S1: Hello friends. It's time for the second hour of Open
S1: Line with Doctor Michael Radonich Moody Radio's Bible Study Across America.
S1: We're talking about your questions about the Bible, God and
S1: the spiritual life. My name is Michael Ray Dolnick. I'm
S1: a professor of Jewish studies and Bible at Moody Bible Institute,
S1: also the academic dean there. And I'm so glad to
S1: be sitting around the radio kitchen table with you, taking
S1: your questions. Time to give me a call. (877) 548-3675 is
S1: our number. That's (877) 548-3675. Remember, if you can't call, you
S1: can always go to our website openline radio.org. Click on
S1: Ask Michael a question and post your question there. Trish
S1: will put it in the mailbag. And if you ask
S1: a really good Christmas question. She'll try and get it
S1: in today on the mailbag, even today if you do it.
S1: But it's only got to be. You can ask any question,
S1: but if you want it today, you got to try
S1: to get a Christmas question in. I hope you have
S1: your Bibles open, and I have my second cup of
S1: coffee here. We're ready to talk about the scriptures. We're
S1: going to go right back to the phones, to Amy
S1: in Chicago listening on Wmbi. Welcome to Open Line, Amy.
S1: How can I help you today?
S2: Morning, brother. God bless you. Um. You too. Only on
S2: your second cup of coffee. I'm way ahead of you, man,
S2: but I'm on about my 12th. So listen, yesterday we
S2: were reading in Jeremiah 33, and I was a little
S2: surprised at this. It says that, uh, David will never
S2: lack a man to sit on the throne, and there
S2: will never be a lack of priests through offering Offerings
S2: and sacrifices, presumably in the temple. And and you know,
S2: God says, this is my covenant. It'll never be broken.
S2: And I was just thinking how I'm confused. And my
S2: husband and I said, oh, we got to call Doctor
S2: Rydell because, oh, good.
S1: Thank you for doing that, I appreciate it. Uh. Happy
S1: to happy to answer. Uh, here's the deal. Let's start
S1: with the priest. After the temple was destroyed and there
S1: no longer any sacrifices, there was always the anticipation that
S1: there was a, uh, a priest that would that we
S1: would need priests to offer sacrifices again because the temple
S1: would be rebuilt. And so, as a result, every generation
S1: of Jewish people have passed on from generation to generation,
S1: whether they are a priest or a Levite. So, for example,
S1: I know that I'm a Levi, a Levite. My dad
S1: told me that that's part of my name, actually, because
S1: I'm the son of my Hebrew name says Son of
S1: Isaac the Levite, which makes me a Levite. Okay. And
S1: so that's been passed on for a couple thousand years now.
S1: Generation to generation of Jewish people. So we know who
S1: the priests and Levites, you see it in Jewish names.
S1: If you see someone named Levi. That's Levi. Yes. You see.
S3: It in.
S1: Right? Kohen means priest. So we know Kohen. Uh, and
S1: on my mom's side, I was a Kohen. But my
S1: mom was a kohen because that was her family's line. However,
S1: you get it from the dad. So though my mom,
S1: a Kohen, a priest, married a Levite, their children were Levites. Okay.
S1: So that's that's how it passes down. Okay. Uh, but there.
S1: So there's never been a priest lacking. Israel has priests.
S1: We just don't have a temple to offer sacrifice. Now,
S1: when the. When the Davidic line ended, there's always been
S1: the rightful king to come from the Davidic line. There's
S1: never been a person lacking to sit on the throne
S1: of David. The problem is the throne of David has
S1: not been established. So, for example, Zerubbabel, who plays a
S1: prominent role, for example, in the book of Zechariah and
S1: that and also in the book of Haggai. Zerubbabel was
S1: from the line of David. He was the scion, scion,
S1: the descendant of David, that would have sit on, sat
S1: on the throne, but there was no throne of David allowed.
S1: So therefore, even when there wasn't a king, there was
S1: always someone from the line of David available until the
S1: coming of the messianic King. And he is the fulfillment
S1: of that line. And there's still no one lacking to
S1: sit on the throne because he will return. When you
S1: read Isaiah nine six, we always look at Isaiah nine
S1: six and it says that unto us a son is born,
S1: unto us a child is given. That's clearly talking about
S1: the first coming of the Messiah, his birth for us. However,
S1: verse seven, there's I believe there's a huge gap between
S1: Isaiah nine six and nine seven. Nine seven will be
S1: fulfilled when he returns. It says his dominion will be
S1: vast and its prosperity will never end. This king who
S1: is born from the line of David. He will reign
S1: on the throne of David and over his kingdom to
S1: establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness. So the
S1: messianic King is going to sit on the throne of David.
S1: So we don't lack a person to sit on the
S1: throne of David. We just need to wait for it
S1: to be established. Okay.
S2: Mm. Okay. All right. Well, thank you very much.
S1: Yep. Thanks for your question. Really appreciate it. Uh, we're
S1: going to speak with Carmen in South Carolina listening online.
S1: Welcome to Open Line. Carmen. How can I help you today?
S4: Hi. How are you doing?
S1: I'm well, thank you.
S4: Oh, good. I was looking at the book of acts,
S4: chapter 16, verse 31, where, um, Paul and Silas tell
S4: the jailer, uh, believe in the Lord Jesus and you
S4: will be saved, you and your household. And a friend
S4: of mine was saying, well, that's you know, you can
S4: use that prayer to pray for your household, and your
S4: household will be saved. And I was wondering, is that true?
S1: Well, we have to ask ourselves, what did Paul mean
S1: when he said it to the Philippian jailer, believe on
S1: the Lord Jesus the Messiah, and you will be saved.
S1: And then there's another implied principle there. And if your
S1: household believes on the Lord Jesus, they will be saved too.
S1: It's not limited to you. Philippian jailer. Anyone in your household.
S1: You go home and you tell them and they believe
S1: they will be saved. It's not a guarantee that his
S1: household would be saved. It's the same principle if you
S1: believe you'll be saved. If your family believes they'll be saved.
S5: That's. That's what.
S1: It means. Now, should we pray for our families? Absolutely. Absolutely.
S1: You know what I think is so interesting? There's only
S1: one verse in the whole Bible that talks about praying
S1: for lost people. Almost every verse about evangelism, where it
S1: talks about prayer, it's praying for the evangelist, for the
S1: person sharing the gospel. Only one verse does it talk
S1: about praying for lost people to come to know the Lord.
S1: You know what verse that is? No, it's Romans ten one. Uh,
S1: it's where Paul is talking about his people, Israel. And
S1: he says, my heart's desire and prayer to God for
S1: them is that they might be saved. My heart's desire
S1: and prayer to God for them as they might be saved.
S1: That establishes a principle, because Paul could pray for Jewish
S1: people to come to know the Lord and be saved.
S1: That means we can pray for any lost person.
S5: To.
S1: Come to know the Lord and be saved. So definitely
S1: we should pray for our families so that they can
S1: be saved. Okay.
S4: Okay. Thank you so much.
S1: Yeah. My pleasure. Thanks so much for calling. Uh, you know,
S1: so often, uh, we are reading the scriptures more, I hope,
S1: and we're getting ready to read the scriptures more for
S1: this upcoming new year. I, I think that should be
S1: our big resolution that we're going to read through the Bible.
S1: Of course, at the start of the new year, Trish
S1: is going to post on Facebook, ah, how to read
S1: through the Bible in a year. And I think that's
S1: that's a great thing to to do. and sooner or later,
S1: hopefully sooner, you're going to come to Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians,
S1: and you're going to find it a challenge. They're really
S1: good books. They have timeless wisdom, but they sometimes the
S1: profound truths are a little hard to understand. And that's
S1: where the Moody Bible Commentary excerpt will come in. That's
S1: what we're offering with as our current resource. Uh, it
S1: gives clear explanations about what these letters teach. And it
S1: doesn't matter if you're preparing a Bible study or leading
S1: a home group, but especially if you're just reading through
S1: the scriptures and you come to them and you think, ah,
S1: I wish I knew a little bit better what these meant.
S1: This excerpt from the Moody Bible Commentary will really help you.
S1: It'll enrich your study of God's Word personally. And when
S1: you give a gift of any size, we'll say thanks
S1: by sending you a copy of this excerpt from the
S1: Moody Bible Commentary covering Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. And
S1: it's the end of the year. And, you know, at Moody,
S1: we're really hoping to start the new year, right, by
S1: being completely in the black. And if you would be
S1: willing to send a gift, we want to say thank
S1: you by sending you this excerpt from the Moody Bible Commentary.
S1: It's a great time to to give here at the
S1: end of the year, if you'd like to give, call
S1: (888) 644-7122 or go to Open Line radio.org. And we thank
S1: you so much for your generosity. And we're going to
S1: come back. And in just a moment, if you have
S1: a question, the phone number here (877) 548-3675. We're going to
S1: take your questions. It doesn't have to be a Christmas question.
S1: But if you have one now is the time to
S1: call to get your Christmas question in. This is Michael
S1: Ray Dolnick. The program is called Open Line. You're listening
S1: to Moody Radio, and we'll be right back in And
S1: just a moment. So stay with us.
UU: Lonely shepherds on quiet rocky hills. In the coldness of
UU: the night. Dreaming of the one called Messiah. Loving shepherd
UU: of Israel.
S6: Well, then you came.
S1: That's my dear friend Fagel Fagel Brooks.
S6: With.
S1: Her original composition for Christmas. And you know Fagel and
S1: her husband Lee and I have been friends. Eve and
S1: I have been friends with them o for over 50 years,
S1: which is just amazing. And she is the most biblically
S1: literate person you'll ever meet. She's phenomenal. And her songs,
S1: which have most people never heard of but I have, uh,
S1: are so biblical, so wonderful, really appreciate it. And I
S1: think she sounds better than Judy Collins. So there we go.
S1: That's that's my friend. Well, maybe we'll find that song
S1: and get it posted on Facebook so you can hear
S1: the whole song, but it's a great one. Uh, she's,
S1: she's someone that that really communicates truth in her music. Now, uh,
S1: we are, uh, we're facing really kind of an amazing
S1: time here because I, I got to meet last week
S1: at the at the start of the Christmas season, it
S1: was Candlelight Carols at Moody Bible Institute. People came from
S1: all over the country to celebrate and to be part
S1: of this great concert. It was just wonderful. And I
S1: was standing in the Commons at Moody Bible Institute, and
S1: I can't tell you how many people came up and said,
S1: I'm a kitchen table partner. And I wanted to say hello.
S1: And so I got to stand there and thank one
S1: after another for all these people who really believe in
S1: helping people understand the Bible better, and therefore they are
S1: kitchen table partners. And I so appreciate them. Appreciate the team.
S1: If you're a regular listener and you appreciate the fact
S1: that Moody Radio is trying to help people understand the
S1: scriptures better, then you might want to become a kitchen
S1: table partner too. Uh, that means giving monthly. So Open
S1: Line can be on the air weekly. And that that's
S1: just a tremendous, generous gift that you can do. And
S1: we really appreciate it. Uh, if you want to become
S1: a kitchen table partner, uh, if when you do, we
S1: will send you a digital or an audio Bible study.
S1: What you'll do is you'll get an email, click on
S1: it every other week. It's a special benefit for those
S1: of you who are kitchen table partners. You get to
S1: to hear a little Bible study for about 7 to
S1: 10 minutes. It's it's a lot of fun for me
S1: to produce and and well, actually Trish produces. But I
S1: get to record it and we get to to write
S1: it and do it and hopefully, uh, it encourages you
S1: as well to become a kitchen table partner. All you
S1: have to do is go to Openline radio.org, or you
S1: can call (888) 644-7122. That's (888) 644-7122. And we're going to go
S1: to the phones now Mark in Des Plaines Illinois listening
S1: on Wmbi. Welcome to Open Line. Mark. How can I
S1: help you.
S7: Good morning. Good morning doctor. My daughter asked me a
S7: question about the identity of Jesus Uh, Christ the Son
S7: of God. And, uh, she said, when did he become
S7: considered the son? Was he considered the son at the
S7: creation of the earth, or only after he had been begotten?
S1: Uh, it seems to me that the best way to.
S1: There are some people who held to a wrong teaching.
S1: I'll just say it that way. Uh, not not something
S1: that casts them out of the community of faith. It's
S1: not an essential doctrine, but it was a mistaken one
S1: called incarnational sonship, that the Lord Jesus only became the
S1: Son of God at the incarnation. He is the eternal
S1: Son of God, the the Triune God. Though we may
S1: not have used these terms or known about it. Uh,
S1: so much before the incarnation. The Triune God is father, son,
S1: Holy Spirit. He's Eternally the Son of God. Uh, those
S1: are terms to indicate how the the Triune. They're all
S1: fully equal. Uh, equal. Equal in essence, but different in function.
S1: And as a result, uh, the relation I think those
S1: are terms used to help us understand the function of
S1: father and son and Holy Spirit. And so that's what
S1: it's there for. Uh, he's always been the Son of God,
S1: the eternal Son of God. And and he didn't just
S1: become the Son of God at the incarnation or at creation.
S1: It was always, he's the eternal Son of God. Okay.
S7: I think so. Uh, so I understand that he's with God.
S7: John says always, and he's God. Mhm. I just couldn't
S7: understand how to answer my young daughter. And it is
S7: someone who I thought.
S1: It's a simple answer. He's in in eternity past, before
S1: time began, the father and the son and the Holy
S1: Spirit eternally existed as father, son, and Holy Spirit.
S7: All right.
S1: That's it. Thank you. There's one God in three persons.
S1: And and boy, I tell you what, when you start
S1: trying to think about. How do I understand the Trinity?
S1: You know, I, I would say that that's one of
S1: those things that if you try to really completely comprehend
S1: it for me, I'd lose my mind if I, I
S1: don't I don't know that I could fully comprehend it,
S1: but I accept it. I believe it eternally. Uh, father, son,
S1: Holy Spirit, one God, three persons, and and and I
S1: just accept that. I do too.
S7: Thank you very much.
S1: Thank you. Great talking with you. Okay. We're going to
S1: talk to Brandon in Boynton Beach, Florida, listening on Wmbb.
S1: Welcome to Open Line. Brandon. How can I help you today?
S8: Yes. Hi. Um, I wanted to know, is there a
S8: specific passage in Genesis or elsewhere that indicates when Satan
S8: was cast to Earth in the timeline of creation?
S1: Uh, it just says in revelation 12 that he was
S1: cast out. Uh, not in Genesis. Doesn't say anything about
S1: that in Genesis. Uh, it says in revelation 12. Uh.
S1: The dragon stood in. Let's see. Wait. Here it is. Uh,
S1: the red dragon having seven heads and ten horns. The
S1: dragon is Satan, by the way, and his heads were
S1: seven diadems. His tail swept away a third of the
S1: stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. And
S1: the dragon then tried to destroy the. The baby Jesus
S1: is what that says. So it's just he took a
S1: third of the heavens with him. He was cast out.
S1: Other passage that, uh, talks about the fall of Satan.
S1: I'm not sure. It talks about him being cast out.
S1: Is Ezekiel 28. I have to take a quick look
S1: at it here. Ezekiel 28. It says that he was
S1: in the Garden of Eden. Uh, the Garden of God,
S1: verse 13. Uh, and it says you are an anointed
S1: guardian cherub. You are on the holy mountain of God.
S1: You walked among the fiery stones. That's verse 14 from
S1: the day you were created. You were blameless in your
S1: ways until wickedness was found in you. Uh, and so
S1: it says in verse 17, so I threw you down
S1: to the earth. I made you a spectacle. So, uh,
S1: cast out of heaven. Ezekiel 2817 I think that was
S1: before the garden. He was in the garden of God
S1: when he was cast out. Then he went to the.
S1: Then he was cast out on the earth. And when
S1: God created Eden. Then he went and tried to tempt
S1: and succeeded in tempting Adam and Eve. That's what I think. So.
S1: Ezekiel 2817 is when he was cast out of heaven,
S1: and I think that was pre-creation of humanity.
S8: Okay, so it was like when Earth was a void
S8: then in a way.
S1: I don't I don't know when it was, uh, it was,
S1: I think before because it was so early in the garden.
S1: I think he must have fallen early on. Some people
S1: want to say it's when the right there. Like when
S1: God creates everything and then, uh, the earth becomes form,
S1: formless and empty because of Satan's fall. That that's what
S1: happened to the earth. I think that's speculative. I don't
S1: think that's the truth. I think that means that God
S1: created the world to be a wilderness and a waste.
S1: And then he formed it in six days to be
S1: what he wanted it to be. I think it was
S1: a pre-creation fall of the enemy. And then he, uh,
S1: pre creation of the earth, and then he, uh, what
S1: he does is he tries to tempt Adam and Eve.
S8: Okay. Yeah. Thanks. I appreciate it. Sure.
S1: Thank you for your call. Appreciate it. Of course there's
S1: speculation there. I don't no one's sure of that, but
S1: that's what I think. Uh, I want to be really clear.
S1: Sometimes when I can give you an exact time frame
S1: that the scriptures say, I'll point it out in Scripture.
S1: If I'm just kind of looking at what what we
S1: have in the text, then, um, this is what I
S1: conjecture from that. So, uh, we're going to talk with
S1: Rosa next in Palm Beach, Florida, listening on Wmbb. Welcome
S1: to Open Line, Rosa. How can I help you today?
S9: Oh, hi. Thanks for answering my call. Actually, I heard
S9: you say in the beginning that you're from Brooklyn, and
S9: I grew up in Brooklyn. Um, Riga, Latvia, Soviet Union, Latvia.
S1: And we're in Brooklyn. Tell me your neighborhood.
S9: Uh, flatlands.
S1: Where were you from in Brooklyn? Rosa. Rosa, where were
S1: you from in Brooklyn?
S9: Can you hear me?
S1: No I can't. So where were you from in Brooklyn?
S9: Uh, Avenue H and 58th Street. Flatlands. Avenue.
S1: Flatlands. Got it. Okay.
S9: Not far South Shore High school and, uh, project. Anyway, I,
S9: you know, moved to Florida. I got married and, um,
S9: living in Palm Beach now, and I'm complete Jew. Thank god. But, um,
S9: there's a lot of a lot of, um, speculation where
S9: people talk about, uh, Eastern European Jews not really being Jewish,
S9: and I, I mean, my, my Soviet Union birth certificate
S9: says I'm Hebrew from both sides of my family. But
S9: is there any way that we can actually prove it,
S9: besides being the Russian Soviet Union trying to use it
S9: for anti-Semitism?
S1: Let me ask you, what was it like for the
S1: Jewish people in the Soviet Union? How well were they treated?
S9: Well, I was a child, so I didn't really feel it.
S9: But my mother, you know, there was a lot of anti-Semitism,
S9: a lot of.
S1: Oh, yeah. There was a lot of anti-Semitism.
S9: Pushing a lot of, you know, my mom said she
S9: would go for interviews and they would say, oh, don't
S9: call us. We'll call you that kind of thing where.
S1: You know, and also.
S9: Look, studying. Yeah.
S1: Also before, uh, before the the Soviet Union, in Czarist Russia,
S1: what was it like for Jewish people? It was even worse. Pogroms. Right?
S1: I mean, pogroms terrible.
S9: And of course, during Nazi Germany, you know, and I
S9: was just watching a program where as soon as the
S9: Nazis came into, into Russia, into into that part of Europe,
S9: the everybody was happy to give the Jews up to
S9: the Nazis.
S1: Yeah. Now, let me ask you this.
S9: When you was one of them, the Latvians were worse
S9: than the Nazis and Ukrainians. Also, the Christian Ukrainians were
S9: like that, too.
S1: And I was I.
S9: Was really I mean, I was a student.
S1: Teacher. Rosa. Brooklyn. Rosa, wait wait wait wait wait wait. Rosa. Rosa. Rosa! Rosa, wait. Here's.
S1: Here's the point I'm trying to make. There was so
S1: much anti-Semitism in Russia, in Eastern Europe. No one would
S1: opt to become Jewish. Uh, that that that it was
S1: it was, uh, just unheard of. Uh, those who were
S1: Russian Orthodox or Ukrainian Catholic or Latvian Orthodox or any
S1: of those, they would not have become Jewish. So here's
S1: my here's the thing. Okay. Now I'm going to try
S1: and answer as best I can. There's an allegation that
S1: there was a medieval Ukrainian, uh, uh, nation that converted
S1: to Judaism. It's really not true. The Khazars, as they
S1: were called, it was just the royalty and nobility converted
S1: to Judaism. The people didn't. The people became Catholic. And
S1: there's all sorts of DNA testing that's been done to
S1: compare Sephardic Jews from the Mediterranean world and the Arab
S1: world and Ashkenazi Jews from Eastern Europe. And what they
S1: find is they have a common source, that they're both
S1: of the same people. So this whole idea that somehow the, uh,
S1: the Ashkenazi Jews from Eastern Europe were not really Jewish
S1: because of the Khazars is just a falsehood that's been
S1: perpetuated to say that Jewish people don't have a right
S1: to the land of Israel, that they're not the same
S1: Jewish people, just a falsehood. So don't worry, Rosa, you're
S1: from a Jewish family. Guess what? You're from a Jewish family.
S1: We're going to come back with the mailbag in just
S1: a moment, so don't go away. You're listening to Open
S1: Line with Michael Zelnick.
UU: Silent night, Holy night.
S10: All is calm.
UU: All is bright. Round yon virgin mother and child.
S10: Holy infant so.
UU: Tender and mild. Sleep in heavenly peace.
S1: There we are. That's the image of what it was
S1: like in the manger, in the stable, when the Lord
S1: Jesus was born. And so I've got Tricia McMillan joining
S1: me right now for the Febc mailbag. And, Tricia, do
S1: you think that infant only slept and was never, never cried?
S11: Hahaha, no, I'm sure he cried because there's even though
S11: he was perfect. I don't think number one that crying
S11: is what indicates perfection or not crying. And I also
S11: think that that he he could not speak when he
S11: was born. And so that is still the only way
S11: babies have to communicate is through exactly the sounds they make.
S1: But of course, you know, the imagery of the Nativity
S1: is that the Lord Jesus was the perfect baby that
S1: never cried, never complained, didn't want to have his diaper changed. Nothing.
S1: You know, I think that's so interesting. Don't you think
S1: it perhaps.
S11: Perhaps it was a parent who said, you know, what
S11: would be great is if is if I think you'd
S11: be perfect if a baby didn't ever need their diaper
S11: changed and didn't cry. That's what would make this baby perfect.
S11: But you know what we look at? We look at
S11: babies today. At a newborn, you're like, this baby is perfect. Like, yeah.
S11: And it doesn't. Even when they're crying. Even when they're crying.
S11: You may not say it right when they're crying, but
S11: you will still say that, you know, this baby is perfect,
S11: but we don't mean perfection in terms of no sin. Yeah. Yeah.
S11: Just to clarify.
S1: I remember that firstborn of mine when he was in
S1: that tray. You know, they take the baby, and they
S1: put him on the tray to weigh.
S11: Him and that that's.
S1: The way, you know, he's on the tray. And it's
S1: like he's a little over. You want to keep him,
S1: you know, like at the deli? No, no, they they said, uh,
S1: they said he was just crying so loud. I said,
S1: is he okay? And the doctor said he's perfect. That's
S1: what he said. So I love that. So anyway, uh,
S1: it's time for the FBC, FBC mailbag. I'm so grateful
S1: that FBC partners with Open Line to bring us the
S1: weekly mailbag. Uh, it's a terrific organization. It brings the
S1: good news to people both via media and through personal encouragement.
S1: Check out their podcast, the FBC podcast called Until All
S1: Have Heard. Just go to fbc.org. That's the Far Eastern
S1: Broadcasting Company, fbc.org and Tricia, let's let's get to this
S1: mailbag right away.
S11: All right. Our first question is from Ron in Illinois
S11: who listens to WNBA, says in Matthew two verses 14
S11: and 15 the Bible says. So he got up, took
S11: the child and his mother. This is Joseph during the
S11: night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the
S11: death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord
S11: had said through the prophet Out of Egypt I called
S11: my son. In Luke two verse 41, the Bible says,
S11: every year Jesus parents went to Jerusalem for the feast
S11: of the Passover. Could you explain how they went to
S11: Jerusalem every year if they were exiled in Egypt until
S11: the death of Herod?
S1: Well, first of all, that's a general statement. They may
S1: have missed a year, you know, and that doesn't mean
S1: they didn't do it every year. It just means they
S1: missed that first year that Jesus was born. And then
S1: after that, for 11 years, they they went every year.
S1: That's not a not a problem. But I don't think
S1: they even missed that year. They may have, but, uh,
S1: they weren't exiled to Egypt. They escaped to Egypt. Herod
S1: died in four BC, and this happened. The slaughter of
S1: the innocent in Matthew two happened just before Herod's death. Uh,
S1: and the Lord Jesus was born probably four, or maybe
S1: at most five BC. Uh, so he, the the family
S1: only went down to Egypt for, I think, a few
S1: weeks or a month or two. It wasn't very long. So, uh,
S1: they weren't there in Egypt. It wasn't like they they
S1: were immigrants. I hear a lot of people say, oh,
S1: the Lord Jesus was an immigrant to Egypt. No he wasn't.
S1: He was there, uh, for an extended few weeks or months,
S1: but nothing more than that. Okay. So.
S11: Okay. Yeah. Great. Hope that helps. Ron. Next question is from, uh,
S11: came to an email after you gave the call. Esmeralda
S11: in Texas listening Online were the shepherds in the Nativity
S11: story considered humble people? Or was there a reason that
S11: God chose them to go and seek Jesus first?
S1: Uh, you know, there are people that always want to
S1: say that they were despised, that that somehow shepherds were
S1: especially despised group. You hear that a lot in sermons,
S1: don't you? And the basis of that is from the
S1: Joseph story. When his brothers come down in Egypt, they
S1: were despised. But there's no evidence in Judaism in the
S1: first century that shepherds were an especially despised class, and
S1: especially because the kings were called the shepherds of Israel. And, uh,
S1: also the Ezekiel 34 talks about the coming Messiah and
S1: describes him as the shepherd of Israel. So it just
S1: seems to me that to. To say that shepherds were
S1: especially despised is just reading something into from 1400 BC
S1: or 1800 BC, at the time of of Joseph.
S11: You're talking about Joseph in Genesis? Yeah.
S1: Joseph and.
S11: Genesis. Jesus's earthly father. Yeah. Okay. Sorry. I it's okay. Nope.
S1: 1800 BC Joseph goes down or, you know, somewhere around
S1: there and, uh, his family is despised in Egypt. We're
S1: talking about a whole different culture and a whole different time.
S1: And then you come to, you know, how many more
S1: than a millennium later in the land of Israel. There's
S1: no need to think of shepherds as being especially despised.
S1: I think that the reason they appeared is that these
S1: were the temple shepherds, likely there in Bethlehem. Uh uh,
S1: caring for the sheep that would be used for sacrifice.
S1: And so they had a great deal of interest in
S1: the idea that the Savior would be born, the one
S1: that would be the fulfillment of all those sacrifices. And
S1: so maybe that's why. But the Bible doesn't tell us why.
S1: They were the ones that were revealed that the Messiah
S1: was revealed to.
S11: Would they have been more humble people or like poorer within,
S11: within the realm of what people would have been.
S1: How they would have.
S11: Been living economically?
S1: I don't think that shepherds were exactly the wealthy class.
S1: They were just laborers. Okay.
S11: Mhm. Okay. Yeah. Um, it is very tempting. We talked
S11: last hour about the symbolism. It is very tempting to
S11: want to extrapolate. Um, the shepherds were the first one
S11: and Jesus was the shepherd was the good shepherd. And
S11: it is very easy to extrapolate that out. How do
S11: we keep that biblical? I know we kind of talked
S11: about it, but I'm finding my my brain just making
S11: that connection. Like, oh, he appeared, you know, the angel
S11: appeared to the shepherds and now the he is the
S11: good shepherd. And so there's this, you know, seems like
S11: a natural connection, but I don't want to falsely draw
S11: this narrative that is not there necessarily.
S1: Mhm. Yeah. Uh, I don't know. I think that sometimes we,
S1: we need to practice Deuteronomy 2929, where it says the
S1: secret things belong to the Lord, the things revealed belong
S1: to us, and we're looking for the secret meanings, the
S1: things that God hid. And so, uh, you know, uh,
S1: Paul writes in Second Corinthians and First Corinthians, don't go
S1: beyond that which is written. Mhm. And, and so God
S1: has revealed to us everything we know. I think if
S1: we mastered everything that's clear and plain and revealed, we've
S1: got plenty to chew on there. We don't need to, uh,
S1: to do more than that. I guess that's what I.
S1: You know, one of my favorite verses is Isaiah 4816.
S1: It says from the beginning I have not spoken in secret.
S1: So we don't need to find the secret mysteries. Let's
S1: deal with the things that we know. Okay?
S11: So all right, next question is from Justin in Illinois.
S11: Why does Isaiah mention Everlasting Father as one of the
S11: titles for Christ, and how does that fit in with
S11: the Trinity?
S1: I think we would have a problem with the Trinity
S1: if the son is the father. Yes.
S11: And it's it's confusing at the very least.
S1: Yeah. I wish that they translated it more accurately. And
S1: one of the things we had a great Bible study
S1: pre-record that we're going to air next week and it
S1: will cover Isaiah nine six. And and so I will
S1: give you a little foretaste of what I tease.
S11: It a little bit for us, Michael.
S1: Yeah. This Is it, uh, that the phrase actually means
S1: Father of Eternity? That is the more literal translation of
S1: that word, not Everlasting Father, but father of eternity, just
S1: like we have a father of our country. That means
S1: the founder of our country, the creator of the United
S1: States would be George Washington, right? The indispensable man. Well,
S1: when we see this phrase father of eternity, it means
S1: the father of time, the creator of time, the author
S1: of time. When we talk about the author of time,
S1: we're not talking about the Eternal Father. We're talking about
S1: the creator of time. And that is different, the Lord Jesus.
S1: There's nothing that was made that was not made by him.
S1: John tells us in John one, uh, he's the creator.
S1: And the very first act of creation was to create time.
S1: We often think in the beginning God created the heavens
S1: and the earth, so the heavens and the earth was
S1: the first act of creation. The first act of creation
S1: was the beginning Because before. Before that beginning, there was
S1: no such thing as time. So the Lord Jesus is
S1: the author of time. And that's what it means about
S1: him being the. It indicates his deity.
S11: Okay. All right. Thank you. Thank you for that.
S1: Yeah. And again.
S11: Special airs next Saturday. It's a Bible study about the
S11: Isaiah prophecies about Jesus. It's really good. Yeah.
S1: Yeah. We had a great time. Tricia, Eva and Chris
S1: Fabry and I were all together studying that. Check it
S1: out next week. You'll enjoy it. We'll be right back
S1: with more of your questions. Right here on Open Line. Thanks.
S1: Tricia McMillan, I'm Michael Dolnick, and this is Moody Radio.
S1: Stay with us.
S12: O come.
UU: O come, Emmanuel, and ransom.
S12: Captive Israel.
UU: That mourns in.
S1: One of my favorite versions of the song by Selah.
S1: What a great reminder that Israel was longing for the Messiah,
S1: and God fulfilled his promise and sent him the Lord Jesus,
S1: the Messiah of Israel. I love it because it starts
S1: with Hatikvah, the the hope, which is the the national
S1: anthem of the State of Israel. I love that music
S1: that it starts with. Well, most people think of Hanukkah
S1: as the season's only Jewish holiday. However, the Messiah Jesus
S1: was born to a Jewish virgin in Bethlehem of Judea,
S1: according to the Jewish scriptures. The promises. What could be
S1: more Jewish? So chosen People Ministries, one of Open Lines partners,
S1: is offering a free book, Christmas Through Jewish Eyes, to
S1: help us see the Jewishness of Christmas. For your free copy,
S1: just go to Open Line radio.org. That's our website, open
S1: Line radio.org. Scroll down till you see the link that
S1: says A free gift from Chosen People Ministries. Click on
S1: that and you'll be taken to a page where you
S1: can sign up for your very own free copy of
S1: Christmas Through Jewish Eyes. And we are going to go
S1: right back to the phones here, Beth in Akron, Ohio,
S1: listening on Wtxf. Welcome to Open Line. Beth. How can
S1: I help you today?
S13: Well, I have a question. You know how it's wrong
S13: to take to celebrate communion. If you're not a Christian,
S13: you're going to get judged for it. Well, if you
S13: want nothing to do with Jesus and you don't even
S13: go to church, is it wrong to celebrate Christmas by
S13: giving your children gifts and stuff like that and letting
S13: them think it's just a holiday?
S1: Well, first of all, let's talk about that. Uh, I'm
S1: going to say shocking things here when when I was
S1: a pastor and I would lead the Lord's Supper, I
S1: would always say, this is the fellowship meal of followers
S1: of Jesus, but I never forbade anyone from taking it.
S1: And the reason I didn't forbid anyone was it says
S1: in first Corinthians 11, if you take the Lord's Supper unworthily,
S1: you're drinking judgment to yourself. What I would tell people
S1: who are believers, I would tell people who are believers, uh,
S1: don't take the Lord's Supper unworthily. If there's a sin,
S1: you need to confess it. If there's a relationship issue
S1: that needs to be resolved, go do it. But, Uh,
S1: in terms of lost people. I never told them not to.
S1: And here's why. Because John three says that condemnation is
S1: upon them already. Uh, and so how much worse could
S1: it be? Could it be worse than that of not
S1: knowing the Lord? So I didn't tell people not to.
S1: And and in the same way, uh, uh, the Bible
S1: says that there's no verse in the Bible that says
S1: one that we should celebrate Christmas. You can if you
S1: want to. I think it's a great celebration, but you
S1: don't have to. And then secondly, there's no verse saying
S1: that it's it brings condemnation on someone to celebrate Christmas
S1: if they don't know the Lord. Here's what I think.
S1: I think anything that gets people to listen more, hear more,
S1: see more about Jesus, that's a good thing for them.
S1: And so, uh, yeah, I think let's celebrate Christmas. And,
S1: you know, there this is what a great season. There
S1: are people who want to celebrate Christmas. They don't know
S1: the Lord. Let's invite them to church to our Christmas celebrations.
S1: Let's have joyful, cheerful Christmas celebrations at church and invite
S1: people to it. Invite them for Christmas Eve. Help them
S1: to celebrate in a way that will help them come
S1: to know the Lord. That's what I think. Bring them in.
S1: Don't cast them out, okay?
S13: They have Christian knowledge and they don't want nothing to
S13: do with it. What if they've been to church and
S13: they just don't want nothing to do with it? Would
S13: it be wrong to get your kids all kinds of
S13: presents and let them think?
S1: Not for me, Beth. Beth, I don't think it's wrong.
S1: I think anything that gets them a little bit closer,
S1: so be it. That's good. That's what I think.
S13: So it's not like making a mockery of God.
S1: No, I don't think it's making a mockery of God.
S1: Here's the thing that I find amazing that there are
S1: people who don't want anything to do with God that
S1: are celebrating Christmas. It's making them. I mean, they it's
S1: making them even those who are hardened atheists recognize that
S1: there is something special that happened 2000 years ago that
S1: we're still celebrating it. So that's I think it's.
S13: Why why can't why can't you take communion if without
S13: being judged, if you know.
S14: Really the.
S1: The, the limitation on not taking communion is for believers
S1: not to take it unworthily. It's not talking about unbelievers.
S13: But but but I I've always heard pastors say, if
S13: you're not safe, well, I'm.
S1: Just telling you what the Bible says. Beth. Beth, the
S1: Bible says that believers shouldn't take it unworthily. It doesn't
S1: say anything about non-believers.
S14: Okay?
S13: Like like like like if you're a believer and you're
S13: not living the Christian life, is that what it is?
S1: That's right. Or if you have a conflict with someone,
S1: if there's tension. So that's that's what the issue is. Uh, let's,
S1: let's be inviting and not excluding at Christmas time. Let's
S1: bring people in, not cast them out. Okay. Thanks for
S1: your call. Beth. Really appreciate it. Uh, Andy in Alabama,
S1: welcome to Open Line. How can I help you?
S15: Yes, sir. Good morning. I have, if you could please
S15: give a little insight or some clarification on it, which
S15: is kind of a two part question. Same topic on when.
S15: At which point does the believer receive the Holy Spirit,
S15: and is there different levels of it? Does a person
S15: obtain different levels?
S1: Well, the Bible says, uh, if anyone doesn't have the spirit,
S1: they don't belong to Christ. It says if anyone does
S1: not have the Holy Spirit, they don't belong to Christ.
S1: Do you know what that tells me? Anyone that belongs
S1: to Christ, anyone that's a believer, has the Holy Spirit
S1: from the instant that they believe. Uh, that's Romans eight nine.
S1: That's Romans eight nine. And then first Corinthians. First Corinthians
S1: 1213 says, we're all baptized by one spirit into one body.
S1: And if we're all baptized by one spirit, that means
S1: everyone has the baptism by the Holy Spirit at the
S1: moment that we believe. Uh, now, what the Bible says
S1: is that we were commanded to be filled with the spirit.
S1: That means controlled by the spirit. Does the Holy Spirit
S1: have more control of some people than other people? Yes.
S1: But it's not because they have more of the Holy Spirit.
S1: They're allowing the Holy Spirit greater control. Uh, everyone has
S1: the same amount of the Holy Spirit. Uh, it says
S1: that really plainly in Scripture that, uh, the the spirit
S1: that raised Jesus from the dead. This is Romans eight.
S1: The spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us.
S1: I don't know if we need more power than that.
S1: We've got all the power we need. We just need
S1: the Holy Spirit to empower us to submit ourselves to him,
S1: to allow him to lead and guide us to, to
S1: motivate us to obey the scriptures. We all have the
S1: Holy Spirit if we're believers in Jesus from the moment
S1: we believe. But boy, we need to allow him to
S1: control us. And that's what we're commanded to do. Hey,
S1: thanks for that. Excellent call, Andy. Really appreciate it. And
S1: thanks for listening, everyone, because the program can't believe that
S1: that's the program for the week. Fastest two hours of
S1: my week. Appreciate you all. And thank you so much
S1: for calling or writing with your questions. And thanks to
S1: today's Open Line team. Tricia, Omar, Tahira and Gabby. Remember,
S1: keep in touch with Open Line during the week by
S1: going to our web page, Open Line radio.org. It's got
S1: all the links you're looking for about the program. Keep
S1: reading the Bible and we'll talk about it next week
S1: in our special Bible study. Don't miss that open line
S1: with Doctor Michael Riddell. Nick is a production of Moody Radio,
S1: a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.