WEBVTT - The Hamas Attack—as Seen in the Old Testament 0:00:08.170 --> 0:00:12.340 He is risen! He is risen indeed. It's Easter weekend, 0:00:12.340 --> 0:00:14.950 of course, and we hope that you're celebrating all that 0:00:14.950 --> 0:00:18.550 Christ accomplished on the cross for us. I'm John Jaeger, 0:00:18.550 --> 0:00:20.919 and this is the land and the book. The Old 0:00:20.920 --> 0:00:24.760 Testament scholar, Doctor Charlie Dyer. What a great weekend, Charlie. John, 0:00:24.760 --> 0:00:27.250 this is a great weekend. This is the central weekend 0:00:27.250 --> 0:00:31.630 in Christendom because we're looking at what Jesus did for us. Amen. Well, 0:00:31.630 --> 0:00:33.850 as we turn the calendar back to October 7th, we 0:00:33.850 --> 0:00:38.950 think of Hamas firing 3000 rockets, invading Israel, killing more 0:00:38.950 --> 0:00:43.720 than 1200. Shockingly, though, that tragedy looks remarkably similar to 0:00:43.720 --> 0:00:46.000 an attack on Israel that took place back in the 0:00:46.000 --> 0:00:48.820 Old Testament. Coming up here on the land in the book, 0:00:48.820 --> 0:00:51.610 we'll take you to a site called Lachish. The biblical 0:00:51.610 --> 0:00:55.030 account is chilling, but bears a striking resemblance to things 0:00:55.030 --> 0:00:58.210 that we just witnessed. First, though, Passover will soon be 0:00:58.210 --> 0:01:02.020 upon us. One of the traditional Passover questions is what 0:01:02.020 --> 0:01:05.620 makes this night different from all others? Well, Passover is 0:01:05.620 --> 0:01:09.309 an important biblical holiday that has really great significance for 0:01:09.310 --> 0:01:12.130 Jewish people and believers in Jesus. So I think this 0:01:12.130 --> 0:01:14.440 is an important question to ask Charlie. It is an 0:01:14.440 --> 0:01:16.990 important question. And if people want to know more about 0:01:16.990 --> 0:01:17.980 what makes Passover. 0:01:17.980 --> 0:01:20.440 So special, well, our friends at Life in Messiah are 0:01:20.440 --> 0:01:23.259 offering to mail you a free copy of their Messianic 0:01:23.260 --> 0:01:26.649 Passover Haggadah. The booklet will lead you through the celebration 0:01:26.650 --> 0:01:30.430 of Passover to see the rich connections to Jesus, our Messiah, 0:01:30.430 --> 0:01:33.460 and the Last Supper. You'll also receive a link for 0:01:33.459 --> 0:01:37.120 an interactive Passover Seder video with the Haggadah and video. 0:01:37.120 --> 0:01:40.569 You can celebrate Passover this year with your family and friends. 0:01:40.569 --> 0:01:43.300 To get this free offer, just go to life in Messiah. 0:01:43.480 --> 0:01:46.330 Org and click on the Moody Radio button to find 0:01:46.330 --> 0:01:51.130 out more and request your copy. That's life in messiah.org. 0:01:51.310 --> 0:01:53.410 In this opening segment on the land in the book, 0:01:53.410 --> 0:01:56.530 we turn our focus toward current events. Israel and the 0:01:56.530 --> 0:02:00.040 United States continue to disagree over Israel's handling of the 0:02:00.040 --> 0:02:03.400 war against Hamas. What are the key areas of disagreement 0:02:03.400 --> 0:02:05.620 and what can be done to resolve the tension? 0:02:05.650 --> 0:02:08.230 Well, the number of areas of disagreement continues to grow. 0:02:08.230 --> 0:02:10.989 In fact, the most recent incident was the US abstaining 0:02:10.990 --> 0:02:14.860 from vetoing a UN Security Council resolution calling for a 0:02:14.860 --> 0:02:19.360 Gaza ceasefire without conditioning it on the release of hostages. 0:02:19.389 --> 0:02:22.450 Israel responded by saying the decision harmed the war effort 0:02:22.450 --> 0:02:26.290 against Hamas and the attempts to free the hostages. Now, 0:02:26.290 --> 0:02:29.710 the US has committed financially and materially to help Israel 0:02:29.710 --> 0:02:32.919 in its war against Hamas, but we've provided military equipment, 0:02:32.919 --> 0:02:36.940 logistical support and political backing, at least up to a point. 0:02:36.940 --> 0:02:39.880 But we now appear to be pulling back in our support. 0:02:39.910 --> 0:02:42.370 Part of the reason is because of pressure from our 0:02:42.370 --> 0:02:45.130 allies and from other countries in the Middle East. A 0:02:45.130 --> 0:02:49.030 report delivered to the UN Human Rights Council Tuesday said 0:02:49.030 --> 0:02:52.540 Israel's campaign in Gaza amounted to genocide. In fact, it 0:02:52.540 --> 0:02:55.900 called for countries to impose sanctions and an arms embargo. 0:02:55.900 --> 0:03:00.100 But such increasing international pressure isn't the only reason for 0:03:00.100 --> 0:03:04.540 our apparent change in position with national elections on the horizon. 0:03:04.570 --> 0:03:07.960 The administration is concerned about losing the support of progressives 0:03:07.960 --> 0:03:10.809 and Muslims in our own country, who are very vocal 0:03:10.810 --> 0:03:14.200 in their opposition to Israel, to say Israel is disappointed 0:03:14.200 --> 0:03:17.290 with the US decision in the Security Council and with 0:03:17.290 --> 0:03:20.170 other recent actions. Well, that's putting it mildly. They see 0:03:20.169 --> 0:03:23.320 the war as an existential fight for their very existence. 0:03:23.350 --> 0:03:27.100 Hamas's attack was unprovoked and it was designed to kill Jews. 0:03:27.130 --> 0:03:30.310 It was the worst attack against the Jews since the Holocaust. 0:03:30.340 --> 0:03:33.670 Hamas is the group guilty of genocide, and they're also 0:03:33.700 --> 0:03:36.070 the ones who committed war crimes and who continue to 0:03:36.070 --> 0:03:39.550 do so by using schools and mosques and hospitals and 0:03:39.550 --> 0:03:43.360 residential areas to launch attacks and to use the Palestinian 0:03:43.360 --> 0:03:47.380 people themselves as human shields. Over a quarter million Israelis, 0:03:47.380 --> 0:03:49.900 both along the border with Gaza and in the north, 0:03:49.900 --> 0:03:53.080 were forced from their homes. More than 80,000 from the 0:03:53.080 --> 0:03:57.040 north still can't go home. Though many Israelis currently distrust 0:03:57.040 --> 0:04:00.070 their prime minister, it's not over his approach to the war. 0:04:00.100 --> 0:04:04.330 Polls indicate that most Israelis support their government's policies, not 0:04:04.330 --> 0:04:07.000 those being pushed by the UN or by the US. 0:04:07.000 --> 0:04:09.850 So what can be done to bridge the growing gap 0:04:09.850 --> 0:04:12.580 between our country and Israel? Well, first, I think we 0:04:12.580 --> 0:04:15.760 need to urge our government to continue to support Israel 0:04:15.760 --> 0:04:18.339 there in a war that they didn't start fighting, an 0:04:18.339 --> 0:04:21.940 enemy that's committed to genocide and ethnic cleansing. And then 0:04:21.940 --> 0:04:24.970 instead of us trying to dictate war policy, we should 0:04:24.970 --> 0:04:27.910 look for ways to help Israel accomplish its goals of 0:04:27.910 --> 0:04:30.880 defeating Hamas as quickly as possible. I think at the 0:04:30.880 --> 0:04:33.219 same time, we should do what we can to increase 0:04:33.220 --> 0:04:36.340 the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza, while also being 0:04:36.339 --> 0:04:41.050 more aggressive in answering the false propaganda being hurled against Israel. 0:04:41.080 --> 0:04:43.480 In the end, we need to pay less attention to 0:04:43.480 --> 0:04:47.230 the upcoming election and more attention to supporting our longtime 0:04:47.230 --> 0:04:48.490 ally and friend. 0:04:48.490 --> 0:04:51.640 Well said. A few weeks ago, we talked about Egypt's 0:04:51.640 --> 0:04:55.180 economic struggles. Now, it seems Turkey is joining the ranks 0:04:55.180 --> 0:04:58.929 of countries struggling financially. What's the latest financial news out 0:04:58.930 --> 0:04:59.650 of Turkey? 0:04:59.680 --> 0:05:01.720 Yeah, and let me start with the Egypt part. The 0:05:01.720 --> 0:05:04.060 world Bank did announce that it will provide Egypt with 0:05:04.060 --> 0:05:07.570 more than $6 billion in financial assistance. To help it 0:05:07.570 --> 0:05:10.330 meet its development priorities. Now, that's good news for Egypt. 0:05:10.330 --> 0:05:13.060 But the news out of Turkey, well, it's not so good. 0:05:13.089 --> 0:05:17.860 The Turkish central bank raised its key interest rate to 50% 0:05:17.860 --> 0:05:20.560 to try and get a handle on soaring inflation. Wow. 0:05:20.680 --> 0:05:24.640 This was especially surprising since mayoral elections are being held 0:05:24.640 --> 0:05:27.849 this weekend. Most thought the central bank would hold off 0:05:27.850 --> 0:05:31.120 on any increase until after the election to help President 0:05:31.120 --> 0:05:35.350 Erdogan's party, but a deterioration in Turkey's economy forced them 0:05:35.350 --> 0:05:38.859 to act sooner. The Turkish lira has lost 40% of 0:05:38.860 --> 0:05:42.310 its value against the dollar over the past year, part 0:05:42.310 --> 0:05:45.549 of the problem fueling inflation. Well, they had a 49% 0:05:45.550 --> 0:05:48.789 increase in the minimum wage ahead of the elections, which 0:05:48.790 --> 0:05:51.730 was seen as a vote getting measure. We're concerned about 0:05:51.730 --> 0:05:55.630 an inflation rate here still hovering just below 4%. Turkey's 0:05:55.630 --> 0:06:00.610 consumer prices increased by 4.5% just in the month of February, 0:06:00.610 --> 0:06:05.560 for an annual inflation rate of 67%, a government official said. 0:06:05.560 --> 0:06:08.979 Inflation will begin to decrease after June. However, in the 0:06:08.980 --> 0:06:12.850 short term it's expected to rise to 80% by early summer, 0:06:13.000 --> 0:06:16.540 hopefully easing to 36% by the end of the year. 0:06:16.570 --> 0:06:20.020 Turkey's economic future could depend to a large extent on 0:06:20.020 --> 0:06:23.349 what happens in this weekend's elections, and I suspect many 0:06:23.350 --> 0:06:26.050 in Turkey will be watching anxiously to see what happens. 0:06:26.050 --> 0:06:28.210 From Moody Radio. This is the land in the book 0:06:28.210 --> 0:06:31.210 with our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John Jaeger. We're 0:06:31.210 --> 0:06:34.540 looking at current events from the Middle East region. As 0:06:34.540 --> 0:06:37.750 the winter rainy season starts drawing to a close, the 0:06:37.750 --> 0:06:41.080 Sea of Galilee is continuing to rise. What does this 0:06:41.080 --> 0:06:44.650 mean as Israel approaches the dry summer months? Well, right. 0:06:44.650 --> 0:06:47.200 Now the Sea of Galilee is about two feet below 0:06:47.200 --> 0:06:49.779 the upper red line. That's when the towns around the 0:06:49.779 --> 0:06:52.630 lake can actually start to flood. While the winter rains 0:06:52.630 --> 0:06:55.360 are just about over, there's still at least some possibility 0:06:55.360 --> 0:06:58.390 of rainfall through April and even into May, and the 0:06:58.390 --> 0:07:01.240 rainfall and snow that fell on Mount Hermon will continue 0:07:01.240 --> 0:07:03.700 to flow down the Jordan River and into the lake, 0:07:03.700 --> 0:07:06.850 so the water will continue to rise. Now, in the past, 0:07:06.850 --> 0:07:09.160 this was good news for Israel because the Sea of 0:07:09.160 --> 0:07:13.270 Galilee was the country's main water reservoir. Now its desalination 0:07:13.270 --> 0:07:16.210 plants make Israel less dependent on the lake, though it 0:07:16.210 --> 0:07:19.810 still remains their emergency backup. You know, if possible, Israel 0:07:19.810 --> 0:07:22.090 would like to not open the dam at the southern 0:07:22.090 --> 0:07:24.550 end of the sea. So they're actually drawing out about 0:07:24.550 --> 0:07:29.050 800,000m³ of water every day, trying to lower the water 0:07:29.050 --> 0:07:31.660 level by about a third of an inch, sending that 0:07:31.660 --> 0:07:34.660 water down the Jordan River. The last time the dam 0:07:34.660 --> 0:07:37.900 had to be open was back in 1995, almost 30 0:07:37.900 --> 0:07:40.960 years ago, and they're continuing to monitor the water level 0:07:40.960 --> 0:07:44.140 and weather reports to predict what will happen if they 0:07:44.140 --> 0:07:46.480 decide to open the dam. They need to provide a 0:07:46.480 --> 0:07:49.270 two day warning to those downstream, and they would then 0:07:49.270 --> 0:07:52.330 gradually open the dam to release even more water. Now, 0:07:52.330 --> 0:07:54.070 what all this means for Israel is that the Sea 0:07:54.070 --> 0:07:56.650 of Galilee will once again be full, thanks to the 0:07:56.650 --> 0:08:00.130 abundant winter rains in the north of the country. Unfortunately, 0:08:00.130 --> 0:08:02.620 now they need to start being extra diligent and watching 0:08:02.620 --> 0:08:05.560 for fire hazards. Once all the grass and the shrubs 0:08:05.560 --> 0:08:08.500 that were nourished by all that rain begin to dry out. 0:08:08.680 --> 0:08:11.140 Well, during our recent trip to Israel, Charlie, you and 0:08:11.140 --> 0:08:15.010 I visited several modern safe rooms designed to help Israeli 0:08:15.010 --> 0:08:19.870 families shelter during enemy rocket attacks. Archaeologists have now uncovered 0:08:19.870 --> 0:08:23.740 several 2000 year old safe rooms in the Galilee area. 0:08:23.740 --> 0:08:26.530 What were those rooms like and what were they used for? 0:08:26.530 --> 0:08:29.860 Yeah, the archaeologists excavating the ancient Jewish site of Hooke 0:08:29.860 --> 0:08:32.590 near the Sea of Galilee, described the rooms they uncovered 0:08:32.590 --> 0:08:36.220 as being like small underground bomb shelters. Now, these weren't 0:08:36.220 --> 0:08:39.130 like modern safe rooms, since they weren't designed to protect 0:08:39.130 --> 0:08:42.400 against a missile attack. Instead, think of them like underground 0:08:42.400 --> 0:08:46.569 hiding cavities or hiding spaces connected to homes and even 0:08:46.570 --> 0:08:50.590 converted water cisterns. So far at this site, archaeologists uncovered 0:08:50.590 --> 0:08:52.960 eight of these hiding places, and that makes a total 0:08:52.960 --> 0:08:56.740 of 83 of these underground shelters throughout Galilee that have 0:08:56.740 --> 0:08:59.650 been discovered so far. They were apparently used during the 0:08:59.650 --> 0:09:03.640 first Jewish revolt against Rome in A.D. 66 to 70, 0:09:03.640 --> 0:09:08.290 and then against the revolt around A.D. 132 to 135. 0:09:08.290 --> 0:09:11.290 Now these safe rooms allowed individuals to hide out when 0:09:11.290 --> 0:09:14.530 Roman patrols would come through the area of being inside. 0:09:14.530 --> 0:09:16.510 You can imagine the fear they must have felt they 0:09:16.510 --> 0:09:20.080 were safe as long as the entrance wasn't uncovered. But 0:09:20.080 --> 0:09:22.330 if the soldiers found the opening, they would build a 0:09:22.330 --> 0:09:24.790 fire to smoke out those taking refuge, and at that 0:09:24.790 --> 0:09:28.780 point those inside were trapped. Which, sadly, is what happened 0:09:28.780 --> 0:09:31.180 to some of those along the border with Gaza when 0:09:31.179 --> 0:09:33.309 they went into their safe rooms to find shelter from 0:09:33.309 --> 0:09:36.790 the missiles, only to be trapped when Hamas entered their homes? 0:09:36.790 --> 0:09:39.520 Charlie, the moments remaining, I want to circle back to 0:09:39.520 --> 0:09:43.450 the UN Human Rights Council report that was released this week. 0:09:43.450 --> 0:09:45.820 What exactly did it say and and why is it 0:09:45.820 --> 0:09:46.719 such a problem? 0:09:46.720 --> 0:09:49.720 You know, the wording on that report is just almost inflammatory. 0:09:49.720 --> 0:09:52.750 In fact, it starts following nearly six months of unrelenting 0:09:52.750 --> 0:09:56.500 Israeli assault on occupied Gaza. It's my solemn duty to 0:09:56.500 --> 0:09:59.319 report on the worst of what humanity is capable of 0:09:59.320 --> 0:10:02.560 and to present my findings. But the supposed genocide it 0:10:02.559 --> 0:10:05.380 talks about isn't that it was caused by Hamas when 0:10:05.380 --> 0:10:08.320 they came into Israel. It's the genocide, they said, driven 0:10:08.320 --> 0:10:13.809 by genocidal logic integral to Israel's settler colonial project in Palestine. 0:10:14.020 --> 0:10:16.960 In other words, Israel is part of a western colonial 0:10:16.960 --> 0:10:20.200 project that came in to get rid of the Palestinians 0:10:20.200 --> 0:10:22.900 who were there. Now, the problem with that is to 0:10:22.900 --> 0:10:26.110 use those modern terms, Israel were actually the indigenous people. 0:10:26.110 --> 0:10:28.660 They lived in the land for over 2000 years until 0:10:28.660 --> 0:10:31.570 they were ethnically cleansed by the Romans. And then a 0:10:31.570 --> 0:10:33.850 remnant continued to live in the land. They weren't the 0:10:33.850 --> 0:10:37.300 Western colonizers. You know, if there's anyone guilty of genocide, 0:10:37.300 --> 0:10:40.510 it was Hamas, Hamas's charters built on the destruction of 0:10:40.510 --> 0:10:42.760 Israel and the killing of Jews. They're the ones who 0:10:42.760 --> 0:10:46.390 committed genocide. And sadly, that's missing in this report. 0:10:46.420 --> 0:10:49.000 Well, there's a lot more to come in today's programme, 0:10:49.000 --> 0:10:52.839 including a question and answer session. Charlie's devotional. But up next, 0:10:52.840 --> 0:10:55.959 the Hamas attack as seen in the Old Testament. Believe 0:10:55.960 --> 0:10:58.840 it or not, that tragedy looks remarkably similar to an 0:10:58.840 --> 0:11:02.080 attack on Israel that took place back in the Old Testament. 0:11:02.110 --> 0:11:03.910 So coming up here on the land of the book, 0:11:03.910 --> 0:11:06.970 we'll take you to a site called Lachish. The biblical 0:11:06.970 --> 0:11:09.790 account is chilling, but bears a striking resemblance to things 0:11:09.790 --> 0:11:12.670 we just witnessed. So stick around for the entire program 0:11:12.670 --> 0:11:29.640 that we call the land and the book. They say 0:11:29.640 --> 0:11:33.000 what's old is new. And when that comes to understanding 0:11:33.000 --> 0:11:37.080 today's conflict in terms of ancient history, there's an interesting 0:11:37.080 --> 0:11:40.020 contrast that develops lessons we can learn. This is the 0:11:40.020 --> 0:11:42.960 land in the book. Segment two. I'm John Geiger with 0:11:42.960 --> 0:11:45.150 Charlie Dyer, our host. Charlie, we're in the back of 0:11:45.150 --> 0:11:47.280 a van. Where are we headed? Well, we're. 0:11:47.280 --> 0:11:49.590 Creeping our way along on the superhighway right now, but 0:11:49.590 --> 0:11:51.840 we're heading to Lake ish. Uh, it was actually in 0:11:51.840 --> 0:11:55.140 the Old Testament times, the second largest city in Judah. 0:11:55.140 --> 0:11:56.940 Only Jerusalem would have been larger. 0:11:56.940 --> 0:11:59.040 Lessons to be learned there. And we'll get to that 0:11:59.040 --> 0:12:02.040 story after this thought about how you and I can 0:12:02.040 --> 0:12:04.559 be more effective in sharing the love of Jesus with 0:12:04.559 --> 0:12:07.410 a Jewish friend. So you and your Jewish friend are 0:12:07.410 --> 0:12:10.680 close enough that you feel comfortable sharing from Scripture. You 0:12:10.679 --> 0:12:14.970 read Isaiah 5213 through chapter 53, and then you ask 0:12:14.970 --> 0:12:17.010 them who they think the servant of the Lord is 0:12:17.010 --> 0:12:19.980 referring to. What's going to be their likely response? Roy 0:12:19.980 --> 0:12:22.170 Schwartz of Chosen People Ministries, what do you think? 0:12:22.170 --> 0:12:25.080 Well, they're going to say, well, I guess that's Jesus, right? 0:12:25.080 --> 0:12:27.510 And you'll say, well, I think so. Yeah, I think 0:12:27.510 --> 0:12:30.540 that's Jesus. Do you know where this came from? They'll say, well, 0:12:30.540 --> 0:12:33.420 New Testament and you'll say, no, no, this is the 0:12:33.420 --> 0:12:37.470 Jewish scriptures. This is from the prophet Isaiah 700 years 0:12:37.470 --> 0:12:41.370 before Jesus was born. So what do you think about that? 0:12:41.370 --> 0:12:42.720 And what will they think? 0:12:42.900 --> 0:12:45.210 Well, they'll think, I got to talk to the rabbi 0:12:45.210 --> 0:12:49.770 about this. And the rabbis say, well, that's Israel. Israel 0:12:49.770 --> 0:12:51.329 is the suffering servant. 0:12:51.330 --> 0:12:52.890 And what's the answer then to that? 0:12:52.890 --> 0:12:56.910 Well, yes, to a degree that's true. He did suffer. 0:12:56.910 --> 0:12:59.970 I mean, Israel did suffer. But what Jesus is is 0:12:59.970 --> 0:13:03.569 the perfect Israel, just as Jesus is the second Adam. 0:13:03.570 --> 0:13:06.990 Jesus is also the second Israel. He modeled what it 0:13:06.990 --> 0:13:09.210 is to be a true Jew, right? 0:13:09.210 --> 0:13:12.150 Schwartz is with Chosen People Ministries, joining us today on 0:13:12.150 --> 0:13:16.530 the land and the book. Doctor Charlie Dyer, our host 0:13:16.530 --> 0:13:20.160 today with John Geiger. We're on an unusual mission. We're 0:13:20.160 --> 0:13:21.090 headed where? Charlie? 0:13:21.240 --> 0:13:24.449 We're heading to the Old Testament site of Lachish. Some 0:13:24.450 --> 0:13:27.060 would say Lachish, but, you know, for those who speak English, 0:13:27.059 --> 0:13:29.460 Lachish is what we would usually say. It's down in 0:13:29.460 --> 0:13:32.670 the valley, in the low foothills of the land of Judah. 0:13:32.670 --> 0:13:35.040 And it was actually one of the most dominant cities 0:13:35.040 --> 0:13:36.599 in Judah, next to Jerusalem. 0:13:36.840 --> 0:13:39.510 And what is our goal in heading there today, Charlie? 0:13:39.540 --> 0:13:41.490 Well, you know, I like taking people there to help 0:13:41.490 --> 0:13:43.260 them to see the city, but we're going there for 0:13:43.260 --> 0:13:46.800 a special reason. We're going down to the area around Gaza. 0:13:46.800 --> 0:13:50.010 And I believe there's a lesson from Lachish in Israel's 0:13:50.010 --> 0:13:53.730 history that can help us understand Hamas and the events 0:13:53.730 --> 0:13:54.870 of October 7th. 0:13:54.900 --> 0:13:58.350 You know, Americans are really not good at history. And sadly, 0:13:58.350 --> 0:14:01.020 Christians are not good at biblical history, even. But this 0:14:01.020 --> 0:14:03.390 is important if we're going to understand what happened on 0:14:03.390 --> 0:14:06.810 October the 7th, what's the first indicator that says what 0:14:06.809 --> 0:14:10.740 happened in ancient biblical times in Lachish is significant in 0:14:10.740 --> 0:14:12.660 understanding what happened October 7th? 0:14:12.690 --> 0:14:14.910 Well, I think it's recognizing that the human heart has 0:14:14.910 --> 0:14:18.510 never changed. People believe we're getting better. We're progressing. We're 0:14:18.510 --> 0:14:21.900 becoming more modern. In reality, the heart's deceitful above all 0:14:21.900 --> 0:14:24.690 else and desperately sick. Who can understand it? That's what 0:14:24.690 --> 0:14:29.610 Jeremiah talks about, and the patterns of human heart that 0:14:29.610 --> 0:14:32.850 showed up in the Assyrian invasion of Judah back in 0:14:32.880 --> 0:14:35.370 the time of King Hezekiah, are the same kind of 0:14:35.370 --> 0:14:38.160 patterns of the human heart that showed up on October 7th, 0:14:38.160 --> 0:14:41.700 when Hamas attacked those communities along the border with Gaza. 0:14:41.910 --> 0:14:44.250 If the sounds in the background are a bit different, 0:14:44.250 --> 0:14:46.530 it's because they are. We're in a van, we're not 0:14:46.530 --> 0:14:49.620 in our studio, we're in Israel, and we're looking at 0:14:49.620 --> 0:14:52.320 lessons from Lachish today as it helps us understand what 0:14:52.320 --> 0:14:55.710 happened October 7th. What's another insight that we can gain 0:14:55.710 --> 0:14:57.120 as we think about Lachish? 0:14:57.150 --> 0:14:59.490 Well, I think it's a recognition that no matter what 0:14:59.490 --> 0:15:02.190 we think we can do to protect ourselves, the best 0:15:02.190 --> 0:15:05.310 that human effort has is something we shouldn't depend on. Ultimately, 0:15:05.310 --> 0:15:07.590 God is the one who can protect us. It's a 0:15:07.590 --> 0:15:09.480 reminder of where our security ought to come from, and 0:15:09.480 --> 0:15:11.040 that's from God and God alone. 0:15:11.190 --> 0:15:13.470 Well, you mentioned the word security. And that, of course, 0:15:13.470 --> 0:15:16.739 is still being puzzled over worked over as we try 0:15:16.740 --> 0:15:20.250 to unpack what happened October 7th, whose forces are more 0:15:20.250 --> 0:15:24.180 secure than the IDF, the Israel Defense Forces, what technology 0:15:24.180 --> 0:15:27.630 is more advanced than theirs? And yet that attack still happened. 0:15:27.660 --> 0:15:29.760 It did. And it's that's why it's a reminder to 0:15:29.760 --> 0:15:32.130 us that whatever we depend on, if we're not depending 0:15:32.130 --> 0:15:35.400 on God, the best defenses we can come up with 0:15:35.400 --> 0:15:39.930 will always be inadequate. The parallels between Hamas and the 0:15:39.930 --> 0:15:43.770 Assyrian army are truly frightening, actually staggering. You know, we 0:15:43.770 --> 0:15:47.460 saw what Hamas did because they attached GoPro cameras. I mean, 0:15:47.460 --> 0:15:51.930 they videoed the atrocities that they committed. The Assyrians did 0:15:51.930 --> 0:15:54.330 almost the same thing. Now, they didn't have GoPro cameras, 0:15:54.330 --> 0:15:57.180 but they took one entire room of a palace in 0:15:57.180 --> 0:15:59.700 Nineveh and devoted it to the taking of the city 0:15:59.700 --> 0:16:03.030 of Lachish in great detail and graphic detail, so much 0:16:03.030 --> 0:16:05.730 so that the archaeologists could use what they put on 0:16:05.730 --> 0:16:08.430 the walls of that palace to help them understand what 0:16:08.430 --> 0:16:11.130 they were going to find archaeologically when they dug Leykis up. 0:16:11.550 --> 0:16:13.740 Both of them wanted to boast in their exploits on 0:16:13.740 --> 0:16:16.470 how they had overcome the defenses of this enemy. 0:16:16.620 --> 0:16:19.470 Well, insomuch as it's appropriate, describe what they did put 0:16:19.470 --> 0:16:20.520 on those walls. 0:16:20.520 --> 0:16:23.280 The sad part is they started by showing how how 0:16:23.280 --> 0:16:26.550 strong the defenses were. In Lake Ish's case, they had 0:16:26.550 --> 0:16:30.810 double walls with a a ramp in between that made 0:16:30.990 --> 0:16:33.360 what they thought impossible for someone to attack. But the 0:16:33.360 --> 0:16:35.910 Assyrians figured out a way to get around it. In 0:16:35.910 --> 0:16:39.060 Israel's case, they had the iron wall, the this massive 0:16:39.060 --> 0:16:42.090 defensive structure that they put up that would stop people 0:16:42.090 --> 0:16:45.270 from tunneling under. But they didn't recognize that Hamas had 0:16:45.270 --> 0:16:49.350 plans to just blow their way through. The Hamas recorded 0:16:49.350 --> 0:16:51.420 all of the the horrible things that they did as 0:16:51.420 --> 0:16:56.130 they killed, beheaded, tortured individuals. But the Assyrians did exactly 0:16:56.130 --> 0:16:59.790 the same thing. They show beheading individuals, cutting off their 0:16:59.790 --> 0:17:02.790 heads with knives. They show them hoisting the bodies up 0:17:02.790 --> 0:17:07.109 on stakes, displaying the mutilated corpses for all to see. 0:17:07.530 --> 0:17:12.869 Hamas captured over 250 individuals and took them away into Gaza. 0:17:12.900 --> 0:17:18.659 The Assyrians actually boasted that they took 200,150 Judeans captive, 0:17:18.660 --> 0:17:21.270 and they said, young and old, men and women, they 0:17:21.270 --> 0:17:23.669 took them away as slaves to Assyria. In fact, the 0:17:23.670 --> 0:17:27.869 only difference between the Assyrians and Hamas Hamas could attack 0:17:27.869 --> 0:17:31.139 one small area around the Gaza. Assyria came in and 0:17:31.140 --> 0:17:34.980 tried to take the whole country, and they nearly succeeded, 0:17:34.980 --> 0:17:36.660 except for God's intervention. 0:17:36.990 --> 0:17:39.960 Doctor Charlie Dyer, our host, leading us in a conversation 0:17:39.960 --> 0:17:43.020 today on a van headed south, were moving toward the 0:17:43.020 --> 0:17:46.590 Gaza Strip. And lessons from Lachish is where we're focused. 0:17:46.590 --> 0:17:50.460 200,000 plus prisoners being hauled off. Talk about the logistics there. 0:17:50.460 --> 0:17:53.459 How far did they eventually travel from Israel? 0:17:53.460 --> 0:17:56.550 It was hundreds of miles. The Assyrians are what's today 0:17:56.550 --> 0:18:00.900 if people picture that in a map, uh, northern Iraq, Mosul, 0:18:00.900 --> 0:18:03.600 where we finally managed to cross ISIS, was the capital 0:18:03.600 --> 0:18:06.030 that was the capital of Nineveh. So they took those 0:18:06.030 --> 0:18:09.179 people back to the Assyrian empire, uh, in terms of 0:18:09.180 --> 0:18:13.290 200,000 people. Imagine if 200,000 in the United States were. 0:18:13.460 --> 0:18:15.800 Taken away today, we'd be amazed. We're a country of 0:18:15.800 --> 0:18:21.110 over 330 million people. In that day, Judah was probably 0:18:21.109 --> 0:18:23.090 about the size it is now or less. You know, 0:18:23.090 --> 0:18:25.520 you're talking about 6 or 7 million people, and to 0:18:25.520 --> 0:18:30.200 have 200,000 taken away as slaves would have devastated the economy, 0:18:30.200 --> 0:18:31.550 devastated the country. 0:18:31.550 --> 0:18:33.800 And you think about how this would be noted historically. 0:18:33.800 --> 0:18:36.830 I mean, people would never, ever forget it. Generation after 0:18:36.830 --> 0:18:39.620 generation after generation, 200,000 people. 0:18:39.619 --> 0:18:42.439 Oh, absolutely. In fact, it's interesting. It's remembered both ways. 0:18:42.440 --> 0:18:45.800 The Assyrians left written copies. One of them's in the 0:18:45.800 --> 0:18:48.320 British Museum. One of them is in what used to 0:18:48.320 --> 0:18:51.530 be called the Oriental Museum in Chicago, and one of 0:18:51.530 --> 0:18:54.740 them is in the Israel Museum here in Jerusalem. Uh, 0:18:54.740 --> 0:18:57.770 it's funny, he says, you know, he took how many people? 200,000, 0:18:57.770 --> 0:19:02.179 150 took 46 strong walled cities, countless villages. And then 0:19:02.180 --> 0:19:04.190 he says, and Hezekiah the Jew, I shut up like 0:19:04.190 --> 0:19:07.310 a bird in a cage in his city Jerusalem. Well, 0:19:07.310 --> 0:19:08.900 what he what he leaves out is the fact that 0:19:08.900 --> 0:19:13.460 he can't capture Jerusalem. And that's where God intervened for Israel, 0:19:13.460 --> 0:19:15.260 the part they remember and the part that appears in 0:19:15.260 --> 0:19:18.710 the Bible in, uh, Second Kings around 18 to 20, 0:19:18.710 --> 0:19:22.790 in Isaiah 36 to 39, uh, in Chronicles, uh, is 0:19:22.790 --> 0:19:25.040 the fact that when it came down to it, Hezekiah 0:19:25.040 --> 0:19:27.530 took the terms of surrender he was given, laid him 0:19:27.530 --> 0:19:29.330 out in front of God and and said, in essence, 0:19:29.330 --> 0:19:31.790 there's nothing I can do. We need your help. And 0:19:31.790 --> 0:19:35.720 the angel of the Lord came and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. 0:19:35.720 --> 0:19:39.320 That's what spared Judah. And that was remembered hundreds of 0:19:39.320 --> 0:19:40.220 years later. 0:19:40.220 --> 0:19:42.139 So what lessons do you think we can take away 0:19:42.140 --> 0:19:45.230 from this, uh, ancient incident in Lachish? 0:19:45.350 --> 0:19:46.940 Well, I think one of the key lessons for us 0:19:46.940 --> 0:19:49.190 is to remember. And the United States is a good example. 0:19:49.190 --> 0:19:53.420 We boast great technology, great power, great strength. Let's remember 0:19:53.420 --> 0:19:56.210 that if God is not in it, it doesn't matter 0:19:56.210 --> 0:19:58.790 how strong you are. There are ways to get around 0:19:58.790 --> 0:20:01.669 any kind of defense someone develops. Our strength needs to 0:20:01.670 --> 0:20:04.369 be the Lord in God we trust. We read it 0:20:04.369 --> 0:20:06.290 on our coins. We just need to make sure that 0:20:06.290 --> 0:20:08.930 that becomes the model not only of our country, but 0:20:08.930 --> 0:20:11.840 of individual believers we don't trust in our bank accounts. 0:20:11.840 --> 0:20:15.170 We don't trust in what we have, what we can see. 0:20:15.470 --> 0:20:17.060 And the most important thing we can do is to 0:20:17.060 --> 0:20:19.250 make sure that we stay close to God. 0:20:19.400 --> 0:20:22.280 You know, we don't come here merely as travelers or 0:20:22.280 --> 0:20:25.550 as journalists. We're not just recording programs. I have to 0:20:25.550 --> 0:20:27.980 say that in my own soul, as we travel south, 0:20:27.980 --> 0:20:31.160 as we move closer toward this destination, which is so 0:20:31.160 --> 0:20:34.580 close to Gaza, I just feel a sense of foreboding 0:20:34.580 --> 0:20:37.460 and darkness and heaviness. Uh, how do you feel? 0:20:37.460 --> 0:20:39.920 Two things go through my mind, and one is it 0:20:39.920 --> 0:20:42.470 was a somber place that we're heading to right now. 0:20:42.710 --> 0:20:47.840 We know October 7th fundamentally changed how Israel responds to 0:20:47.840 --> 0:20:50.720 events around them, and we should as well. And if 0:20:50.720 --> 0:20:53.300 we leave and we're not somber because of it, we've 0:20:53.300 --> 0:20:55.940 not taken the lesson to heart. The second thing is 0:20:55.940 --> 0:20:59.570 to remember, though, even in times of greatest need, God 0:20:59.570 --> 0:21:02.869 can then intervene in the most remarkable ways he did 0:21:02.869 --> 0:21:05.869 with Lachish originally. And he's doing that, I think, in 0:21:05.869 --> 0:21:09.260 the process of Israel today, there's more of a spiritual openness. 0:21:09.260 --> 0:21:12.500 In many parts of Israel, uh, believers have stepped up, 0:21:12.500 --> 0:21:15.080 are trying to demonstrate the love of Christ in a 0:21:15.080 --> 0:21:18.679 more dramatic fashion. And so what we really need to 0:21:18.680 --> 0:21:20.720 pray is that God can get a victory out of this, 0:21:20.720 --> 0:21:22.490 just like he did in the time of Hezekiah. 0:21:22.730 --> 0:21:25.159 I'm so glad you turned the corner, Charlie, and the 0:21:25.160 --> 0:21:28.790 conversation toward that direction, because throughout our trip here, we 0:21:28.790 --> 0:21:33.590 have heard many stories about impact and the testimony that 0:21:33.590 --> 0:21:37.040 the gifts, the intervention, the generosity of God's people in 0:21:37.040 --> 0:21:39.830 the United States who care about Israel, how that is 0:21:39.830 --> 0:21:41.690 making a difference here in Israel. 0:21:41.690 --> 0:21:45.170 It is, in fact, we can't overestimate it. Uh, it's 0:21:45.170 --> 0:21:47.780 amazing in difficult times when people are looking, when they're wondering, 0:21:47.780 --> 0:21:51.230 when they're searching to find a person willing to help, 0:21:51.230 --> 0:21:54.439 willing to step up, willing to stand in the gap, uh, 0:21:54.440 --> 0:21:57.230 makes an impression. And when that person says, oh, I'm, 0:21:57.500 --> 0:21:59.179 you know, I'm no better than you, but let me 0:21:59.180 --> 0:22:01.189 tell you about the God who loves both of us. 0:22:01.550 --> 0:22:04.040 That can make a real major difference in the lives 0:22:04.040 --> 0:22:07.310 of of everybody. So there's a great opportunity right now 0:22:07.310 --> 0:22:09.920 to share the good news of Jesus Christ in very 0:22:09.920 --> 0:22:13.699 tangible ways. And that's what we've been experiencing. And, uh, 0:22:14.240 --> 0:22:17.120 we're part of a group that is demonstrating the love 0:22:17.119 --> 0:22:18.680 of God to people of Israel. 0:22:19.130 --> 0:22:21.890 Well, one tangible way that our listeners can step up 0:22:21.890 --> 0:22:25.040 and show their support is by going ahead and coming 0:22:25.040 --> 0:22:28.430 to Israel. You know, we've been here, uh, we're just 0:22:28.430 --> 0:22:32.300 not seeing airplanes. We're not hearing bombs. Uh, and a 0:22:32.300 --> 0:22:34.580 tour to Israel right now makes perfect sense. 0:22:34.580 --> 0:22:36.860 It does. You know what I love to say, John, 0:22:36.859 --> 0:22:38.810 is when I was in Boy Scouts, we learned, uh, 0:22:38.810 --> 0:22:42.020 whenever there's trouble, you know, somebody's drowning. They told us, reach, 0:22:42.020 --> 0:22:44.810 throw row, then go. In other words, you know, you 0:22:44.810 --> 0:22:47.540 can do something. You try and reach out to help you, uh, 0:22:47.540 --> 0:22:50.239 throw something and throw a lifeline if you have it, uh, 0:22:50.240 --> 0:22:52.760 you know, if you have a boat. But finally, if 0:22:52.760 --> 0:22:56.450 there's no other way, you go, uh, that's the last 0:22:56.720 --> 0:22:58.939 step you're supposed to take. But it's the one that 0:22:58.940 --> 0:23:00.800 can make the most direct impact if there's no other 0:23:00.800 --> 0:23:03.440 way to go. In our case today, uh, people need 0:23:03.440 --> 0:23:05.270 to recognize there's things they can do to help and 0:23:05.270 --> 0:23:07.430 support Israel. But one of the last things they can 0:23:07.430 --> 0:23:11.240 do is go and going. What they'll find is that 0:23:11.240 --> 0:23:14.129 the news media is the truth. It's not the whole truth. 0:23:14.130 --> 0:23:16.410 They get a whole different perspective than what they see 0:23:16.410 --> 0:23:18.419 on the media. They find that they can make an 0:23:18.420 --> 0:23:22.800 impact on people's lives. They'll change themselves spiritually by interacting 0:23:22.800 --> 0:23:25.140 with the land and the people, and they find that 0:23:25.140 --> 0:23:26.610 God is a great God. 0:23:26.880 --> 0:23:30.930 And on a purely human level, maybe slightly selfish. It's 0:23:30.930 --> 0:23:33.810 a great time to go now because the lines are shorter, 0:23:34.320 --> 0:23:36.959 the roads are a bit more free. You're able to 0:23:36.960 --> 0:23:39.060 see a whole lot more and a lot less time. 0:23:39.240 --> 0:23:42.659 Absolutely, yeah. When tourism finally comes back, when all the 0:23:42.660 --> 0:23:45.060 planes are filled once again and they will be, the 0:23:45.060 --> 0:23:48.060 lines will get a lot longer. Whether it's eating lunch 0:23:48.060 --> 0:23:51.120 or waiting in line to get into a an event 0:23:51.119 --> 0:23:54.359 or a venue, it will get better for tourists. But 0:23:54.359 --> 0:23:56.729 much longer lines right now is a great time to 0:23:56.730 --> 0:23:57.330 be here. 0:23:57.420 --> 0:23:59.850 The thing is, this window won't last very long. I mean, 0:23:59.850 --> 0:24:01.920 as you say, tourism is going to ramp up and 0:24:01.920 --> 0:24:04.440 amp up, but in the long lines will be back. 0:24:04.440 --> 0:24:06.510 So it's a it's a great time to be thinking 0:24:06.510 --> 0:24:07.590 about a trip to Israel. 0:24:07.740 --> 0:24:09.600 Yeah. Well it is I always say, you know, it's 0:24:09.600 --> 0:24:11.010 the will of God for you to go to Israel. 0:24:11.040 --> 0:24:12.750 I don't know exactly when, but I do know it's 0:24:12.750 --> 0:24:14.609 the will of God for you to go, because your 0:24:14.609 --> 0:24:16.979 life will never be the same again. That's what was 0:24:16.980 --> 0:24:19.170 true for me, and I know people will find that 0:24:19.170 --> 0:24:20.879 to be true for themselves as well. 0:24:20.940 --> 0:24:22.800 All right, now, if you're an audio file, you're a 0:24:22.800 --> 0:24:25.770 person who's really into audio. You've noticed the background sounds 0:24:25.770 --> 0:24:28.920 have shifted. Our van has picked up speed. We are 0:24:28.920 --> 0:24:32.669 nearly at our destination, Lachish. But one last insight, Charlie, 0:24:32.670 --> 0:24:33.780 before we leave. 0:24:34.020 --> 0:24:36.750 The final insight would be they've got to come to Lachish. 0:24:36.750 --> 0:24:38.850 When you go to Israel. Lachish is a place that 0:24:38.850 --> 0:24:42.600 most tours don't go to. Tell your guide, tell your driver, 0:24:42.600 --> 0:24:45.510 tell your your pastor. You want to go to Lachish. 0:24:45.510 --> 0:24:48.030 You want to see the second largest city. You want 0:24:48.030 --> 0:24:50.130 to see the place where the Assyrians were. You want 0:24:50.130 --> 0:24:53.760 to see what God's great miracle was, and there's no 0:24:53.760 --> 0:24:56.280 better place to see it than at a place like Lachish. 0:24:56.280 --> 0:24:57.990 And on a physical dimension. What are we going to 0:24:57.990 --> 0:25:00.420 see when we're at Lachish? What are the actual ruins? 0:25:00.510 --> 0:25:03.090 We're going to see the city gate. The the massive part. 0:25:03.090 --> 0:25:05.400 You're going to see a massive stone structure on top. 0:25:05.400 --> 0:25:08.280 That was the foundations of the governor's palace because it 0:25:08.280 --> 0:25:11.459 was a regional capital for that area. You're going to 0:25:11.460 --> 0:25:13.889 find the part of the siege ramp that the Assyrians built, 0:25:13.890 --> 0:25:16.619 that they built at the top to break into the city. 0:25:16.619 --> 0:25:19.260 And we're even going to start our our tour looking 0:25:19.260 --> 0:25:22.710 down at the bottom where the Kingston Palace and Nineveh shows, 0:25:22.710 --> 0:25:25.080 where he put his throne as he observed the the 0:25:25.080 --> 0:25:26.670 taking of the city of Lachish. 0:25:26.670 --> 0:25:29.820 I'm excited. I feel like telling our driver, Munir, step 0:25:29.820 --> 0:25:30.990 on the gas, brother. 0:25:32.310 --> 0:25:34.830 Ah, and he gave a good laugh for that. But 0:25:35.369 --> 0:25:38.040 he will get us there safely. And that's the great part. 0:25:38.280 --> 0:25:40.800 And that's what you should hear about Lachish. From the 0:25:40.800 --> 0:25:43.980 back seat of our van cruising down south here in Israel, 0:25:44.070 --> 0:25:46.500 coming up here on the land of the book, we'll 0:25:46.500 --> 0:25:48.750 give Charlie a break from chatting with me, and he's 0:25:48.750 --> 0:25:51.120 going to be looking at questions, one of them yours. 0:25:51.119 --> 0:25:54.090 I hope that's all ahead on the next segment of 0:25:54.090 --> 0:26:09.540 the land and the book. It's questions and. Welcome. We're 0:26:09.540 --> 0:26:11.820 glad you're here. I think you'll find this fascinating, I 0:26:11.820 --> 0:26:14.790 always do. Our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer, has his Bible 0:26:14.790 --> 0:26:17.610 open and a stack of Bible questions on the other 0:26:17.609 --> 0:26:20.460 side of that Bible. I'm looking forward to hearing what 0:26:20.460 --> 0:26:24.000 you're curious about and to Charlie's answers as well. First, though, 0:26:24.000 --> 0:26:27.000 Passover will soon be upon us, and one of the 0:26:27.000 --> 0:26:30.720 traditional Passover questions is what makes this night different from 0:26:30.720 --> 0:26:33.959 all others? Well, Passover is an important biblical holiday that 0:26:33.960 --> 0:26:38.460 has great meaning for both Jewish people and believers in Jesus. So, Charlie, 0:26:38.460 --> 0:26:40.530 I think that's a great question to ask. It is. 0:26:40.530 --> 0:26:42.270 John. And if you want to learn more about what 0:26:42.270 --> 0:26:45.450 makes Passover so special, our friends at Life and Messiah 0:26:45.450 --> 0:26:47.490 are offering to mail you a free copy of their 0:26:47.490 --> 0:26:50.879 Messianic Passover Haggadah. The book will lead you through the 0:26:50.880 --> 0:26:54.570 celebration of Passover to see the rich connections between Jesus, 0:26:54.570 --> 0:26:57.540 our Messiah, and the Last Supper. You'll also receive a 0:26:57.540 --> 0:27:01.260 link for an interactive Passover Seder video with the Haggadah 0:27:01.260 --> 0:27:04.230 and video. You can celebrate Passover this year with your 0:27:04.230 --> 0:27:07.080 family and friends. Now to get this free offer, just 0:27:07.080 --> 0:27:09.899 go to life in Messiah org and click on the 0:27:09.900 --> 0:27:12.840 Moody Radio button to find out more and request your copy. 0:27:12.840 --> 0:27:15.869 That's life in messiah.org. 0:27:16.020 --> 0:27:19.740 Marianne has the honor of asking today's first question. She 0:27:19.740 --> 0:27:23.550 takes us to second Samuel chapter 11. It says. Then 0:27:23.550 --> 0:27:26.040 it happened in the spring at the times when kings 0:27:26.040 --> 0:27:29.400 go out to battle. I'm thinking that probably this was 0:27:29.400 --> 0:27:32.040 the start of the dry season. And Marianne goes on 0:27:32.040 --> 0:27:34.020 to say, perhaps it was hot, or at least had 0:27:34.020 --> 0:27:36.330 the potential of being hot, and that was why Bathsheba 0:27:36.330 --> 0:27:38.520 was bathing. I've heard it said that she was doing 0:27:38.520 --> 0:27:41.100 a ritual cleansing, but I don't see anything in the 0:27:41.100 --> 0:27:44.010 text that warrants that for the first time. I recently 0:27:44.010 --> 0:27:47.699 heard it taught that David was abdicating his responsibilities and 0:27:47.700 --> 0:27:50.399 that this was the cause of all that happened. I've 0:27:50.400 --> 0:27:53.669 always heard it taught before that Bathsheba was a seductress, 0:27:53.670 --> 0:27:55.500 but the longer I've lived, the less I see in 0:27:55.500 --> 0:27:58.170 the text to support this. Your thoughts and Charlie, I've 0:27:58.170 --> 0:28:01.140 never heard it said that Bathsheba was a seductress. Is 0:28:01.140 --> 0:28:02.970 that that popular a theory? 0:28:03.359 --> 0:28:05.010 I'm not sure how popular it is, but it is 0:28:05.010 --> 0:28:07.230 a theory that's out there. Now. I do see the 0:28:07.230 --> 0:28:09.930 events in that passage taking place in the late spring, 0:28:09.930 --> 0:28:12.389 probably during the time of the barley or wheat harvest. 0:28:12.390 --> 0:28:15.149 You know, the winter rains are over. Makes travel easier. 0:28:15.150 --> 0:28:18.240 The ripening grain actually would have been looted by the 0:28:18.240 --> 0:28:21.150 armies on their way to provide food. So it was 0:28:21.150 --> 0:28:23.520 the best time to go. And I do think David 0:28:23.520 --> 0:28:27.090 abdicated his responsibility. It says this is the time when 0:28:27.090 --> 0:28:29.730 the kings go out to war, and it pointedly says 0:28:29.730 --> 0:28:32.280 that and then says, David wasn't there. And that's what 0:28:32.280 --> 0:28:34.979 led to the disaster. Now, in terms of Bathsheba, I 0:28:34.980 --> 0:28:38.370 believe she was ritually purifying herself. Following her monthly period 0:28:38.460 --> 0:28:41.250 from Leviticus 15. Has some of the information on that. Now, 0:28:41.250 --> 0:28:43.890 I see this alluded to in verse four. The writer 0:28:43.890 --> 0:28:47.820 adds she had purified herself from her uncleanness, which suggests 0:28:47.820 --> 0:28:51.630 she was undergoing ritual purification while bathing on the roof. 0:28:51.630 --> 0:28:53.970 Now I don't see her acting as a seductress, since 0:28:53.970 --> 0:28:57.480 she appeared to be following the Levitical purification process, and 0:28:57.480 --> 0:29:00.090 since she assumed the army and the king had left 0:29:00.090 --> 0:29:02.820 for battle, David is the one primarily at fault in 0:29:02.820 --> 0:29:07.020 the account, though Bathsheba didn't refuse advances, which suggests she 0:29:07.020 --> 0:29:10.110 does share at least some responsibility in what followed. But 0:29:10.110 --> 0:29:14.190 in reading Psalm 51, David certainly acknowledges he's the one 0:29:14.190 --> 0:29:15.690 responsible for his sin. 0:29:15.930 --> 0:29:18.810 Todd asks, when would you say the rebellion of Satan 0:29:18.810 --> 0:29:20.970 occurred in the timeline of history? 0:29:21.270 --> 0:29:23.160 Well, it's a good question and the answer is a 0:29:23.160 --> 0:29:25.500 bit complex, so bear with me here. I believe God 0:29:25.500 --> 0:29:29.070 created the angelic realm before the creation of the universe 0:29:29.070 --> 0:29:31.200 that we know today. And I say that because in 0:29:31.200 --> 0:29:34.920 job 38, verses 4 to 7, God says to job there, 0:29:34.920 --> 0:29:37.590 where were you? And I laid the earth's foundation? Tell 0:29:37.590 --> 0:29:39.540 me if you understand. You know, God is basically saying 0:29:39.540 --> 0:29:41.940 you weren't there at creation, were you, job who marked 0:29:41.940 --> 0:29:44.730 off its dimension? Surely you know who stretched to measuring 0:29:44.730 --> 0:29:47.610 line across it? Where were its footing? Said who had 0:29:47.610 --> 0:29:50.280 laid its cornerstone? And then, he adds, while the morning 0:29:50.280 --> 0:29:53.820 star sang together and all the angels shouted for joy. 0:29:53.970 --> 0:29:56.190 So if the angels were present at the very creation 0:29:56.190 --> 0:29:58.860 of the universe, they must have been created prior to 0:29:58.890 --> 0:30:01.590 that time. Well, that leads to my second observation. I 0:30:01.590 --> 0:30:04.500 believe Satan's rebellion against God when a third of the 0:30:04.500 --> 0:30:07.650 heavenly host followed him. That also likely took place before 0:30:07.650 --> 0:30:10.680 the creation we read about in Genesis 1 to 3, 0:30:10.830 --> 0:30:14.850 I believe Ezekiel 28, verses 11 to 19 describe, I 0:30:14.850 --> 0:30:18.150 think in poetic fashion, that event Satan was originally an 0:30:18.150 --> 0:30:21.780 absolutely perfect anointed cherub who was blameless in his ways. 0:30:21.780 --> 0:30:24.660 From the day you were created to wickedness was found 0:30:24.660 --> 0:30:27.390 in you. To me, that also explains how suddenly a 0:30:27.390 --> 0:30:30.480 serpent can show up in the Garden of Eden shortly 0:30:30.480 --> 0:30:33.180 after the creation of Adam and Eve. And finally, as 0:30:33.180 --> 0:30:35.670 I put all that together, I believe the creation we 0:30:35.670 --> 0:30:38.340 see in Genesis 1 to 3 is in part, God's 0:30:38.340 --> 0:30:41.790 response to Satan's rebellion and fall. Satan claimed the right 0:30:41.790 --> 0:30:44.250 to be equal to God, and the subsequent program of 0:30:44.250 --> 0:30:47.970 creation and the fall and redemption is God's response. And 0:30:47.970 --> 0:30:50.730 that's why Satan's ultimate judgment in the Lake of Fire 0:30:50.760 --> 0:30:53.520 doesn't happen until the end of the Book of Revelation, 0:30:53.520 --> 0:30:56.700 when everything's finally resolved. You know, Jesus said, the lake 0:30:56.700 --> 0:30:59.160 of fire was prepared for the devil and his angels. 0:30:59.160 --> 0:31:02.220 So why wasn't Satan thrown into it when he first fell? 0:31:02.220 --> 0:31:04.920 I think it's because the current program is part of 0:31:04.920 --> 0:31:07.709 God's contest with Satan to show that God has the 0:31:07.710 --> 0:31:10.190 right to rule in. Satan does not. Now all that 0:31:10.190 --> 0:31:13.520 to say, I think Satan's rebellion took place just before 0:31:13.520 --> 0:31:16.010 the timeline of history that we see in the Bible 0:31:16.010 --> 0:31:19.100 actually began, and its final doom will happen just as 0:31:19.100 --> 0:31:21.980 this timeline of history dissolves into eternity. 0:31:22.010 --> 0:31:25.100 A follow up do you think Isaiah 14 applies to 0:31:25.100 --> 0:31:27.980 Satan's fall? If so, how do we explain the verse 0:31:27.980 --> 0:31:30.620 that says, those who see you will stare at you 0:31:30.620 --> 0:31:33.530 and ponder over you? Is this the man who made 0:31:33.530 --> 0:31:36.410 the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world 0:31:36.410 --> 0:31:39.140 like a desert and overthrew its cities? Who did not 0:31:39.140 --> 0:31:41.000 let his prisoners go home? 0:31:41.150 --> 0:31:43.550 Yeah. You know, I said before Ezekiel 28, I do see, 0:31:43.550 --> 0:31:47.570 referring to Satan. Isaiah 14, I don't believe refers to Satan. 0:31:47.570 --> 0:31:51.350 And one key reason is the passage that you cited. Todd, 0:31:51.380 --> 0:31:54.440 I think it clearly identifies this individual as a man. 0:31:54.440 --> 0:31:56.330 And though he claims to say in his heart, I 0:31:56.330 --> 0:31:59.840 will ascend to the heavens, God says in all his pomp, 0:31:59.840 --> 0:32:02.030 you're going to be brought down to the grave. And 0:32:02.030 --> 0:32:04.760 then in a further slight, God says in that passage, 0:32:04.760 --> 0:32:06.469 you're not even going to stay in your tomb. You're 0:32:06.470 --> 0:32:08.420 going to be cast out of your tomb. And those 0:32:08.420 --> 0:32:11.060 are characteristics of a human who thought he was as 0:32:11.060 --> 0:32:14.000 good as God. So in that sense, his character, his pride, 0:32:14.000 --> 0:32:17.180 matches Satan. But the passage is talking about a human 0:32:17.180 --> 0:32:18.290 from Moody Radio. 0:32:18.290 --> 0:32:20.840 This is the land in the book. Our host, Charlie Dyer, 0:32:20.840 --> 0:32:24.140 I'm John Jaeger. The questions, they're yours and they're welcome 0:32:24.140 --> 0:32:27.110 anytime with an email to the land and the book 0:32:27.110 --> 0:32:31.400 at Moody's Edu. Mark takes us to act 16, where 0:32:31.400 --> 0:32:35.239 the relieved jailer asked, sirs, what must I do to 0:32:35.240 --> 0:32:38.780 be saved? And the apostles reply, believe in the Lord Jesus, 0:32:38.780 --> 0:32:42.380 and you will be saved, you and your household. That 0:32:42.380 --> 0:32:44.990 seems to say that if one believes his whole family 0:32:44.990 --> 0:32:48.620 or household receives salvation, I'm not sure that's the intended message. 0:32:48.620 --> 0:32:49.550 What am I missing? 0:32:49.640 --> 0:32:52.340 Well, I think there's a simple explanation here. The man 0:32:52.340 --> 0:32:55.220 wanted to know what he needed to do to be saved, 0:32:55.250 --> 0:32:56.930 and the answer was he only had to believe to 0:32:56.930 --> 0:33:00.110 exercise faith in Christ. When Paul and Silas said that 0:33:00.110 --> 0:33:02.510 was sufficient to save both him and his household, I 0:33:02.510 --> 0:33:05.090 think it's with the understanding that they would also need 0:33:05.090 --> 0:33:08.570 to exercise faith to be saved, but that the salvation 0:33:08.570 --> 0:33:11.540 was also clearly available to them. Now, I believe that's 0:33:11.540 --> 0:33:15.080 the correct interpretation in light of verse 34 that says 0:33:15.080 --> 0:33:18.620 the jailer quote had come to believe in God, he 0:33:18.620 --> 0:33:21.290 and his whole household. And that verse is saying that 0:33:21.290 --> 0:33:24.110 the entire family had come to believe and not just 0:33:24.110 --> 0:33:27.530 him alone. So his salvation didn't save them. But since 0:33:27.530 --> 0:33:30.500 the entire family responded in faith to the message, they 0:33:30.500 --> 0:33:32.240 were saved. At the same time. 0:33:32.360 --> 0:33:34.430 Larry says, we hear quite a bit about how the 0:33:34.430 --> 0:33:37.220 US is not mentioned and thus thought not to be 0:33:37.220 --> 0:33:40.790 influential in end times prophecy. But what about countries like 0:33:40.790 --> 0:33:45.110 China and India, which comprise about 40% of the world's population? 0:33:45.110 --> 0:33:47.420 I don't believe they're mentioned in prophetic scripture, and I 0:33:47.420 --> 0:33:51.050 don't hear much speculation as to their possible roles. What 0:33:51.050 --> 0:33:53.810 do you think the influence of these highly populated countries 0:33:53.810 --> 0:33:55.969 will be in the end times? 0:33:55.970 --> 0:33:58.490 Yeah, it is true the US isn't mentioned by name 0:33:58.490 --> 0:34:01.160 and end time prophecy, and that does suggest either we 0:34:01.160 --> 0:34:03.980 don't play a prominent role or something else has happened. 0:34:03.980 --> 0:34:06.980 We're not told what the reason is, but that's certainly true. 0:34:06.980 --> 0:34:11.000 Now in terms of India and China, I see two possibilities. First, 0:34:11.000 --> 0:34:13.430 it's possible that they could be the kings from the 0:34:13.430 --> 0:34:16.520 east that are mentioned in revelation 16. It says there 0:34:16.550 --> 0:34:18.800 the sixth angel poured out his vial on the great 0:34:18.800 --> 0:34:21.770 river Euphrates, and the waters dried up. So the way 0:34:21.770 --> 0:34:24.710 of the kings of the East should be prepared. But 0:34:24.710 --> 0:34:26.989 it's not clear in the text who the kings of 0:34:26.989 --> 0:34:30.080 the East are. Could it be China and India? Possibly, 0:34:30.380 --> 0:34:33.500 but we're not told. The second possibility is that China 0:34:33.500 --> 0:34:36.350 and India are caught up in the conflict that decimates 0:34:36.350 --> 0:34:39.859 the world's population during the period. In revelation six, at 0:34:39.860 --> 0:34:42.350 the opening of the fourth seal, it says a fourth 0:34:42.350 --> 0:34:45.590 of the world's population is killed. Then, in revelation nine, 0:34:45.590 --> 0:34:48.560 at the sounding of the Sixth Trumpet Judgment, an additional 0:34:48.560 --> 0:34:51.890 third of the world's populations killed. The world's population today 0:34:51.890 --> 0:34:54.380 is about 8 billion. So as a result of those 0:34:54.380 --> 0:34:58.010 two judgments, 4 billion people are going to perish. It 0:34:58.010 --> 0:35:00.980 seems reasonable to assume that those kind of large numbers 0:35:00.980 --> 0:35:03.710 must include at least part of the population of China 0:35:03.710 --> 0:35:06.710 and India. Now, we're not provided all the details on 0:35:06.710 --> 0:35:09.830 the specific countries impacted by those judgments. So I have 0:35:09.830 --> 0:35:12.320 to say here you have to tread cautiously, but knowing 0:35:12.350 --> 0:35:14.570 that half the world's population is going to be wiped 0:35:14.570 --> 0:35:17.120 out during this time, it is at least reasonable to 0:35:17.120 --> 0:35:19.640 think that could include people from the United States and 0:35:19.640 --> 0:35:23.330 China and India, since all three account for significant segments 0:35:23.330 --> 0:35:25.190 of the world's total population. 0:35:25.219 --> 0:35:29.780 Todd asks, do modern day Jews observe religious days and 0:35:29.780 --> 0:35:32.030 civic days? What I mean is, do they have their 0:35:32.030 --> 0:35:35.299 religious days start at sunset and their civic days start 0:35:35.300 --> 0:35:36.200 at midnight? 0:35:36.410 --> 0:35:39.500 Well, modern Israelis still followed the Jewish custom of starting 0:35:39.500 --> 0:35:42.080 the next day at sunset for both religious and more 0:35:42.080 --> 0:35:46.310 secular holidays. For example, Yom Karen, their version of Memorial 0:35:46.310 --> 0:35:49.610 Day begins at sunset the previous day, and it's followed 0:35:49.610 --> 0:35:53.090 immediately by their version of Independence Day, which begins at 0:35:53.090 --> 0:35:56.060 the sunset of Memorial Day, so even their civil days 0:35:56.060 --> 0:35:59.900 start the evening before. Now, some things do blend into 0:35:59.900 --> 0:36:03.380 Western culture. For example, some Israelis would celebrate the start 0:36:03.380 --> 0:36:06.350 of the new year at midnight on January 1st, even 0:36:06.350 --> 0:36:08.330 though it's not the start of either the civil or. 0:36:08.420 --> 0:36:10.969 A religious New Year in Judaism, nor is it the 0:36:10.969 --> 0:36:14.060 beginning of a new day. So some Western traditions do 0:36:14.060 --> 0:36:16.760 creep in at times, but basically they still follow the 0:36:16.760 --> 0:36:19.580 Jewish custom of beginning the next day at sunset of 0:36:19.580 --> 0:36:20.600 the previous day. 0:36:20.630 --> 0:36:23.690 Thank you, Charlie boy. It's been great getting the questions today. 0:36:23.690 --> 0:36:26.509 And if yours wasn't aired, well, maybe it's in the 0:36:26.510 --> 0:36:28.790 queue or maybe you didn't get it to us. You 0:36:28.790 --> 0:36:32.270 can email that question anytime when you connect with Charlie 0:36:32.270 --> 0:36:37.399 at the Land and the book@moody.edu. Well, we're looking forward 0:36:37.400 --> 0:36:39.859 to another segment here to come on the broadcast. It's 0:36:39.860 --> 0:36:41.750 a devotional and we want to point you as well 0:36:41.750 --> 0:36:44.029 to our website, where you can always stay current with 0:36:44.030 --> 0:36:47.299 what's coming up next. And that website is The Land 0:36:47.300 --> 0:37:04.819 and the book.org Charlie's devotional is next. Hope you're enjoying 0:37:04.820 --> 0:37:07.759 our program today at The Land and the book. I'm 0:37:07.760 --> 0:37:10.670 John Geiger with our host, Charlie Dyer. And as we 0:37:10.670 --> 0:37:13.400 are at Easter weekend, it's appropriate, Charlie, that we turn 0:37:13.400 --> 0:37:16.850 toward the gospel account of that very first Resurrection Day. 0:37:16.850 --> 0:37:17.690 Where are we going? 0:37:17.780 --> 0:37:19.850 We're heading to John chapter 20, and we're going to 0:37:19.850 --> 0:37:21.650 look at what happened early on that first day. 0:37:21.650 --> 0:37:24.590 I'm looking forward to that. After this testimony from a 0:37:24.590 --> 0:37:26.900 listener who's been to Israel and wanted to share this 0:37:26.900 --> 0:37:27.860 with you and me. 0:37:32.120 --> 0:37:35.719 Hello, my name is Denise, and, um, my whole alien 0:37:35.719 --> 0:37:39.950 experience was, um. I lived on a kibbutz for three 0:37:39.950 --> 0:37:43.850 months as a student. We were right near the Golan Heights, and, um, 0:37:43.850 --> 0:37:46.129 I enjoyed seeing the moon come up over the mountains. 0:37:46.130 --> 0:37:50.000 It was really peaceful and beautiful. And I also really 0:37:50.000 --> 0:37:52.520 enjoyed going to the garden tomb and seeing the garden Tomb. 0:37:52.520 --> 0:37:56.540 The idea of being there where Jesus was raised from 0:37:56.540 --> 0:38:00.320 the dead was just overwhelming and just a wonderful thing. 0:38:00.590 --> 0:38:04.100 My name is Jeff Stokowski and my Holy Land experience 0:38:04.100 --> 0:38:08.330 was in 2000. I went there with Chuck Swindoll and 0:38:08.330 --> 0:38:12.410 Steve Greene and viewing scripture differently. I really have a 0:38:12.410 --> 0:38:15.620 tendency to have a mental picture now of some of 0:38:15.620 --> 0:38:18.170 the things that I read, which is really a nice 0:38:18.170 --> 0:38:21.350 way to connect Scripture to real life. One of the 0:38:21.350 --> 0:38:24.620 places that really struck me was the area that was 0:38:24.620 --> 0:38:28.580 the tomb area, and how now it's kind of a 0:38:28.580 --> 0:38:32.870 clash of cultures. There's a bus terminal right there in 0:38:32.870 --> 0:38:35.390 the midst of it. And so you're you're in the 0:38:35.390 --> 0:38:39.020 midst of this Holy Land tour and you're enjoying learning 0:38:39.020 --> 0:38:41.690 about Scripture in real life, but you're also in the 0:38:41.690 --> 0:38:45.620 midst of real world, 21st century society. 0:38:47.520 --> 0:38:52.050 No story is more profound has more implications than Jesus 0:38:52.050 --> 0:38:54.509 rising from the dead. I'm looking forward, Charlie, to your 0:38:54.510 --> 0:38:56.550 devotional early on the first day. 0:38:56.940 --> 0:38:58.890 Thanks, John. And I got to start by asking a 0:38:58.890 --> 0:39:01.920 question how's your eyesight? Early in the morning. You know, 0:39:01.920 --> 0:39:03.839 about five days a week, I head out for an 0:39:03.840 --> 0:39:06.839 early morning walk before the sun comes up. It's too 0:39:06.840 --> 0:39:09.510 early to pop in my contact lenses, so the world 0:39:09.510 --> 0:39:12.540 around me is dark and a bit bleary, though the 0:39:12.540 --> 0:39:15.569 occasional street lamp does help light my way. And thankfully, 0:39:15.570 --> 0:39:17.610 now that spring is here, it's getting a bit lighter 0:39:17.610 --> 0:39:20.910 each morning. Well, on this Easter weekend, we're heading to 0:39:20.910 --> 0:39:24.750 Jerusalem to focus on the very first Resurrection Sunday. It's 0:39:24.750 --> 0:39:28.529 still dark as we approach the area outside Jerusalem, where 0:39:28.530 --> 0:39:31.590 Jesus body had been placed in the tomb of Joseph 0:39:31.590 --> 0:39:36.090 of Arimathea. We're making our way forward cautiously for two reasons. First, 0:39:36.090 --> 0:39:37.980 we want to make sure we don't stumble and fall 0:39:37.980 --> 0:39:40.740 in the darkness. And second, we've learned that a group 0:39:40.739 --> 0:39:43.710 of Roman soldiers were sent to guard the tomb. We 0:39:43.710 --> 0:39:46.200 don't want to surprise them or have them think we've 0:39:46.200 --> 0:39:49.140 come to attack. As we approach the general area of 0:39:49.140 --> 0:39:52.710 the tomb, were startled to see Mary Magdalene run past, 0:39:52.710 --> 0:39:55.860 heading toward the city. We're not sure what has happened, 0:39:55.860 --> 0:39:58.920 but we turn and run after her. She darts through 0:39:58.920 --> 0:40:01.319 the nearest city gate and then twists and turns her 0:40:01.320 --> 0:40:04.500 way through the still empty streets. She's so focused on 0:40:04.500 --> 0:40:07.620 her mission that she doesn't even notice us running behind. 0:40:07.620 --> 0:40:09.930 She appears to be heading to the house of John, 0:40:09.930 --> 0:40:13.080 Mark's mother, the home where, just a few days earlier, 0:40:13.080 --> 0:40:17.580 the disciples had celebrated Passover with Jesus. Mary burst into 0:40:17.580 --> 0:40:20.850 the room with us. Following along behind, she locates Peter 0:40:20.850 --> 0:40:23.520 and John, who are seated on cushions along the wall. 0:40:23.520 --> 0:40:27.690 No pleasantries are exchanged. Instead, Mary blurts out the message 0:40:27.690 --> 0:40:30.480 she has rushed here to deliver. They have taken the 0:40:30.480 --> 0:40:32.490 Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where 0:40:32.489 --> 0:40:35.520 they have put him. Someone has stolen his body and 0:40:35.520 --> 0:40:38.760 we don't know where it is. Peter and John immediately 0:40:38.760 --> 0:40:41.940 bolt for the door and once again we follow. They 0:40:41.940 --> 0:40:44.489 can run faster than Mary, but we have an advantage 0:40:44.489 --> 0:40:47.310 because we know where they're going. In addition, the sun 0:40:47.310 --> 0:40:49.410 is now starting to peek out behind the Mount of 0:40:49.410 --> 0:40:52.200 Olives so we can see a bit more clearly as 0:40:52.200 --> 0:40:54.660 the two rush through the streets and out the gate. 0:40:54.660 --> 0:40:58.290 Both are running, but John, who's younger, outruns Peter and 0:40:58.290 --> 0:41:02.160 arrives at the tomb first. We arrive just behind Peter. 0:41:02.190 --> 0:41:05.580 John's description of these events in John 20 captures the 0:41:05.580 --> 0:41:09.810 intensity of the emotions on that first Easter Sunday. Mary's 0:41:09.810 --> 0:41:12.630 cry of alarm cut through any pleasantries. This was a 0:41:12.630 --> 0:41:17.430 crisis that demanded immediate action. In response, John says, Mary, 0:41:17.430 --> 0:41:20.340 Peter and John ran. They were in a hurry and 0:41:20.340 --> 0:41:24.239 John ran ahead faster. He wasn't running with Peter. He 0:41:24.239 --> 0:41:27.840 was setting a pace that Peter couldn't match. Apparently, Mary 0:41:27.840 --> 0:41:30.960 also followed the. She was now physically drained and unable 0:41:30.960 --> 0:41:34.080 to keep up. Every Easter we focus on the empty tomb, 0:41:34.080 --> 0:41:37.380 and rightly so. But sometimes we need to view the 0:41:37.380 --> 0:41:39.570 events of that day with a fresh pair of eyes. 0:41:39.570 --> 0:41:42.000 On a past Israel trip, my brother in law shared 0:41:42.000 --> 0:41:44.760 a devotional with our group. That was an aha moment 0:41:44.760 --> 0:41:47.550 for me. It came from some of the other details 0:41:47.550 --> 0:41:50.430 in John's account that are often overlooked. In this case, 0:41:50.430 --> 0:41:52.830 we need to dig just a little below the surface 0:41:52.830 --> 0:41:55.800 to focus on some of the specific words John uses. 0:41:55.800 --> 0:41:58.560 So follow along as I summarize what I learned from 0:41:58.560 --> 0:42:01.650 my brother in law that day. In verse one, John 0:42:01.650 --> 0:42:04.020 reports that when Mary first went to the tomb, she 0:42:04.020 --> 0:42:06.780 saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 0:42:06.780 --> 0:42:09.719 The word for seeing that John uses there as Aleppo. 0:42:09.750 --> 0:42:12.480 It has the idea of seeing or observing or perceiving 0:42:12.480 --> 0:42:16.080 by the use of the eyes. Mary saw an empty tomb, 0:42:16.080 --> 0:42:19.590 but jumped to a wrong conclusion and became discouraged. Later 0:42:19.590 --> 0:42:22.380 in the story, after Peter and John leave, Mary is 0:42:22.380 --> 0:42:26.070 still standing outside the tomb, despondent and weeping, until she 0:42:26.070 --> 0:42:29.010 finally looks in and has an encounter with two angels, 0:42:29.010 --> 0:42:32.850 followed afterward by a meeting with Jesus himself. And just 0:42:32.850 --> 0:42:36.270 like Mary, it's possible for someone listening today to read 0:42:36.270 --> 0:42:39.390 the biblical account or hear a message on Resurrection Sunday, 0:42:39.390 --> 0:42:42.150 but to only perceive it as a collection of historical 0:42:42.150 --> 0:42:46.350 facts totally disconnected from his or her life today. Well, 0:42:46.350 --> 0:42:49.710 John then reached the tomb before Peter and also looked 0:42:49.710 --> 0:42:52.410 in at the strips of linen in verse five. It's 0:42:52.410 --> 0:42:54.930 the same word used of Mary. John hadn't yet entered 0:42:54.930 --> 0:42:57.299 the tomb, but he only saw evidence that a body 0:42:57.300 --> 0:42:59.730 had once been inside. But we're not yet finished with 0:42:59.730 --> 0:43:03.509 the two disciples. Peter finally arrived at the tomb, but 0:43:03.510 --> 0:43:05.400 though he was the second to reach the entrance, he 0:43:05.400 --> 0:43:08.700 was the first one inside. Verses six and seven say 0:43:08.700 --> 0:43:11.609 Peter went into the tomb. He saw the strips of 0:43:11.610 --> 0:43:14.009 linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that 0:43:14.010 --> 0:43:17.130 had been around Jesus's head. The cloth was folded up 0:43:17.130 --> 0:43:20.459 by itself, separate from the linen. The word John now 0:43:20.489 --> 0:43:23.610 uses to describe what Peter saw is the Greek word 0:43:23.610 --> 0:43:27.180 that around it has the idea of to see, perceive, 0:43:27.180 --> 0:43:30.510 or look at something with interest and for a purpose. 0:43:30.510 --> 0:43:35.070 Peter examined the contents carefully, trying to make sense of 0:43:35.070 --> 0:43:38.940 what he saw. Peter's response was puzzlement. The strips of 0:43:38.940 --> 0:43:41.550 linen were lying where they had apparently been placed, but 0:43:41.550 --> 0:43:44.640 without the body that had been once inside, and the 0:43:44.640 --> 0:43:47.910 face cloth placed over the head was. Neatly placed off 0:43:47.910 --> 0:43:51.540 to the side, carefully folded up by itself. This showed 0:43:51.540 --> 0:43:57.930 care and intentionality, but Peter's examination, his moment, brought confusion. 0:43:57.960 --> 0:44:01.230 It came because he didn't yet comprehend what Jesus had 0:44:01.230 --> 0:44:04.950 predicted about his own resurrection. Or, as John describes it 0:44:04.950 --> 0:44:08.370 in verse nine, that Jesus had to rise from the dead. 0:44:08.489 --> 0:44:11.279 And there are some listening today who are also confused. 0:44:11.280 --> 0:44:13.920 How could Jesus rise from the dead? And what difference 0:44:13.920 --> 0:44:17.310 does that make in my life today? The facts are clear, 0:44:17.310 --> 0:44:20.489 but the meaning still seems to be obscured. And this 0:44:20.489 --> 0:44:22.919 is where the final word used by John becomes so 0:44:22.920 --> 0:44:26.370 important in verse eight. John describes what happened when he 0:44:26.370 --> 0:44:29.670 followed Peter into the tomb. Just like Peter, he spotted 0:44:29.670 --> 0:44:32.490 the strips of linen and the face cloth neatly placed 0:44:32.489 --> 0:44:35.160 off to the side and folded. But then John adds 0:44:35.160 --> 0:44:39.030 this he saw and believed, and the word he uses 0:44:39.030 --> 0:44:41.820 for seeing in verse eight is the Greek word hero. 0:44:41.850 --> 0:44:45.450 It has the idea of seeing what the mind perceiving, knowing, 0:44:45.450 --> 0:44:49.290 or experiencing its seeing in the sense of wow, I 0:44:49.290 --> 0:44:53.610 get it. John got it. Then it says immediately that 0:44:53.610 --> 0:44:58.200 he believed he now fully understood and accepted and trusted 0:44:58.200 --> 0:45:01.529 what Jesus had been saying all along. He really had 0:45:01.530 --> 0:45:04.500 risen from the dead. So what kind of site do 0:45:04.500 --> 0:45:07.770 you have this resurrection weekend? Are you standing on the 0:45:07.770 --> 0:45:11.609 outside looking in, but still finding yourself discouraged because you 0:45:11.610 --> 0:45:14.850 don't see any relevance between the events 2000 years ago 0:45:14.850 --> 0:45:18.420 and your struggles today? Or maybe you're trying to understand 0:45:18.420 --> 0:45:21.299 seeking to piece together all the facts, but still confused 0:45:21.300 --> 0:45:24.989 by all the details of what really happened. If so, 0:45:24.989 --> 0:45:27.569 how about making a decision today to look more carefully 0:45:27.570 --> 0:45:30.390 at what Jesus did for you? He died to pay 0:45:30.390 --> 0:45:32.970 the penalty for your sin, and then he rose from 0:45:32.969 --> 0:45:36.570 the dead to demonstrate that his payment was sufficient. You 0:45:36.570 --> 0:45:39.930 now have an opportunity to internalize that truth, to move 0:45:39.930 --> 0:45:43.590 beyond the facts by placing your trust in Jesus as 0:45:43.590 --> 0:45:47.339 your personal Lord and Savior. And doing so is as 0:45:47.340 --> 0:45:50.880 simple as praying something like the following right now, dear Lord, 0:45:50.880 --> 0:45:53.430 I believe you died for my sins, and that you 0:45:53.430 --> 0:45:55.950 did rise from the dead. Right now I want to 0:45:55.950 --> 0:45:58.529 turn from my sinful past and place my trust in 0:45:58.530 --> 0:46:01.710 you as my Savior and Lord. Please forgive me of 0:46:01.710 --> 0:46:04.649 my sins and give me eternal life because of what 0:46:04.650 --> 0:46:07.350 Jesus did for me. Amen. 0:46:07.920 --> 0:46:11.339 Powerful, powerful thought there, and nothing more important than making 0:46:11.340 --> 0:46:14.610 that decision to receive Jesus and His forgiveness. And if 0:46:14.610 --> 0:46:17.040 you'd like to have a conversation with somebody who would 0:46:17.040 --> 0:46:20.850 really enjoy talking with you, patiently answering any questions that 0:46:20.850 --> 0:46:23.730 you might have about Jesus and His death for you, 0:46:23.730 --> 0:46:26.190 his resurrection for you. Pick up the phone. Will you? 0:46:26.190 --> 0:46:31.770 Call 888? Need him 888. Need him who answers? A 0:46:31.770 --> 0:46:34.589 volunteer who knows Jesus, who will not try to sell 0:46:34.590 --> 0:46:38.100 you anything because there's nothing to buy. Okay, so it's safe. 0:46:38.100 --> 0:46:42.150 Call 888. Need him but a great program. As always, 0:46:42.150 --> 0:46:44.070 we thank you for being a part of the land. 0:46:44.070 --> 0:46:47.070 In the book I'm John Geiger for our host, Charlie Dyer. 0:46:47.070 --> 0:46:49.469 Our producer Dan Anderson. Hope to see you back next 0:46:49.469 --> 0:46:51.540 time for The Land. In the book, a production of 0:46:51.540 --> 0:46:54.720 Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.