00:44:12,940 --> 00:44:15,850
S2: in your towns for seven days. Celebrate the feast of

840
00:44:15,850 --> 00:44:18,700
S2: the Lord your God at the place the Lord will choose.

841
00:44:18,700 --> 00:44:20,710
S2: For the Lord your God will bless you in all

842
00:44:20,710 --> 00:44:22,779
S2: your harvest, and all the work of your hands, and

843
00:44:22,780 --> 00:44:25,359
S2: your joy will be complete. Uh, by the way, the

844
00:44:25,360 --> 00:44:28,690
S2: aliens that are mentioned, there aren't extraterrestrial beings. Those are

845
00:44:28,690 --> 00:44:32,529
S2: the Gentiles living in Israel. The feast reached out to

846
00:44:32,560 --> 00:44:37,780
S2: embrace Israelites and Gentiles alike. The prophet Zechariah looks forward

847
00:44:37,780 --> 00:44:40,270
S2: to the Kingdom age when the Messiah will arrive. His

848
00:44:40,270 --> 00:44:42,100
S2: feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, and the

849
00:44:42,100 --> 00:44:44,290
S2: people will look on him whom they have pierced, and

850
00:44:44,290 --> 00:44:47,320
S2: turn in faith and repentance. And then in chapter 14

851
00:44:47,350 --> 00:44:50,560
S2: he describes what will follow. Then the survivors from all

852
00:44:50,560 --> 00:44:53,259
S2: the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year

853
00:44:53,260 --> 00:44:56,170
S2: after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and

854
00:44:56,170 --> 00:44:59,980
S2: to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. There it is Sukkot,

855
00:45:00,010 --> 00:45:03,580
S2: the Feast of Tabernacles, and the ultimate ingathering of the

856
00:45:03,580 --> 00:45:07,239
S2: nations joining with the people of Israel to worship the King,

857
00:45:07,239 --> 00:45:11,770
S2: the Lord Almighty. Sukkot is indeed a many splendored thing.

858
00:45:11,800 --> 00:45:14,560
S2: It helped Israel remember how God had provided for them

859
00:45:14,560 --> 00:45:17,530
S2: in the wilderness. It gave them an opportunity to celebrate

860
00:45:17,560 --> 00:45:21,189
S2: God's continuing favor in meeting their day to day physical needs.

861
00:45:21,190 --> 00:45:23,859
S2: And it looks forward to a day when all nations

862
00:45:23,860 --> 00:45:26,770
S2: will gather together with Israel to worship the King of

863
00:45:26,770 --> 00:45:29,560
S2: all the earth. So what difference can this make in

864
00:45:29,560 --> 00:45:32,260
S2: your life today? Well, I don't think you need to

865
00:45:32,290 --> 00:45:34,570
S2: set up a booth or a tent in your backyard.

866
00:45:34,600 --> 00:45:37,719
S2: I think there's a more practical application for us today.

867
00:45:37,750 --> 00:45:41,529
S2: We're continually bombarded by news articles telling us how awful

868
00:45:41,530 --> 00:45:44,470
S2: things are around us. It can discourage us, even cause

869
00:45:44,469 --> 00:45:48,310
S2: us to be depressed. But this week, stop looking around

870
00:45:48,310 --> 00:45:51,520
S2: and start looking up. Thank God for his blessings to

871
00:45:51,550 --> 00:45:55,120
S2: you and his faithfulness and his love. Make a list

872
00:45:55,120 --> 00:45:57,730
S2: of the ways God has met your needs and answered

873
00:45:57,730 --> 00:46:01,930
S2: your prayers over the past year. Yeah, next month is Thanksgiving.

874
00:46:01,930 --> 00:46:04,540
S2: Why not get an early start on that day by

875
00:46:04,570 --> 00:46:07,480
S2: focusing on all the ways God has shown himself faithful

876
00:46:07,480 --> 00:46:10,660
S2: to you and like Israel. Don't be afraid to include

877
00:46:10,660 --> 00:46:15,790
S2: the physical, emotional, spiritual, or financial wilderness experiences you've gone through.

878
00:46:15,820 --> 00:46:17,830
S2: Just be sure to look for the ways he has

879
00:46:17,830 --> 00:46:21,790
S2: met your needs, comforted you, and surrounded you with his love.

880
00:46:21,790 --> 00:46:24,219
S2: And then be sure to thank him for all he

881
00:46:24,219 --> 00:46:25,360
S2: has done.

882
00:46:25,390 --> 00:46:28,480
S1: Very, very practical as always. Thank you. Charlie, I like

883
00:46:28,510 --> 00:46:31,870
S1: that phrase. Stop looking around and start looking up. You

884
00:46:31,870 --> 00:46:33,970
S1: can hear the whole program again at our website, The

885
00:46:33,969 --> 00:46:37,090
S1: Land and the book org, and we encourage you to

886
00:46:37,120 --> 00:46:40,210
S1: share our podcast with your friends at the land and

887
00:46:40,210 --> 00:46:43,420
S1: the book org. That'll do it for our broadcast today.

888
00:46:43,420 --> 00:46:45,819
S1: Thank you so much for listening. We invite you back

889
00:46:45,820 --> 00:46:48,220
S1: next time for another edition of The Land and the

890
00:46:48,219 --> 00:46:51,280
S1: book from Moody Radio. I'm John Yeager for our host,

891
00:46:51,280 --> 00:46:54,100
S1: Charlie Dyer. See you next time on the land and

892
00:46:54,100 --> 00:46:54,820
S1: the book.