S1: He is risen! He is risen indeed. It's Easter weekend,
S1: of course, and we hope that you're celebrating all that
S1: Christ accomplished on the cross for us. I'm John Jaeger,
S1: and this is the land and the book. The Old
S1: Testament scholar, Doctor Charlie Dyer. What a great weekend, Charlie. John,
S1: this is a great weekend. This is the central weekend
S1: in Christendom because we're looking at what Jesus did for us. Amen. Well,
S1: as we turn the calendar back to October 7th, we
S1: think of Hamas firing 3000 rockets, invading Israel, killing more
S1: than 1200. Shockingly, though, that tragedy looks remarkably similar to
S1: an attack on Israel that took place back in the
S1: Old Testament. Coming up here on the land in the book,
S1: we'll take you to a site called Lachish. The biblical
S1: account is chilling, but bears a striking resemblance to things
S1: that we just witnessed. First, though, Passover will soon be
S1: upon us. One of the traditional Passover questions is what
S1: makes this night different from all others? Well, Passover is
S1: an important biblical holiday that has really great significance for
S1: Jewish people and believers in Jesus. So I think this
S1: is an important question to ask Charlie. It is an
S1: important question. And if people want to know more about
S1: what makes Passover.
S2: So special, well, our friends at Life in Messiah are
S2: offering to mail you a free copy of their Messianic
S2: Passover Haggadah. The booklet will lead you through the celebration
S2: of Passover to see the rich connections to Jesus, our Messiah,
S2: and the Last Supper. You'll also receive a link for
S2: an interactive Passover Seder video with the Haggadah and video.
S2: You can celebrate Passover this year with your family and friends.
S2: To get this free offer, just go to life in Messiah.
S2: Org and click on the Moody Radio button to find
S2: out more and request your copy. That's life in messiah.org.
S1: In this opening segment on the land in the book,
S1: we turn our focus toward current events. Israel and the
S1: United States continue to disagree over Israel's handling of the
S1: war against Hamas. What are the key areas of disagreement
S1: and what can be done to resolve the tension?
S2: Well, the number of areas of disagreement continues to grow.
S2: In fact, the most recent incident was the US abstaining
S2: from vetoing a UN Security Council resolution calling for a
S2: Gaza ceasefire without conditioning it on the release of hostages.
S2: Israel responded by saying the decision harmed the war effort
S2: against Hamas and the attempts to free the hostages. Now,
S2: the US has committed financially and materially to help Israel
S2: in its war against Hamas, but we've provided military equipment,
S2: logistical support and political backing, at least up to a point.
S2: But we now appear to be pulling back in our support.
S2: Part of the reason is because of pressure from our
S2: allies and from other countries in the Middle East. A
S2: report delivered to the UN Human Rights Council Tuesday said
S2: Israel's campaign in Gaza amounted to genocide. In fact, it
S2: called for countries to impose sanctions and an arms embargo.
S2: But such increasing international pressure isn't the only reason for
S2: our apparent change in position with national elections on the horizon.
S2: The administration is concerned about losing the support of progressives
S2: and Muslims in our own country, who are very vocal
S2: in their opposition to Israel, to say Israel is disappointed
S2: with the US decision in the Security Council and with
S2: other recent actions. Well, that's putting it mildly. They see
S2: the war as an existential fight for their very existence.
S2: Hamas's attack was unprovoked and it was designed to kill Jews.
S2: It was the worst attack against the Jews since the Holocaust.
S2: Hamas is the group guilty of genocide, and they're also
S2: the ones who committed war crimes and who continue to
S2: do so by using schools and mosques and hospitals and
S2: residential areas to launch attacks and to use the Palestinian
S2: people themselves as human shields. Over a quarter million Israelis,
S2: both along the border with Gaza and in the north,
S2: were forced from their homes. More than 80,000 from the
S2: north still can't go home. Though many Israelis currently distrust
S2: their prime minister, it's not over his approach to the war.
S2: Polls indicate that most Israelis support their government's policies, not
S2: those being pushed by the UN or by the US.
S2: So what can be done to bridge the growing gap
S2: between our country and Israel? Well, first, I think we
S2: need to urge our government to continue to support Israel
S2: there in a war that they didn't start fighting, an
S2: enemy that's committed to genocide and ethnic cleansing. And then
S2: instead of us trying to dictate war policy, we should
S2: look for ways to help Israel accomplish its goals of
S2: defeating Hamas as quickly as possible. I think at the
S2: same time, we should do what we can to increase
S2: the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza, while also being
S2: more aggressive in answering the false propaganda being hurled against Israel.
S2: In the end, we need to pay less attention to
S2: the upcoming election and more attention to supporting our longtime
S2: ally and friend.
S1: Well said. A few weeks ago, we talked about Egypt's
S1: economic struggles. Now, it seems Turkey is joining the ranks
S1: of countries struggling financially. What's the latest financial news out
S1: of Turkey?
S2: Yeah, and let me start with the Egypt part. The
S2: world Bank did announce that it will provide Egypt with
S2: more than $6 billion in financial assistance. To help it
S2: meet its development priorities. Now, that's good news for Egypt.
S2: But the news out of Turkey, well, it's not so good.
S2: The Turkish central bank raised its key interest rate to 50%
S2: to try and get a handle on soaring inflation. Wow.
S2: This was especially surprising since mayoral elections are being held
S2: this weekend. Most thought the central bank would hold off
S2: on any increase until after the election to help President
S2: Erdogan's party, but a deterioration in Turkey's economy forced them
S2: to act sooner. The Turkish lira has lost 40% of
S2: its value against the dollar over the past year, part
S2: of the problem fueling inflation. Well, they had a 49%
S2: increase in the minimum wage ahead of the elections, which
S2: was seen as a vote getting measure. We're concerned about
S2: an inflation rate here still hovering just below 4%. Turkey's
S2: consumer prices increased by 4.5% just in the month of February,
S2: for an annual inflation rate of 67%, a government official said.
S2: Inflation will begin to decrease after June. However, in the
S2: short term it's expected to rise to 80% by early summer,
S2: hopefully easing to 36% by the end of the year.
S2: Turkey's economic future could depend to a large extent on
S2: what happens in this weekend's elections, and I suspect many
S2: in Turkey will be watching anxiously to see what happens.
S1: From Moody Radio. This is the land in the book
S1: with our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John Jaeger. We're
S1: looking at current events from the Middle East region. As
S1: the winter rainy season starts drawing to a close, the
S1: Sea of Galilee is continuing to rise. What does this
S1: mean as Israel approaches the dry summer months? Well, right.
S2: Now the Sea of Galilee is about two feet below
S2: the upper red line. That's when the towns around the
S2: lake can actually start to flood. While the winter rains
S2: are just about over, there's still at least some possibility
S2: of rainfall through April and even into May, and the
S2: rainfall and snow that fell on Mount Hermon will continue
S2: to flow down the Jordan River and into the lake,
S2: so the water will continue to rise. Now, in the past,
S2: this was good news for Israel because the Sea of
S2: Galilee was the country's main water reservoir. Now its desalination
S2: plants make Israel less dependent on the lake, though it
S2: still remains their emergency backup. You know, if possible, Israel
S2: would like to not open the dam at the southern
S2: end of the sea. So they're actually drawing out about
S2: 800,000m³ of water every day, trying to lower the water
S2: level by about a third of an inch, sending that
S2: water down the Jordan River. The last time the dam
S2: had to be open was back in 1995, almost 30
S2: years ago, and they're continuing to monitor the water level
S2: and weather reports to predict what will happen if they
S2: decide to open the dam. They need to provide a
S2: two day warning to those downstream, and they would then
S2: gradually open the dam to release even more water. Now,
S2: what all this means for Israel is that the Sea
S2: of Galilee will once again be full, thanks to the
S2: abundant winter rains in the north of the country. Unfortunately,
S2: now they need to start being extra diligent and watching
S2: for fire hazards. Once all the grass and the shrubs
S2: that were nourished by all that rain begin to dry out.
S1: Well, during our recent trip to Israel, Charlie, you and
S1: I visited several modern safe rooms designed to help Israeli
S1: families shelter during enemy rocket attacks. Archaeologists have now uncovered
S1: several 2000 year old safe rooms in the Galilee area.
S1: What were those rooms like and what were they used for?
S2: Yeah, the archaeologists excavating the ancient Jewish site of Hooke
S2: near the Sea of Galilee, described the rooms they uncovered
S2: as being like small underground bomb shelters. Now, these weren't
S2: like modern safe rooms, since they weren't designed to protect
S2: against a missile attack. Instead, think of them like underground
S2: hiding cavities or hiding spaces connected to homes and even
S2: converted water cisterns. So far at this site, archaeologists uncovered
S2: eight of these hiding places, and that makes a total
S2: of 83 of these underground shelters throughout Galilee that have
S2: been discovered so far. They were apparently used during the
S2: first Jewish revolt against Rome in A.D. 66 to 70,
S2: and then against the revolt around A.D. 132 to 135.
S2: Now these safe rooms allowed individuals to hide out when
S2: Roman patrols would come through the area of being inside.
S2: You can imagine the fear they must have felt they
S2: were safe as long as the entrance wasn't uncovered. But
S2: if the soldiers found the opening, they would build a
S2: fire to smoke out those taking refuge, and at that
S2: point those inside were trapped. Which, sadly, is what happened
S2: to some of those along the border with Gaza when
S2: they went into their safe rooms to find shelter from
S2: the missiles, only to be trapped when Hamas entered their homes?
S1: Charlie, the moments remaining, I want to circle back to
S1: the UN Human Rights Council report that was released this week.
S1: What exactly did it say and and why is it
S1: such a problem?
S2: You know, the wording on that report is just almost inflammatory.
S2: In fact, it starts following nearly six months of unrelenting
S2: Israeli assault on occupied Gaza. It's my solemn duty to
S2: report on the worst of what humanity is capable of
S2: and to present my findings. But the supposed genocide it
S2: talks about isn't that it was caused by Hamas when
S2: they came into Israel. It's the genocide, they said, driven
S2: by genocidal logic integral to Israel's settler colonial project in Palestine.
S2: In other words, Israel is part of a western colonial
S2: project that came in to get rid of the Palestinians
S2: who were there. Now, the problem with that is to
S2: use those modern terms, Israel were actually the indigenous people.
S2: They lived in the land for over 2000 years until
S2: they were ethnically cleansed by the Romans. And then a
S2: remnant continued to live in the land. They weren't the
S2: Western colonizers. You know, if there's anyone guilty of genocide,
S2: it was Hamas, Hamas's charters built on the destruction of
S2: Israel and the killing of Jews. They're the ones who
S2: committed genocide. And sadly, that's missing in this report.
S1: Well, there's a lot more to come in today's programme,
S1: including a question and answer session. Charlie's devotional. But up next,
S1: the Hamas attack as seen in the Old Testament. Believe
S1: it or not, that tragedy looks remarkably similar to an
S1: attack on Israel that took place back in the Old Testament.
S1: So coming up here on the land of the book,
S1: we'll take you to a site called Lachish. The biblical
S1: account is chilling, but bears a striking resemblance to things
S1: we just witnessed. So stick around for the entire program
S1: that we call the land and the book. They say
S1: what's old is new. And when that comes to understanding
S1: today's conflict in terms of ancient history, there's an interesting
S1: contrast that develops lessons we can learn. This is the
S1: land in the book. Segment two. I'm John Geiger with
S1: Charlie Dyer, our host. Charlie, we're in the back of
S1: a van. Where are we headed? Well, we're.
S2: Creeping our way along on the superhighway right now, but
S2: we're heading to Lake ish. Uh, it was actually in
S2: the Old Testament times, the second largest city in Judah.
S2: Only Jerusalem would have been larger.
S1: Lessons to be learned there. And we'll get to that
S1: story after this thought about how you and I can
S1: be more effective in sharing the love of Jesus with
S1: a Jewish friend. So you and your Jewish friend are
S1: close enough that you feel comfortable sharing from Scripture. You
S1: read Isaiah 5213 through chapter 53, and then you ask
S1: them who they think the servant of the Lord is
S1: referring to. What's going to be their likely response? Roy
S1: Schwartz of Chosen People Ministries, what do you think?
S3: Well, they're going to say, well, I guess that's Jesus, right?
S3: And you'll say, well, I think so. Yeah, I think
S3: that's Jesus. Do you know where this came from? They'll say, well,
S3: New Testament and you'll say, no, no, this is the
S3: Jewish scriptures. This is from the prophet Isaiah 700 years
S3: before Jesus was born. So what do you think about that?
S1: And what will they think?
S3: Well, they'll think, I got to talk to the rabbi
S3: about this. And the rabbis say, well, that's Israel. Israel
S3: is the suffering servant.
S1: And what's the answer then to that?
S3: Well, yes, to a degree that's true. He did suffer.
S3: I mean, Israel did suffer. But what Jesus is is
S3: the perfect Israel, just as Jesus is the second Adam.
S3: Jesus is also the second Israel. He modeled what it
S3: is to be a true Jew, right?
S1: Schwartz is with Chosen People Ministries, joining us today on
S1: the land and the book. Doctor Charlie Dyer, our host
S1: today with John Geiger. We're on an unusual mission. We're
S1: headed where? Charlie?
S2: We're heading to the Old Testament site of Lachish. Some
S2: would say Lachish, but, you know, for those who speak English,
S2: Lachish is what we would usually say. It's down in
S2: the valley, in the low foothills of the land of Judah.
S2: And it was actually one of the most dominant cities
S2: in Judah, next to Jerusalem.
S1: And what is our goal in heading there today, Charlie?
S2: Well, you know, I like taking people there to help
S2: them to see the city, but we're going there for
S2: a special reason. We're going down to the area around Gaza.
S2: And I believe there's a lesson from Lachish in Israel's
S2: history that can help us understand Hamas and the events
S2: of October 7th.
S1: You know, Americans are really not good at history. And sadly,
S1: Christians are not good at biblical history, even. But this
S1: is important if we're going to understand what happened on
S1: October the 7th, what's the first indicator that says what
S1: happened in ancient biblical times in Lachish is significant in
S1: understanding what happened October 7th?
S2: Well, I think it's recognizing that the human heart has
S2: never changed. People believe we're getting better. We're progressing. We're
S2: becoming more modern. In reality, the heart's deceitful above all
S2: else and desperately sick. Who can understand it? That's what
S2: Jeremiah talks about, and the patterns of human heart that
S2: showed up in the Assyrian invasion of Judah back in
S2: the time of King Hezekiah, are the same kind of
S2: patterns of the human heart that showed up on October 7th,
S2: when Hamas attacked those communities along the border with Gaza.
S1: If the sounds in the background are a bit different,
S1: it's because they are. We're in a van, we're not
S1: in our studio, we're in Israel, and we're looking at
S1: lessons from Lachish today as it helps us understand what
S1: happened October 7th. What's another insight that we can gain
S1: as we think about Lachish?
S2: Well, I think it's a recognition that no matter what
S2: we think we can do to protect ourselves, the best
S2: that human effort has is something we shouldn't depend on. Ultimately,
S2: God is the one who can protect us. It's a
S2: reminder of where our security ought to come from, and
S2: that's from God and God alone.
S1: Well, you mentioned the word security. And that, of course,
S1: is still being puzzled over worked over as we try
S1: to unpack what happened October 7th, whose forces are more
S1: secure than the IDF, the Israel Defense Forces, what technology
S1: is more advanced than theirs? And yet that attack still happened.
S2: It did. And it's that's why it's a reminder to
S2: us that whatever we depend on, if we're not depending
S2: on God, the best defenses we can come up with
S2: will always be inadequate. The parallels between Hamas and the
S2: Assyrian army are truly frightening, actually staggering. You know, we
S2: saw what Hamas did because they attached GoPro cameras. I mean,
S2: they videoed the atrocities that they committed. The Assyrians did
S2: almost the same thing. Now, they didn't have GoPro cameras,
S2: but they took one entire room of a palace in
S2: Nineveh and devoted it to the taking of the city
S2: of Lachish in great detail and graphic detail, so much
S2: so that the archaeologists could use what they put on
S2: the walls of that palace to help them understand what
S2: they were going to find archaeologically when they dug Leykis up.
S2: Both of them wanted to boast in their exploits on
S2: how they had overcome the defenses of this enemy.
S1: Well, insomuch as it's appropriate, describe what they did put
S1: on those walls.
S2: The sad part is they started by showing how how
S2: strong the defenses were. In Lake Ish's case, they had
S2: double walls with a a ramp in between that made
S2: what they thought impossible for someone to attack. But the
S2: Assyrians figured out a way to get around it. In
S2: Israel's case, they had the iron wall, the this massive
S2: defensive structure that they put up that would stop people
S2: from tunneling under. But they didn't recognize that Hamas had
S2: plans to just blow their way through. The Hamas recorded
S2: all of the the horrible things that they did as
S2: they killed, beheaded, tortured individuals. But the Assyrians did exactly
S2: the same thing. They show beheading individuals, cutting off their
S2: heads with knives. They show them hoisting the bodies up
S2: on stakes, displaying the mutilated corpses for all to see.
S2: Hamas captured over 250 individuals and took them away into Gaza.
S2: The Assyrians actually boasted that they took 200,150 Judeans captive,
S2: and they said, young and old, men and women, they
S2: took them away as slaves to Assyria. In fact, the
S2: only difference between the Assyrians and Hamas Hamas could attack
S2: one small area around the Gaza. Assyria came in and
S2: tried to take the whole country, and they nearly succeeded,
S2: except for God's intervention.
S1: Doctor Charlie Dyer, our host, leading us in a conversation
S1: today on a van headed south, were moving toward the
S1: Gaza Strip. And lessons from Lachish is where we're focused.
S1: 200,000 plus prisoners being hauled off. Talk about the logistics there.
S1: How far did they eventually travel from Israel?
S2: It was hundreds of miles. The Assyrians are what's today
S2: if people picture that in a map, uh, northern Iraq, Mosul,
S2: where we finally managed to cross ISIS, was the capital
S2: that was the capital of Nineveh. So they took those
S2: people back to the Assyrian empire, uh, in terms of
S2: 200,000 people. Imagine if 200,000 in the United States were.
S2: Taken away today, we'd be amazed. We're a country of
S2: over 330 million people. In that day, Judah was probably
S2: about the size it is now or less. You know,
S2: you're talking about 6 or 7 million people, and to
S2: have 200,000 taken away as slaves would have devastated the economy,
S2: devastated the country.
S1: And you think about how this would be noted historically.
S1: I mean, people would never, ever forget it. Generation after
S1: generation after generation, 200,000 people.
S2: Oh, absolutely. In fact, it's interesting. It's remembered both ways.
S2: The Assyrians left written copies. One of them's in the
S2: British Museum. One of them is in what used to
S2: be called the Oriental Museum in Chicago, and one of
S2: them is in the Israel Museum here in Jerusalem. Uh,
S2: it's funny, he says, you know, he took how many people? 200,000,
S2: 150 took 46 strong walled cities, countless villages. And then
S2: he says, and Hezekiah the Jew, I shut up like
S2: a bird in a cage in his city Jerusalem. Well,
S2: what he what he leaves out is the fact that
S2: he can't capture Jerusalem. And that's where God intervened for Israel,
S2: the part they remember and the part that appears in
S2: the Bible in, uh, Second Kings around 18 to 20,
S2: in Isaiah 36 to 39, uh, in Chronicles, uh, is
S2: the fact that when it came down to it, Hezekiah
S2: took the terms of surrender he was given, laid him
S2: out in front of God and and said, in essence,
S2: there's nothing I can do. We need your help. And
S2: the angel of the Lord came and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers.
S2: That's what spared Judah. And that was remembered hundreds of
S2: years later.
S1: So what lessons do you think we can take away
S1: from this, uh, ancient incident in Lachish?
S2: Well, I think one of the key lessons for us
S2: is to remember. And the United States is a good example.
S2: We boast great technology, great power, great strength. Let's remember
S2: that if God is not in it, it doesn't matter
S2: how strong you are. There are ways to get around
S2: any kind of defense someone develops. Our strength needs to
S2: be the Lord in God we trust. We read it
S2: on our coins. We just need to make sure that
S2: that becomes the model not only of our country, but
S2: of individual believers we don't trust in our bank accounts.
S2: We don't trust in what we have, what we can see.
S2: And the most important thing we can do is to
S2: make sure that we stay close to God.
S1: You know, we don't come here merely as travelers or
S1: as journalists. We're not just recording programs. I have to
S1: say that in my own soul, as we travel south,
S1: as we move closer toward this destination, which is so
S1: close to Gaza, I just feel a sense of foreboding
S1: and darkness and heaviness. Uh, how do you feel?
S2: Two things go through my mind, and one is it
S2: was a somber place that we're heading to right now.
S2: We know October 7th fundamentally changed how Israel responds to
S2: events around them, and we should as well. And if
S2: we leave and we're not somber because of it, we've
S2: not taken the lesson to heart. The second thing is
S2: to remember, though, even in times of greatest need, God
S2: can then intervene in the most remarkable ways he did
S2: with Lachish originally. And he's doing that, I think, in
S2: the process of Israel today, there's more of a spiritual openness.
S2: In many parts of Israel, uh, believers have stepped up,
S2: are trying to demonstrate the love of Christ in a
S2: more dramatic fashion. And so what we really need to
S2: pray is that God can get a victory out of this,
S2: just like he did in the time of Hezekiah.
S1: I'm so glad you turned the corner, Charlie, and the
S1: conversation toward that direction, because throughout our trip here, we
S1: have heard many stories about impact and the testimony that
S1: the gifts, the intervention, the generosity of God's people in
S1: the United States who care about Israel, how that is
S1: making a difference here in Israel.
S2: It is, in fact, we can't overestimate it. Uh, it's
S2: amazing in difficult times when people are looking, when they're wondering,
S2: when they're searching to find a person willing to help,
S2: willing to step up, willing to stand in the gap, uh,
S2: makes an impression. And when that person says, oh, I'm,
S2: you know, I'm no better than you, but let me
S2: tell you about the God who loves both of us.
S2: That can make a real major difference in the lives
S2: of of everybody. So there's a great opportunity right now
S2: to share the good news of Jesus Christ in very
S2: tangible ways. And that's what we've been experiencing. And, uh,
S2: we're part of a group that is demonstrating the love
S2: of God to people of Israel.
S1: Well, one tangible way that our listeners can step up
S1: and show their support is by going ahead and coming
S1: to Israel. You know, we've been here, uh, we're just
S1: not seeing airplanes. We're not hearing bombs. Uh, and a
S1: tour to Israel right now makes perfect sense.
S2: It does. You know what I love to say, John,
S2: is when I was in Boy Scouts, we learned, uh,
S2: whenever there's trouble, you know, somebody's drowning. They told us, reach,
S2: throw row, then go. In other words, you know, you
S2: can do something. You try and reach out to help you, uh,
S2: throw something and throw a lifeline if you have it, uh,
S2: you know, if you have a boat. But finally, if
S2: there's no other way, you go, uh, that's the last
S2: step you're supposed to take. But it's the one that
S2: can make the most direct impact if there's no other
S2: way to go. In our case today, uh, people need
S2: to recognize there's things they can do to help and
S2: support Israel. But one of the last things they can
S2: do is go and going. What they'll find is that
S2: the news media is the truth. It's not the whole truth.
S2: They get a whole different perspective than what they see
S2: on the media. They find that they can make an
S2: impact on people's lives. They'll change themselves spiritually by interacting
S2: with the land and the people, and they find that
S2: God is a great God.
S1: And on a purely human level, maybe slightly selfish. It's
S1: a great time to go now because the lines are shorter,
S1: the roads are a bit more free. You're able to
S1: see a whole lot more and a lot less time.
S2: Absolutely, yeah. When tourism finally comes back, when all the
S2: planes are filled once again and they will be, the
S2: lines will get a lot longer. Whether it's eating lunch
S2: or waiting in line to get into a an event
S2: or a venue, it will get better for tourists. But
S2: much longer lines right now is a great time to
S2: be here.
S1: The thing is, this window won't last very long. I mean,
S1: as you say, tourism is going to ramp up and
S1: amp up, but in the long lines will be back.
S1: So it's a it's a great time to be thinking
S1: about a trip to Israel.
S2: Yeah. Well it is I always say, you know, it's
S2: the will of God for you to go to Israel.
S2: I don't know exactly when, but I do know it's
S2: the will of God for you to go, because your
S2: life will never be the same again. That's what was
S2: true for me, and I know people will find that
S2: to be true for themselves as well.
S1: All right, now, if you're an audio file, you're a
S1: person who's really into audio. You've noticed the background sounds
S1: have shifted. Our van has picked up speed. We are
S1: nearly at our destination, Lachish. But one last insight, Charlie,
S1: before we leave.
S2: The final insight would be they've got to come to Lachish.
S2: When you go to Israel. Lachish is a place that
S2: most tours don't go to. Tell your guide, tell your driver,
S2: tell your your pastor. You want to go to Lachish.
S2: You want to see the second largest city. You want
S2: to see the place where the Assyrians were. You want
S2: to see what God's great miracle was, and there's no
S2: better place to see it than at a place like Lachish.
S1: And on a physical dimension. What are we going to
S1: see when we're at Lachish? What are the actual ruins?
S2: We're going to see the city gate. The the massive part.
S2: You're going to see a massive stone structure on top.
S2: That was the foundations of the governor's palace because it
S2: was a regional capital for that area. You're going to
S2: find the part of the siege ramp that the Assyrians built,
S2: that they built at the top to break into the city.
S2: And we're even going to start our our tour looking
S2: down at the bottom where the Kingston Palace and Nineveh shows,
S2: where he put his throne as he observed the the
S2: taking of the city of Lachish.
S1: I'm excited. I feel like telling our driver, Munir, step
S1: on the gas, brother.
S2: Ah, and he gave a good laugh for that. But
S2: he will get us there safely. And that's the great part.
S1: And that's what you should hear about Lachish. From the
S1: back seat of our van cruising down south here in Israel,
S1: coming up here on the land of the book, we'll
S1: give Charlie a break from chatting with me, and he's
S1: going to be looking at questions, one of them yours.
S1: I hope that's all ahead on the next segment of
S1: the land and the book. It's questions and. Welcome. We're
S1: glad you're here. I think you'll find this fascinating, I
S1: always do. Our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer, has his Bible
S1: open and a stack of Bible questions on the other
S1: side of that Bible. I'm looking forward to hearing what
S1: you're curious about and to Charlie's answers as well. First, though,
S1: Passover will soon be upon us, and one of the
S1: traditional Passover questions is what makes this night different from
S1: all others? Well, Passover is an important biblical holiday that
S1: has great meaning for both Jewish people and believers in Jesus. So, Charlie,
S1: I think that's a great question to ask. It is.
S2: John. And if you want to learn more about what
S2: makes Passover so special, our friends at Life and Messiah
S2: are offering to mail you a free copy of their
S2: Messianic Passover Haggadah. The book will lead you through the
S2: celebration of Passover to see the rich connections between Jesus,
S2: our Messiah, and the Last Supper. You'll also receive a
S2: link for an interactive Passover Seder video with the Haggadah
S2: and video. You can celebrate Passover this year with your
S2: family and friends. Now to get this free offer, just
S2: go to life in Messiah org and click on the
S2: Moody Radio button to find out more and request your copy.
S2: That's life in messiah.org.
S1: Marianne has the honor of asking today's first question. She
S1: takes us to second Samuel chapter 11. It says. Then
S1: it happened in the spring at the times when kings
S1: go out to battle. I'm thinking that probably this was
S1: the start of the dry season. And Marianne goes on
S1: to say, perhaps it was hot, or at least had
S1: the potential of being hot, and that was why Bathsheba
S1: was bathing. I've heard it said that she was doing
S1: a ritual cleansing, but I don't see anything in the
S1: text that warrants that for the first time. I recently
S1: heard it taught that David was abdicating his responsibilities and
S1: that this was the cause of all that happened. I've
S1: always heard it taught before that Bathsheba was a seductress,
S1: but the longer I've lived, the less I see in
S1: the text to support this. Your thoughts and Charlie, I've
S1: never heard it said that Bathsheba was a seductress. Is
S1: that that popular a theory?
S2: I'm not sure how popular it is, but it is
S2: a theory that's out there. Now. I do see the
S2: events in that passage taking place in the late spring,
S2: probably during the time of the barley or wheat harvest.
S2: You know, the winter rains are over. Makes travel easier.
S2: The ripening grain actually would have been looted by the
S2: armies on their way to provide food. So it was
S2: the best time to go. And I do think David
S2: abdicated his responsibility. It says this is the time when
S2: the kings go out to war, and it pointedly says
S2: that and then says, David wasn't there. And that's what
S2: led to the disaster. Now, in terms of Bathsheba, I
S2: believe she was ritually purifying herself. Following her monthly period
S2: from Leviticus 15. Has some of the information on that. Now,
S2: I see this alluded to in verse four. The writer
S2: adds she had purified herself from her uncleanness, which suggests
S2: she was undergoing ritual purification while bathing on the roof.
S2: Now I don't see her acting as a seductress, since
S2: she appeared to be following the Levitical purification process, and
S2: since she assumed the army and the king had left
S2: for battle, David is the one primarily at fault in
S2: the account, though Bathsheba didn't refuse advances, which suggests she
S2: does share at least some responsibility in what followed. But
S2: in reading Psalm 51, David certainly acknowledges he's the one
S2: responsible for his sin.
S1: Todd asks, when would you say the rebellion of Satan
S1: occurred in the timeline of history?
S2: Well, it's a good question and the answer is a
S2: bit complex, so bear with me here. I believe God
S2: created the angelic realm before the creation of the universe
S2: that we know today. And I say that because in
S2: job 38, verses 4 to 7, God says to job there,
S2: where were you? And I laid the earth's foundation? Tell
S2: me if you understand. You know, God is basically saying
S2: you weren't there at creation, were you, job who marked
S2: off its dimension? Surely you know who stretched to measuring
S2: line across it? Where were its footing? Said who had
S2: laid its cornerstone? And then, he adds, while the morning
S2: star sang together and all the angels shouted for joy.
S2: So if the angels were present at the very creation
S2: of the universe, they must have been created prior to
S2: that time. Well, that leads to my second observation. I
S2: believe Satan's rebellion against God when a third of the
S2: heavenly host followed him. That also likely took place before
S2: the creation we read about in Genesis 1 to 3,
S2: I believe Ezekiel 28, verses 11 to 19 describe, I
S2: think in poetic fashion, that event Satan was originally an
S2: absolutely perfect anointed cherub who was blameless in his ways.
S2: From the day you were created to wickedness was found
S2: in you. To me, that also explains how suddenly a
S2: serpent can show up in the Garden of Eden shortly
S2: after the creation of Adam and Eve. And finally, as
S2: I put all that together, I believe the creation we
S2: see in Genesis 1 to 3 is in part, God's
S2: response to Satan's rebellion and fall. Satan claimed the right
S2: to be equal to God, and the subsequent program of
S2: creation and the fall and redemption is God's response. And
S2: that's why Satan's ultimate judgment in the Lake of Fire
S2: doesn't happen until the end of the Book of Revelation,
S2: when everything's finally resolved. You know, Jesus said, the lake
S2: of fire was prepared for the devil and his angels.
S2: So why wasn't Satan thrown into it when he first fell?
S2: I think it's because the current program is part of
S2: God's contest with Satan to show that God has the
S2: right to rule in. Satan does not. Now all that
S2: to say, I think Satan's rebellion took place just before
S2: the timeline of history that we see in the Bible
S2: actually began, and its final doom will happen just as
S2: this timeline of history dissolves into eternity.
S1: A follow up do you think Isaiah 14 applies to
S1: Satan's fall? If so, how do we explain the verse
S1: that says, those who see you will stare at you
S1: and ponder over you? Is this the man who made
S1: the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world
S1: like a desert and overthrew its cities? Who did not
S1: let his prisoners go home?
S2: Yeah. You know, I said before Ezekiel 28, I do see,
S2: referring to Satan. Isaiah 14, I don't believe refers to Satan.
S2: And one key reason is the passage that you cited. Todd,
S2: I think it clearly identifies this individual as a man.
S2: And though he claims to say in his heart, I
S2: will ascend to the heavens, God says in all his pomp,
S2: you're going to be brought down to the grave. And
S2: then in a further slight, God says in that passage,
S2: you're not even going to stay in your tomb. You're
S2: going to be cast out of your tomb. And those
S2: are characteristics of a human who thought he was as
S2: good as God. So in that sense, his character, his pride,
S2: matches Satan. But the passage is talking about a human
S2: from Moody Radio.
S1: This is the land in the book. Our host, Charlie Dyer,
S1: I'm John Jaeger. The questions, they're yours and they're welcome
S1: anytime with an email to the land and the book
S1: at Moody's Edu. Mark takes us to act 16, where
S1: the relieved jailer asked, sirs, what must I do to
S1: be saved? And the apostles reply, believe in the Lord Jesus,
S1: and you will be saved, you and your household. That
S1: seems to say that if one believes his whole family
S1: or household receives salvation, I'm not sure that's the intended message.
S1: What am I missing?
S2: Well, I think there's a simple explanation here. The man
S2: wanted to know what he needed to do to be saved,
S2: and the answer was he only had to believe to
S2: exercise faith in Christ. When Paul and Silas said that
S2: was sufficient to save both him and his household, I
S2: think it's with the understanding that they would also need
S2: to exercise faith to be saved, but that the salvation
S2: was also clearly available to them. Now, I believe that's
S2: the correct interpretation in light of verse 34 that says
S2: the jailer quote had come to believe in God, he
S2: and his whole household. And that verse is saying that
S2: the entire family had come to believe and not just
S2: him alone. So his salvation didn't save them. But since
S2: the entire family responded in faith to the message, they
S2: were saved. At the same time.
S1: Larry says, we hear quite a bit about how the
S1: US is not mentioned and thus thought not to be
S1: influential in end times prophecy. But what about countries like
S1: China and India, which comprise about 40% of the world's population?
S1: I don't believe they're mentioned in prophetic scripture, and I
S1: don't hear much speculation as to their possible roles. What
S1: do you think the influence of these highly populated countries
S1: will be in the end times?
S2: Yeah, it is true the US isn't mentioned by name
S2: and end time prophecy, and that does suggest either we
S2: don't play a prominent role or something else has happened.
S2: We're not told what the reason is, but that's certainly true.
S2: Now in terms of India and China, I see two possibilities. First,
S2: it's possible that they could be the kings from the
S2: east that are mentioned in revelation 16. It says there
S2: the sixth angel poured out his vial on the great
S2: river Euphrates, and the waters dried up. So the way
S2: of the kings of the East should be prepared. But
S2: it's not clear in the text who the kings of
S2: the East are. Could it be China and India? Possibly,
S2: but we're not told. The second possibility is that China
S2: and India are caught up in the conflict that decimates
S2: the world's population during the period. In revelation six, at
S2: the opening of the fourth seal, it says a fourth
S2: of the world's population is killed. Then, in revelation nine,
S2: at the sounding of the Sixth Trumpet Judgment, an additional
S2: third of the world's populations killed. The world's population today
S2: is about 8 billion. So as a result of those
S2: two judgments, 4 billion people are going to perish. It
S2: seems reasonable to assume that those kind of large numbers
S2: must include at least part of the population of China
S2: and India. Now, we're not provided all the details on
S2: the specific countries impacted by those judgments. So I have
S2: to say here you have to tread cautiously, but knowing
S2: that half the world's population is going to be wiped
S2: out during this time, it is at least reasonable to
S2: think that could include people from the United States and
S2: China and India, since all three account for significant segments
S2: of the world's total population.
S1: Todd asks, do modern day Jews observe religious days and
S1: civic days? What I mean is, do they have their
S1: religious days start at sunset and their civic days start
S1: at midnight?
S2: Well, modern Israelis still followed the Jewish custom of starting
S2: the next day at sunset for both religious and more
S2: secular holidays. For example, Yom Karen, their version of Memorial
S2: Day begins at sunset the previous day, and it's followed
S2: immediately by their version of Independence Day, which begins at
S2: the sunset of Memorial Day, so even their civil days
S2: start the evening before. Now, some things do blend into
S2: Western culture. For example, some Israelis would celebrate the start
S2: of the new year at midnight on January 1st, even
S2: though it's not the start of either the civil or.
S2: A religious New Year in Judaism, nor is it the
S2: beginning of a new day. So some Western traditions do
S2: creep in at times, but basically they still follow the
S2: Jewish custom of beginning the next day at sunset of
S2: the previous day.
S1: Thank you, Charlie boy. It's been great getting the questions today.
S1: And if yours wasn't aired, well, maybe it's in the
S1: queue or maybe you didn't get it to us. You
S1: can email that question anytime when you connect with Charlie
S1: at the Land and the book@moody.edu. Well, we're looking forward
S1: to another segment here to come on the broadcast. It's
S1: a devotional and we want to point you as well
S1: to our website, where you can always stay current with
S1: what's coming up next. And that website is The Land
S1: and the book.org Charlie's devotional is next. Hope you're enjoying
S1: our program today at The Land and the book. I'm
S1: John Geiger with our host, Charlie Dyer. And as we
S1: are at Easter weekend, it's appropriate, Charlie, that we turn
S1: toward the gospel account of that very first Resurrection Day.
S1: Where are we going?
S2: We're heading to John chapter 20, and we're going to
S2: look at what happened early on that first day.
S1: I'm looking forward to that. After this testimony from a
S1: listener who's been to Israel and wanted to share this
S1: with you and me.
S4: Hello, my name is Denise, and, um, my whole alien
S4: experience was, um. I lived on a kibbutz for three
S4: months as a student. We were right near the Golan Heights, and, um,
S4: I enjoyed seeing the moon come up over the mountains.
S4: It was really peaceful and beautiful. And I also really
S4: enjoyed going to the garden tomb and seeing the garden Tomb.
S4: The idea of being there where Jesus was raised from
S4: the dead was just overwhelming and just a wonderful thing.
S5: My name is Jeff Stokowski and my Holy Land experience
S5: was in 2000. I went there with Chuck Swindoll and
S5: Steve Greene and viewing scripture differently. I really have a
S5: tendency to have a mental picture now of some of
S5: the things that I read, which is really a nice
S5: way to connect Scripture to real life. One of the
S5: places that really struck me was the area that was
S5: the tomb area, and how now it's kind of a
S5: clash of cultures. There's a bus terminal right there in
S5: the midst of it. And so you're you're in the
S5: midst of this Holy Land tour and you're enjoying learning
S5: about Scripture in real life, but you're also in the
S5: midst of real world, 21st century society.
S1: No story is more profound has more implications than Jesus
S1: rising from the dead. I'm looking forward, Charlie, to your
S1: devotional early on the first day.
S2: Thanks, John. And I got to start by asking a
S2: question how's your eyesight? Early in the morning. You know,
S2: about five days a week, I head out for an
S2: early morning walk before the sun comes up. It's too
S2: early to pop in my contact lenses, so the world
S2: around me is dark and a bit bleary, though the
S2: occasional street lamp does help light my way. And thankfully,
S2: now that spring is here, it's getting a bit lighter
S2: each morning. Well, on this Easter weekend, we're heading to
S2: Jerusalem to focus on the very first Resurrection Sunday. It's
S2: still dark as we approach the area outside Jerusalem, where
S2: Jesus body had been placed in the tomb of Joseph
S2: of Arimathea. We're making our way forward cautiously for two reasons. First,
S2: we want to make sure we don't stumble and fall
S2: in the darkness. And second, we've learned that a group
S2: of Roman soldiers were sent to guard the tomb. We
S2: don't want to surprise them or have them think we've
S2: come to attack. As we approach the general area of
S2: the tomb, were startled to see Mary Magdalene run past,
S2: heading toward the city. We're not sure what has happened,
S2: but we turn and run after her. She darts through
S2: the nearest city gate and then twists and turns her
S2: way through the still empty streets. She's so focused on
S2: her mission that she doesn't even notice us running behind.
S2: She appears to be heading to the house of John,
S2: Mark's mother, the home where, just a few days earlier,
S2: the disciples had celebrated Passover with Jesus. Mary burst into
S2: the room with us. Following along behind, she locates Peter
S2: and John, who are seated on cushions along the wall.
S2: No pleasantries are exchanged. Instead, Mary blurts out the message
S2: she has rushed here to deliver. They have taken the
S2: Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where
S2: they have put him. Someone has stolen his body and
S2: we don't know where it is. Peter and John immediately
S2: bolt for the door and once again we follow. They
S2: can run faster than Mary, but we have an advantage
S2: because we know where they're going. In addition, the sun
S2: is now starting to peek out behind the Mount of
S2: Olives so we can see a bit more clearly as
S2: the two rush through the streets and out the gate.
S2: Both are running, but John, who's younger, outruns Peter and
S2: arrives at the tomb first. We arrive just behind Peter.
S2: John's description of these events in John 20 captures the
S2: intensity of the emotions on that first Easter Sunday. Mary's
S2: cry of alarm cut through any pleasantries. This was a
S2: crisis that demanded immediate action. In response, John says, Mary,
S2: Peter and John ran. They were in a hurry and
S2: John ran ahead faster. He wasn't running with Peter. He
S2: was setting a pace that Peter couldn't match. Apparently, Mary
S2: also followed the. She was now physically drained and unable
S2: to keep up. Every Easter we focus on the empty tomb,
S2: and rightly so. But sometimes we need to view the
S2: events of that day with a fresh pair of eyes.
S2: On a past Israel trip, my brother in law shared
S2: a devotional with our group. That was an aha moment
S2: for me. It came from some of the other details
S2: in John's account that are often overlooked. In this case,
S2: we need to dig just a little below the surface
S2: to focus on some of the specific words John uses.
S2: So follow along as I summarize what I learned from
S2: my brother in law that day. In verse one, John
S2: reports that when Mary first went to the tomb, she
S2: saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
S2: The word for seeing that John uses there as Aleppo.
S2: It has the idea of seeing or observing or perceiving
S2: by the use of the eyes. Mary saw an empty tomb,
S2: but jumped to a wrong conclusion and became discouraged. Later
S2: in the story, after Peter and John leave, Mary is
S2: still standing outside the tomb, despondent and weeping, until she
S2: finally looks in and has an encounter with two angels,
S2: followed afterward by a meeting with Jesus himself. And just
S2: like Mary, it's possible for someone listening today to read
S2: the biblical account or hear a message on Resurrection Sunday,
S2: but to only perceive it as a collection of historical
S2: facts totally disconnected from his or her life today. Well,
S2: John then reached the tomb before Peter and also looked
S2: in at the strips of linen in verse five. It's
S2: the same word used of Mary. John hadn't yet entered
S2: the tomb, but he only saw evidence that a body
S2: had once been inside. But we're not yet finished with
S2: the two disciples. Peter finally arrived at the tomb, but
S2: though he was the second to reach the entrance, he
S2: was the first one inside. Verses six and seven say
S2: Peter went into the tomb. He saw the strips of
S2: linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that
S2: had been around Jesus's head. The cloth was folded up
S2: by itself, separate from the linen. The word John now
S2: uses to describe what Peter saw is the Greek word
S2: that around it has the idea of to see, perceive,
S2: or look at something with interest and for a purpose.
S2: Peter examined the contents carefully, trying to make sense of
S2: what he saw. Peter's response was puzzlement. The strips of
S2: linen were lying where they had apparently been placed, but
S2: without the body that had been once inside, and the
S2: face cloth placed over the head was. Neatly placed off
S2: to the side, carefully folded up by itself. This showed
S2: care and intentionality, but Peter's examination, his moment, brought confusion.
S2: It came because he didn't yet comprehend what Jesus had
S2: predicted about his own resurrection. Or, as John describes it
S2: in verse nine, that Jesus had to rise from the dead.
S2: And there are some listening today who are also confused.
S2: How could Jesus rise from the dead? And what difference
S2: does that make in my life today? The facts are clear,
S2: but the meaning still seems to be obscured. And this
S2: is where the final word used by John becomes so
S2: important in verse eight. John describes what happened when he
S2: followed Peter into the tomb. Just like Peter, he spotted
S2: the strips of linen and the face cloth neatly placed
S2: off to the side and folded. But then John adds
S2: this he saw and believed, and the word he uses
S2: for seeing in verse eight is the Greek word hero.
S2: It has the idea of seeing what the mind perceiving, knowing,
S2: or experiencing its seeing in the sense of wow, I
S2: get it. John got it. Then it says immediately that
S2: he believed he now fully understood and accepted and trusted
S2: what Jesus had been saying all along. He really had
S2: risen from the dead. So what kind of site do
S2: you have this resurrection weekend? Are you standing on the
S2: outside looking in, but still finding yourself discouraged because you
S2: don't see any relevance between the events 2000 years ago
S2: and your struggles today? Or maybe you're trying to understand
S2: seeking to piece together all the facts, but still confused
S2: by all the details of what really happened. If so,
S2: how about making a decision today to look more carefully
S2: at what Jesus did for you? He died to pay
S2: the penalty for your sin, and then he rose from
S2: the dead to demonstrate that his payment was sufficient. You
S2: now have an opportunity to internalize that truth, to move
S2: beyond the facts by placing your trust in Jesus as
S2: your personal Lord and Savior. And doing so is as
S2: simple as praying something like the following right now, dear Lord,
S2: I believe you died for my sins, and that you
S2: did rise from the dead. Right now I want to
S2: turn from my sinful past and place my trust in
S2: you as my Savior and Lord. Please forgive me of
S2: my sins and give me eternal life because of what
S2: Jesus did for me. Amen.
S1: Powerful, powerful thought there, and nothing more important than making
S1: that decision to receive Jesus and His forgiveness. And if
S1: you'd like to have a conversation with somebody who would
S1: really enjoy talking with you, patiently answering any questions that
S1: you might have about Jesus and His death for you,
S1: his resurrection for you. Pick up the phone. Will you?
S1: Call 888? Need him 888. Need him who answers? A
S1: volunteer who knows Jesus, who will not try to sell
S1: you anything because there's nothing to buy. Okay, so it's safe.
S1: Call 888. Need him but a great program. As always,
S1: we thank you for being a part of the land.
S1: In the book I'm John Geiger for our host, Charlie Dyer.
S1: Our producer Dan Anderson. Hope to see you back next
S1: time for The Land. In the book, a production of
S1: Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.