WEBVTT - Hour 2: Digging Deep into Scripture 0:00:08.420 --> 0:00:11.840 Hello friends, it's time for the second hour of Open 0:00:11.840 --> 0:00:16.760 Line with Doctor Michael Radonich Moody Radio's Bible Study Across America. 0:00:16.760 --> 0:00:21.050 We're talking about your questions about the Bible, God and 0:00:21.050 --> 0:00:24.830 the spiritual life. My name is Michael Radonich. I'm academic 0:00:24.829 --> 0:00:29.390 dean and professor of Jewish studies at Moody Bible Institute, 0:00:29.390 --> 0:00:32.690 and we're live today sitting around the radio kitchen table 0:00:32.720 --> 0:00:35.630 taking your questions so you can just give me a call. 0:00:35.630 --> 0:00:38.510 Right now we have a few phone lines open. It's 0:00:38.510 --> 0:00:40.100 always good at the beginning of the hour to get 0:00:40.100 --> 0:00:48.890 those lines filled up. It's the best time. Call (877) 548-3675. 0:00:48.920 --> 0:00:55.490 That's (877) 548-3675. If you can't call, you can just go 0:00:55.490 --> 0:01:00.770 to our website open Line radio.org. Click Ask Michael a question, 0:01:00.770 --> 0:01:03.680 you'll see that there. And that's where you can post 0:01:03.680 --> 0:01:05.870 your question. I hope you have your Bibles open. I 0:01:05.900 --> 0:01:08.420 hope you've got your second cup of coffee. I have 0:01:08.420 --> 0:01:10.580 such a big cup of coffee. Mine lasts for two 0:01:10.580 --> 0:01:14.420 hours in my little special cup. And there it is, 0:01:14.450 --> 0:01:16.580 and we're ready to talk about the scriptures. We're going 0:01:16.610 --> 0:01:21.500 to talk to Kimberly to begin right, right now in Akron, Ohio, 0:01:21.530 --> 0:01:24.110 listening on Wkar's. Welcome to Open Line. 0:01:24.560 --> 0:01:27.410 Thank you. Thank you for having me. Um, the question 0:01:27.410 --> 0:01:28.880 I have, let me first tell you how I came 0:01:28.880 --> 0:01:31.880 up with it. Every Saturday morning, I have an app 0:01:31.910 --> 0:01:35.959 on my phone with this King James, and there's a quiz. 0:01:35.959 --> 0:01:40.190 And so the question was, which apostle betrayed Jesus? Um, 0:01:40.190 --> 0:01:43.310 it gives the list of them. And I saw Joseph Iscariot, 0:01:43.310 --> 0:01:45.770 which was the truth. But then it made me wonder, 0:01:45.800 --> 0:01:48.680 why is he the only apostle that has a last name? 0:01:49.520 --> 0:01:50.060 Uh. 0:01:50.810 --> 0:01:52.970 I don't think it's the last name. I think it's 0:01:52.970 --> 0:01:57.740 it's a category. Just like, uh, think about. 0:01:57.750 --> 0:01:58.530 Uh. 0:01:58.680 --> 0:02:03.900 James and John are the sons of Zebedee. Uh, so 0:02:03.930 --> 0:02:09.929 James name, actually, uh, James, the son of Zebedee. His 0:02:09.930 --> 0:02:12.359 real name was Jacob. If you read the Greek New Testament, 0:02:12.360 --> 0:02:17.820 it's Jacobus is the name. And and then it would 0:02:17.820 --> 0:02:23.880 be Yaakov in Hebrew or Aramaic Ben, and then Zebedee 0:02:24.060 --> 0:02:31.799 as the Hebrew name Zebedee. So that's what, uh, that's 0:02:31.800 --> 0:02:34.110 what it would have been. So it sounds like a 0:02:34.110 --> 0:02:39.270 last name. Uh, Iscariot. Uh, ish something. But I don't 0:02:39.300 --> 0:02:42.660 know what carryout ish is, man. So, uh, that's one 0:02:42.660 --> 0:02:44.490 of the things that you can look up and see 0:02:44.490 --> 0:02:46.860 what Iscariot is. I think it may have to do 0:02:46.860 --> 0:02:51.000 with the nickname more than a last name. Okay. 0:02:52.440 --> 0:02:54.750 I'm going to ask the question. Even when I called in, 0:02:54.780 --> 0:02:57.100 it was like a question that they thought, wow, I 0:02:57.100 --> 0:02:59.560 never thought of that either. So I figured it would 0:02:59.560 --> 0:03:00.730 be a good question to ask you. 0:03:00.760 --> 0:03:03.970 Yeah, well, you know, it is, you know, but I'm 0:03:03.970 --> 0:03:08.020 going to have to say that I'll tell you what 0:03:08.020 --> 0:03:11.380 I'm I'm good at. I'm good at answering Bible questions. 0:03:11.380 --> 0:03:16.360 I'm really terrible at Bible trivia, so. Ha ha ha. 0:03:16.870 --> 0:03:24.310 And and, uh, that's that's what, uh, what sometimes I think, uh, 0:03:24.310 --> 0:03:29.290 people think, well, how can I stump the professor? Which is. Okay. Uh, 0:03:29.290 --> 0:03:31.930 you know, I don't mind that, but that I'm. I 0:03:31.930 --> 0:03:40.090 will easily get stumped. Uh, it's actually, uh, it could, 0:03:40.120 --> 0:03:42.910 it could be. They're not sure I'm looking it up 0:03:42.910 --> 0:03:46.690 right now about Iscariot. Uh, ish is. Man, I knew 0:03:46.720 --> 0:03:50.080 that chariot. Some people, they're not sure what it means. 0:03:50.080 --> 0:03:52.840 If it's a place name or if it comes from 0:03:52.840 --> 0:03:57.190 the Latin sicarius, which is the assassins or the rebels 0:03:57.190 --> 0:04:00.940 that were involved in the first century revolt against Rome, 0:04:00.940 --> 0:04:05.710 those who were zealots. And so, uh, that maybe he 0:04:05.710 --> 0:04:11.290 comes from that, the ultra nationalist, uh, group of that 0:04:11.320 --> 0:04:14.140 leads to the zealots and the war that breaks out 0:04:14.140 --> 0:04:18.730 in 66 against Rome. So that's that's what it could be. 0:04:18.730 --> 0:04:21.070 That's what it could be. Thanks for your call, Kimberly. 0:04:21.070 --> 0:04:25.089 Really appreciate it. We're going to talk to Vivian, uh, 0:04:25.089 --> 0:04:30.100 in Selma, Alabama, listening on Wraf. Welcome to Open Line. Vivian. 0:04:30.100 --> 0:04:31.839 How can I help you? Yes. 0:04:32.290 --> 0:04:35.620 Good morning. Thank you so much, Michael, for taking my question. Sure. 0:04:36.520 --> 0:04:41.770 My question is, in Genesis one one, we we see that, um, 0:04:41.800 --> 0:04:45.940 God created the heavens and the earth. Also in Matthew 25, 0:04:45.970 --> 0:04:49.390 which is part of tomorrow's Sunday school lesson 25, verse 34, 0:04:49.420 --> 0:04:51.880 it says the kingdom was prepared since the creation of 0:04:51.880 --> 0:04:56.589 the world. But John 14 and three says, and if 0:04:56.589 --> 0:05:00.820 I go and prepare a place for you. So my 0:05:00.820 --> 0:05:03.070 question is, I know it's not a contradiction. I just 0:05:03.070 --> 0:05:04.120 want some clarity. 0:05:04.150 --> 0:05:04.539 Well, in. 0:05:04.540 --> 0:05:07.810 Genesis one one, God created the heavens and the earth, 0:05:07.810 --> 0:05:09.969 and it's really important to understand what it means. The 0:05:09.970 --> 0:05:13.839 word heaven has different kinds of meanings there. It's referring 0:05:13.870 --> 0:05:19.630 to the space, so to speak, the the sky in space. 0:05:19.660 --> 0:05:24.099 Of course you have. That's what Shamayim is. There the heavens. Uh, 0:05:24.100 --> 0:05:25.720 when we. When we like, when you look out at 0:05:25.720 --> 0:05:29.560 the stars and you see those stars, and you see 0:05:29.560 --> 0:05:32.290 the sun in the in the sky, and you see 0:05:32.290 --> 0:05:36.100 the the moon in the sky and the heavens, that's 0:05:36.100 --> 0:05:40.600 what it's referring to, sort of space. Uh, it's not 0:05:40.600 --> 0:05:45.700 talking about heaven as our place where we're going to 0:05:45.700 --> 0:05:51.010 be with the Lord. Uh, okay. That's that's Genesis in 0:05:51.010 --> 0:05:59.120 Matthew 25. Five, verse 34, uh, it says that, uh, 0:05:59.120 --> 0:06:02.600 come into the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation 0:06:02.600 --> 0:06:06.320 of the world. That's not talking about heaven, that's talking 0:06:06.320 --> 0:06:13.910 about an earthly kingdom where Messiah reigns over from Jerusalem, 0:06:13.910 --> 0:06:18.680 over Israel and the whole world. That's the messianic kingdom. 0:06:18.860 --> 0:06:22.040 Some people call it the millennium because in revelation 20 0:06:22.070 --> 0:06:24.529 it is said to be a thousand years. So that's 0:06:24.529 --> 0:06:31.520 not heaven either. One is space two the Matthew 25. 0:06:31.550 --> 0:06:36.950 That's the earthly kingdom of the Messiah. And then, uh, 0:06:37.100 --> 0:06:42.440 John 14 three uh, this is where Jesus says I 0:06:42.440 --> 0:06:47.360 go to prepare a place for you. Um, and, uh, 0:06:47.570 --> 0:06:51.080 I if I go away, I will come back there. 0:06:51.080 --> 0:06:54.210 He's just saying. He's not saying he's creating a heaven 0:06:54.210 --> 0:06:57.060 for us or that he's creating the kingdom. What he's 0:06:57.060 --> 0:07:02.549 saying he's preparing, uh, in my father's house, there are many. 0:07:02.970 --> 0:07:07.140 I remember one Greek teacher. I had said many apartments. Uh, 0:07:07.140 --> 0:07:11.460 we like mansions, but that there's a place to live 0:07:11.460 --> 0:07:14.160 in the presence of God and the Lord Jesus goes 0:07:14.160 --> 0:07:18.150 to prepare that for us. That's what it's referring to. Uh, 0:07:18.150 --> 0:07:21.030 and so those are the three terms. They're not at 0:07:21.030 --> 0:07:25.830 all contradictory. They're they're just talking about three different things. Okay, Vivian. 0:07:26.550 --> 0:07:28.350 Thank you. Thank you for the clarity. 0:07:28.380 --> 0:07:32.070 Yeah, sure. Thanks so much for your call. Boy, I 0:07:32.070 --> 0:07:38.220 have to say, this is, uh, talking about heaven. Uh, 0:07:38.220 --> 0:07:43.350 I have a dear friend who went to be with 0:07:43.350 --> 0:07:46.680 the Lord about two weeks ago, the day after the 0:07:46.680 --> 0:07:51.720 Super Bowl, and, uh, I talked with him after the 0:07:51.720 --> 0:07:55.860 Super Bowl. He had he was quite ill. And then 0:07:55.860 --> 0:07:57.630 he had sort of a little revival on the day 0:07:57.630 --> 0:07:59.280 of the Super Bowl. He was in the hospital and 0:07:59.280 --> 0:08:02.790 his kids were with him, and they watched the football game, 0:08:02.790 --> 0:08:07.830 and he called me and said, you know, I'm going 0:08:07.860 --> 0:08:10.890 to be dying soon and will you speak at my 0:08:10.890 --> 0:08:15.900 funeral and, and such? And that was a hard conversation. 0:08:15.900 --> 0:08:17.970 But I said to him, you know, as hard as 0:08:17.970 --> 0:08:20.310 this is, I know we're going to see each other again. 0:08:20.490 --> 0:08:23.340 And then he was supposed to go home for hospice, 0:08:23.340 --> 0:08:28.500 but passed away in the morning. And every time you 0:08:28.500 --> 0:08:31.410 lose someone like that. This has been my friend for 0:08:31.410 --> 0:08:34.770 over 50 years and we don't see each other much, 0:08:34.770 --> 0:08:37.110 but talk all the time and text all the time 0:08:37.110 --> 0:08:41.430 and think of each other all the time. When that happens, 0:08:41.429 --> 0:08:45.780 you think, well, eternity is so true. We will get 0:08:45.780 --> 0:08:49.290 to be with each other forever. And and I think 0:08:49.290 --> 0:08:53.070 that sometimes when, when we die, when someone dies that 0:08:53.070 --> 0:08:58.470 we love, we, we get the sense that it's it 0:08:58.470 --> 0:09:00.809 will hurt our faith, but it doesn't. It builds my faith. 0:09:00.809 --> 0:09:03.570 It strengthens my faith. It gives me hope. We don't. 0:09:03.600 --> 0:09:06.929 I'm grieving the loss of this dear friend, but I 0:09:06.929 --> 0:09:09.870 don't grieve as those who have no hope. You know, 0:09:09.900 --> 0:09:13.439 first Thessalonians four I have a real confidence that I 0:09:13.440 --> 0:09:16.650 will see him again. Uh, and he was when I 0:09:16.650 --> 0:09:19.740 went to Moody as a student 50 years ago. He 0:09:19.740 --> 0:09:23.099 was the funniest student in school. He was just a 0:09:23.100 --> 0:09:27.150 crack up. And, uh, as I think about that, I 0:09:27.150 --> 0:09:30.569 think I'm going to spend eternity with my old pal laughing. 0:09:30.570 --> 0:09:32.790 We're going to be. There's going to be laughter in heaven, 0:09:32.790 --> 0:09:36.210 and we're going to be cutting up then as just. 0:09:36.270 --> 0:09:40.830 And you know what? Faith in Jesus, friends. Trusting in him, 0:09:40.830 --> 0:09:43.740 believing in him, that he died for us and rose 0:09:43.770 --> 0:09:48.370 again gives us confidence to face the future, That's what. 0:09:48.370 --> 0:09:53.710 That's what this reminds me of. Uh, so anyway, we're 0:09:53.710 --> 0:09:58.569 going to go to break now and, uh uh uh, 0:09:58.570 --> 0:10:02.830 when we do go to break, I want you to consider, uh, 0:10:03.760 --> 0:10:06.790 that that all you have to do is put your 0:10:06.790 --> 0:10:10.900 trust in Jesus. Uh, and then you, too, can have 0:10:10.900 --> 0:10:15.910 confidence that he died for us. He rose again, and 0:10:15.910 --> 0:10:18.040 he has gone to prepare a place for us, and 0:10:18.040 --> 0:10:20.500 we'll spend forever with him. I hope you'll make that 0:10:20.500 --> 0:10:24.010 decision to tell him. If you've never done that, that 0:10:24.010 --> 0:10:27.070 you trust in Jesus. We're going to come back in 0:10:27.070 --> 0:10:29.530 just a moment. Uh, we're going to take more of 0:10:29.530 --> 0:10:33.550 your calls right here on Open Line with Michael Zelnick. 0:10:49.429 --> 0:10:52.490 And we're back. So glad to be with you on 0:10:52.490 --> 0:10:56.660 this Saturday morning as we study the scriptures together on 0:10:56.660 --> 0:10:59.359 our Bible study across America. I do want to remind 0:10:59.360 --> 0:11:02.840 you about our current resource, because I think it's such 0:11:02.870 --> 0:11:05.090 a helpful book, and it was written by a friend 0:11:05.090 --> 0:11:08.420 of mine, Doctor Paul Benware, and it gives you a 0:11:08.420 --> 0:11:12.140 roadmap for the New Testament. It is a survey of 0:11:12.140 --> 0:11:16.280 the New Testament by Paul Benware, and Doctor Benware has 0:11:16.280 --> 0:11:21.380 been teaching the Bible for beyond years, I can imagine, 0:11:21.380 --> 0:11:25.160 and just has had a wonderful ministry, but not just 0:11:25.160 --> 0:11:27.470 for people at large. Really has helped me a lot 0:11:27.500 --> 0:11:29.959 with my understanding of Scripture and how to put it 0:11:29.960 --> 0:11:33.170 all together. And this book, survey of the New Testament 0:11:33.170 --> 0:11:36.890 gives you a roadmap of of Matthew through revelation, how 0:11:36.890 --> 0:11:39.860 each book is put together and how they all fit together. 0:11:39.860 --> 0:11:42.560 It is such a great resource. I don't want you 0:11:42.559 --> 0:11:44.840 to miss out on it. And it's our way of 0:11:44.840 --> 0:11:47.360 saying thank you to you. When you send a gift 0:11:47.360 --> 0:11:50.180 of any size, we'd love to get you a copy 0:11:50.179 --> 0:11:53.660 of survey of the New Testament by Doctor Paul Benware. 0:11:53.690 --> 0:11:56.240 If you would like to give a gift and get 0:11:56.240 --> 0:11:58.490 a copy of this book, all you have to do 0:11:58.490 --> 0:12:08.240 is call (888) 644-7122. That's (888) 644-7122 or go to open Line radio.org. 0:12:08.240 --> 0:12:10.939 And remember with your gift, be sure to ask for 0:12:10.940 --> 0:12:13.280 a survey of the New Testament by Doctor Paul Benware. 0:12:13.309 --> 0:12:16.280 You're going to love this book. And we're going to 0:12:16.280 --> 0:12:20.870 talk to Jack Johnston in Alaska, listening on 97.7 FM, 0:12:20.870 --> 0:12:25.070 Moody Radio. I got to say, Jack, I'm glad you're calling. 0:12:25.070 --> 0:12:27.319 Every time I get a call from Alaska, I think 0:12:27.320 --> 0:12:31.100 I want to go to Alaska. Never been so. I'm 0:12:31.100 --> 0:12:34.130 jealous of you, Jack. Living there in Alaska. How can 0:12:34.130 --> 0:12:34.850 I help you? 0:12:35.690 --> 0:12:39.980 Yes, sir. Yeah, well, come on up. Yeah. We'd love 0:12:39.980 --> 0:12:43.640 to have you. Yes, sir. Well, my Uh, question kind 0:12:43.640 --> 0:12:47.000 of is, um, do you think that, uh, cause for 0:12:47.000 --> 0:12:53.240 the anti-Semitism, I mean, throughout history even has been because God, 0:12:53.270 --> 0:12:56.630 the only true living God gave his word, the law 0:12:56.630 --> 0:12:58.969 of Moses. And, you know, all of the Old and 0:12:58.970 --> 0:13:02.570 New Testament to Jewish people. I mean, they were the 0:13:02.570 --> 0:13:06.950 ones that God spoke to as opposed to all the 0:13:06.950 --> 0:13:10.400 other nations that were worshiping idols, you know, created in 0:13:10.400 --> 0:13:14.059 their own image. And, um, anyhow, I was just, uh, 0:13:14.059 --> 0:13:17.270 my question was, do you think that the hatred of 0:13:17.270 --> 0:13:22.430 Jewish folks and believers in the Lord Jesus also, that, um, 0:13:22.730 --> 0:13:27.170 is caused because we worship the true living God and 0:13:27.170 --> 0:13:30.860 they can't touch him, but they can certainly kill us. 0:13:30.860 --> 0:13:31.970 And you know what I'm saying? 0:13:31.970 --> 0:13:35.240 Yeah, I think that there's maybe there's a hint of that. 0:13:35.240 --> 0:13:36.800 I don't want to say no, I don't, you know, 0:13:36.830 --> 0:13:40.370 because I don't know what drives anti-Semitism. But I think 0:13:40.400 --> 0:13:44.970 that there are two theological reasons for anti-Semitism. The first 0:13:44.970 --> 0:13:47.309 is mentioned in Psalm 83. I talked about it first, 0:13:47.340 --> 0:13:55.349 our that that, uh, because the world hates God, they 0:13:55.350 --> 0:13:59.910 hate his people, that they that hatred of the God 0:13:59.910 --> 0:14:03.660 of Israel fuels hatred of the people of Israel. And 0:14:03.809 --> 0:14:09.060 I think that's really there. And I guess what I 0:14:09.059 --> 0:14:15.960 would say is Satan hates whom God loves. And and 0:14:15.960 --> 0:14:21.120 that's right there. And, and that's why it's like that. Uh, 0:14:21.750 --> 0:14:27.780 and the way of hurting people, I think whether knowingly 0:14:27.780 --> 0:14:30.780 or not, the enemy wants to hurt God in the 0:14:30.780 --> 0:14:33.750 way he hurts God is by hurting those whom God loves. 0:14:33.780 --> 0:14:38.130 And and that that's a, I think, a a special reason, 0:14:38.160 --> 0:14:42.310 a second reason I believe theologically not based on Psalm 83, 0:14:42.310 --> 0:14:46.570 but based on revelation 12, is that Satan wants to 0:14:46.600 --> 0:14:50.650 obstruct the plan of God. So think about it. If 0:14:50.650 --> 0:14:54.790 if Haman had been successful, then the Messiah could have 0:14:54.790 --> 0:14:56.830 never been born because he was promised to come from 0:14:56.830 --> 0:15:00.970 the people of Israel. Uh, and when we look at 0:15:00.970 --> 0:15:06.520 the future, Matthew 2337 through 39, where it says that 0:15:06.520 --> 0:15:09.370 the key to the Second Coming after the tribulation, the 0:15:09.370 --> 0:15:13.990 key is when Israel will welcome Jesus as the Messiah. 0:15:14.020 --> 0:15:17.080 He says, though he would have gathered them as as 0:15:17.110 --> 0:15:20.650 a mother hen gathers her chicks, they were unwilling that. 0:15:20.950 --> 0:15:24.880 But you will not see me again until you say, 0:15:24.880 --> 0:15:27.640 blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 0:15:27.640 --> 0:15:31.570 That's the Hebrew phrase for greeting. Uh, it's written in 0:15:31.570 --> 0:15:35.140 Greek there, but it's based on the Hebrew phrase for welcome. 0:15:35.140 --> 0:15:37.000 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 0:15:37.000 --> 0:15:39.520 You can see it in Psalm 118. It's still used 0:15:39.520 --> 0:15:44.230 today in modern Hebrew as the welcome. So for that reason, 0:15:44.230 --> 0:15:47.109 in my opinion, it is saying there what the Lord 0:15:47.110 --> 0:15:49.720 Jesus is saying is when Israel welcomes him back, that's 0:15:49.720 --> 0:15:53.710 when he will return. And so if Satan could destroy 0:15:53.710 --> 0:15:57.400 the Jewish people, he will obstruct the return of the 0:15:57.400 --> 0:16:01.630 Lord Jesus. And so I actually believe it is hatred 0:16:01.630 --> 0:16:04.600 for whom God loves, and obstruction of the plan that 0:16:04.600 --> 0:16:09.430 God has made that drives anti-Semitism. Okay, Jack? 0:16:10.090 --> 0:16:13.120 Yes, sir. Yeah, that's that's neat because like you're saying, 0:16:13.150 --> 0:16:14.800 I mean, it just it's. 0:16:14.800 --> 0:16:17.530 Illogical, isn't it? It doesn't make any sense. 0:16:17.590 --> 0:16:22.660 No, it doesn't, it doesn't. But you know, all throughout history, people, 0:16:22.660 --> 0:16:27.130 you know, uh, they, they hate the Jews and believers 0:16:27.130 --> 0:16:31.030 in Jesus. Yeah. You know, because of his word, I mean, 0:16:31.030 --> 0:16:31.930 everybody I. 0:16:31.930 --> 0:16:34.660 Mean, we have if you go back in church history, Jack, 0:16:34.690 --> 0:16:36.220 you're going to see that the believers in the Lord 0:16:36.220 --> 0:16:42.160 Jesus Also hated the Jewish people. Uh, yeah. The Inquisition. 0:16:42.160 --> 0:16:48.610 And if you look at the the Crusades, it's just unbelievable. 0:16:48.610 --> 0:16:50.890 When you look at the history of hatred of the 0:16:50.890 --> 0:16:55.480 Jewish people. And, uh, I think that that the most 0:16:55.480 --> 0:16:59.350 interesting thing to me is that that doesn't change God's heart. 0:16:59.350 --> 0:17:03.490 He's going to preserve and protect his people. And, and that's, 0:17:03.490 --> 0:17:07.629 that's the the truth of it. And, uh, hopefully the 0:17:07.630 --> 0:17:11.290 the pressure will cause Jewish people to consider the Messiah 0:17:11.290 --> 0:17:14.980 of Israel, the Lord Jesus. So anyway, thank you for 0:17:14.980 --> 0:17:16.600 your call, Jack, I appreciate it. We're going to go 0:17:16.600 --> 0:17:21.310 to the next caller. It's Devin, uh, or Devin, I 0:17:21.340 --> 0:17:25.630 guess I would say Devin, uh, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, listening 0:17:25.630 --> 0:17:29.260 on Moody Radio there. Welcome to Open Line. Devin. 0:17:29.650 --> 0:17:32.590 Hi, Michael. Uh, it's actually Devin. You got it right 0:17:32.590 --> 0:17:36.710 the first time. Okay. Um, but so my question is 0:17:36.710 --> 0:17:41.390 really pertaining to like within my family. And um, Hebrews 0:17:41.390 --> 0:17:44.359 1214 says to make every effort to live at peace 0:17:44.359 --> 0:17:50.960 with everyone. And, and then in Matthew 1034 and 35, 0:17:50.990 --> 0:17:53.689 it talks about setting a man at variance against his 0:17:53.690 --> 0:17:56.300 father and bringing a sword and all this. So can 0:17:56.300 --> 0:17:59.899 you please give me some wisdom on how to pursue 0:17:59.930 --> 0:18:03.050 peace with people that I feel like aren't aren't really 0:18:03.770 --> 0:18:06.200 don't have the same heart for that. 0:18:07.850 --> 0:18:10.310 You know, that sounds to me like there's a whole 0:18:10.310 --> 0:18:18.230 lot more going on. Uh, then then, you know, I 0:18:18.230 --> 0:18:22.550 can really answer, but I'll I'll just start with this, 0:18:22.640 --> 0:18:25.760 that we should do our best to be at peace 0:18:25.760 --> 0:18:32.210 with our family. That mark is a mark 1030. Matthew 1037. Right. 0:18:32.210 --> 0:18:34.790 Isn't that what you're talking about? The verse. Did I 0:18:34.800 --> 0:18:35.490 get that right, Jack? 0:18:36.030 --> 0:18:38.760 1030. Well, 1034 and 35. 0:18:38.790 --> 0:18:39.720 Yeah. That's it. 0:18:40.680 --> 0:18:43.919 Uh, that's not saying that everyone's going to be at 0:18:43.920 --> 0:18:51.960 odds with their parents or their brothers or sisters. Uh, but, uh, 0:18:53.490 --> 0:18:59.490 but nevertheless, when it's really saying that there there's a 0:18:59.490 --> 0:19:03.660 grave possibility that when a person becomes a follower of Jesus, 0:19:03.690 --> 0:19:10.200 it may lead to a separation between parents and children 0:19:10.200 --> 0:19:14.429 and siblings and so forth, and children and parents, and 0:19:14.550 --> 0:19:18.660 you just don't know. But Romans 1218 says, as much 0:19:18.660 --> 0:19:23.160 as is possible, be at peace with all men. So 0:19:23.190 --> 0:19:26.220 even though there may be a division in the family, 0:19:26.369 --> 0:19:29.760 what we have to do is see where we can go, 0:19:29.790 --> 0:19:32.670 what we can do, how we can do it, to 0:19:32.700 --> 0:19:38.399 try to find peace, even without compromising our faith. Uh, 0:19:38.609 --> 0:19:41.609 I just know. I'll just tell you in my own life, 0:19:41.609 --> 0:19:44.520 my own family. When I became a follower of Jesus, 0:19:44.520 --> 0:19:49.230 my dad utterly disowned me. He moved away. Wouldn't talk 0:19:49.230 --> 0:19:52.409 to me just because I believed in Jesus and the 0:19:52.410 --> 0:19:55.620 reason for him. You know, he had lost his first wife, 0:19:55.619 --> 0:19:59.850 his five children in the Holocaust, and he saw all 0:19:59.850 --> 0:20:03.840 followers of Jesus as, uh, being equated with Nazis. And 0:20:03.840 --> 0:20:08.879 so to him, I had become a Nazi. Uh, even. Obviously, 0:20:08.880 --> 0:20:12.210 that's not true. And so what I did is I 0:20:12.210 --> 0:20:16.139 just spent the rest of his living days trying to 0:20:16.170 --> 0:20:20.280 send out appeals, trying to let him know that I 0:20:20.280 --> 0:20:23.250 wanted to have a relationship with him. I wanted to 0:20:23.250 --> 0:20:27.240 see him. I wasn't going to compromise my faith, but, uh, 0:20:27.240 --> 0:20:29.610 I was I if you don't want me to ever 0:20:29.609 --> 0:20:32.190 talk about it, I won't ever talk about it. Uh, 0:20:32.190 --> 0:20:34.980 I'll leave that to God to to let you know 0:20:34.980 --> 0:20:38.610 about it. But I wanted to have a relationship with him. 0:20:38.609 --> 0:20:42.900 Had about 2 or 3 times where we could actually talk. Uh, 0:20:42.900 --> 0:20:47.220 but nothing really came of it over those years. Uh, 0:20:47.250 --> 0:20:49.950 you know, over 25 years of of trying to reach 0:20:49.950 --> 0:20:53.730 out to him. I did my best as much as possible. 0:20:53.730 --> 0:20:56.369 I wanted to be at peace with him. Uh, without 0:20:56.369 --> 0:20:58.770 giving up my faith, that's what I would say. What 0:20:58.770 --> 0:21:02.340 kind of sacrifices? Sacrifices we can make to try and 0:21:02.340 --> 0:21:06.119 let those whom we love know that we want to 0:21:06.119 --> 0:21:07.649 be at peace with them, even if they don't want 0:21:07.680 --> 0:21:09.600 to be at peace with us. That's what I would 0:21:09.600 --> 0:21:11.850 encourage you to do. Jack. Okay. 0:21:12.180 --> 0:21:14.130 Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Michael. Yeah. 0:21:14.910 --> 0:21:19.710 Uh, and I'm sorry I said Jack. It was Devin 0:21:19.740 --> 0:21:21.899 or Devin or something like that. Okay, we're going to 0:21:21.900 --> 0:21:28.800 talk to, uh, Daniel, uh, in Minnesota on Faith radio. 0:21:28.800 --> 0:21:31.210 Welcome to Open Line. Daniel. How can I help you? 0:21:32.290 --> 0:21:35.230 Thank you, thank you. And peace and glory be upon 0:21:35.230 --> 0:21:37.180 you as well. And for all who have an ear 0:21:37.180 --> 0:21:43.450 to listen. I am really curious of John 1613 and 0:21:43.450 --> 0:21:46.540 when Jesus references the helper and he calls him he 0:21:46.570 --> 0:21:48.850 a couple of times. So I wanted to get more 0:21:48.850 --> 0:21:51.580 information on how we can look for the helper in 0:21:51.580 --> 0:21:54.250 our everyday life. Of course, the Holy Spirit. But then also, 0:21:54.250 --> 0:21:57.220 if there is someone that Jesus is sending to that 0:21:57.220 --> 0:21:59.470 will testify in his name that he sent. 0:21:59.770 --> 0:22:03.250 Well, John 16, where it says that he will guide 0:22:03.250 --> 0:22:05.620 you into all truth, I think that he's that's not 0:22:05.650 --> 0:22:12.520 a general statement. If I'm right, the guidance of the 0:22:12.520 --> 0:22:14.950 Holy Spirit that's being spoken there is in the upper 0:22:14.950 --> 0:22:21.220 room discourse to the disciples and uh, uh, and uh, 0:22:22.660 --> 0:22:26.980 so I think what he is saying is, uh, that 0:22:26.980 --> 0:22:28.840 he will declare to you what is to come and 0:22:28.840 --> 0:22:31.670 he will glorify me and so forth, but he will 0:22:31.670 --> 0:22:33.409 guide you into all truth. I think he's talking to 0:22:33.440 --> 0:22:37.189 the apostles, and that's what empowered them to write the 0:22:37.190 --> 0:22:40.550 New Testament. In terms of the Holy Spirit, we fully 0:22:40.550 --> 0:22:44.990 have the Holy Spirit. Romans eight says that. And Paul 0:22:44.990 --> 0:22:48.290 is writing, obviously after Pentecost, that every believer fully has 0:22:48.290 --> 0:22:51.530 the Holy Spirit. It says in Romans eight nine, if, if, 0:22:51.710 --> 0:22:54.919 if we don't have the spirit, we don't belong to him. Conversely, 0:22:54.920 --> 0:22:56.899 if we do belong to him, we fully have the 0:22:56.900 --> 0:22:59.780 Holy Spirit. And that's enough power, the power that raised 0:22:59.780 --> 0:23:02.390 the Lord Jesus from the dead. So we're we have 0:23:02.390 --> 0:23:06.050 spiritual power. And so what the Bible is teaching also, Paul, 0:23:06.050 --> 0:23:09.890 Ephesians 518 we need to be filled or controlled by 0:23:09.890 --> 0:23:11.869 the spirit. I believe that's by allowing the Word of 0:23:11.869 --> 0:23:15.500 God to take forcible occupation of our lives. That's how 0:23:15.530 --> 0:23:19.040 the Holy Spirit controls us. We need to be. We 0:23:19.040 --> 0:23:21.740 need to walk in the spirit that that the the 0:23:21.740 --> 0:23:25.730 mind set on things of the spirit is spiritual. The 0:23:25.730 --> 0:23:30.230 mind set on things of the flesh is is fleshly. 0:23:30.230 --> 0:23:33.230 That's what Romans eight says. And so what we're doing 0:23:33.230 --> 0:23:37.669 is we're looking to live according to the leading and 0:23:37.670 --> 0:23:42.379 guidance of the Holy Spirit by thinking on putting our mind, 0:23:42.410 --> 0:23:47.389 our thoughts, our, our, our ideas before the Word of 0:23:47.390 --> 0:23:52.520 God and under the control of the Holy Spirit, setting 0:23:52.520 --> 0:23:56.060 our minds on things above. Uh, that's that's how we 0:23:56.090 --> 0:24:00.680 are led by the spirit today. So, uh, you know, 0:24:00.710 --> 0:24:03.320 I don't think we should always, you know, this is 0:24:03.320 --> 0:24:06.800 what I think. Sometimes we're looking for signs and wonders 0:24:06.800 --> 0:24:11.210 and and powerful exploits what the Holy Spirit is doing 0:24:11.210 --> 0:24:14.179 in our lives now. Uh, you know, an evil and 0:24:14.210 --> 0:24:17.300 adulterous generation looks after a sign, seeks for a sign. 0:24:17.300 --> 0:24:24.050 But what we're looking for is spiritual transformation. That the 0:24:24.050 --> 0:24:26.810 Holy Spirit will draw us closer and closer in our 0:24:26.810 --> 0:24:29.659 walk with him as we devote ourselves to the things 0:24:29.660 --> 0:24:32.840 of the spirit, the things above. By the power of 0:24:32.840 --> 0:24:35.959 His Spirit, he's transforming our lives on a daily basis 0:24:35.960 --> 0:24:39.770 so we can walk closer and closer with him. Uh, 0:24:39.770 --> 0:24:42.530 doesn't mean he's going to reveal all things to come 0:24:42.530 --> 0:24:44.870 to us, because that was what he was saying to 0:24:44.900 --> 0:24:47.270 the apostles in the upper room. But he is promising 0:24:47.270 --> 0:24:50.660 us that we can, by the power of the spirit. 0:24:50.690 --> 0:24:53.090 What's what's he say? Put to death the deeds of 0:24:53.240 --> 0:24:56.090 the flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit. And 0:24:56.090 --> 0:25:00.500 so that's that's that's what he's looking for, uh, to 0:25:00.530 --> 0:25:05.900 accomplish in our lives. Uh, Daniel, is is that helpful 0:25:05.900 --> 0:25:06.740 at all? 0:25:06.800 --> 0:25:10.219 That that is absolutely helpful in a profound way. And 0:25:10.220 --> 0:25:13.189 I pray that a lot. Who all hears this does 0:25:13.340 --> 0:25:15.560 take away a lot of things. But among those that 0:25:15.560 --> 0:25:18.440 really stuck out to me was that the same power, 0:25:18.440 --> 0:25:21.230 that and same spirit that Jesus gave to us all 0:25:21.230 --> 0:25:25.160 when he left, is that same spirit that resurrected people 0:25:25.170 --> 0:25:27.720 from the dead resurrected him? From the dead? Resurrected Lazarus 0:25:27.720 --> 0:25:28.200 from the dead? 0:25:28.230 --> 0:25:28.470 Yeah. 0:25:28.830 --> 0:25:30.570 Those that every single day in the. 0:25:30.570 --> 0:25:33.870 Power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us. Amazing. 0:25:33.869 --> 0:25:37.770 When we think about the power. Everyone's looking for more power. Well, 0:25:37.770 --> 0:25:39.090 we don't have to look for more power. We just 0:25:39.090 --> 0:25:42.570 have to be transformed by the power that's in us already. 0:25:42.600 --> 0:25:45.840 We're going to come right back with the the Febc mailbag, 0:25:45.840 --> 0:25:49.170 so stick with us. This is open line with Michael Zelnick. 0:26:06.359 --> 0:26:09.420 Welcome back to Open Line. So glad to be with 0:26:09.420 --> 0:26:14.550 you this morning. And I'm truly grateful for all of 0:26:14.550 --> 0:26:19.170 you who give gifts occasionally. You know that you you 0:26:19.200 --> 0:26:23.160 hear a resource and you think, uh, yeah, I think 0:26:23.160 --> 0:26:24.730 I'd like that. And you give a gift to Open 0:26:24.730 --> 0:26:27.760 Line and so appreciated. And you may have never given 0:26:27.760 --> 0:26:30.580 a gift and I, I we have this great resource 0:26:30.580 --> 0:26:33.490 now survey of the New Testament by Paul Benware. And 0:26:33.490 --> 0:26:35.680 if you've never given a gift and you think, yeah, 0:26:35.680 --> 0:26:38.320 that's a good one, boy, I sure would appreciate it 0:26:38.350 --> 0:26:41.200 if you'd send that gift to us to Open line 0:26:41.200 --> 0:26:44.560 to Moody Radio. Not to me, obviously, but I so 0:26:44.560 --> 0:26:48.159 appreciate that. But also and we want to say thanks 0:26:48.160 --> 0:26:49.780 by sending you the book, but there are many people 0:26:49.780 --> 0:26:54.189 who every other month send a gift in because they 0:26:54.190 --> 0:26:56.320 want to get the resource, and that's still possible. But 0:26:56.320 --> 0:26:59.770 I want to encourage you and ask you, and have 0:26:59.770 --> 0:27:04.240 you consider maybe becoming a kitchen table partner, uh, joining 0:27:04.240 --> 0:27:07.180 us so that we can budget better and plan better 0:27:07.180 --> 0:27:09.700 by committing to giving every month so I can be 0:27:09.700 --> 0:27:13.060 on the air every week. And if that's something that 0:27:13.060 --> 0:27:16.150 you've never considered doing. But I was hoping you might 0:27:16.150 --> 0:27:20.260 consider it now, uh, because, uh, being part of the 0:27:20.260 --> 0:27:23.619 team is so essential for what we're doing here. If 0:27:23.650 --> 0:27:27.280 you'd consider that, I'd appreciate it if you do what 0:27:27.280 --> 0:27:29.020 we do. As I say all the time, we do 0:27:29.020 --> 0:27:32.020 a Bible study moment every other week, a special audio 0:27:32.020 --> 0:27:35.950 Bible study designed just for our kitchen table partners. I 0:27:35.980 --> 0:27:39.520 hope you'll consider becoming one. And if you would like 0:27:39.520 --> 0:27:41.800 to become a kitchen table partner, all you have to 0:27:41.800 --> 0:27:47.800 do is call (888) 644-7122. Also the same number you call 0:27:47.800 --> 0:27:52.990 if you just want to give a gift. Uh (888) 644-7122 0:27:52.990 --> 0:27:58.660 or go to open line radio.org. And it is so appreciated. 0:27:58.660 --> 0:28:01.120 Thank you, thank you, thank you. Well joining me right 0:28:01.119 --> 0:28:04.959 now is to hear Haynes. And she is our producer today. 0:28:04.960 --> 0:28:08.109 And she's the one asking the questions. So glad you're 0:28:08.140 --> 0:28:11.889 with us. This is the FBC mailbag. Now, had you 0:28:11.890 --> 0:28:14.619 ever heard of FBC before you came to Moody Radio? 0:28:14.770 --> 0:28:17.530 I heard about it first on Moody Radio. 0:28:17.560 --> 0:28:18.910 Yeah. Well, Ed. 0:28:18.910 --> 0:28:23.660 Cannon, wonderful president of this terrific organization that uses media 0:28:23.690 --> 0:28:28.429 to reach people all across the globe. A lot of 0:28:28.430 --> 0:28:32.630 Moody Radio broadcasting on it as well. People there sending 0:28:32.630 --> 0:28:36.230 out bold steps all over the world with with Mark Jobe, 0:28:36.230 --> 0:28:42.170 wonderful ministry. And, uh, I hope you'll check out FBC. 0:28:42.440 --> 0:28:45.650 Org and and catch their podcast until all have heard. 0:28:45.650 --> 0:28:49.760 Well what what do we have on the FBC mailbag today? 0:28:49.760 --> 0:28:53.450 We have some great questions. And our first question is 0:28:53.450 --> 0:28:57.680 from Nicole and she wrote to us via Facebook. Is 0:28:57.680 --> 0:29:00.800 there a concise timeline of the history of Israel through 0:29:00.830 --> 0:29:03.860 modern times that would demonstrate to doubters why the Land 0:29:03.860 --> 0:29:07.820 of Israel belongs to the Jewish people and has for 0:29:07.850 --> 0:29:11.390 thousands of years so many things that the people who 0:29:11.390 --> 0:29:14.840 now live in Gaza have ancient roots in Israel, or 0:29:14.870 --> 0:29:16.970 as it's sometimes called, Palestine. 0:29:17.000 --> 0:29:17.480 Yeah. 0:29:17.480 --> 0:29:19.370 Well, let's see, I'm going to say, first of all, 0:29:19.370 --> 0:29:25.850 there's a book called understanding the Arab-Israeli conflict. Uh, it's 0:29:25.850 --> 0:29:29.960 a little dated because this changes so much. So it 0:29:29.960 --> 0:29:33.410 doesn't have the news from the last 15 years or so, 0:29:33.500 --> 0:29:38.930 but it does give that timeline, uh, it's published by Moody. 0:29:38.930 --> 0:29:41.239 And modesty forbids me for mentioning the name of the 0:29:41.240 --> 0:29:44.720 author who's going to be revising it, uh, in the 0:29:44.720 --> 0:29:49.910 next few months. So that captures everything up to date. Uh, 0:29:49.910 --> 0:29:53.000 but that. I'm just joking. It's a book I wrote 0:29:53.000 --> 0:29:55.040 a number of years ago. It's still in print. We're 0:29:55.040 --> 0:29:58.550 updating it now. Uh, but that does give you the 0:29:58.550 --> 0:30:06.110 timeline you're looking for. Uh, secondly, uh, the idea that 0:30:06.110 --> 0:30:09.530 the people in Gaza and the West Bank and even 0:30:09.530 --> 0:30:14.600 in Israel, that they were there from ancient times, that 0:30:14.600 --> 0:30:20.850 they are the, the, the Philistines continue. That's just not true. Uh, 0:30:20.850 --> 0:30:25.440 a couple of things. One, the Arabic language came to 0:30:25.470 --> 0:30:27.930 that land with the Arabic conquest in the seventh. 0:30:27.930 --> 0:30:29.580 Century A.D.. 0:30:30.060 --> 0:30:36.000 And so that's where they came from. They conquered that area. Uh, 0:30:36.180 --> 0:30:41.100 then also, the land was so destroyed by the policies 0:30:41.100 --> 0:30:44.610 of the Ottoman government when it led it from 1517 0:30:44.610 --> 0:30:50.850 till 1916. That's the Ottoman. The Turkish government was the, uh, Empire, 0:30:50.880 --> 0:30:54.660 the empire that controlled that was over the land of Israel. 0:30:54.660 --> 0:30:56.670 What they did is they one of the things, the 0:30:56.670 --> 0:30:58.979 stupid things that they did is they taxed you if 0:30:58.980 --> 0:31:00.120 you had trees. 0:31:01.020 --> 0:31:01.560 Wow. 0:31:01.590 --> 0:31:03.510 So people, what do they do? They don't want to 0:31:03.510 --> 0:31:06.000 pay taxes. So they cut their trees down and it 0:31:06.030 --> 0:31:11.190 denuded the land of trees. And it took away the topsoil, 0:31:12.150 --> 0:31:14.910 and it made the place in the north. It just 0:31:14.910 --> 0:31:19.590 became swamps. And in the south it was just desert. 0:31:20.700 --> 0:31:23.760 And as a result, in 1882, with the birth of 0:31:23.760 --> 0:31:26.340 the modern return of Jewish people to the land after 0:31:26.340 --> 0:31:30.570 they had been scattered away, there's always some Jewish people there, but, uh, 0:31:30.570 --> 0:31:34.740 the majority of Jewish people weren't there. The land had 0:31:34.740 --> 0:31:39.180 only had about 225,000 people. This is the land that 0:31:39.180 --> 0:31:44.610 sustains a like 13 or 14 million people right now. Uh, 0:31:44.610 --> 0:31:49.530 there are only 225,000 people. And the Jewish people began 0:31:49.530 --> 0:31:52.230 to return. They drained the swamps, they irrigated the South. 0:31:52.230 --> 0:31:56.820 They planted trees. They did all this, which caused the 0:31:56.820 --> 0:32:01.470 the rebirth of the land and brought work. And so 0:32:01.470 --> 0:32:05.670 people from the entire Mediterranean basin began to come. Even 0:32:05.670 --> 0:32:09.480 as Jews were returning, people were returning as well. And 0:32:09.480 --> 0:32:13.290 that's where people who claim to be Palestinian today, those 0:32:13.320 --> 0:32:16.620 that's when they came. So it's really two immigrant peoples. 0:32:16.620 --> 0:32:19.380 It's not like like you hear they were there from 0:32:19.380 --> 0:32:21.930 time immemorial, and then the Jews came and drove them out. 0:32:21.930 --> 0:32:24.840 That's just not what it was. You have the Jews returning, 0:32:24.840 --> 0:32:30.750 and then people from the Mediterranean basin, Circassians and people 0:32:30.750 --> 0:32:34.050 from Cyprus, Crete, people from all the surrounding Arab states 0:32:34.050 --> 0:32:37.560 began to go there for work. And as a result, 0:32:38.010 --> 0:32:42.780 they have two immigrant populations. You can even see this 0:32:42.810 --> 0:32:46.710 in a simple book by Mark Twain. He wrote Innocents Abroad, 0:32:46.710 --> 0:32:50.040 and he talked about when he went to to Palestine, 0:32:50.040 --> 0:32:53.160 as it was called, the name the Romans gave it 0:32:53.160 --> 0:32:57.360 in the second century AD to try and take the 0:32:57.360 --> 0:33:01.680 Jewishness out of the land. So, uh, what what he 0:33:01.680 --> 0:33:04.590 says is he goes, you go days, you don't see anybody, 0:33:04.620 --> 0:33:08.729 you travel for days, uh, and you don't see anyone. 0:33:08.730 --> 0:33:11.070 It's a really interesting description of the land of Israel 0:33:11.070 --> 0:33:16.510 that said, uh, I think that That. It's just the 0:33:16.510 --> 0:33:18.910 stories are filled with propaganda. You need to get a 0:33:18.910 --> 0:33:21.700 better history of how the land came to be. 0:33:21.850 --> 0:33:23.800 Well, thank you for that and thank you for those 0:33:23.800 --> 0:33:27.610 good resources as well. Our next question is from Ladina 0:33:27.610 --> 0:33:31.390 on Facebook. I've been thinking about how people have been 0:33:31.390 --> 0:33:34.180 and will always be saved by grace through faith in 0:33:34.180 --> 0:33:38.200 the revealed will of God. What are grace and faith? 0:33:38.230 --> 0:33:41.680 How do we know the revealed will of God today? 0:33:42.550 --> 0:33:43.540 Well. 0:33:43.810 --> 0:33:52.840 Grace means God's undeserved kindness. Faith refers to our trust. Uh. 0:33:52.840 --> 0:33:58.209 And uh, so we are saved by God's grace through 0:33:58.210 --> 0:34:02.500 faith in. And today is the gospel that the Lord 0:34:02.500 --> 0:34:06.220 Jesus died for us and rose again. Uh, in the 0:34:06.220 --> 0:34:09.310 Old Testament, it was always by God's grace through faith 0:34:09.310 --> 0:34:12.489 in what God had revealed. Offer these sacrifices. Look for 0:34:12.489 --> 0:34:17.690 the Messiah. Uh, that's the Old Testament. But the revealed 0:34:17.690 --> 0:34:20.210 will of God was found in the in the Word 0:34:20.210 --> 0:34:24.500 of God. In the same way, the revealed will of 0:34:24.500 --> 0:34:28.040 God today is found in the Word of God, trusting 0:34:28.040 --> 0:34:31.700 in the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, who has come. And so, uh, 0:34:31.700 --> 0:34:35.600 it's it's not that hard. We're saved by God's undeserved 0:34:35.600 --> 0:34:40.310 kindness for us when we trust in the good news 0:34:40.310 --> 0:34:43.850 that Jesus died for our sins and rose again, that's 0:34:43.850 --> 0:34:46.370 the revealed will of God found in the Word of God. 0:34:46.700 --> 0:34:47.840 Okay, wonderful. 0:34:47.840 --> 0:34:49.460 Thank you. Okay. 0:34:49.550 --> 0:34:52.819 Uh, thanks so much for sending those questions in. All 0:34:52.820 --> 0:34:56.000 you have to do is go to the website openline radio.org, 0:34:56.000 --> 0:34:59.870 click on Ask Michael a question and to Hera and 0:34:59.870 --> 0:35:03.560 Tricia will make sure your question get into the mailbag. 0:35:03.560 --> 0:35:05.780 That was Tyra Haynes I'm Michael Melnick. We'll be right 0:35:05.780 --> 0:35:09.920 back with more of your questions right here on Openline. 0:35:23.900 --> 0:35:25.250 And we're back. 0:35:25.250 --> 0:35:28.010 So glad to be with you. I've had a wonderful 0:35:28.010 --> 0:35:31.190 morning talking with you in our Bible study across America. 0:35:31.219 --> 0:35:35.540 My name is Michael Melnick, and, you know, since the 0:35:35.540 --> 0:35:40.400 war broke out with Israel and Hamas when Hamas attacked 0:35:40.400 --> 0:35:45.529 Israel on October 7th, 2023, and now 16 months, you know, 0:35:45.560 --> 0:35:48.620 people have not been going to Israel. They would so 0:35:48.620 --> 0:35:51.560 love to go, but can't. There aren't many tours. There 0:35:51.590 --> 0:35:55.100 are some tours going back now, but not much. So 0:35:55.100 --> 0:35:58.370 one of our ministry partners, Chosen People Ministries, is offering 0:35:58.370 --> 0:36:02.210 a coffee table book called Israel, the land and the people, 0:36:02.210 --> 0:36:05.210 so you can go to Israel by looking at these pictures. 0:36:05.870 --> 0:36:08.660 It is some of the best photos you'll see of 0:36:08.660 --> 0:36:13.910 Israel anywhere. It shows the beauty, the history, the culture, 0:36:13.940 --> 0:36:17.000 the variety of the Land of Israel, from snow top 0:36:17.000 --> 0:36:20.150 Mount Hermon in the north to the fortress of Masada 0:36:20.150 --> 0:36:23.750 in the south, from ancient the ancient streets of Jerusalem 0:36:23.750 --> 0:36:29.689 to bustling modern Tel Aviv. It's got biblical verses, prayer prompts. Uh, 0:36:29.690 --> 0:36:32.450 it's just a great book. And if you'd like a 0:36:32.450 --> 0:36:34.819 free copy of Israel, the Land and the people, just 0:36:34.820 --> 0:36:40.730 go to Openline. Uh, our web site, Openline. radio.org Openline radio.org. 0:36:40.730 --> 0:36:42.799 Scroll down. You'll see a link that says A free 0:36:42.830 --> 0:36:45.770 gift from Chosen People Ministries. Click on that. You'll be 0:36:45.770 --> 0:36:47.420 taken to a page where you can sign up for 0:36:47.420 --> 0:36:50.689 your own copy of Israel, The land and the people. Also, 0:36:50.690 --> 0:36:53.330 when you're on the website Openline radio.org, you can scroll 0:36:53.330 --> 0:36:55.700 down to the end. There's a link to my personal 0:36:55.700 --> 0:36:58.580 web page. People have been asking me about a trip. 0:36:58.580 --> 0:37:04.190 We're going to be doing a cruise next December in 0:37:04.190 --> 0:37:07.730 the Caribbean and studying the scriptures together. It's a unique 0:37:07.730 --> 0:37:10.020 cruise on a tall ship. If you're interested in that, 0:37:10.020 --> 0:37:12.540 go to michael-ray. Org or you can just go to 0:37:12.570 --> 0:37:15.270 our website and scroll down and click on my personal 0:37:15.270 --> 0:37:18.210 web page, and you can find out about that. We're 0:37:18.210 --> 0:37:22.470 going to go to the phones right now and speak 0:37:22.469 --> 0:37:28.140 with Patti in Florida listening on keys. Welcome to Open Line, Patti. 0:37:28.170 --> 0:37:29.190 How can I help you? 0:37:29.400 --> 0:37:32.700 Well, good morning, Doctor Michael. So if I could preface 0:37:32.700 --> 0:37:35.790 this question with the fact that this question does come 0:37:35.790 --> 0:37:38.580 from our Sunday school class, we're studying your 50 most 0:37:38.880 --> 0:37:43.560 important Bible questions. Okay, so so we had finished the 0:37:43.560 --> 0:37:46.919 chapter about Judas and his suicide. But what came up 0:37:46.920 --> 0:37:49.890 was the fact that we were wondering if there's anything 0:37:49.890 --> 0:37:52.770 in the Bible that says that we haven't found that 0:37:52.770 --> 0:37:57.209 Judas was not truly a believing apostle. 0:37:57.719 --> 0:37:58.020 Since he. 0:37:58.020 --> 0:38:00.660 Didn't commit suicide. Is there any. 0:38:00.660 --> 0:38:01.649 Indication? 0:38:01.739 --> 0:38:05.190 I don't think you know, people think that suicide is 0:38:05.219 --> 0:38:08.800 the sin that would cause someone to lose their salvation. 0:38:08.830 --> 0:38:12.160 I don't think any sin. If we're genuinely saved, we 0:38:12.160 --> 0:38:20.590 can't lose our salvation. Uh, but just remember, uh, that 0:38:20.920 --> 0:38:25.480 Judas was a sham all along. You know, when the 0:38:25.480 --> 0:38:28.690 Lord Jesus. When when the woman washed his feet with 0:38:28.690 --> 0:38:34.239 with the with perfume and with her tears. Remember that? 0:38:34.540 --> 0:38:37.600 He was like, oh, this money, this could have been 0:38:37.600 --> 0:38:42.399 sold and we could have, uh, made so much money, uh, 0:38:42.400 --> 0:38:46.840 off of it. So he wasn't genuine all along. He 0:38:46.840 --> 0:38:49.960 was there probably because he wanted the Lord Jesus to 0:38:49.989 --> 0:38:52.210 overthrow the Romans. And he thought this may be the 0:38:52.210 --> 0:38:55.990 way to do it. Uh, and the other phrase that 0:38:55.989 --> 0:38:59.320 the Gospel of John uses of, of, of Judas is 0:38:59.320 --> 0:39:03.940 that he's the son of perdition. What is perdition mean? 0:39:03.969 --> 0:39:09.910 It means damnation. It means the the one who is 0:39:10.600 --> 0:39:15.730 destined for eternal punishment. And so I don't think he 0:39:15.730 --> 0:39:18.700 was ever a believer. He. I don't think it's possible 0:39:18.730 --> 0:39:21.070 to lose your salvation. I don't think he ever had it. 0:39:21.070 --> 0:39:25.330 And that was his destiny. So does that help at all? 0:39:25.780 --> 0:39:29.110 Yeah, that's kind of what we were thinking, that just 0:39:29.110 --> 0:39:34.420 based on what his actions were during that time, he 0:39:34.420 --> 0:39:37.390 probably wasn't a true apostle. Which led the other question, 0:39:37.390 --> 0:39:40.390 why would Jesus call him except to do that act? 0:39:40.420 --> 0:39:43.270 Well, he called him I. You know, the Lord knew 0:39:43.300 --> 0:39:45.190 who was a believer, and he also knew who would 0:39:45.219 --> 0:39:47.350 betray him. You know, part of this whole thing was, 0:39:47.350 --> 0:39:49.180 why would the Lord do something when he knows what? 0:39:49.210 --> 0:39:51.669 That's that whole thing where I don't think we should 0:39:51.700 --> 0:39:55.150 even engage in the what if and the why for 0:39:55.150 --> 0:39:59.350 and all that. Uh, because we can't. The whole issue 0:39:59.350 --> 0:40:03.190 of God's sovereignty and human responsibility and how that those 0:40:03.190 --> 0:40:06.380 two things work together. I just don't think we can 0:40:06.380 --> 0:40:11.359 even comprehend it. It's too mysterious for us. But, you know, 0:40:11.390 --> 0:40:14.690 people often say that Judas repented when he threw the 0:40:14.690 --> 0:40:17.900 30 shekels back at the leadership who had paid him. 0:40:17.900 --> 0:40:22.399 That was not repentance, that was remorse, and it was 0:40:22.400 --> 0:40:27.890 not a changed life or he would not have committed suicide. So. Okay, Patti. 0:40:28.850 --> 0:40:29.990 Take that back tomorrow. 0:40:30.020 --> 0:40:33.799 Okay, good. You have a good class tomorrow. Thanks for calling. Uh, 0:40:33.800 --> 0:40:36.770 we're going to talk to Eric in Wisconsin, listening on 0:40:36.770 --> 0:40:43.430 90.1 FM, Moody Radio Chicago Wmbi. How can I help 0:40:43.430 --> 0:40:44.480 you today, Eric? 0:40:45.230 --> 0:40:48.410 Good morning, doctor. Peace be with you. I have a 0:40:48.410 --> 0:40:56.900 question regarding Romans 829 to 30 regarding predestination. It's a pretty, 0:40:56.930 --> 0:40:59.509 I guess you would say, confusing verse to a lot 0:40:59.540 --> 0:41:03.830 of believers and non-believers from the point that when some 0:41:03.830 --> 0:41:06.140 people read this, they come up with the conclusion, no 0:41:06.140 --> 0:41:09.440 matter how I live my life, the Lord predestined me 0:41:09.440 --> 0:41:12.620 to be saved. But then I look at verse 29, 0:41:12.620 --> 0:41:16.190 that first word it says for whom he did foreknow. 0:41:16.219 --> 0:41:18.530 Could you expand on those two verses for me to 0:41:18.560 --> 0:41:20.569 help me get a better understanding of that circle? 0:41:20.630 --> 0:41:21.500 Sure. 0:41:21.530 --> 0:41:24.530 Well, here, let me just say one thing. There's all 0:41:24.530 --> 0:41:33.200 these verses that indicate God's sovereign work in salvation. Then 0:41:33.200 --> 0:41:35.810 there are other verses that call on people to believe 0:41:35.840 --> 0:41:40.130 human responsibility. And sometimes you even find them right up 0:41:40.130 --> 0:41:46.010 against each other. Human responsibility, uh, and God's sovereignty. Uh, 0:41:46.370 --> 0:41:51.200 and and the Bible makes no effort to reconcile those things. 0:41:51.290 --> 0:41:53.870 When Spurgeon was asked how he reconciles them, he says, 0:41:53.870 --> 0:42:00.290 I never reconcile friends. So, uh, they're both true. They're mysterious. 0:42:00.290 --> 0:42:02.610 I think that is as far as the heavens are above, 0:42:02.610 --> 0:42:06.450 the earth, so high are so much higher are my 0:42:06.450 --> 0:42:09.359 thoughts than your thoughts and my ways above your ways. 0:42:09.360 --> 0:42:13.410 That's Isaiah 55. The mind of God is far greater 0:42:13.410 --> 0:42:16.170 and can comprehend these things better than my mind or 0:42:16.170 --> 0:42:20.520 your mind. Eric. So let's just remember that, uh, let's 0:42:20.520 --> 0:42:23.969 go through it. He foreknew to Foreknow means to know beforehand, 0:42:23.969 --> 0:42:26.700 and the biblical sense of the word to know is 0:42:26.700 --> 0:42:29.430 to enter into a relationship. Just you can even see 0:42:29.430 --> 0:42:32.219 it in the Bible. You know, God, the man knew 0:42:32.250 --> 0:42:38.340 his wife, that that's a relational term. And so God foreknew. 0:42:38.370 --> 0:42:41.219 He knew not just didn't know. It's not just does 0:42:41.219 --> 0:42:44.820 not just mean that he knew in advance who would believe. 0:42:44.820 --> 0:42:48.270 It means that he knew us. We entered into relationship 0:42:48.270 --> 0:42:53.670 with him. Before time he foreknew us. He predestined us. Uh. 0:42:53.670 --> 0:42:56.790 He determined in advance that we would be conformed to 0:42:56.820 --> 0:43:01.110 the image of his son. Uh, and he also called 0:43:01.110 --> 0:43:04.830 us to believe there's two calls, there's the general call 0:43:04.830 --> 0:43:07.229 and the scripture that everyone should believe. And then there's 0:43:07.230 --> 0:43:11.459 the call, effectual call to believe in Jesus and we will. 0:43:11.489 --> 0:43:14.880 And those he called, he justified. He declared us righteous 0:43:14.880 --> 0:43:17.310 and those he justified. It says he glorified. And it 0:43:17.310 --> 0:43:21.600 uses the aorist tense of completed action. But that's yet 0:43:21.600 --> 0:43:24.060 to happen in the future. It's called a proleptic error, 0:43:24.090 --> 0:43:28.500 something so certain that it's spoken of as a completed action, 0:43:28.530 --> 0:43:31.980 even though it hasn't happened yet because it's so certain. 0:43:31.980 --> 0:43:36.060 So that's what it says. And all those things are true. 0:43:36.060 --> 0:43:39.089 And nevertheless, he calls us to faith. If you read 0:43:39.090 --> 0:43:43.860 Romans ten, uh, it says, how shall they believe, uh, 0:43:43.860 --> 0:43:49.170 unless unless they have a preacher. Right. Uh, it says, 0:43:49.170 --> 0:43:51.270 how can they call on him? They have not believed in. 0:43:51.270 --> 0:43:53.790 And how can they believe without hearing about him? And 0:43:53.790 --> 0:43:57.120 how can they hear without a preacher? And so what 0:43:57.120 --> 0:43:59.410 is seeming to say is people have a responsibility to 0:43:59.410 --> 0:44:02.140 believe and they need to hear the message. How can 0:44:02.170 --> 0:44:06.070 both those things be true? That God will call predestined 0:44:06.100 --> 0:44:09.489 those people who are called? And at the same time 0:44:09.730 --> 0:44:11.830 we have to preach the good news. Do you know what? 0:44:11.830 --> 0:44:15.190 They're both true. And we have to just live with that. 0:44:15.219 --> 0:44:17.200 And it also sounds like there's some actions that the 0:44:17.200 --> 0:44:19.300 person or the believer has to take. You just can't 0:44:19.300 --> 0:44:22.090 sit on your morals and think everything is hunky dory. 0:44:22.120 --> 0:44:22.450 Yeah. 0:44:22.480 --> 0:44:25.540 The person's got to respond to the faith, to the call, 0:44:25.570 --> 0:44:30.069 to faith. I love the scene in The Silver Chair 0:44:30.070 --> 0:44:34.480 by C.S. Lewis where Jill Catchpole, I think that was 0:44:34.480 --> 0:44:37.719 her name. Jill comes back, comes to Narnia, and she's 0:44:37.719 --> 0:44:41.020 speaking to Aslan, the lion, and she said, we called 0:44:41.020 --> 0:44:43.690 out to you and that's why we're here. And he said, 0:44:43.690 --> 0:44:46.240 you would not have called had I not called you here. 0:44:46.239 --> 0:44:48.940 And I think that there's a lot of truth to 0:44:48.969 --> 0:44:55.030 that right there. So. Yeah. So, uh, you know, I, 0:44:55.300 --> 0:44:57.790 I don't want to appear simplistic. I know that there 0:44:57.790 --> 0:45:00.850 are people like my friend Michael Vanlandingham, who are smart 0:45:00.850 --> 0:45:04.360 enough to understand how sovereignty and free will work. I'm 0:45:04.360 --> 0:45:11.530 just not bright enough. So I live with the mystery 0:45:11.530 --> 0:45:15.340 that both are true. I totally believe, though I would 0:45:15.340 --> 0:45:19.060 not have believed had not he called me first. So. 0:45:19.150 --> 0:45:22.480 But I do believe I have a responsibility to everyone 0:45:22.480 --> 0:45:25.870 and call on people to believe and trust God with it. 0:45:26.530 --> 0:45:31.359 Okay Eric, that I think I lost you Eric, but 0:45:31.360 --> 0:45:35.620 thank you for your call. I really appreciate it. Well, friends, 0:45:35.620 --> 0:45:38.050 what a day it's been. I want you to keep 0:45:38.050 --> 0:45:41.320 praying for the people of Israel. This is a very 0:45:41.320 --> 0:45:44.740 tough day. A very tough time for them. Uh, some 0:45:44.830 --> 0:45:49.569 captives have been released. Others have been returned in gruesome 0:45:49.570 --> 0:45:52.330 fashion in boxes. And so we need to keep praying 0:45:52.330 --> 0:45:54.670 for the peace of Jerusalem right now. Paying for the 0:45:54.670 --> 0:45:57.140 peace in the hearts of the people of Israel. I 0:45:57.140 --> 0:45:58.940 want to remind you of that. If you want to 0:45:58.940 --> 0:46:00.950 hear more about that, you can go back and listen 0:46:00.950 --> 0:46:05.060 to the opening word from today. But that's it for today. 0:46:05.060 --> 0:46:09.980 Thanks so much for listening. We're so grateful for all 0:46:10.010 --> 0:46:13.490 of you who listen. And thanks for you. Those of 0:46:13.489 --> 0:46:15.980 you who called or wrote with your questions, you make 0:46:15.980 --> 0:46:19.490 the program possible. And also thanks to the Open Line team, 0:46:19.520 --> 0:46:23.509 Merle and Tara and Lisa, we're so grateful for all 0:46:23.540 --> 0:46:26.450 that you do. And remember, keep in touch with us 0:46:26.450 --> 0:46:29.060 by going to our website, Open Line radio.org. It's got 0:46:29.060 --> 0:46:31.760 all the links you're looking for, uh, how to become 0:46:31.790 --> 0:46:34.549 a kitchen table partner, how to get our current resource, 0:46:34.580 --> 0:46:37.219 how to see my personal website with all that's there. 0:46:37.250 --> 0:46:40.490 Keep reading the Bible. We'll talk about it next week. 0:46:40.520 --> 0:46:43.370 Open line with Doctor Michael Ray Dolnick is a production 0:46:43.370 --> 0:46:47.270 of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute. Have 0:46:47.270 --> 0:46:48.290 a great weekend.