WEBVTT - The Characters of Creation 0:00:08.090 --> 0:00:11.330 Do you ever wonder why God didn't keep the serpent 0:00:11.360 --> 0:00:13.940 out of the Garden of Eden? And were Adam and 0:00:13.940 --> 0:00:17.720 Eve somehow to blame for Cain's failure? Coming up, you'll 0:00:17.720 --> 0:00:21.590 meet the characters of creation, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, 0:00:21.620 --> 0:00:25.130 the serpent, and more. Plus, Charlie Dyer's devotional will help 0:00:25.130 --> 0:00:28.910 you understand the Jewish festival known as Sukkot. And of course, 0:00:28.910 --> 0:00:31.250 we'll leave plenty of time to answer your questions about 0:00:31.250 --> 0:00:35.150 the Bible, Israel, and more. It's a lively conversation straight 0:00:35.150 --> 0:00:38.960 ahead on today's edition of The Land and the book. Welcome. 0:00:38.960 --> 0:00:42.200 I'm John Gager. Our host is author and Israel expert 0:00:42.200 --> 0:00:44.870 doctor Charlie Dyer. Boy, lots of news coming out of 0:00:44.870 --> 0:00:47.810 the Middle East today. Charlie. Oh, John. There is it's amazing. 0:00:47.810 --> 0:00:49.550 Just trying to keep up with it all. But that 0:00:49.550 --> 0:00:51.290 gives me a great thing to do every morning. 0:00:51.320 --> 0:00:53.060 That's right. And of course, Israel has been in the 0:00:53.060 --> 0:00:56.420 news so much this past year, Israel being focused on 0:00:56.420 --> 0:00:59.090 in the Bible, where it's jam packed with end times 0:00:59.120 --> 0:01:02.810 prophecies about epic world events, the regathering of the Jewish 0:01:02.810 --> 0:01:06.020 people to their ancient homeland. That, of course, Jesus return. 0:01:06.050 --> 0:01:08.600 So crucial, though, for us as believers to have a 0:01:08.600 --> 0:01:12.260 proper understanding of Bible prophecy. Why? So our view of 0:01:12.260 --> 0:01:16.250 the future is shaped by Scripture and not just today's headlines. Right, Charlie. 0:01:16.250 --> 0:01:18.680 That's absolutely right, John. And with that in mind, our 0:01:18.680 --> 0:01:22.250 friends at Life and Messiah have published a book titled God, 0:01:22.250 --> 0:01:25.820 Israel and Bible Prophecy that they're offering to listeners of 0:01:25.819 --> 0:01:28.400 the land in the book for a limited time. This 0:01:28.430 --> 0:01:31.940 informative book is focused on providing readers with a deeper 0:01:31.940 --> 0:01:35.750 understanding and greater appreciation of what God has in store 0:01:35.750 --> 0:01:38.630 for Israel and the nations by digging into what the 0:01:38.630 --> 0:01:41.750 scriptures say about these issues. Now, if you're interested in 0:01:41.750 --> 0:01:45.290 learning more about what God has in store, visit Life 0:01:45.319 --> 0:01:48.590 in Messiah. Org and click on the Moody Radio button 0:01:48.590 --> 0:01:52.100 to find out how you can receive your copy of God, 0:01:52.130 --> 0:01:57.230 Israel and Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org. 0:01:57.410 --> 0:01:59.210 And now a look at the stories coming out of 0:01:59.210 --> 0:02:02.120 the Middle East this past week. Since October the 1st, 0:02:02.150 --> 0:02:04.669 the world has been waiting to see how Israel would 0:02:04.670 --> 0:02:08.540 respond to the barrage of missiles fired against them by Iran. 0:02:08.570 --> 0:02:11.330 What do we know right now about this attack? 0:02:11.360 --> 0:02:13.880 Well, we know it's not a question of if Israel 0:02:13.880 --> 0:02:17.480 is going to respond, but how and when. And right now, 0:02:17.480 --> 0:02:20.960 we're still waiting for those answers. The expectation is that 0:02:20.960 --> 0:02:22.970 a key part of the response will be a strike 0:02:22.970 --> 0:02:26.929 by Israel's air force. And apparently Israel has already decided 0:02:26.930 --> 0:02:29.660 on the targets to be hit in addition to its 0:02:29.660 --> 0:02:33.109 air force. Israel also has its own arsenal of ballistic missiles, 0:02:33.110 --> 0:02:36.470 though it's unclear if they will use them in the attack. 0:02:36.500 --> 0:02:41.300 Israel's defense minister said Israel's response would be precise, painful 0:02:41.300 --> 0:02:45.829 and surprising, possibly alluding to more than just an aerial attack. 0:02:45.830 --> 0:02:49.790 For example, it could include cyber attacks, assassinations of key 0:02:49.820 --> 0:02:53.150 leaders and sabotaged equipment. They've used all of those in 0:02:53.150 --> 0:02:57.300 the past against Hezbollah and Hamas. Most Israelis see this 0:02:57.300 --> 0:03:01.560 as the ideal opportunity to strike Iran's nuclear program, which 0:03:01.590 --> 0:03:05.550 Israel views as an existential threat. But President Biden has 0:03:05.550 --> 0:03:09.660 said the U.S. opposes any attack on Iran's nuclear facilities 0:03:09.660 --> 0:03:13.350 or its oil production facilities, and with the U.S. providing 0:03:13.350 --> 0:03:17.310 both offensive weapons and defensive support, Israel is taking his 0:03:17.310 --> 0:03:21.419 warning very seriously. In addition, because of an apparent shortage 0:03:21.419 --> 0:03:24.660 of interceptor missiles, Israel and the U.S. are working to 0:03:24.690 --> 0:03:28.859 counter Iran's expected response. The U.S. sent an advanced Thad, 0:03:28.860 --> 0:03:32.940 or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system to Israel to 0:03:32.970 --> 0:03:36.240 add an additional layer of protection for the country, while 0:03:36.240 --> 0:03:39.690 Iran's nuclear sites and oil production facilities might be off 0:03:39.690 --> 0:03:43.890 the table. Israel could still hit military bases, missile and 0:03:43.890 --> 0:03:48.120 drone production sites, and Iran's power grid. Now, as we're 0:03:48.120 --> 0:03:51.930 recording this program, the attack hasn't yet happened, but it 0:03:51.930 --> 0:03:54.570 could take place at any time. In fact, even between 0:03:54.570 --> 0:03:57.800 now and when the programme is aired. One thing though, 0:03:57.800 --> 0:04:01.130 is for sure when Israel finally responds, it will send 0:04:01.130 --> 0:04:04.310 a clear message to Iran that Israel is serious about 0:04:04.310 --> 0:04:08.869 defending itself against all foreign threats. In the past, Iran's 0:04:08.870 --> 0:04:14.030 three biggest threats against Israel were Hezbollah, Hamas and Iran's missiles. 0:04:14.060 --> 0:04:17.659 Now they'll experience what Israel is capable of doing. 0:04:17.660 --> 0:04:20.719 Well, in a meeting last week with Iran's president, Russian 0:04:20.720 --> 0:04:24.740 President Putin called for a new world order. Who does 0:04:24.740 --> 0:04:27.920 he envision being part of this new order, and what 0:04:27.920 --> 0:04:31.070 impact might it all have on Israel and the U.S.? 0:04:31.160 --> 0:04:35.390 Well, Putin's New world order definitely involves Russia and Iran, 0:04:35.390 --> 0:04:38.330 but it also includes other allies of the two countries 0:04:38.330 --> 0:04:41.060 that he wants to bring together to counter the power 0:04:41.060 --> 0:04:43.970 and influence of the West. Some of the other countries 0:04:43.970 --> 0:04:47.300 that attended the conference included the heads of Central Asian 0:04:47.300 --> 0:04:53.419 nations like Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan. I guess 0:04:53.420 --> 0:04:55.630 you had to be a Stan stun to be included there. 0:04:55.630 --> 0:04:58.840 In fact, he also wanted to include Turkmenistan and other 0:04:58.839 --> 0:05:02.860 countries like China and a number of African nations. These 0:05:02.860 --> 0:05:08.710 strengthening ties include both economic and military cooperation. Russia's increased 0:05:08.740 --> 0:05:11.320 ties with Iran are the model for what Putin would 0:05:11.320 --> 0:05:15.310 like to develop elsewhere. Recently, Iran sent two satellites to 0:05:15.339 --> 0:05:18.549 Russia to be launched into orbit. One is a high 0:05:18.550 --> 0:05:23.680 resolution imaging satellite, the other a smaller communications satellite. Iran 0:05:23.680 --> 0:05:28.360 says the imaging satellite will be used for agriculture, environmental monitoring, 0:05:28.360 --> 0:05:32.469 disaster management and communication, but it could also be used 0:05:32.470 --> 0:05:35.979 to identify targets in Israel. In terms of the impact 0:05:35.980 --> 0:05:38.140 this might have on the US and the West, well, 0:05:38.170 --> 0:05:41.320 Putin is definitely trying to carve out an alliance that 0:05:41.320 --> 0:05:45.340 could help these countries bypass sanctions imposed by the West. 0:05:45.370 --> 0:05:48.220 He's also hoping to replace the West's influence in the 0:05:48.220 --> 0:05:52.540 Middle East and Africa with this new alliance. This complements 0:05:52.540 --> 0:05:55.409 the influence Russia has already been trying to carve out 0:05:55.410 --> 0:05:59.130 for itself in different countries in Africa, and it also 0:05:59.130 --> 0:06:02.339 aligns with Iran's attempts to expand its influence in the 0:06:02.339 --> 0:06:06.570 same region. From a biblical perspective, it parallels the alliance 0:06:06.570 --> 0:06:10.500 described in Ezekiel 38 and 39 that will someday form 0:06:10.500 --> 0:06:13.830 against Israel as part of the end times. Not all 0:06:13.830 --> 0:06:17.310 the countries listed there are currently part of this budding alliance, 0:06:17.310 --> 0:06:21.750 but the parallels are striking. Russia, Iran, Libya and Sudan 0:06:21.750 --> 0:06:25.289 are listed in those chapters, and they're currently aligning with 0:06:25.290 --> 0:06:28.740 or under the influence of this new axis. Boy, that's. 0:06:28.740 --> 0:06:31.350 An interesting development. This is the land and the book 0:06:31.350 --> 0:06:33.779 from Moody Radio. If you've joined us midstream, our host, 0:06:33.779 --> 0:06:36.390 Doctor Charlie Dyer, is working us through a list of 0:06:36.390 --> 0:06:39.750 current events stories from the week. Archaeologists claim to have 0:06:39.779 --> 0:06:45.180 uncovered evidence detailing how Assyrian King Sennacherib's invasion of Judah 0:06:45.210 --> 0:06:49.230 impacted Judah's economy in the days of King Hezekiah. What 0:06:49.260 --> 0:06:52.210 exactly did they uncover, and how valid are the connections 0:06:52.210 --> 0:06:53.680 they're apparently making? 0:06:53.710 --> 0:06:57.550 Well, this report shows both the significance and the limitations 0:06:57.550 --> 0:07:02.140 of archaeology. Archaeologists discovered the remains of two royal administrative 0:07:02.140 --> 0:07:06.370 centers about halfway between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. The first was 0:07:06.370 --> 0:07:10.030 completely destroyed, with the second built directly on top of 0:07:10.030 --> 0:07:14.230 its ruins. Inside the ruins, 180 jar handles with seal 0:07:14.230 --> 0:07:17.440 impressions were found. The original building had a mixture of 0:07:17.440 --> 0:07:21.130 handles with private names and handles that were stamped belonging 0:07:21.160 --> 0:07:24.670 to the king, or in Hebrew, la melek. In the 0:07:24.670 --> 0:07:28.390 rebuilt center, only handles stamped with Elimelech belonging to the 0:07:28.390 --> 0:07:31.660 king were found. Both sites date to the end of 0:07:31.660 --> 0:07:35.110 the eighth century BC, around the time of King Hezekiah 0:07:35.110 --> 0:07:38.470 and the Assyrian invasion of Judah. As we know from 0:07:38.470 --> 0:07:42.430 the Bible and from Assyrian sources, that Assyria invaded Judah 0:07:42.430 --> 0:07:46.600 and devastated the land, but weren't able to conquer Jerusalem 0:07:46.600 --> 0:07:50.650 or remove Hezekiah from the throne. The archaeologists are suggesting 0:07:50.650 --> 0:07:54.030 the Assyrians destroyed the first structure and then built the 0:07:54.030 --> 0:07:56.640 second on top of it to collect taxes from Judah 0:07:56.670 --> 0:08:00.540 after re-establishing control over the country. In their view, the 0:08:00.570 --> 0:08:04.110 lamella seals represented the collection of taxes in oil and 0:08:04.110 --> 0:08:08.010 grain to be paid to the Assyrians. However, the Bible 0:08:08.010 --> 0:08:12.030 actually offers a different understanding of the events. In 701 BC. 0:08:12.060 --> 0:08:15.000 Second Kings 18 and 19 begin with a summary of 0:08:15.000 --> 0:08:18.900 what happened. Hezekiah rebelled. Assyria attacked, and when it was 0:08:18.900 --> 0:08:22.410 all over, Hezekiah remained on the throne, though being forced 0:08:22.410 --> 0:08:25.560 to pay a heavy financial penalty that included a large 0:08:25.560 --> 0:08:29.580 payment of both gold and silver. Jerusalem itself was spared 0:08:29.580 --> 0:08:32.490 by divine intervention. When the Angel of the Lord killed 0:08:32.490 --> 0:08:38.820 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, forcing Sennacherib to withdraw. However, Judah was devastated, 0:08:38.820 --> 0:08:42.960 with both cities, towns and fields destroyed. Likely, the first 0:08:42.960 --> 0:08:45.689 building was destroyed by the Assyrians. If it was a 0:08:45.690 --> 0:08:48.809 royal storage facility, the Assyrians would have looted the oil 0:08:48.809 --> 0:08:51.300 and grain for their army and to try to starve 0:08:51.300 --> 0:08:54.510 out the country. But the Hebrew lamella handles in the 0:08:54.510 --> 0:08:57.180 rebuilt structure would seem to point to control of the 0:08:57.179 --> 0:09:00.809 facility by Judah, not the Assyrians. Lamella seals like this 0:09:00.809 --> 0:09:03.540 have been found at other sites, and suggest a place 0:09:03.540 --> 0:09:07.290 where produce was collected as taxes. In two Kings 19, 0:09:07.320 --> 0:09:11.280 Isaiah tells Hezekiah, this year you'll eat what grows by itself, 0:09:11.280 --> 0:09:13.890 and the second year what springs from that. But in 0:09:13.890 --> 0:09:16.530 the third year, sow and reap, plant vineyards and eat 0:09:16.530 --> 0:09:19.770 their fruit. Now that suggests that Judah would experience a 0:09:19.770 --> 0:09:23.760 prolonged food shortage following the Assyrian attack. And perhaps that's 0:09:23.760 --> 0:09:26.610 why the new building was constructed, and a system to 0:09:26.640 --> 0:09:30.449 store and distribute grain and oil was reestablished. Not to 0:09:30.480 --> 0:09:33.420 pay taxes to the Assyrians, but to provide food for 0:09:33.420 --> 0:09:36.960 those left in the land. The archaeology provides some pieces, 0:09:36.960 --> 0:09:38.640 but in this case we need to look to the 0:09:38.640 --> 0:09:41.190 biblical text for the larger picture. 0:09:41.220 --> 0:09:47.100 Smart aid, an Israeli non-governmental organization or NGO, has sent 0:09:47.100 --> 0:09:51.780 power and communication equipment to hurricane stricken areas in the US. 0:09:51.809 --> 0:09:56.010 Tell us about this humanitarian organization from Amazing Israel. 0:09:56.040 --> 0:09:58.680 Yeah, we're used to hearing about US aid groups traveling 0:09:58.679 --> 0:10:00.750 around the world to help in times of need. You know, 0:10:00.780 --> 0:10:03.900 Samaritan's Purse is one of those organizations that comes to mind, 0:10:03.900 --> 0:10:06.540 but Israel also has groups that do the same thing. 0:10:06.570 --> 0:10:08.910 And we've talked in the past about rescue workers and 0:10:08.910 --> 0:10:12.300 doctors and portable hospitals they send. But this story is 0:10:12.300 --> 0:10:15.780 about another organization, this smart aid group that sends solar 0:10:15.780 --> 0:10:19.590 power units and communication systems to hard hit areas in 0:10:19.590 --> 0:10:22.920 the wake of Hurricane Helene. They immediately shipped two units 0:10:22.920 --> 0:10:27.000 to Asheville, North Carolina, to provide electrical and communications support 0:10:27.000 --> 0:10:30.870 to first responders, local charities, and the communities at large, 0:10:30.870 --> 0:10:33.780 and more mobile trailers are on the way. Each trailer 0:10:33.780 --> 0:10:36.660 is staffed by five people and uses solar panels to 0:10:36.690 --> 0:10:40.290 provide electricity to shelters and clinics without power. They also 0:10:40.290 --> 0:10:43.740 provide a place where emergency responders can charge their cell phones, 0:10:43.740 --> 0:10:47.970 and they help keep communications systems operational. In addition, each 0:10:47.970 --> 0:10:51.660 unit also has solar powered water pumps and atmospheric water 0:10:51.660 --> 0:10:55.439 generators to provide fresh water literally out of thin air. 0:10:55.440 --> 0:10:58.410 When a disaster strikes, no group can do everything, but 0:10:58.410 --> 0:11:00.810 a group like this from Amazing Israel has focused on 0:11:00.809 --> 0:11:03.360 this one area where they can do something to make 0:11:03.360 --> 0:11:05.970 a positive impact. And all I want to say is 0:11:06.000 --> 0:11:08.760 a hearty thank you to Smart Aid and their volunteers 0:11:08.760 --> 0:11:10.200 from Amazing Israel. 0:11:10.230 --> 0:11:13.230 Great story to wrap up our opening segment. Thank you Charlie. 0:11:13.230 --> 0:11:16.079 I'm looking forward, though, to this conversation about the characters 0:11:16.080 --> 0:11:19.440 of creation that's next on the land and the book. 0:11:33.480 --> 0:11:36.870 We call this program The Land and the book. But 0:11:36.870 --> 0:11:40.080 if you don't properly understand that book, the Bible, well, 0:11:40.080 --> 0:11:42.510 it can lead to all kinds of trouble. That's why 0:11:42.510 --> 0:11:45.819 it's so important that we begin at the beginning. This 0:11:45.820 --> 0:11:48.429 is the land and the book. I'm John Gager and 0:11:48.429 --> 0:11:51.939 you're about to meet the characters of creation. First, though, 0:11:51.970 --> 0:11:54.940 let's give some thought to a fresh idea on loving 0:11:54.940 --> 0:11:59.260 our Jewish friends and neighbors for Christ. If you're interested 0:11:59.260 --> 0:12:02.320 in your Jewish friend, you better be interested in their holidays. 0:12:02.320 --> 0:12:05.890 Like the Feast of Tabernacles. Roy Schwartz is with Chosen 0:12:05.890 --> 0:12:09.700 People Ministries. How can we seize this holiday to spice 0:12:09.730 --> 0:12:11.469 a conversation up for Jesus? 0:12:11.500 --> 0:12:13.990 Well, you can say, I am so grateful for the 0:12:13.990 --> 0:12:17.140 Feast of Tabernacles because it reminds me that I'm just 0:12:17.140 --> 0:12:20.620 passing through, that I'm just dwelling in a sukkah, that 0:12:20.620 --> 0:12:25.330 my body is a tabernacle, is a sukkah, a dwelling place. 0:12:25.330 --> 0:12:28.660 And it's a reminder that I'm in the wilderness and 0:12:28.660 --> 0:12:34.270 Tabernacles is an annual reminder that I am just passing through, 0:12:34.270 --> 0:12:38.199 and that God provided for me, just like he provided 0:12:38.200 --> 0:12:42.220 for the Jewish people. Water in the wilderness, his presence 0:12:42.220 --> 0:12:44.850 by a pillar of fire by night and a cloud 0:12:44.850 --> 0:12:48.630 by day. And he tabernacled in the midst of us, 0:12:48.630 --> 0:12:51.450 he tabernacled among us. And that's what God has done 0:12:51.450 --> 0:12:55.170 in the Messiah and Feast of Tabernacles. Reminds me of 0:12:55.170 --> 0:12:55.800 all of that. 0:12:55.830 --> 0:13:00.870 Great thoughts from Roy Schwartz of Chosen People Ministries. Daniel 0:13:00.870 --> 0:13:04.830 Darling is an author, pastor, and leader. He was recently 0:13:04.830 --> 0:13:07.469 appointed as the director of the Land Center for Cultural 0:13:07.470 --> 0:13:11.970 Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dan is a best 0:13:11.970 --> 0:13:15.960 selling author of several books, including his newest Moody Publishers release, 0:13:15.960 --> 0:13:20.460 The Characters of Creation The Men, women, Creatures, and Serpent 0:13:20.460 --> 0:13:22.920 Present at the beginning of the world. He and his 0:13:22.920 --> 0:13:25.620 wife Angela have four children. It's really good to have 0:13:25.620 --> 0:13:27.809 you back on the land and the book, Dan. 0:13:27.840 --> 0:13:30.059 Well, thank you, and I'm so grateful to be on 0:13:30.059 --> 0:13:33.510 here and grateful to be on Moody Radio again. We're 0:13:33.510 --> 0:13:35.610 so many good things happen. Yeah. 0:13:35.640 --> 0:13:38.339 Well, you know, when you come to that creation story, 0:13:38.340 --> 0:13:41.640 there is no character greater or more central to the 0:13:41.640 --> 0:13:45.330 story than God Himself. He is the story. But what 0:13:45.330 --> 0:13:48.120 do we sometimes overlook? Do you think about his role 0:13:48.120 --> 0:13:49.079 in creation? 0:13:49.530 --> 0:13:52.650 Well, I think we overlook the fact that the Bible 0:13:52.650 --> 0:13:57.540 opens with this really bold declaration that God is like 0:13:57.570 --> 0:14:01.800 in the beginning, God. And, you know, it really is 0:14:01.800 --> 0:14:03.479 counter to a lot of the ways that people think 0:14:03.480 --> 0:14:06.900 about God, whether they're contemporary ideas about, you know, how 0:14:06.900 --> 0:14:10.320 the world came to be or even ancient myths that, 0:14:10.350 --> 0:14:12.300 you know, the world came to be as a clash 0:14:12.300 --> 0:14:14.910 of deities or all these things? And the Bible says, no, 0:14:14.940 --> 0:14:19.260 God always was. As theologians call it, the pre-existence of God. 0:14:19.260 --> 0:14:22.620 And that the world, you see is created by a 0:14:22.620 --> 0:14:25.770 loving father who created things for his glory. He created 0:14:25.770 --> 0:14:28.290 us in his image. And I think Moses is trying 0:14:28.290 --> 0:14:31.080 to set the tone to say all that comes after. 0:14:31.110 --> 0:14:35.040 All the things that you see stem from the fact 0:14:35.040 --> 0:14:37.290 that God is. And if God is and he is 0:14:37.320 --> 0:14:39.990 who he says he is, then everything else follows from that. 0:14:40.200 --> 0:14:43.660 Adam and Eve, Our first parents may not have been 0:14:43.660 --> 0:14:47.560 the best parents. Is it possible that the godless path 0:14:47.590 --> 0:14:50.560 Cain took is at least somewhat rooted in a failure 0:14:50.560 --> 0:14:53.560 of Adam and Eve to pass on their faith? Or 0:14:53.590 --> 0:14:56.050 am I being too harsh here? I mean, adult children. 0:14:56.080 --> 0:14:58.360 They do make their own choices. What do you think? 0:14:58.540 --> 0:15:01.150 Well, I mean, I think at the very least we 0:15:01.180 --> 0:15:04.239 clearly see that, you know, when James says in the 0:15:04.240 --> 0:15:07.060 book of James, when sin conceives, it brings forth death. 0:15:07.090 --> 0:15:10.000 It's really true that sin is not something to be 0:15:10.000 --> 0:15:13.210 trifled with. When Adam and Eve first abandoned the way 0:15:13.210 --> 0:15:15.700 of the father, they listened to the voice of the serpent. 0:15:15.700 --> 0:15:19.090 They sought to live life on their own and dabble 0:15:19.090 --> 0:15:22.450 with sin. That the serpent was wrong, that you will 0:15:22.450 --> 0:15:25.450 surely die, that sin as it shows itself in marvels 0:15:25.450 --> 0:15:27.310 its way into the human heart. It brings forth death. 0:15:27.310 --> 0:15:30.370 And already in the first generation you have a brother 0:15:30.370 --> 0:15:33.400 murdering another brother. And so this is the problem with sin. 0:15:33.400 --> 0:15:35.950 This is the Bible's opening passages and saying, you know, 0:15:35.980 --> 0:15:38.020 this is what's wrong with the human heart. There's something 0:15:38.050 --> 0:15:41.530 fundamentally corrupt about it. And so, yeah, I think in 0:15:41.530 --> 0:15:45.970 some ways, you know, Adam, you imagine the grief him 0:15:45.970 --> 0:15:49.060 and Eve felt knowing that they did once walk with 0:15:49.060 --> 0:15:50.770 God in the cool of the day, they lost that 0:15:50.770 --> 0:15:52.990 through their sin with the serpent. And then they had 0:15:52.990 --> 0:15:55.120 to see that play out in their own generation, their 0:15:55.120 --> 0:15:59.020 own family. How that must have been just grievous for them. Yeah. 0:15:59.350 --> 0:16:02.800 Daniel Darling is an author, pastor and leader. We're talking 0:16:02.800 --> 0:16:06.280 with him today about his newest Moody publishers release, The 0:16:06.280 --> 0:16:09.760 Characters of Creation. Well, the question that so many have 0:16:09.760 --> 0:16:13.360 asked through the centuries, Dan, is why not just bar 0:16:13.360 --> 0:16:17.290 the serpent from even entering the Garden of Eden? Your thoughts? 0:16:17.710 --> 0:16:21.370 That's a great question. And, you know, theologians have wrestled 0:16:21.370 --> 0:16:24.430 with that for all of human history. But, you know, 0:16:24.460 --> 0:16:26.440 it's hard for us to understand the mind of God. 0:16:26.440 --> 0:16:30.640 But God was not surprised, obviously, by the serpent and 0:16:30.640 --> 0:16:35.800 even uses Satan's deceptions and lies and destruction toward his 0:16:35.800 --> 0:16:38.710 glory and toward his end that God has even. It's 0:16:38.710 --> 0:16:41.140 hard for us to understand this, but God is even 0:16:41.140 --> 0:16:43.570 using those things for his own glory. As Joseph said, 0:16:43.600 --> 0:16:46.120 you know what others intend for evil? God intends for good. 0:16:46.150 --> 0:16:49.030 And so, buried in the awful tragedy of the garden 0:16:49.030 --> 0:16:52.600 is this beautiful story of God's redemption, his sending of Jesus, 0:16:52.600 --> 0:16:55.990 his rescuing of the human race, and rescuing of the planet. 0:16:56.170 --> 0:16:59.110 Which character in the creation story? As you look at 0:16:59.110 --> 0:17:02.590 the whole collection, do you think we least understand? 0:17:02.830 --> 0:17:06.010 That's a great question. I mean, I think, you know, 0:17:06.040 --> 0:17:07.929 I think it's interesting. We do spend a lot of 0:17:07.930 --> 0:17:10.510 time on Adam and Eve. But I do think what's 0:17:10.510 --> 0:17:13.300 interesting about Adam is that even though Eve was the 0:17:13.300 --> 0:17:15.610 first one who was deceived, you know, it's God who 0:17:15.609 --> 0:17:20.979 judges Adam first. It's Paul who uses Adam to typify humans, 0:17:21.220 --> 0:17:23.800 deal with the devil. And, you know, the first Adam, 0:17:23.800 --> 0:17:25.750 and then Jesus is the second Adam. I think in 0:17:25.750 --> 0:17:27.790 a weird way, we don't really understand Adam. And just 0:17:27.820 --> 0:17:29.590 imagine what it must have been like to be him, 0:17:29.590 --> 0:17:32.530 to be on both sides of the fall and to 0:17:32.560 --> 0:17:34.690 see his sin play out. I mean, all of us, 0:17:34.690 --> 0:17:39.010 in some respect, see our sinful choices play out before us. 0:17:39.310 --> 0:17:42.310 For fathers, we see, even as we do our best 0:17:42.310 --> 0:17:44.260 to raise our children, we see our choices play out 0:17:44.260 --> 0:17:46.600 some negative ways. We see that traits picked up by 0:17:46.600 --> 0:17:50.050 our kids. Adam had that in real living color. And 0:17:50.050 --> 0:17:51.550 yet we see in the garden one of my most 0:17:51.550 --> 0:17:54.580 favorite passages, when God comes searching for Adam and he 0:17:54.609 --> 0:17:57.369 asks Adam, where are you? And it's not God saying, 0:17:57.400 --> 0:17:59.950 you know that he lost Adam, but that he was 0:17:59.950 --> 0:18:03.550 searching and going after Adam and in his worst moment 0:18:03.550 --> 0:18:05.560 in his sin. And that's the kind of God we have, 0:18:05.560 --> 0:18:07.660 that he comes after us and searches after us, and 0:18:07.660 --> 0:18:09.850 he finds us even when we're in the midst of 0:18:09.850 --> 0:18:13.090 our worst moments. You know, the Bible says, when when 0:18:13.090 --> 0:18:15.070 we were sinners in the midst of our sin, Christ 0:18:15.070 --> 0:18:15.970 died for us. 0:18:16.030 --> 0:18:17.800 I want to go back to Cain for a moment. 0:18:17.800 --> 0:18:20.410 Here in the book, you make the comment, you wonder 0:18:20.410 --> 0:18:23.350 how Cain got this way. Was it a slow journey 0:18:23.350 --> 0:18:26.859 of rebellion? Well, I wonder that too. What's your best guess, Dan? 0:18:27.160 --> 0:18:29.230 You know, the Bible doesn't give you a lot of 0:18:29.260 --> 0:18:32.500 that narrative, but clearly when you have the the story 0:18:32.500 --> 0:18:35.500 of him and Abel, you know, they're clearly older. We 0:18:35.500 --> 0:18:38.510 don't know how old they are, but, you know, sin 0:18:38.510 --> 0:18:41.180 doesn't sort of just happen over, you know, these big 0:18:41.180 --> 0:18:44.720 egregious sins like murder don't happen overnight. In fact, the 0:18:44.720 --> 0:18:48.410 the Lord warned him earlier and said, hey, sin crouches 0:18:48.410 --> 0:18:51.290 at your door when God rejected his offering and he 0:18:51.290 --> 0:18:54.440 didn't repent. He said, this little seed of sin that 0:18:54.440 --> 0:18:58.310 you're nurturing, this resentment, this anger, this rebellion, is going 0:18:58.340 --> 0:19:00.560 to manifest into something bigger that you can't control. And 0:19:00.560 --> 0:19:02.900 that's really a lesson for us. There's an old song 0:19:02.900 --> 0:19:05.480 that says, I think it's an old gospel song that says, 0:19:05.480 --> 0:19:07.219 sin will take you farther than you want to go. 0:19:07.250 --> 0:19:09.920 And that's really what happened with Cain. And I do wonder, 0:19:09.950 --> 0:19:14.210 does it nurture over time this, this rivalry with his brother? Clearly, 0:19:14.210 --> 0:19:17.570 when he brought his sacrifice, he knew that he was 0:19:17.570 --> 0:19:20.900 making a rebellious statement. You know, they clearly knew what 0:19:20.900 --> 0:19:23.450 was expected. You know, Abel knew what was expected in 0:19:23.450 --> 0:19:25.730 the sacrifice. So here Cain tries to go his own way. 0:19:25.760 --> 0:19:27.800 He tries to do his own thing and is rejected 0:19:27.800 --> 0:19:30.770 by God. And that slowly, over time, sin manifests. That's 0:19:30.770 --> 0:19:32.540 what happens when we nurture sin in our hearts. Whether 0:19:32.540 --> 0:19:34.939 it's anger, whether it's lust, whether it's pride, if we 0:19:34.940 --> 0:19:37.149 don't deal with it. As John Owens says, we don't 0:19:37.180 --> 0:19:39.010 be killing sin. It will kill us. 0:19:39.100 --> 0:19:42.340 You're listening to The Land and the book. I'm John Gager, 0:19:42.340 --> 0:19:46.210 talking today with Moody Publishers author Daniel Darling, who's recently 0:19:46.210 --> 0:19:50.470 released The Characters of Creation. A major character in the 0:19:50.470 --> 0:19:53.679 story of Creation, of course, is the deceiver in the 0:19:53.680 --> 0:19:56.230 Garden of Eden. He takes on the form of a serpent. 0:19:56.230 --> 0:19:59.770 In the book, you comment. The serpent's appeals, so crafty 0:19:59.770 --> 0:20:03.640 and surgical, are repeated by the enemy every day since 0:20:03.640 --> 0:20:06.550 that fateful day in the garden. Give me an example 0:20:06.550 --> 0:20:07.210 or two. 0:20:08.140 --> 0:20:13.780 Well, I think we sometimes view Satan as this big, lumbering, angry, 0:20:13.810 --> 0:20:17.109 fiery red guy with horns. And in some ways he is. 0:20:17.109 --> 0:20:19.780 He's right. He's looking about whom he may devour, but 0:20:19.780 --> 0:20:23.920 he's crafty. The Bible says he's the craftiest and wisest 0:20:23.920 --> 0:20:28.960 and most cunning member of the animal kingdom, and Satan 0:20:28.960 --> 0:20:33.280 custom designs temptations specifically for each of us, and so 0:20:33.280 --> 0:20:36.490 we have to be careful about pride in thinking, okay, 0:20:36.520 --> 0:20:38.500 we watched somebody sin and we say, I could never 0:20:38.530 --> 0:20:40.270 do that. Well, you may never do that, but Satan 0:20:40.270 --> 0:20:43.719 is a custom designed temptation for you. And I think 0:20:43.720 --> 0:20:47.440 we're foolish if we think we can resist Satan with 0:20:47.440 --> 0:20:48.970 our own strength. This is why we need to pray 0:20:49.330 --> 0:20:51.640 the Lord's Prayer. Lead me not into temptation. We need 0:20:51.640 --> 0:20:54.250 the Holy Spirit's power to resist the wiles of Satan. 0:20:54.250 --> 0:20:56.920 He will tempt us in ways that we don't see coming. 0:20:56.950 --> 0:21:00.370 He will tempt us with influences that we don't see coming. 0:21:00.430 --> 0:21:02.860 Sometimes he'll prey on our gifts, the things we're most 0:21:02.859 --> 0:21:04.690 gifted at and and use that as a way to 0:21:04.720 --> 0:21:08.080 bring about our downfall. You know, most of temptation doesn't 0:21:08.080 --> 0:21:11.109 come in obvious ways. It comes through the back door. And, 0:21:11.140 --> 0:21:14.320 you know, I think Satan is good at that. But 0:21:14.350 --> 0:21:16.899 if we know Christ and through the power of the spirit, 0:21:16.900 --> 0:21:21.280 we can overcome temptation and we can resist the devil, 0:21:21.280 --> 0:21:22.840 and he will flee from us. 0:21:23.380 --> 0:21:26.410 If there was a third seat in this conversation, a 0:21:26.410 --> 0:21:31.000 chair and a microphone. And joining us were the Almighty himself. 0:21:31.000 --> 0:21:33.730 And I mean no disrespect here. What do you think 0:21:33.730 --> 0:21:35.530 he would respond if we were to ask him about 0:21:35.530 --> 0:21:39.010 his thoughts that awful day when Adam and Eve succumbed 0:21:39.010 --> 0:21:43.510 to temptation? Obviously, he had foreknowledge. Maybe we're talking more 0:21:43.510 --> 0:21:46.690 about his heart, what he was feeling. What do you 0:21:46.720 --> 0:21:50.860 think he was processing as that drama of deception unfolded? 0:21:51.430 --> 0:21:53.949 Well, obviously you have to say that the heart of 0:21:53.950 --> 0:21:56.230 God was grieved. You know, he does grieve at sin, 0:21:56.230 --> 0:21:59.169 but you take a step backward and look just what 0:21:59.170 --> 0:22:01.930 Adam and Eve were deciding in that moment. They were 0:22:01.930 --> 0:22:05.500 looking around at this beautiful world that their loving father 0:22:05.500 --> 0:22:09.280 created for them, full of beauty and goodness and light. 0:22:09.280 --> 0:22:12.219 And they were given all the raw materials so that 0:22:12.220 --> 0:22:14.830 they could be fruitful and multiply and subdue the earth. 0:22:14.859 --> 0:22:17.830 They can create in the image of their loving creator. 0:22:17.859 --> 0:22:20.680 They were walking with God in the cool of the day, 0:22:20.680 --> 0:22:24.190 and to listen to the voice of the serpent who 0:22:24.220 --> 0:22:27.970 comes along and what he says is basically he doubts 0:22:28.000 --> 0:22:30.730 God's goodness. He gets Adam and Eve to think, well, 0:22:30.760 --> 0:22:34.240 maybe the Heavenly Father who created us in his image, 0:22:34.240 --> 0:22:36.970 who sculpted us with his hands from the dust of 0:22:36.970 --> 0:22:39.280 the ground, who breathed into us the breath of life, 0:22:39.280 --> 0:22:44.530 who crafted us with care and precision and and attention. 0:22:44.859 --> 0:22:47.800 Maybe he's holding out on us. Maybe there's something we 0:22:47.800 --> 0:22:50.830 don't know. Maybe we can live this life on our 0:22:50.830 --> 0:22:54.159 own without him. And what a rejection that was at 0:22:54.160 --> 0:22:56.619 the heart of it was ingratitude to say the father, 0:22:56.619 --> 0:22:59.380 he's not a good father, and I need to order 0:22:59.380 --> 0:23:01.750 my own life instead of letting the Heavenly Father order 0:23:01.750 --> 0:23:03.850 it for me. And so that grieves the heart of God. 0:23:03.880 --> 0:23:07.420 Sin grieves the heart of God. Yes. Yet he also 0:23:07.420 --> 0:23:10.810 is a God of mercy who pursued Adam and Eve 0:23:10.810 --> 0:23:14.980 and immediately offered that glimpse of a promise to renew 0:23:14.980 --> 0:23:16.540 and restore the human race. 0:23:16.720 --> 0:23:20.020 You have twice now referenced that verse in the Genesis account, 0:23:20.020 --> 0:23:22.149 referring to Adam and Eve walking with God in the 0:23:22.150 --> 0:23:24.670 cool of the day. I don't want to be out 0:23:24.700 --> 0:23:27.189 of bounds here, but I'd like to go for a 0:23:27.190 --> 0:23:29.980 morning walk when we're out at our camper. It is 0:23:29.990 --> 0:23:33.800 so beautiful. So many trees are lining, arching over the 0:23:33.800 --> 0:23:37.910 roads that I often stop from trying to memorize my 0:23:37.910 --> 0:23:41.959 little scripture packet and just talk to God. And it 0:23:41.960 --> 0:23:44.600 is such a lovely experience, and I keep going back 0:23:44.600 --> 0:23:47.300 to the notion this had to be a little bit 0:23:47.300 --> 0:23:50.270 what it was like to talk with God in the 0:23:50.270 --> 0:23:52.970 cool of the day. Am I reaching too far? 0:23:53.300 --> 0:23:56.899 I don't think so. I mean, obviously they were innocent. 0:23:56.900 --> 0:23:59.120 They did not have sin, so there was no barrier 0:23:59.119 --> 0:24:01.070 between them and God. Now, what's interesting about Adam and Eve? 0:24:01.100 --> 0:24:03.500 They were innocent, but they were not necessarily righteous, right? 0:24:03.530 --> 0:24:06.260 Jesus proved by his life that he was both innocent 0:24:06.260 --> 0:24:09.140 and righteous. And one day we will be made fully righteous. 0:24:09.140 --> 0:24:12.229 But they did have a relationship with God that was 0:24:12.230 --> 0:24:15.469 uninhibited by sin. And of course, after the fall we 0:24:15.470 --> 0:24:17.510 have sin. And so, you know, you look through the 0:24:17.510 --> 0:24:20.180 narrative of the Old Testament that in order to meet God, 0:24:20.180 --> 0:24:22.129 we have to have to be mediated, you know, through 0:24:22.130 --> 0:24:25.490 the tabernacle, through the temple. But now in the new covenant, 0:24:25.490 --> 0:24:28.430 because of Jesus death and resurrection, because he defeated sin 0:24:28.430 --> 0:24:31.010 and death in the grave and the veil has been torn. 0:24:31.040 --> 0:24:32.929 The Bible does say we can come boldly to the 0:24:32.930 --> 0:24:35.150 throne of grace. We can have a relationship with God 0:24:35.150 --> 0:24:37.159 through Christ. It may not be quite what Adam and 0:24:37.160 --> 0:24:39.709 Eve had, but we can experience the fullness of a 0:24:39.710 --> 0:24:43.100 relationship with God. We can talk to him. He can 0:24:43.100 --> 0:24:45.500 be our friend. He can be our father, and he 0:24:45.500 --> 0:24:47.720 listens to us and we hear from him. And so 0:24:47.720 --> 0:24:51.050 I do think what you're describing is something that we 0:24:51.050 --> 0:24:53.810 can have. And that's what's unique about Christianity, by the way, 0:24:53.810 --> 0:24:57.740 that Christianity says that you can have a personal relationship 0:24:57.740 --> 0:24:59.930 with the God of the universe. You can know and 0:24:59.930 --> 0:25:03.140 be known by the God of the universe through Jesus, 0:25:03.140 --> 0:25:05.990 because God has come among us and made a way. 0:25:06.020 --> 0:25:08.180 And so, no, it's a beautiful thing. And I think 0:25:08.180 --> 0:25:11.150 that's something that, um, you know, shameful in many ways 0:25:11.150 --> 0:25:12.740 for many of us is we have access to God 0:25:12.740 --> 0:25:15.169 through Christ, and we often don't take advantage of that. 0:25:15.170 --> 0:25:17.179 And we don't have those conversations like we should, and 0:25:17.180 --> 0:25:19.550 we don't walk with God like we can, like we're 0:25:19.550 --> 0:25:20.480 invited to. 0:25:20.690 --> 0:25:23.870 Well, you thought you understood the characters of creation, and 0:25:23.869 --> 0:25:26.390 I'm sure you've got the basic facts, but if it's 0:25:26.390 --> 0:25:29.180 been a while since you've dug a little deeper. This book, 0:25:29.210 --> 0:25:32.660 easy to read, fascinating to digest, will put you in 0:25:32.660 --> 0:25:34.850 touch in a fresh, new way. I recommend it from 0:25:34.850 --> 0:25:38.570 Moody Publishers and today's guest, Daniel Darling. The Characters of 0:25:38.570 --> 0:25:41.660 creation a link at our web site. The land and 0:25:41.660 --> 0:25:44.900 the book.org. Dan, thanks so much for your time. Always 0:25:44.930 --> 0:25:46.190 a great conversation. 0:25:46.220 --> 0:25:48.139 John, thank you and thank you for your great thoughts. 0:25:48.140 --> 0:25:49.850 I loved having this conversation with. 0:25:49.850 --> 0:25:52.610 You, and we're looking forward to rejoining with Charlie Dyer 0:25:52.640 --> 0:25:54.350 after the other side of this break here on the 0:25:54.350 --> 0:26:07.850 land and the book. We're. So glad you've stuck with 0:26:07.850 --> 0:26:10.310 us here at the Land and the book for segment three, 0:26:10.310 --> 0:26:12.890 John Jaeger here with our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer. Questions 0:26:12.890 --> 0:26:15.470 and answers coming your way. But of course, you know, 0:26:15.500 --> 0:26:17.870 Charlie Israel has been in the news a lot over 0:26:17.869 --> 0:26:20.090 the past year. And as we know, the Bible is 0:26:20.090 --> 0:26:23.570 jam packed with end times prophecies about epic world events, 0:26:23.570 --> 0:26:26.510 the regathering of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland. 0:26:26.510 --> 0:26:29.600 And of course, Jesus returned. It is so crucial, I think, 0:26:29.600 --> 0:26:32.450 for us as believers to have a proper understanding of 0:26:32.450 --> 0:26:35.090 Bible prophecy. So our view of the future is shaped 0:26:35.090 --> 0:26:38.780 by Scripture, not just whatever we're seeing online in the news. Right? 0:26:38.810 --> 0:26:41.450 That's absolutely correct. And with that in mind, our friends 0:26:41.450 --> 0:26:44.600 at Life and Messiah have published a book titled God, 0:26:44.600 --> 0:26:47.690 Israel and Bible Prophecy, and they're offering it to listeners 0:26:47.690 --> 0:26:49.820 of the land and the book for a limited time. 0:26:49.820 --> 0:26:53.209 This informative book is focused on providing readers with a 0:26:53.210 --> 0:26:57.020 deeper understanding and greater appreciation of what God has in 0:26:57.020 --> 0:27:00.110 store for Israel and the nations by digging into what 0:27:00.109 --> 0:27:03.170 the scriptures say about these issues. Now, if you're interested 0:27:03.170 --> 0:27:05.660 in learning more about what God has in store, visit 0:27:05.690 --> 0:27:09.050 Life in Messiah. Org and click on the Moody Radio 0:27:09.050 --> 0:27:11.510 button there to find out how you can receive your 0:27:11.510 --> 0:27:17.600 copy of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org. 0:27:17.960 --> 0:27:21.080 All right, let's go to question number one from George. 0:27:21.080 --> 0:27:25.580 Has any secular or archaeological history been found that collaborates 0:27:25.580 --> 0:27:29.960 Israel's exodus from Egypt or Joseph's place in Egypt's history. 0:27:29.960 --> 0:27:32.929 So many other historical events have been confirmed by the 0:27:32.930 --> 0:27:36.200 Bible and other sources, yet I haven't seen anything concerning 0:27:36.200 --> 0:27:37.340 these two events. 0:27:37.369 --> 0:27:39.619 I need to answer this a couple of ways. First, 0:27:39.650 --> 0:27:41.720 on the whole, there isn't a great deal of historical 0:27:41.720 --> 0:27:45.260 evidence found in Egypt for Joseph or the Exodus, but 0:27:45.260 --> 0:27:49.070 that's really not a problem for several reasons. Chronologically, Joseph 0:27:49.070 --> 0:27:53.420 coincides with the Second Intermediate Period of Egypt's history following 0:27:53.450 --> 0:27:55.640 the collapse of the Middle Kingdom, and there's really not 0:27:55.640 --> 0:27:58.790 much information from that period. And while the Exodus took 0:27:58.790 --> 0:28:01.220 place in the New Kingdom era, that was a time 0:28:01.250 --> 0:28:04.430 of power and influence. But Egypt placed virtually no emphasis 0:28:04.460 --> 0:28:07.129 in any of its monuments on its failures. Instead, it 0:28:07.130 --> 0:28:10.280 always focused on glorifying its success and tended to leave 0:28:10.310 --> 0:28:13.489 out the other stuff. But also there's some discoveries that 0:28:13.490 --> 0:28:16.129 do help support the Bible. One is called the Dream 0:28:16.130 --> 0:28:18.800 Stela of Thutmose. The fourth was found at the base 0:28:18.800 --> 0:28:22.129 of the Sphinx, and it basically says the Pharaoh was there, 0:28:22.160 --> 0:28:23.929 had a dream. And the God said to him, if 0:28:23.930 --> 0:28:26.180 you clean away the sand from the Sphinx, I'll make 0:28:26.180 --> 0:28:28.369 you Pharaoh. And of course, the question would be is 0:28:28.369 --> 0:28:30.530 if he was the oldest son or the firstborn son, 0:28:30.530 --> 0:28:33.590 he would become Pharaoh. So it suggests that he may 0:28:33.590 --> 0:28:35.720 have had an older brother who died, and that would 0:28:35.750 --> 0:28:38.180 have been right at the time of the exodus. Now, finally, 0:28:38.180 --> 0:28:40.910 there's a scholar who's trying to find more direct and 0:28:40.910 --> 0:28:45.140 credible links. I'm not professionally qualified to evaluate his arguments, 0:28:45.140 --> 0:28:49.220 but I found the book interesting. His name is Douglas Petrovich. 0:28:49.370 --> 0:28:54.110 It's Petrovich, and he's written a book titled origins of 0:28:54.110 --> 0:28:57.650 the Hebrews New Evidence of Israelites in Egypt from Joseph 0:28:57.650 --> 0:29:00.020 to the Exodus. And I'd encourage you to take a 0:29:00.020 --> 0:29:02.120 look at that book and see what you think of that. 0:29:02.150 --> 0:29:04.760 All right. Thank you for that question. Here's one from Bill. 0:29:04.790 --> 0:29:06.890 He says, I have a Jewish friend to whom I 0:29:06.920 --> 0:29:09.770 have tried to present Jesus in word and deed. She's 0:29:09.770 --> 0:29:13.340 divorced in a horrible custody battle. The judge gave custody 0:29:13.340 --> 0:29:16.820 to the ex-husband. And under his care, their son died. 0:29:16.820 --> 0:29:20.750 She's devastated, doesn't want to live, feels life is meaningless. 0:29:20.750 --> 0:29:23.120 I'm guessing now is not the time to be preaching 0:29:23.120 --> 0:29:25.820 Jesus to her, even though that I know that that's 0:29:25.820 --> 0:29:28.460 her only path to peace and comfort. How would you 0:29:28.490 --> 0:29:30.650 handle this situation? Yeah, I'd. 0:29:30.680 --> 0:29:33.260 Take a slightly different approach, I think, in responding here. 0:29:33.290 --> 0:29:35.840 We're not told much in the Bible on things like 0:29:35.840 --> 0:29:38.450 the age of accountability and others, so I wouldn't go there. 0:29:38.480 --> 0:29:41.420 What I'd suggest is first, assure her of your concern 0:29:41.420 --> 0:29:44.150 and your prayer reminder of verses in the Bible like 0:29:44.150 --> 0:29:48.140 Psalm 3418, the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and 0:29:48.140 --> 0:29:51.140 saves those who are crushed in spirit. I share other 0:29:51.140 --> 0:29:53.600 verses with her, including some from the New Testament. I 0:29:53.600 --> 0:29:56.480 think of Jesus's words in Matthew 11 come to me, 0:29:56.480 --> 0:29:58.250 all you who are weary and burdened, and I will 0:29:58.250 --> 0:30:01.010 give you rest. But use God's Word to share its 0:30:01.010 --> 0:30:03.830 message of comfort and hope. And then when the time 0:30:03.830 --> 0:30:06.320 might seem appropriate, and you'll have to just trust God's 0:30:06.320 --> 0:30:08.810 leading in this, I would suggest you try to explain 0:30:08.810 --> 0:30:11.930 as simply as possible the gospel message. Tell her God 0:30:11.960 --> 0:30:14.510 understands what it means to lose a son, since he 0:30:14.510 --> 0:30:17.150 gave his one and only son to pay for our sin. 0:30:17.180 --> 0:30:19.580 If you can, let her know that even in her Bible, 0:30:19.580 --> 0:30:22.670 the Tanakh, it talks about God sending the Messiah to 0:30:22.700 --> 0:30:24.980 die to pay the penalty for our sin. See if 0:30:24.980 --> 0:30:29.180 you can have a read Isaiah 5213 through 53. 12 0:30:29.210 --> 0:30:33.170 now you definitely want to display care, concern and great tact, 0:30:33.170 --> 0:30:36.410 but the message of God's love and salvation are the 0:30:36.410 --> 0:30:38.990 message of hope that can make an eternal impact on 0:30:38.990 --> 0:30:41.420 her life. So ask God to give you that wisdom 0:30:41.420 --> 0:30:44.450 and also ask him to prepare her heart to respond. 0:30:44.810 --> 0:30:47.180 This is the land in the book from Moody Radio. 0:30:47.180 --> 0:30:51.020 Questions and answers the segment title with our host, Charlie Dyer. 0:30:51.050 --> 0:30:54.290 Pat says in acts 16, when Paul and Silas are 0:30:54.290 --> 0:30:57.110 in prison in Philippi and an earthquake opens the cells, 0:30:57.110 --> 0:31:00.230 why do you suppose the other prisoners stayed there and 0:31:00.230 --> 0:31:03.320 didn't try to escape, since it appears their chains fell 0:31:03.350 --> 0:31:06.380 off as well and their prison doors were also opened. 0:31:06.410 --> 0:31:08.750 That's always baffled me a little. What are your thoughts? 0:31:08.780 --> 0:31:11.330 Yeah, and we're not told specifically in that text. So 0:31:11.330 --> 0:31:12.500 you got to take what I'm going to say with 0:31:12.500 --> 0:31:15.710 a grain of salt. But in verse 23, after having 0:31:15.710 --> 0:31:19.040 them severely beaten, the magistrates commanded the jailer to guard 0:31:19.070 --> 0:31:22.340 them securely or carefully. But the Greek word that's used 0:31:22.340 --> 0:31:25.550 there is the same one Judas used in his instructions 0:31:25.550 --> 0:31:27.800 to the guards. When he went to Jesus, he said, 0:31:27.800 --> 0:31:30.170 whomever I kiss, he's the one. Seize him and lead 0:31:30.170 --> 0:31:34.130 him away under guard. That's the word that's used there. 0:31:34.130 --> 0:31:35.660 And the point is, they were to make sure he 0:31:35.660 --> 0:31:38.810 didn't get away. So the Philippian jailer was under orders. 0:31:38.810 --> 0:31:41.810 Make sure these prisoners are kept under strict security. But 0:31:41.810 --> 0:31:44.840 the second thing I notice is the jailer apparently was 0:31:44.840 --> 0:31:46.670 at the jail all night when it says he woke 0:31:46.670 --> 0:31:49.010 up and saw the doors open. I take that to 0:31:49.040 --> 0:31:51.740 mean he was right there in the prison. I suspect 0:31:51.740 --> 0:31:53.750 the rumbling woke him up. You know, perhaps from a 0:31:53.750 --> 0:31:56.120 deep sleep. And when he looked through the dust and 0:31:56.120 --> 0:31:58.550 the darkness, he saw that all the doors were open 0:31:58.550 --> 0:32:00.740 and simply assumed everyone had fled. And that's why he 0:32:00.740 --> 0:32:03.230 was going to kill himself. But that leads to my 0:32:03.230 --> 0:32:07.340 final observation, I suspect. The shaking, the rumbling, the rocks falling, 0:32:07.340 --> 0:32:11.630 dust flying, chain snapping, doors flying open and banging against 0:32:11.630 --> 0:32:14.570 the walls shocked and frightened the prisoners as much as 0:32:14.570 --> 0:32:17.660 it did the jailer. When someone's paralyzed by fear, we 0:32:17.690 --> 0:32:19.760 talk about him being like a deer in the headlights. 0:32:19.790 --> 0:32:23.150 A natural reaction is just to freeze in place. Add 0:32:23.150 --> 0:32:25.400 to that the fact that the prison was pitch dark, 0:32:25.400 --> 0:32:28.730 since the jailer has to call for lights before rushing inside. 0:32:28.760 --> 0:32:31.790 I think the prisoners were shocked by the earthquake, blinded 0:32:31.790 --> 0:32:35.240 by the darkness and dust, and momentarily stunned, and he 0:32:35.240 --> 0:32:38.479 rushed in before they could even think about any other options. 0:32:38.630 --> 0:32:42.590 Jim says, I heard a reformed theology professor essentially state 0:32:42.590 --> 0:32:47.360 that regeneration comes before faith because a dead man cannot choose. 0:32:47.390 --> 0:32:48.920 What's your opinion on this? 0:32:48.950 --> 0:32:52.280 Well, and Jim also quoted from Robert Soucy, and my 0:32:52.280 --> 0:32:55.250 answer is I like what Robert Soucy said. The problem 0:32:55.250 --> 0:32:57.500 with a pure reformed view is that if you take 0:32:57.500 --> 0:33:01.100 it to its logical conclusion, it removes the incentive to witness. 0:33:01.250 --> 0:33:04.100 Why bother to witness to a spiritual corpse? It also 0:33:04.100 --> 0:33:07.340 ignores all the passages that talk about extending an invitation 0:33:07.340 --> 0:33:09.860 to someone to exercise their will and come to faith. 0:33:09.890 --> 0:33:12.500 You know, we just talked about the Philippian jailer in 0:33:12.530 --> 0:33:14.480 that previous question. And when he said, what do I 0:33:14.480 --> 0:33:16.670 need to do to be saved? Paul tells him to 0:33:16.700 --> 0:33:19.330 believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. But how could Paul 0:33:19.330 --> 0:33:22.390 tell him to do that, if indeed the reality is 0:33:22.390 --> 0:33:25.210 that he could do nothing? So I personally think reconciling 0:33:25.210 --> 0:33:29.260 individual faith and regeneration is a mystery. On the one hand, 0:33:29.260 --> 0:33:32.680 we are called to exercise faith for salvation. On the other, 0:33:32.680 --> 0:33:35.410 regeneration is a work of God. So I'll let God 0:33:35.410 --> 0:33:38.469 handle the details of fitting those together. My role is 0:33:38.470 --> 0:33:41.350 to encourage someone to exercise faith in Christ and to 0:33:41.380 --> 0:33:43.120 call on him for salvation. 0:33:43.150 --> 0:33:47.080 Brian says a lot of believers unfortunately backslide and fall 0:33:47.080 --> 0:33:50.020 into deep sin. I heard someone else recently say, the 0:33:50.020 --> 0:33:52.959 Bible teaches that God does not see sin in the 0:33:52.960 --> 0:33:55.870 believer because we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ 0:33:55.900 --> 0:33:58.720 the Son. I'm not excusing sin. I would like to 0:33:58.720 --> 0:34:01.990 know the best way for us to understand this whole issue. Yeah, 0:34:02.020 --> 0:34:02.320 and in. 0:34:02.320 --> 0:34:04.420 First, John, I need to add a few details at 0:34:04.420 --> 0:34:06.970 the beginning, just to give a larger context for my answer. 0:34:06.970 --> 0:34:09.490 In all of John's writings, I see him speaking in 0:34:09.489 --> 0:34:12.219 black and white terms. That is, John is looking at 0:34:12.219 --> 0:34:15.970 spiritual matters in terms of absolutes. Light versus darkness, Life 0:34:15.969 --> 0:34:21.040 versus death, sin versus righteousness. It's just his style in writing. Second, 0:34:21.040 --> 0:34:23.950 I believe John is internally consistent, so you need to 0:34:23.950 --> 0:34:26.290 interpret one part of what he says in light of 0:34:26.290 --> 0:34:28.180 the rest of the book. So here's why I think 0:34:28.180 --> 0:34:31.150 that's important. In chapter three, when John says, no one 0:34:31.150 --> 0:34:33.640 who abides in him sins, or no one who's born 0:34:33.670 --> 0:34:36.430 of God sins, we need to understand what he said 0:34:36.430 --> 0:34:39.279 in a way that harmonizes what he'd already said in 0:34:39.280 --> 0:34:41.799 chapter one. There he wrote, if we say we have 0:34:41.800 --> 0:34:44.170 no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is 0:34:44.170 --> 0:34:46.150 not in us. If we say we have not sinned, 0:34:46.150 --> 0:34:48.009 we make him a liar and His word is not 0:34:48.010 --> 0:34:50.140 in us. So I don't believe we can say that 0:34:50.140 --> 0:34:52.960 the verses in chapter three mean God doesn't see sin. 0:34:52.989 --> 0:34:55.570 That just seems to contradict what he's already said in 0:34:55.570 --> 0:34:58.870 chapter one. I think the best approach in chapter three, 0:34:58.870 --> 0:35:01.540 though not without its own problems, is to see John's 0:35:01.540 --> 0:35:04.330 use of the present tense there to describe a present 0:35:04.360 --> 0:35:08.560 habitual action. That's why many modern Bible versions like the NIV, 0:35:08.590 --> 0:35:13.270 the ESV, translate it as keeps on sinning. Believers can backslide, 0:35:13.270 --> 0:35:16.290 we can fall into grievous sin, but God continues to 0:35:16.320 --> 0:35:18.660 work in the lives of his children to either bring 0:35:18.660 --> 0:35:21.420 them to repentance, as was in the case, say, Peter, 0:35:21.420 --> 0:35:24.450 when he denied Christ, or to bring about temporal judgment, 0:35:24.450 --> 0:35:27.360 which Paul talks about in first Corinthians five. But as 0:35:27.360 --> 0:35:30.509 John makes clear, as believers, we all do sin, but 0:35:30.510 --> 0:35:32.969 our lives ought to be characterized by the new life 0:35:32.969 --> 0:35:35.910 we've received from God. He patiently works in the lives 0:35:35.910 --> 0:35:38.820 of his children to bring about spiritual growth, or to 0:35:38.850 --> 0:35:40.830 discipline those who refuse to do so. 0:35:41.070 --> 0:35:42.930 All right, let's squeeze one more question in. This one 0:35:42.930 --> 0:35:45.629 from Jackie, who says, I've heard so many people say 0:35:45.630 --> 0:35:49.140 the current situation in Israel is actually getting ready for 0:35:49.140 --> 0:35:53.160 the Gog and Magog war, but Russia is not currently 0:35:53.160 --> 0:35:56.490 in the mix. Can you give a ballpark timeline of 0:35:56.489 --> 0:36:00.210 when you see the Gog Magog war happening before or 0:36:00.210 --> 0:36:01.440 after the rapture? 0:36:01.469 --> 0:36:04.259 I see it taking place after the rapture, but in 0:36:04.260 --> 0:36:06.690 the very first part of the tribulation period. And I 0:36:06.690 --> 0:36:08.879 really do see God setting the stage right now. You know, 0:36:08.910 --> 0:36:11.820 Russia is currently occupied in its war with Ukraine, but 0:36:11.820 --> 0:36:14.440 they're still interested in the Middle East. They have forces 0:36:14.440 --> 0:36:17.410 stationed in Syria, and they're definitely growing closer to both 0:36:17.440 --> 0:36:20.650 Iran and Turkey, which are two of Gog's allies mentioned 0:36:20.680 --> 0:36:24.160 in Ezekiel 38. That's Persia and Togarmah. There. I don't 0:36:24.160 --> 0:36:26.230 believe it will take very long for all these pieces 0:36:26.230 --> 0:36:29.319 to come together once the rapture happens, and the Antichrist 0:36:29.350 --> 0:36:31.359 confirms that covenant with Israel. 0:36:31.420 --> 0:36:32.980 And that's a look at some of the questions that 0:36:32.980 --> 0:36:35.710 have come in to our email inbox, and we'd love 0:36:35.710 --> 0:36:38.529 to answer your question any old time. You can send 0:36:38.530 --> 0:36:43.810 that email to us at The Land and the book@moody.edu. 0:36:43.840 --> 0:36:48.640 The land and the book at Moody Dot. Edu. Well, 0:36:48.670 --> 0:36:51.819 Charlie Dyer's devotional is next here on the land and 0:36:51.820 --> 0:37:06.730 the book. Welcome back to the land and the book. 0:37:06.730 --> 0:37:09.460 I'm John Gager with our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer at 0:37:09.460 --> 0:37:13.410 segment four. Charlie's devotional. Charlie, if we were to survey 0:37:13.440 --> 0:37:16.680 every single person listening to us right now about where 0:37:16.680 --> 0:37:19.980 they read in the Bible today, I'm guessing not a 0:37:19.980 --> 0:37:23.009 whole lot of them would say, ding ding. Leviticus. 0:37:23.280 --> 0:37:24.570 Yeah, you're right John. 0:37:24.600 --> 0:37:28.290 I'm guessing, though, that's exactly the anchor point for your 0:37:28.290 --> 0:37:29.700 devotional today. Tell us more. 0:37:29.730 --> 0:37:32.100 It is Leviticus 23 and we're going to be talking 0:37:32.100 --> 0:37:34.529 about Sukkot as a many splendored thing. 0:37:34.560 --> 0:37:37.530 Before we get to that, this Holy Land experience. Listen. 0:37:41.460 --> 0:37:46.260 I'm mahnaz and I think what has overwhelmed me has 0:37:46.260 --> 0:37:51.420 been being in the Judean wilderness. I will never, ever 0:37:51.420 --> 0:37:55.800 look at the Psalms again, where David says, My God, 0:37:55.800 --> 0:38:00.660 who is my rock, my fortress, my stronghold. I'll never 0:38:00.660 --> 0:38:04.170 look at that the same again. It is. It just 0:38:04.170 --> 0:38:08.880 comes to life. It is overwhelming to think of David 0:38:08.880 --> 0:38:13.290 wandering through that At wilderness and trusting God and realizing 0:38:13.290 --> 0:38:18.120 that God was going to deliver him, and also thinking 0:38:18.120 --> 0:38:24.270 about Naomi and Ruth coming from Moab across the Dead Sea, 0:38:24.270 --> 0:38:28.470 and just what they had to overcome to go through 0:38:28.469 --> 0:38:33.810 that wilderness, those mountains, to get to Bethlehem. And thinking 0:38:33.840 --> 0:38:39.090 about that older Jewish woman who longed for her home 0:38:39.090 --> 0:38:44.250 so much, leading the younger Gentile woman. And I just 0:38:44.250 --> 0:38:48.000 think that is what you intended, God, for the Jews 0:38:48.000 --> 0:38:53.040 to lead the Gentiles to the light of who you are. 0:38:53.040 --> 0:38:56.129 And I'll never look at that the same again when 0:38:56.130 --> 0:38:57.780 I read the book of Ruth. 0:38:59.310 --> 0:39:03.030 All right. Let's get to Leviticus with your devotional today, Charlie. 0:39:03.239 --> 0:39:05.670 Thanks, John. Almost 20 years ago, I took my wife 0:39:05.670 --> 0:39:08.580 to see Andy Williams in concert for Christmas. Now, I'm 0:39:08.580 --> 0:39:10.140 not going to say that was a long time ago, 0:39:10.140 --> 0:39:13.170 but Andy Williams is no longer with us, nor is 0:39:13.170 --> 0:39:15.870 the concert venue where we went to see him. But 0:39:15.870 --> 0:39:18.120 it was a good concert and Kathy enjoyed listening to 0:39:18.120 --> 0:39:21.270 him sing. Many of the old classics, including Love Is 0:39:21.270 --> 0:39:24.450 a many Splendored Thing from the film by the same name. Now, 0:39:24.450 --> 0:39:27.540 for some reason, that song brings to mind the celebration 0:39:27.540 --> 0:39:30.990 of Sukkot taking place right now, except the title needs 0:39:30.989 --> 0:39:34.410 to be changed to Sukkot is a many Splendored Thing. Now, 0:39:34.410 --> 0:39:37.770 to understand why, follow me into the wilderness as Moses 0:39:37.770 --> 0:39:41.940 explains the many splendored aspects of that final festival in 0:39:41.940 --> 0:39:46.350 Israel's annual cycle. At its inauguration, the festival was designed 0:39:46.350 --> 0:39:48.719 to point the children of Israel to the past, the 0:39:48.719 --> 0:39:52.680 present and the future. The festival is first introduced in 0:39:52.680 --> 0:39:56.010 Exodus 23, even before the plans for the construction of 0:39:56.010 --> 0:39:59.850 the tabernacle were given in verses 14 and 17, God 0:39:59.850 --> 0:40:02.340 announces to Israel three times a year you are to 0:40:02.370 --> 0:40:05.190 celebrate a festival to me three times a year all 0:40:05.190 --> 0:40:07.920 the men are to appear before the sovereign Lord. The 0:40:07.950 --> 0:40:10.500 last of the three is described in more detail in 0:40:10.500 --> 0:40:14.190 verse 16. Celebrate the Feast of Ingathering at the end 0:40:14.190 --> 0:40:16.740 of the year, when you gather in your crops from 0:40:16.739 --> 0:40:20.490 the field. Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, is to mark 0:40:20.520 --> 0:40:23.790 the end of the annual harvest cycle for the nation. Remember, 0:40:23.790 --> 0:40:26.790 this is before the nation has even reached the Promised Land. 0:40:26.790 --> 0:40:30.000 Everyone present at Mount Sinai had grown up in Egypt. 0:40:30.000 --> 0:40:32.819 In fact, later in the book of Deuteronomy, God had 0:40:32.820 --> 0:40:35.280 to explain the difference between the land of Egypt and 0:40:35.280 --> 0:40:37.859 the Promised Land. He said, the land you are entering 0:40:37.890 --> 0:40:40.350 to take over is not like the land of Egypt 0:40:40.350 --> 0:40:42.870 from which you've come, where you planted your seed and 0:40:42.870 --> 0:40:45.990 irrigated it by foot, as in a vegetable garden. This 0:40:45.989 --> 0:40:48.810 new land was dependent on the rain of heaven, rain 0:40:48.810 --> 0:40:51.779 that God promised to supply if they stayed faithful, and 0:40:51.780 --> 0:40:54.630 to help them remember, God ordered them to appear before 0:40:54.630 --> 0:40:56.730 him three times a year at the time of the 0:40:56.730 --> 0:40:59.640 barley harvest, at the time of the wheat harvest, and 0:40:59.640 --> 0:41:02.069 in late summer at the end of the harvest season, 0:41:02.070 --> 0:41:05.700 Sukkot was a reminder of God's faithfulness to Israel and 0:41:05.700 --> 0:41:08.580 the need for Israel to remain faithful to God. But 0:41:08.580 --> 0:41:12.270 like a multi-faceted diamond, Southcote sparkled with another of its 0:41:12.270 --> 0:41:17.610 many splendid purposes, which Moses described in Leviticus 23. After 0:41:17.610 --> 0:41:19.740 entering the land, Succoth was still to be a time 0:41:19.770 --> 0:41:23.520 of celebrating the ingathering of the harvest. But now Succoth 0:41:23.550 --> 0:41:26.460 was also to be a reminder of God's past faithfulness 0:41:26.489 --> 0:41:29.880 to them during their time in the wilderness. So, beginning 0:41:29.880 --> 0:41:32.399 with the 15th day of the seventh month, after you've 0:41:32.430 --> 0:41:35.279 gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival of 0:41:35.280 --> 0:41:39.240 the Lord for seven days, live in booths for seven days. 0:41:39.239 --> 0:41:42.090 All native born Israelites are to live in booths, so 0:41:42.090 --> 0:41:44.640 your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live 0:41:44.640 --> 0:41:47.040 in booths when I brought them out of Egypt. I'm 0:41:47.040 --> 0:41:50.160 the Lord your God. Why were the Israelites to live 0:41:50.160 --> 0:41:53.760 in Sukkot or booths for the seven days of the festival? 0:41:53.760 --> 0:41:56.219 It was to remind them of the booths or tents, 0:41:56.219 --> 0:41:59.040 or temporary structures the nation had to live in when 0:41:59.070 --> 0:42:02.040 God brought them out of Egypt and through the wilderness. 0:42:02.070 --> 0:42:05.670 It was a graphic visual history lesson for the nation, 0:42:05.700 --> 0:42:08.370 a reminder of how God had taken care of them 0:42:08.370 --> 0:42:10.830 at a time when they were totally dependent on him 0:42:10.830 --> 0:42:14.819 for both food and shelter. Sometimes visual lessons can bring 0:42:14.820 --> 0:42:17.910 history to light in a rather dramatic fashion. When I 0:42:17.910 --> 0:42:20.730 was ten, I joined the local Boy Scout troop. The 0:42:20.730 --> 0:42:23.760 Scoutmaster had a great summer project for us. Somehow he 0:42:23.790 --> 0:42:26.610 had secured old silk parachutes which we were going to 0:42:26.640 --> 0:42:29.820 fashion into teepees. We cut and sewed together the chutes 0:42:29.820 --> 0:42:33.300 and constructed the wooden poles to which we secured the fabric. 0:42:33.300 --> 0:42:35.040 And then we took them down and went for a 0:42:35.040 --> 0:42:38.130 weekend camp out at Camp Lavigne. The local Boy Scout camp. 0:42:38.130 --> 0:42:40.140 It was going to be a glorious weekend of camping 0:42:40.140 --> 0:42:44.250 and cooking out. Unfortunately, it rained Friday night. Let me 0:42:44.250 --> 0:42:46.710 rephrase that. The sky opened up and we had an 0:42:46.710 --> 0:42:51.239 old fashioned cloudburst Friday night, and we learned a valuable lesson. 0:42:51.239 --> 0:42:54.060 There was a reason Indians used buffalo hides and not 0:42:54.060 --> 0:42:58.320 silk parachutes for their teepees. Parachutes leaked like a sieve. 0:42:58.350 --> 0:43:00.779 We had to break camp and head home Saturday morning 0:43:00.780 --> 0:43:05.589 because everything scouts, tents, backpacks, and our food were soaked. 0:43:05.620 --> 0:43:09.010 That experience with a modern day tent or sukkah has 0:43:09.010 --> 0:43:12.340 stayed with me for many years. God wanted his people 0:43:12.340 --> 0:43:15.610 to remember to relive what it was like during the Exodus. 0:43:15.640 --> 0:43:18.250 It was a crucial life lesson that they needed to 0:43:18.250 --> 0:43:22.750 reenact annually. Sukkot is a many splendored thing. The festival 0:43:22.750 --> 0:43:24.640 looked back to the time of the Exodus and the 0:43:24.640 --> 0:43:27.730 wilderness wanderings, and it was a present reminder of God's 0:43:27.730 --> 0:43:31.390 faithfulness in meeting their needs throughout the entire harvest season. 0:43:31.420 --> 0:43:34.810 But there's also a future aspect to this festival. God 0:43:34.810 --> 0:43:37.330 intended for it to look forward to their fulfillment of 0:43:37.330 --> 0:43:40.779 his plan for all humanity. God had told Abraham that 0:43:40.780 --> 0:43:44.080 through him and his descendants, all the world would be blessed, 0:43:44.080 --> 0:43:47.590 and Sukkot served as a reminder that God's blessing would 0:43:47.590 --> 0:43:50.560 extend through Israel to the nations. Now, the first hint 0:43:50.590 --> 0:43:53.739 of this is in Deuteronomy 16, where God once again 0:43:53.739 --> 0:43:57.700 describes the purpose for Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. He says, 0:43:57.700 --> 0:44:00.970 Celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days after you 0:44:01.000 --> 0:44:03.580 have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your 0:44:03.580 --> 0:44:06.580 wine presses. Be joyful at your feast. You, your sons, 0:44:06.580 --> 0:44:09.700 your daughters, your men's servants and maidservants, and the Levites, 0:44:09.700 --> 0:44:12.940 the aliens and the fatherless, and the widows who live 0:44:12.940 --> 0:44:15.850 in your towns for seven days. Celebrate the feast of 0:44:15.850 --> 0:44:18.700 the Lord your God at the place the Lord will choose. 0:44:18.700 --> 0:44:20.710 For the Lord your God will bless you in all 0:44:20.710 --> 0:44:22.779 your harvest, and all the work of your hands, and 0:44:22.780 --> 0:44:25.359 your joy will be complete. Uh, by the way, the 0:44:25.360 --> 0:44:28.690 aliens that are mentioned, there aren't extraterrestrial beings. Those are 0:44:28.690 --> 0:44:32.529 the Gentiles living in Israel. The feast reached out to 0:44:32.560 --> 0:44:37.780 embrace Israelites and Gentiles alike. The prophet Zechariah looks forward 0:44:37.780 --> 0:44:40.270 to the Kingdom age when the Messiah will arrive. His 0:44:40.270 --> 0:44:42.100 feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, and the 0:44:42.100 --> 0:44:44.290 people will look on him whom they have pierced, and 0:44:44.290 --> 0:44:47.320 turn in faith and repentance. And then in chapter 14 0:44:47.350 --> 0:44:50.560 he describes what will follow. Then the survivors from all 0:44:50.560 --> 0:44:53.259 the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year 0:44:53.260 --> 0:44:56.170 after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and 0:44:56.170 --> 0:44:59.980 to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. There it is Sukkot, 0:45:00.010 --> 0:45:03.580 the Feast of Tabernacles, and the ultimate ingathering of the 0:45:03.580 --> 0:45:07.239 nations joining with the people of Israel to worship the King, 0:45:07.239 --> 0:45:11.770 the Lord Almighty. Sukkot is indeed a many splendored thing. 0:45:11.800 --> 0:45:14.560 It helped Israel remember how God had provided for them 0:45:14.560 --> 0:45:17.530 in the wilderness. It gave them an opportunity to celebrate 0:45:17.560 --> 0:45:21.189 God's continuing favor in meeting their day to day physical needs. 0:45:21.190 --> 0:45:23.859 And it looks forward to a day when all nations 0:45:23.860 --> 0:45:26.770 will gather together with Israel to worship the King of 0:45:26.770 --> 0:45:29.560 all the earth. So what difference can this make in 0:45:29.560 --> 0:45:32.260 your life today? Well, I don't think you need to 0:45:32.290 --> 0:45:34.570 set up a booth or a tent in your backyard. 0:45:34.600 --> 0:45:37.719 I think there's a more practical application for us today. 0:45:37.750 --> 0:45:41.529 We're continually bombarded by news articles telling us how awful 0:45:41.530 --> 0:45:44.470 things are around us. It can discourage us, even cause 0:45:44.469 --> 0:45:48.310 us to be depressed. But this week, stop looking around 0:45:48.310 --> 0:45:51.520 and start looking up. Thank God for his blessings to 0:45:51.550 --> 0:45:55.120 you and his faithfulness and his love. Make a list 0:45:55.120 --> 0:45:57.730 of the ways God has met your needs and answered 0:45:57.730 --> 0:46:01.930 your prayers over the past year. Yeah, next month is Thanksgiving. 0:46:01.930 --> 0:46:04.540 Why not get an early start on that day by 0:46:04.570 --> 0:46:07.480 focusing on all the ways God has shown himself faithful 0:46:07.480 --> 0:46:10.660 to you and like Israel. Don't be afraid to include 0:46:10.660 --> 0:46:15.790 the physical, emotional, spiritual, or financial wilderness experiences you've gone through. 0:46:15.820 --> 0:46:17.830 Just be sure to look for the ways he has 0:46:17.830 --> 0:46:21.790 met your needs, comforted you, and surrounded you with his love. 0:46:21.790 --> 0:46:24.219 And then be sure to thank him for all he 0:46:24.219 --> 0:46:25.360 has done. 0:46:25.390 --> 0:46:28.480 Very, very practical as always. Thank you. Charlie, I like 0:46:28.510 --> 0:46:31.870 that phrase. Stop looking around and start looking up. You 0:46:31.870 --> 0:46:33.970 can hear the whole program again at our website, The 0:46:33.969 --> 0:46:37.090 Land and the book org, and we encourage you to 0:46:37.120 --> 0:46:40.210 share our podcast with your friends at the land and 0:46:40.210 --> 0:46:43.420 the book org. That'll do it for our broadcast today. 0:46:43.420 --> 0:46:45.819 Thank you so much for listening. We invite you back 0:46:45.820 --> 0:46:48.220 next time for another edition of The Land and the 0:46:48.219 --> 0:46:51.280 book from Moody Radio. I'm John Yeager for our host, 0:46:51.280 --> 0:46:54.100 Charlie Dyer. See you next time on the land and 0:46:54.100 --> 0:46:54.820 the book.