1 00:00:08,020 --> 00:00:11,620 S1: As a ten year old girl, Liana watched Hitler's motorcade 2 00:00:11,619 --> 00:00:14,560 S1: pass by her home in East Prussia. Within a few 3 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:18,460 S1: short months, her hometown was smoldering in ruins. But that 4 00:00:18,460 --> 00:00:21,669 S1: was just the beginning of her troubles. Coming up, we'll 5 00:00:21,670 --> 00:00:24,820 S1: talk with someone whose faith in Christ helped her survive 6 00:00:24,820 --> 00:00:28,570 S1: the horror of Russian invasion and occupation from Moody Radio. 7 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:32,290 S1: This is the land and the book. Our host, noted 8 00:00:32,290 --> 00:00:36,400 S1: Israel scholar Doctor Charlie Dyer. And I'm John Jaeger. Maybe 9 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:38,050 S1: you wonder, how do you share the gospel with a 10 00:00:38,050 --> 00:00:42,460 S1: Jewish person? Because of cultural, historical, and religious differences, it's 11 00:00:42,460 --> 00:00:46,240 S1: sometimes challenging to kind of navigate a gospel conversation with 12 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:48,910 S1: somebody from a Jewish background. You ever wondered, though, how 13 00:00:48,909 --> 00:00:50,620 S1: the professionals do it? 14 00:00:50,620 --> 00:00:52,930 S2: Yeah, you're right, John. In fact, to answer this question, 15 00:00:52,930 --> 00:00:55,480 S2: our friends at Life and Messiah want to mail you 16 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:58,600 S2: samples of the tracks their staff use as they share 17 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,600 S2: the gospel. This will serve a dual purpose of equipping 18 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:04,990 S2: you with methods of presenting the gospel, and also supplying 19 00:01:04,990 --> 00:01:07,539 S2: you with tracks you can share with your Jewish friends 20 00:01:07,540 --> 00:01:10,900 S2: and neighbors. Life and Messiah's Prayer is that these tracks 21 00:01:10,900 --> 00:01:13,540 S2: will help further the spread of the gospel among the 22 00:01:13,540 --> 00:01:16,810 S2: Jewish people. Now, to receive this helpful assortment of tracks, 23 00:01:16,810 --> 00:01:19,630 S2: all you need to do is visit Life in Messiah 24 00:01:19,900 --> 00:01:22,570 S2: org and click on the Moody Radio button there for 25 00:01:22,569 --> 00:01:27,580 S2: more information. That's Life in messiah.org. Don't miss out on 26 00:01:27,580 --> 00:01:29,319 S2: this great opportunity. 27 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:31,840 S1: And now a look at current events from the Middle East. 28 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:36,339 S1: Story number one, Israel's war with Hamas continues. And now 29 00:01:36,340 --> 00:01:39,610 S1: the world is concerned about a threatened war with Hezbollah. 30 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:42,850 S1: Help us grasp the bigger picture of what's actually happening 31 00:01:42,850 --> 00:01:44,260 S1: and what might happen. 32 00:01:44,260 --> 00:01:46,930 S2: Yeah, the war with Hamas continues, although it's at a 33 00:01:46,930 --> 00:01:49,630 S2: slower pace. In fact, it seems to be winding down 34 00:01:49,630 --> 00:01:53,650 S2: somewhat to satisfy the pressure from the US and other countries. 35 00:01:53,650 --> 00:01:57,610 S2: Israel is being more deliberate, though they're still making progress. 36 00:01:57,700 --> 00:02:01,840 S2: One key problem remains the hostages. Hamas knows this, and 37 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:05,080 S2: that's why they've been reluctant to reach a deal. Nearly 38 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:09,400 S2: 120 hostages remain, but only 50 or 60 are thought 39 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:13,390 S2: to still be alive. A second problem is the debate 40 00:02:13,389 --> 00:02:16,930 S2: over what victory in Gaza actually looks like. Israel has 41 00:02:16,930 --> 00:02:19,780 S2: said their goal is to destroy Hamas, but they can 42 00:02:19,780 --> 00:02:24,609 S2: push to eliminate Hamas's leadership and render the different military battalions. 43 00:02:24,610 --> 00:02:28,329 S2: They're incapable of being an effective fighting force. But as 44 00:02:28,330 --> 00:02:33,579 S2: one Israeli military official remarked, actually destroying Hamas isn't possible 45 00:02:33,610 --> 00:02:37,570 S2: because Hamas is an idea and it's an idea supported 46 00:02:37,570 --> 00:02:41,470 S2: by most Palestinians. A different part of your group might 47 00:02:41,470 --> 00:02:43,989 S2: be put in charge, but if they have the same 48 00:02:43,990 --> 00:02:48,940 S2: Islamic ideology, then little will have really changed. The situation 49 00:02:48,940 --> 00:02:52,420 S2: in the North with Hezbollah is more complicated, and that's 50 00:02:52,419 --> 00:02:55,720 S2: reflected in the mixed messages coming out of the region. 51 00:02:55,870 --> 00:02:58,690 S2: The US announced it's working to prevent an all out 52 00:02:58,690 --> 00:03:02,350 S2: war between Israel and Hezbollah. But three days later, the 53 00:03:02,350 --> 00:03:04,840 S2: US assured Israel of its support in the event of 54 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:07,720 S2: such a war. And then they announced that they'd be 55 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:12,280 S2: unlikely to help if Iran became involved. So what's really happening? Well, 56 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:16,030 S2: both Israel and Hezbollah are rattling their sabers, suggesting that 57 00:03:16,030 --> 00:03:19,690 S2: if war comes, the other side will suffer greatly. And 58 00:03:19,690 --> 00:03:22,990 S2: in one sense, that's true. If war comes, Israel will 59 00:03:22,990 --> 00:03:26,050 S2: do everything it can to try to wipe out Hezbollah's 60 00:03:26,050 --> 00:03:29,770 S2: military ability. On the other side, Hezbollah will try to 61 00:03:29,770 --> 00:03:34,060 S2: knock out Israel's power generating stations, its water desalination plants, 62 00:03:34,060 --> 00:03:38,650 S2: its military bases and airports and other vital infrastructure. And 63 00:03:38,650 --> 00:03:41,320 S2: both Iran and the US remain the wild cards. To 64 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,710 S2: what extent would they enter the fight now? As a result, 65 00:03:44,710 --> 00:03:46,990 S2: much of the saber rattling is an attempt to get 66 00:03:46,990 --> 00:03:50,890 S2: the other side to back down. Neither really wants a war, 67 00:03:50,890 --> 00:03:54,340 S2: at least not right now. Israel wants Hezbollah to move 68 00:03:54,340 --> 00:03:57,610 S2: away from the border so its people can return there 69 00:03:57,610 --> 00:04:00,460 S2: in the north. And Hezbollah wants the war in Gaza 70 00:04:00,460 --> 00:04:03,010 S2: to end so that they can claim victory in their 71 00:04:03,010 --> 00:04:07,240 S2: support of Hamas. Surprisingly, there is at least some reason 72 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:10,330 S2: for optimism. A look beyond all the headlines, and you 73 00:04:10,330 --> 00:04:13,240 S2: can see that both sides have stayed within clearly defined 74 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:17,289 S2: red lines. Hezbollah has fired rockets into Galilee, but they've 75 00:04:17,290 --> 00:04:20,140 S2: not fired their long range rockets toward Tel Aviv or 76 00:04:20,140 --> 00:04:23,560 S2: other cities in Israel. And Israel hasn't launched a ground 77 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:27,220 S2: invasion into Lebanon. So while each side is making threats, 78 00:04:27,220 --> 00:04:30,669 S2: neither has crossed certain red lines that would lead to 79 00:04:30,670 --> 00:04:34,750 S2: all out war. The restraint is deliberate. Now. The situation 80 00:04:34,750 --> 00:04:38,260 S2: could change very quickly and dramatically, but right now it 81 00:04:38,260 --> 00:04:40,779 S2: seems as if neither side wants to be the first 82 00:04:40,779 --> 00:04:42,670 S2: to launch that all out war. 83 00:04:42,670 --> 00:04:44,979 S1: Charlie. Looking at the situation up north, it seems to 84 00:04:44,980 --> 00:04:48,070 S1: me that until that whole thing with Hezbollah is resolved, 85 00:04:48,070 --> 00:04:51,339 S1: there is going to be absolutely no return to tourism, 86 00:04:51,339 --> 00:04:53,320 S1: at least in its, you know, fuller state. 87 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:55,930 S2: Well, it's interesting. There are there are tourists coming back. 88 00:04:55,930 --> 00:04:58,029 S2: In fact, uh, the bus driver that I used that 89 00:04:58,029 --> 00:05:00,489 S2: you know, so well, uh, sent me a picture of 90 00:05:00,490 --> 00:05:02,919 S2: a group that was there touring in Israel. But, uh, 91 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:05,680 S2: the number of tours is limited, and, uh, right now 92 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:08,260 S2: the tours can't get up to. The border with Lebanon. 93 00:05:08,260 --> 00:05:10,960 S2: So obviously the very far northern part of Israel is 94 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:12,040 S2: out of bounds. 95 00:05:12,070 --> 00:05:16,450 S1: Well, story number two, Prime Minister Netanyahu's ruling coalition is 96 00:05:16,450 --> 00:05:20,050 S1: in trouble. Can the current government survive or will Israel 97 00:05:20,050 --> 00:05:21,969 S1: be forced into new elections? 98 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:26,050 S2: Yeah, the cracks in the current coalition are definitely widening. 99 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:29,020 S2: Benny Gantz pulled his faction out of the War Cabinet, 100 00:05:29,020 --> 00:05:31,570 S2: and that was troubling. But it didn't cause the coalition 101 00:05:31,570 --> 00:05:34,960 S2: to collapse. But other problems facing the government, though they 102 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:38,620 S2: might be less obvious, are very real and very dangerous 103 00:05:38,620 --> 00:05:41,920 S2: for that coalition. The coalition failed to achieve a bill 104 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:45,700 S2: designed to give funds to Chasse, the religious party, to 105 00:05:45,700 --> 00:05:48,730 S2: create jobs for its supporters. That caused a source from 106 00:05:48,730 --> 00:05:52,300 S2: within Shas to declare the coalition's days are numbered. And 107 00:05:52,300 --> 00:05:54,820 S2: then the High Court just this week issued a unanimous 108 00:05:54,820 --> 00:05:59,560 S2: ruling saying the government must begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men into 109 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:04,150 S2: the Israeli Defense Force and discontinue funding draft eligible men 110 00:06:04,150 --> 00:06:09,160 S2: studying at religious schools. Currently, there are over 60,000 ultra-Orthodox 111 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:13,750 S2: students exempt from military service. The ultra-Orthodox parties have in 112 00:06:13,750 --> 00:06:15,909 S2: the past said this is a red line, and it 113 00:06:15,910 --> 00:06:18,730 S2: could cause them to leave the government, at least as 114 00:06:18,730 --> 00:06:22,360 S2: far as Netanyahu is going. He's been doing everything possible 115 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:25,930 S2: to keep all the coalition plates spinning. But the unity 116 00:06:25,930 --> 00:06:29,230 S2: that appeared following the October 7th attacks seems to be 117 00:06:29,230 --> 00:06:32,469 S2: rapidly falling away now. At some point, one of these 118 00:06:32,470 --> 00:06:36,250 S2: issues will become so great that a coalition partner will bolt, 119 00:06:36,250 --> 00:06:39,370 S2: joining the opposition in a vote of no confidence. And 120 00:06:39,370 --> 00:06:42,729 S2: when that happens, new elections will have to be called. Now, 121 00:06:42,730 --> 00:06:45,789 S2: that doesn't mean Netanyahu will be gone. He remains in 122 00:06:45,790 --> 00:06:48,850 S2: charge until after the elections and until after a new 123 00:06:48,850 --> 00:06:51,820 S2: coalition can be formed. And that can take a while, 124 00:06:51,820 --> 00:06:54,910 S2: since they have to garner 61 seats together to form 125 00:06:54,910 --> 00:06:58,330 S2: that coalition in the Knesset. But change does seem to 126 00:06:58,330 --> 00:07:00,339 S2: be coming sooner rather than later. 127 00:07:00,370 --> 00:07:03,250 S1: You're listening to The Land and the book from Moody Radio. 128 00:07:03,250 --> 00:07:06,790 S1: Our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer, noted Old Testament scholar, frequent 129 00:07:06,790 --> 00:07:09,400 S1: Israel traveler. I'm John Geiger, working our way through a 130 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:13,150 S1: list of current events stories. Iran continues to push toward 131 00:07:13,150 --> 00:07:16,540 S1: the development of nuclear weapons. Could the Middle East and 132 00:07:16,540 --> 00:07:19,480 S1: the rest of the world be rushing toward nuclear war? 133 00:07:19,780 --> 00:07:21,310 S2: Well, you know, I'm glad to be able to view 134 00:07:21,310 --> 00:07:25,240 S2: these events through a biblical grid, no matter what circumstances 135 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:28,450 S2: might look like. We know God is in control. He 136 00:07:28,450 --> 00:07:30,970 S2: does have a plan, and it does include a future 137 00:07:30,970 --> 00:07:33,310 S2: for the nation of Israel. You know, that's not going 138 00:07:33,310 --> 00:07:36,580 S2: to change, but from a human perspective, the world does 139 00:07:36,580 --> 00:07:40,450 S2: seem to be getting more dangerous. Global spending on nuclear weapons. 140 00:07:40,450 --> 00:07:43,900 S2: It was up 13% last year. The largest increase in 141 00:07:43,900 --> 00:07:47,830 S2: spending was by the US, followed by China. Russia is 142 00:07:47,830 --> 00:07:51,280 S2: reportedly revising its nuclear doctrine to make it easier to 143 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:54,640 S2: use its nuclear weapons in a conflict. Israel is most 144 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:57,460 S2: concerned about Iran because they believe Iran will use its 145 00:07:57,460 --> 00:08:00,880 S2: nuclear weapons against Israel once they acquire them. Now, as 146 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:04,570 S2: a result, Israel has been modernizing its nuclear arsenal, even 147 00:08:04,570 --> 00:08:08,680 S2: though they don't publicly acknowledge even having nuclear weapons. One 148 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:12,280 S2: report suggests Israel has the eighth largest stockpile of stored 149 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:15,550 S2: nuclear weapons, and that report said the number was 90. 150 00:08:15,550 --> 00:08:18,340 S2: But a book written several years ago by Seymour Hersh 151 00:08:18,340 --> 00:08:21,970 S2: suggests the number could be as high as 200 nuclear weapons. 152 00:08:22,030 --> 00:08:25,450 S2: No one outside Israel, though, really knows. What does seem 153 00:08:25,450 --> 00:08:27,520 S2: to be clear is that Israel has said it won't 154 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:31,570 S2: allow the Iranians to possess nuclear weapons, and that's more 155 00:08:31,570 --> 00:08:35,020 S2: than just political rhetoric. Iran has built several of its 156 00:08:35,020 --> 00:08:38,800 S2: nuclear facilities hundreds of feet underground to protect them against 157 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:42,790 S2: attack by Israel. But Israeli leaders have said no facility 158 00:08:42,790 --> 00:08:46,150 S2: is beyond their ability to attack. So unless the US 159 00:08:46,150 --> 00:08:49,030 S2: and the West force Iran to stop or step in 160 00:08:49,059 --> 00:08:52,420 S2: to somehow stop them, we might learn. If Israel does 161 00:08:52,420 --> 00:08:54,010 S2: have just such a plan. 162 00:08:54,100 --> 00:08:58,059 S1: Well, imagine a mountain of salt as tall as Masada 163 00:08:58,059 --> 00:09:00,820 S1: along the shore of the Dead Sea. That's actually a 164 00:09:00,820 --> 00:09:04,750 S1: concern being voiced now by geologists over a plan to 165 00:09:04,750 --> 00:09:08,290 S1: pile up excess salt from the Dead Sea. How serious 166 00:09:08,290 --> 00:09:10,780 S1: is this problem? Or, Charlie, should we just kind of 167 00:09:10,780 --> 00:09:13,300 S1: take these warnings with a grain of salt? 168 00:09:13,300 --> 00:09:15,939 S2: Yeah, well, the headline does need to be taken with 169 00:09:15,940 --> 00:09:18,760 S2: that so-called grain of salt. The Dead Sea is being 170 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:21,339 S2: mined for its chemicals, but the one chemical they don't 171 00:09:21,340 --> 00:09:24,550 S2: really want is the salt. The companies in Israel and 172 00:09:24,550 --> 00:09:27,400 S2: Jordan pump dead sea water into drying ponds at the 173 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:30,970 S2: southern end of the sea and then extract bromine, phosphate, 174 00:09:30,970 --> 00:09:35,260 S2: magnesium and potash at what's left, which is common. Salt remains. 175 00:09:35,260 --> 00:09:37,329 S2: And they throw it back and it sinks to the bottom. 176 00:09:37,330 --> 00:09:39,670 S2: And the problem is the salt's been collecting at the 177 00:09:39,670 --> 00:09:42,429 S2: bottom in that area at a rate of nearly eight 178 00:09:42,429 --> 00:09:45,280 S2: inches a year, which has been raising the water level 179 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:48,490 S2: and threatening to flood the hotels along the shore. Starting 180 00:09:48,490 --> 00:09:51,400 S2: in 2020, the government required the salt to be dredged 181 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:53,979 S2: from the seabed and returned to the northern part of 182 00:09:53,980 --> 00:09:58,150 S2: the Dead Sea. Now they've been collecting it 16,000,000m³ of 183 00:09:58,150 --> 00:10:00,939 S2: salt every year, but they still haven't worked out an 184 00:10:00,940 --> 00:10:03,970 S2: approved plan for redepositing it. And in the meantime, it's 185 00:10:03,970 --> 00:10:06,400 S2: piling up along the shore and near the northern end 186 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:08,800 S2: of that. Tongue of land that divides the Dead Sea 187 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:12,250 S2: in two. The head of the state's Israel Geological Survey 188 00:10:12,250 --> 00:10:15,339 S2: claimed at a conference that in six years that mountain 189 00:10:15,340 --> 00:10:18,160 S2: of salt could be not only visible from Masada, but 190 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:21,160 S2: would be as tall as Masada, which is 1400ft. Now, 191 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:23,890 S2: I don't want to minimize the problem because it does 192 00:10:23,890 --> 00:10:25,690 S2: need to be resolved, but it seems there are ways 193 00:10:25,690 --> 00:10:28,570 S2: to spread that salt out and not make that giant mountain. 194 00:10:28,570 --> 00:10:30,970 S2: But in the meantime, if you travel to Israel, just beware. 195 00:10:30,970 --> 00:10:32,949 S2: If your guide points to a large pile of salt 196 00:10:32,950 --> 00:10:35,320 S2: near Masada and says it's the pillar of salt from 197 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:38,770 S2: God's judgment on lot's wife, uh, it's not quite that old. 198 00:10:38,830 --> 00:10:41,950 S1: Much more to come in today's program, including a conversation 199 00:10:41,950 --> 00:10:45,580 S1: next with a lady who remembers Hitler's motorcade passing by. 200 00:10:45,610 --> 00:11:02,520 S1: All ahead on the land. And the book. As a 201 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:07,050 S1: ten year old girl, Leona Gudat watched Hitler's motorcade pass 202 00:11:07,050 --> 00:11:10,620 S1: by their home in Insterburg, East Prussia. Within a few 203 00:11:10,620 --> 00:11:14,670 S1: short months, Insterburg was smoldering in ruins when Leona's mother 204 00:11:14,670 --> 00:11:18,809 S1: and her four children scrambled over bricks, broken glass and 205 00:11:18,809 --> 00:11:23,580 S1: scorched beams. Why? To escape the ravages of World War two. 206 00:11:23,610 --> 00:11:26,190 S1: Stay listening for the story of a German girl in 207 00:11:26,190 --> 00:11:30,270 S1: war torn Europe who moves from fear to freedom. Hey, 208 00:11:30,270 --> 00:11:32,939 S1: welcome to segment two of the land and the book 209 00:11:32,940 --> 00:11:35,670 S1: I'm John Gager. If we've never met before, I cannot 210 00:11:35,670 --> 00:11:38,730 S1: wait to introduce you to today's guest. But first, here's 211 00:11:38,730 --> 00:11:41,309 S1: a way to put a spotlight on Jesus as you 212 00:11:41,309 --> 00:11:45,160 S1: interact with a Jewish friend. The Old Testament is rich 213 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:47,950 S1: with prophecy. How much of that, though, can you really 214 00:11:47,950 --> 00:11:51,730 S1: talk about in a conversation with your Jewish friend? For example, 215 00:11:51,730 --> 00:11:55,150 S1: what about Daniel's prophecies concerning the Maccabees and the events 216 00:11:55,150 --> 00:11:58,330 S1: of Hanukkah? Roy Schwartz is with Chosen People Ministries. Are 217 00:11:58,330 --> 00:12:00,460 S1: we on safe ground talking about this kind of stuff? 218 00:12:00,490 --> 00:12:03,280 S3: Sure. For a Gentile to know about Hanukkah. Are you 219 00:12:03,309 --> 00:12:06,400 S3: kidding me? Especially to know that it was spoken of 220 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:08,679 S3: by the Jewish prophet Daniel. Don't get into the New 221 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:13,090 S3: Testament necessarily. Just talk about the reality that God, through 222 00:12:13,090 --> 00:12:19,390 S3: the prophet Daniel, foreshadowed and foresaw the actual events of 223 00:12:19,390 --> 00:12:23,680 S3: Antiochus and the events of Hanukkah. Now, most Christians don't 224 00:12:23,679 --> 00:12:26,560 S3: know that, but I suggest you study that and see 225 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:29,980 S3: how Daniel and Hanukkah fit together, and that will blow 226 00:12:30,010 --> 00:12:32,199 S3: the mind of a Jewish person that you are interested 227 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:32,980 S3: in those things. All right. 228 00:12:32,980 --> 00:12:34,270 S1: So maybe we need to do a little work on 229 00:12:34,270 --> 00:12:37,000 S1: our own history and then reach out and share those 230 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:39,910 S1: prophecies from Daniel as a tool to bridge into the 231 00:12:39,910 --> 00:12:42,729 S1: life of your unsaved Jewish friend. Roy Schwartz is with 232 00:12:42,730 --> 00:12:45,190 S1: chosen People Ministries. Always a pleasure to have him in 233 00:12:45,190 --> 00:12:50,260 S1: the studio. Leona Brown survived the Russian occupation of her 234 00:12:50,260 --> 00:12:53,170 S1: hometown in World War Two. She's been a mentor to 235 00:12:53,170 --> 00:12:57,100 S1: thousands since then, faithfully teaching that God is a refuge 236 00:12:57,100 --> 00:13:01,120 S1: to those striving to move from fear to freedom. Using 237 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:04,150 S1: her personal story of how her family found Christ relevant 238 00:13:04,150 --> 00:13:08,830 S1: during wartime. She inspires eager listeners to find Jesus as 239 00:13:08,830 --> 00:13:12,340 S1: their all sufficient source of strength. She's written several books, 240 00:13:12,340 --> 00:13:16,240 S1: including Refuge and From Fear to Freedom. It's a great 241 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:18,699 S1: honor to welcome you to the land and the book, Leona. 242 00:13:18,730 --> 00:13:20,050 S4: Thank you so much. 243 00:13:20,590 --> 00:13:23,530 S1: When the drama of World War Two unfolded, you were 244 00:13:23,530 --> 00:13:26,800 S1: living in Insterburg, East Prussia. Put that on a modern 245 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:28,090 S1: map for us. 246 00:13:28,150 --> 00:13:32,710 S4: East Prussia was an area that was German and it 247 00:13:32,710 --> 00:13:37,000 S4: was bordering Russia. On today's map, it's no longer called 248 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:41,800 S4: East Prussia. It's called Lithuania, Russia and Poland. 249 00:13:42,190 --> 00:13:44,980 S1: Well, that had to be quite a moment. Watching Hitler's 250 00:13:44,980 --> 00:13:48,400 S1: motorcade passing by directly in front of your home. What 251 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:49,300 S1: do you recall? 252 00:13:49,870 --> 00:13:53,890 S4: I don't recall a lot of jubilant people, everybody with 253 00:13:53,890 --> 00:13:59,830 S4: their arms raised to give the Hitler welcome to Hitler himself. 254 00:14:00,220 --> 00:14:04,930 S4: I was standing there and thinking, oh, in a short 255 00:14:04,929 --> 00:14:08,980 S4: time I will be joining the Hitler Youth. I could 256 00:14:08,980 --> 00:14:13,449 S4: not wait to become one of Hitler's chosen young people, 257 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:19,870 S4: because I was looking forward to the wonderful sports festivals 258 00:14:19,870 --> 00:14:23,770 S4: stretching my muscles for my leader. He told me he 259 00:14:23,770 --> 00:14:28,240 S4: loves me and I was brainwashed to sing love songs 260 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:31,600 S4: to him. That's what I was dreaming about. But that 261 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:34,990 S4: song in my heart and mind changed later. Hmm. 262 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:37,660 S1: What was the turning point for that change when you 263 00:14:37,660 --> 00:14:38,860 S1: realized the truth? 264 00:14:38,890 --> 00:14:42,340 S4: The turning point for the change was when we had 265 00:14:42,340 --> 00:14:45,580 S4: to leave our hometown. Why did we have to leave it? 266 00:14:45,580 --> 00:14:49,570 S4: Because the bombs were falling. I had no clue why, 267 00:14:49,570 --> 00:14:53,740 S4: but they were dropping on loved ones. Folks from church, 268 00:14:53,740 --> 00:14:58,000 S4: church folks were dying. I had no idea why all 269 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:03,010 S4: of this was going on. And slowly things started to change. 270 00:15:03,010 --> 00:15:06,340 S4: We had to leave our town finally with my grandma 271 00:15:06,340 --> 00:15:09,460 S4: and ended up not too far from Berlin, a little 272 00:15:09,460 --> 00:15:14,350 S4: town called Lipina. Now it's Poland. And on the last 273 00:15:14,350 --> 00:15:18,430 S4: day of school in that part of Poland, I was 274 00:15:18,430 --> 00:15:21,190 S4: not fast enough for the teacher to get up and 275 00:15:21,190 --> 00:15:25,630 S4: give the Heil Hitler salute in class. The teacher called 276 00:15:25,630 --> 00:15:28,930 S4: me forward in front of the whole class and slapped 277 00:15:28,930 --> 00:15:32,620 S4: my face so hard that the fingerprints were left on 278 00:15:32,620 --> 00:15:36,730 S4: my cheeks for days. Wow. That was my last day 279 00:15:36,730 --> 00:15:39,280 S4: of school under the Hitler regime. 280 00:15:39,820 --> 00:15:43,840 S1: They were the last representatives of a town of 5000 residents. 281 00:15:43,870 --> 00:15:46,750 S1: All others had been murdered, forced to flee or starve 282 00:15:46,750 --> 00:15:50,500 S1: to death. Leona Brown's story unfolds today on the land 283 00:15:50,500 --> 00:15:52,900 S1: in the book where we have traveled to the Everlasting 284 00:15:52,900 --> 00:15:56,830 S1: Nation Museum in Chattanooga. All this time. Are you a 285 00:15:56,830 --> 00:15:58,150 S1: believer in Jesus? 286 00:15:58,540 --> 00:16:02,770 S4: Not yet, but I have the most wonderful examples ahead 287 00:16:02,770 --> 00:16:06,490 S4: of me and with me and around me. My mom, 288 00:16:06,490 --> 00:16:10,960 S4: for instance, my dad had been drafted into the German 289 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:15,280 S4: army in 1939 already, so we were separated from him 290 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:22,780 S4: in 1944 for five, six years already. And the adults 291 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:28,060 S4: all around me, when things were in such turmoil, nobody 292 00:16:28,060 --> 00:16:31,450 S4: knew where the loved ones were still living, whether they 293 00:16:31,450 --> 00:16:38,500 S4: were dead, where they were. There was peace, peace, calmness. 294 00:16:38,500 --> 00:16:42,610 S4: And I saw all of that in their souls, and 295 00:16:42,610 --> 00:16:46,240 S4: I knew there was something different about it. And I 296 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:49,690 S4: was still fearful when my mom took us four children 297 00:16:49,690 --> 00:16:52,450 S4: into the corner of a couch or a room full 298 00:16:52,450 --> 00:16:58,000 S4: of 29 people and prayed, Lord Jesus, take all of us. 299 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:02,140 S4: Don't let one of my children remain behind. That made 300 00:17:02,140 --> 00:17:05,859 S4: me perk up. Let all of us. I didn't really 301 00:17:05,859 --> 00:17:09,130 S4: know what she meant. Did that mean I could die 302 00:17:09,250 --> 00:17:11,830 S4: for a mom to pray that prayer? Yes. 303 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:15,460 S1: And when did you understand that Jesus needed to be 304 00:17:15,460 --> 00:17:18,910 S1: your Savior, not just something that your mom was interested in? 305 00:17:18,910 --> 00:17:23,620 S4: Exactly. That didn't come until several years later when we 306 00:17:23,619 --> 00:17:25,510 S4: were in West Germany already. 307 00:17:25,510 --> 00:17:28,119 S1: Well, let's talk about that. For 16 months, you lived 308 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:32,320 S1: under Russian occupation. Your family was among the last. The 309 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:35,439 S1: others had been murdered. How did you survive? 310 00:17:35,470 --> 00:17:40,659 S4: Number one prayer. The adults in our home prayed. It 311 00:17:40,660 --> 00:17:45,669 S4: was very dangerous for women, especially to be outside among 312 00:17:45,670 --> 00:17:48,980 S4: the Russian. Troops after they had invaded that part of 313 00:17:48,980 --> 00:17:52,130 S4: Germany because they were on their way to Berlin to 314 00:17:52,130 --> 00:17:56,570 S4: get Hitler as quickly as they possibly could. And then 315 00:17:56,570 --> 00:18:00,140 S4: my brother and I, we were the chosen ones to 316 00:18:00,140 --> 00:18:06,199 S4: go out and see, scrounge around abandoned farms for something edible. 317 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:11,030 S4: We found abandoned areas on farms where potatoes laid in 318 00:18:11,030 --> 00:18:15,109 S4: for the winter. We brought them home and my mom 319 00:18:15,109 --> 00:18:18,230 S4: fixed them soup. So how did we live? I don't 320 00:18:18,230 --> 00:18:21,320 S4: really know. I just knew it was a miracle. But 321 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:25,160 S4: the greatest miracle was when the gentleman who took us 322 00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:28,010 S4: in a stranger, we had never seen him here was 323 00:18:28,010 --> 00:18:32,450 S4: a mom with four kids, and an elderly grandma took 324 00:18:32,450 --> 00:18:36,980 S4: us into his home. He lived by himself, and he 325 00:18:36,980 --> 00:18:40,280 S4: would usually get a certain amount of potatoes rolled in 326 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:44,270 S4: from the street right into his basement, and he got 327 00:18:44,270 --> 00:18:48,860 S4: the bill from the farmer, and he said, I didn't 328 00:18:48,859 --> 00:18:54,649 S4: order two batches of potatoes for the whole winter. And 329 00:18:54,650 --> 00:18:57,170 S4: he said, well, that's what you have now. You have 330 00:18:57,170 --> 00:19:01,580 S4: to use them. And that was the start of our 331 00:19:01,580 --> 00:19:05,690 S4: not starving right away. And for my mom not getting 332 00:19:05,690 --> 00:19:09,050 S4: boiled on her legs and for my brother not having 333 00:19:09,050 --> 00:19:13,130 S4: boils on his legs and for our swollen bellies, that 334 00:19:13,130 --> 00:19:16,670 S4: was a start of a great miracle. The whole survival 335 00:19:16,670 --> 00:19:19,610 S4: was a miracle. Also, when my brother got a little 336 00:19:19,609 --> 00:19:23,300 S4: pig's head from a Russian at one time. Oh, that 337 00:19:23,300 --> 00:19:25,670 S4: was soup for days and days, huh? 338 00:19:25,850 --> 00:19:30,440 S1: Well, imagine surviving 16 months under Russian occupation during World 339 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:32,659 S1: War Two. Today, on the land in the book, we 340 00:19:32,660 --> 00:19:35,900 S1: have traveled to the Everlasting Nation Museum. It's our honor 341 00:19:35,900 --> 00:19:39,050 S1: to visit with Liana Brown. Describe some of the brutal 342 00:19:39,050 --> 00:19:42,260 S1: treatment that you observed or maybe even experienced. 343 00:19:42,740 --> 00:19:45,619 S4: I'm glad you said some of them because most of 344 00:19:45,619 --> 00:19:49,190 S4: the time we spent in that little farmhouse was just 345 00:19:49,190 --> 00:19:53,240 S4: a time of fear. Fear. The Russians would come in 346 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:56,780 S4: ready to shoot anybody putting a pistol on my mom's 347 00:19:56,780 --> 00:20:01,400 S4: forehead in front of us kids. Stalin had given the 348 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:06,980 S4: command to misuse every German female age didn't matter. So 349 00:20:06,980 --> 00:20:11,420 S4: the women were always trying to hide. My mom and 350 00:20:11,420 --> 00:20:15,500 S4: her sister in law ran into the outhouse in the 351 00:20:15,500 --> 00:20:21,590 S4: little farm courtyard. As the preacher was doing some work 352 00:20:21,590 --> 00:20:25,730 S4: in the courtyard. He was in his late 70s. I 353 00:20:25,730 --> 00:20:28,820 S4: looked out of the kitchen window and here was this 354 00:20:28,820 --> 00:20:33,560 S4: soldier with a sword right above the preacher. That was 355 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:37,790 S4: a scary moment. Another scary moment was when the war 356 00:20:37,790 --> 00:20:42,500 S4: was finally over. My mom had dared go to Berlin 357 00:20:42,500 --> 00:20:45,619 S4: with lots of other folks. Yes, to find out if 358 00:20:45,619 --> 00:20:49,459 S4: my dad was still alive. When she came back, she 359 00:20:49,460 --> 00:20:54,170 S4: was taken captive by two Russians. They came and held 360 00:20:54,170 --> 00:20:58,190 S4: their guns and her back. That was a scary moment 361 00:20:58,190 --> 00:20:59,300 S4: for me, because. 362 00:20:59,300 --> 00:21:01,760 S1: You were there at that train station to meet her. 363 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:05,210 S4: I was there to meet her, and the two Russian 364 00:21:05,210 --> 00:21:08,750 S4: soldiers came and whisked her away. And she said, no, no, 365 00:21:08,750 --> 00:21:13,100 S4: my children, my children, I want my children. And they 366 00:21:13,100 --> 00:21:17,240 S4: kept pushing her with their rifles toward a dungeon, a 367 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:20,990 S4: literal dungeon. My mom turned around, but this is my 368 00:21:20,990 --> 00:21:24,980 S4: daughter's birthday. It was my 12th birthday. She was thrown 369 00:21:24,980 --> 00:21:28,250 S4: into a Russian jail. We had no idea whether we 370 00:21:28,250 --> 00:21:31,880 S4: would ever see her again, but the Lord took over. 371 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:35,570 S4: He blessed her testimony there as she was pushed into. 372 00:21:35,570 --> 00:21:39,800 S4: This was January in Germany. It gets pretty cold, but 373 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:43,460 S4: she was trying to be a comforter to those who 374 00:21:43,460 --> 00:21:45,230 S4: were in that same dungeon. 375 00:21:45,230 --> 00:21:47,960 S1: What was the lowest point of this experience? As you 376 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:50,690 S1: look back a moment when you said, this is so awful, 377 00:21:50,690 --> 00:21:52,700 S1: I really don't think we're going to make it the 378 00:21:52,700 --> 00:21:53,540 S1: lowest moment. 379 00:21:53,540 --> 00:21:57,890 S4: Oh, I was on the road with my brother again 380 00:21:57,890 --> 00:22:01,219 S4: and the Russian saw me. And as I mentioned before, 381 00:22:01,220 --> 00:22:06,770 S4: Stalin's command, he was beginning to chase me down, running 382 00:22:06,770 --> 00:22:11,780 S4: after me. I heard the gun clicking, clicking, clicking. And 383 00:22:11,780 --> 00:22:13,790 S4: I thought, this is the end, this is the end. 384 00:22:13,790 --> 00:22:17,660 S4: And I ran faster and faster and faster. And even 385 00:22:17,660 --> 00:22:20,690 S4: at that time, even though I was not yet a 386 00:22:20,690 --> 00:22:25,250 S4: born again Christian, the Lord gave me good legs and 387 00:22:25,250 --> 00:22:27,380 S4: I could outrun the rapist. 388 00:22:27,710 --> 00:22:29,420 S1: And you did, I did. 389 00:22:29,420 --> 00:22:30,409 S4: I'm here. 390 00:22:31,430 --> 00:22:34,790 S1: Your family managed to survive and was reunited. What was 391 00:22:34,790 --> 00:22:35,720 S1: that moment like? 392 00:22:35,720 --> 00:22:41,570 S4: Well, after 16 months of living a fearful life constantly 393 00:22:41,570 --> 00:22:45,980 S4: from morning till night, we escaped and ended up in Berlin. 394 00:22:46,210 --> 00:22:49,540 S4: And you American people gave us some soup to eat. Oh, 395 00:22:49,540 --> 00:22:54,280 S4: what a joy. We went farther into West Germany and 396 00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:58,540 S4: lived in a refugee camp. My dad. Where was he? 397 00:22:58,570 --> 00:23:02,050 S4: My mom had found out in the meantime through a 398 00:23:02,050 --> 00:23:06,070 S4: postcard that he wrote. That was a sign of life. 399 00:23:06,070 --> 00:23:09,550 S4: Because for three years, my mom didn't know whether he 400 00:23:09,550 --> 00:23:12,670 S4: was alive and he didn't know whether we were alive. 401 00:23:12,670 --> 00:23:15,609 S4: And the day of the reunion came seven and a 402 00:23:15,609 --> 00:23:19,659 S4: half years later in a refugee camp. We had one 403 00:23:19,660 --> 00:23:24,669 S4: little room, two bunk beds with straw, of course. And 404 00:23:24,670 --> 00:23:27,010 S4: my mom was sleeping on a cot. And when my 405 00:23:27,010 --> 00:23:29,680 S4: dad finally came home, there was no room for him 406 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:32,650 S4: to even sleep in our room. He had to sleep 407 00:23:32,650 --> 00:23:37,000 S4: in a public hallway right across from the public restrooms. 408 00:23:37,450 --> 00:23:42,729 S4: But the joy of my mom and us four kids 409 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:46,930 S4: in this refugee camp, we lived for another several years. 410 00:23:47,290 --> 00:23:50,920 S1: Eventually, you made it to the United States, where there 411 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:53,440 S1: are a growing number of believers today who believe that 412 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:57,520 S1: persecution is coming here. Do you agree? And does today's 413 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:00,340 S1: America feel a bit to you like the prelude to 414 00:24:00,340 --> 00:24:01,450 S1: World War two? 415 00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:04,540 S4: Well, I see what's coming here. There's a lot of 416 00:24:04,540 --> 00:24:09,280 S4: fear in people. They fear this. They fear that persecution 417 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:14,710 S4: is beginning to start. Pro-lifers are no longer liked athletes 418 00:24:14,710 --> 00:24:17,950 S4: who give a clear testimony of knowing the Lord Jesus 419 00:24:17,950 --> 00:24:24,310 S4: Christ personally are shunned. Yes, there is persecution. I don't 420 00:24:24,310 --> 00:24:28,899 S4: know if there was any persecution before that in East Prussia, 421 00:24:28,900 --> 00:24:34,090 S4: but I know 76 preachers in our area were thrown 422 00:24:34,090 --> 00:24:36,220 S4: into a concentration camp. 423 00:24:36,310 --> 00:24:40,750 S1: If you had 30s to speak to every believer in America, 424 00:24:40,750 --> 00:24:43,000 S1: what would you want them to hear from you? 425 00:24:43,300 --> 00:24:46,750 S4: I would say I thank the Lord for having given me, 426 00:24:46,750 --> 00:24:52,810 S4: my family and me true freedom in this country in 427 00:24:52,810 --> 00:24:57,880 S4: preparation for any war or anything that might be coming up. 428 00:24:58,060 --> 00:25:02,439 S4: There is a must for every human being because God 429 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:06,910 S4: gave His Son to die on Calvary's cross, and he 430 00:25:06,910 --> 00:25:11,230 S4: did that for every single person, for you and for me. 431 00:25:11,230 --> 00:25:14,410 S4: And if you tell me, oh, I'm a good church member, 432 00:25:14,410 --> 00:25:17,320 S4: I do all these good deeds. I must be going 433 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:21,490 S4: to heaven. Are you sure you're going to go that way? No, 434 00:25:21,490 --> 00:25:25,449 S4: you can't be, because that's not the truth. The truth is, 435 00:25:25,450 --> 00:25:29,380 S4: we have to say, Lord Jesus, I'm a sinner. Please 436 00:25:29,380 --> 00:25:33,400 S4: come into my heart and save me and mean it 437 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:37,179 S4: and live for God and for Christ, and have this 438 00:25:37,180 --> 00:25:40,330 S4: faith should the bad days come in this country. 439 00:25:40,930 --> 00:25:44,320 S1: Lianna Brown what a story. From fear to freedom. There's 440 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:46,510 S1: a link to her books at our web site, the 441 00:25:46,510 --> 00:25:50,200 S1: land and the book. Org. Looking forward to a visit 442 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:52,780 S1: with Charlie Dyer. He's got answers to your Bible questions 443 00:25:52,780 --> 00:26:07,250 S1: next here on the land and the book. If you're 444 00:26:07,250 --> 00:26:09,080 S1: a regular listener to the land of the book, you 445 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:11,510 S1: know what this next segment is all about. And if 446 00:26:11,510 --> 00:26:13,639 S1: you're new, well, let me share it with you. I'm 447 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:16,100 S1: John Gager and our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer, has his 448 00:26:16,100 --> 00:26:20,540 S1: Bible open. Why? Because you have sent in questions via email, 449 00:26:20,540 --> 00:26:23,929 S1: and we're here to answer those questions. Charlie, before we 450 00:26:23,930 --> 00:26:25,730 S1: get to our first question of the day, something we 451 00:26:25,730 --> 00:26:27,800 S1: should all be thinking about, how do you share the 452 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:31,129 S1: gospel with a Jewish person? Because of cultural, historical, and 453 00:26:31,130 --> 00:26:35,660 S1: religious differences, it's sometimes challenging to navigate a gospel conversation 454 00:26:35,660 --> 00:26:38,660 S1: with somebody from a Jewish background. Maybe you've wondered how 455 00:26:38,660 --> 00:26:41,090 S1: the professionals do it. Yeah, and. 456 00:26:41,090 --> 00:26:43,580 S2: To answer that question, our friends at Life and Messiah 457 00:26:43,580 --> 00:26:46,250 S2: want to mail you samples of the tracks their staff 458 00:26:46,250 --> 00:26:49,070 S2: use as they share the gospel. These will serve a 459 00:26:49,070 --> 00:26:52,040 S2: dual purpose. They'll equip you with methods of presenting the gospel, 460 00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:54,590 S2: and also supply you with tracks you can share with 461 00:26:54,590 --> 00:26:57,590 S2: your Jewish friends and neighbors. Life in Messiah's Prayer is 462 00:26:57,590 --> 00:26:59,750 S2: that these tracks will help further the spread of the 463 00:26:59,750 --> 00:27:03,470 S2: gospel among the Jewish people. To receive this helpful assortment 464 00:27:03,470 --> 00:27:05,720 S2: of tracks, all you need to do is visit life 465 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:08,900 S2: in Messiah org and click on the Moody Radio button 466 00:27:08,900 --> 00:27:13,580 S2: there for more information. That's Life in messiah.org. Don't miss 467 00:27:13,580 --> 00:27:15,440 S2: out on this great opportunity. 468 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:17,810 S1: All right, we'll kick off today's Q&A session with one 469 00:27:17,810 --> 00:27:20,659 S1: from my wife Diana, who says, in my Bible study 470 00:27:20,660 --> 00:27:25,129 S1: we were discussing heaven, specifically eternal rewards. And my question is, 471 00:27:25,130 --> 00:27:27,710 S1: when we get to heaven, we get crowns to lay 472 00:27:27,710 --> 00:27:30,830 S1: at Jesus feet. But is there a time of accountability? 473 00:27:30,830 --> 00:27:34,910 S1: Are we held accountable for, say, missed opportunities? And will 474 00:27:34,940 --> 00:27:36,500 S1: there really be rewards? 475 00:27:36,500 --> 00:27:39,110 S2: Yeah, and three groups of passages come to mind. And 476 00:27:39,109 --> 00:27:42,170 S2: the first is Paul's letter to the Corinthians. In first 477 00:27:42,170 --> 00:27:45,440 S2: Corinthians three, Paul talks about our building on the foundation 478 00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:47,780 S2: of Christ that he laid, and he divides the kind 479 00:27:47,780 --> 00:27:50,870 S2: of work we do into gold, silver, precious stones, meaning 480 00:27:50,869 --> 00:27:54,050 S2: good things, and wood, hay, stubble, which are not. And 481 00:27:54,050 --> 00:27:56,929 S2: he makes it clear that this doesn't determine our salvation, 482 00:27:56,930 --> 00:28:00,020 S2: but it does relate to rewards for faithfulness. And he 483 00:28:00,020 --> 00:28:02,030 S2: seems to come back to this same idea of rewards 484 00:28:02,030 --> 00:28:05,660 S2: or lack of rewards later in Second Corinthians 510. Now 485 00:28:05,660 --> 00:28:08,660 S2: the second passage that comes to mind is Colossians three. 486 00:28:08,780 --> 00:28:11,990 S2: In verses 24 and 25, there Paul talks about our 487 00:28:11,990 --> 00:28:15,710 S2: receiving the inheritance as our reward. The third that comes 488 00:28:15,710 --> 00:28:19,520 S2: to mind is first Timothy 617 to 19, where Paul 489 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:22,879 S2: talks about storing up treasures for ourselves by doing good. 490 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:25,670 S2: Now I see this being similar to Jesus's words in 491 00:28:25,670 --> 00:28:28,460 S2: Luke 12, where he talks about storing up treasures for 492 00:28:28,460 --> 00:28:31,369 S2: ourselves in heaven. I think we'll appear before the Bema 493 00:28:31,369 --> 00:28:34,130 S2: Seat judgment of Jesus to give an account of our 494 00:28:34,130 --> 00:28:36,830 S2: faithfulness while here on earth. It has nothing to do 495 00:28:36,830 --> 00:28:39,980 S2: with our salvation, but it will impact our future reward 496 00:28:39,980 --> 00:28:43,490 S2: and service for eternity. We'll have different places of service 497 00:28:43,490 --> 00:28:46,250 S2: in the Millennial Kingdom. The apostles were told they would 498 00:28:46,250 --> 00:28:49,250 S2: sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel, 499 00:28:49,250 --> 00:28:51,229 S2: and I used to teach my students this way. I'd 500 00:28:51,230 --> 00:28:53,690 S2: say it's somewhat tongue in cheek, that someday someone's going 501 00:28:53,690 --> 00:28:55,670 S2: to be in charge of running the city of Chicago 502 00:28:55,670 --> 00:28:57,980 S2: during the millennium, and someone else might be in charge 503 00:28:57,980 --> 00:29:00,530 S2: of running the dog pound. And depending on how faithful 504 00:29:00,530 --> 00:29:01,970 S2: we were here in this life. 505 00:29:01,970 --> 00:29:04,280 S1: Well, Charlie, you know, having said that, is it not 506 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:06,650 S1: possible that the verse that says he will wipe away 507 00:29:06,650 --> 00:29:09,530 S1: all tears from their eyes? Is there a connect point there? 508 00:29:09,530 --> 00:29:12,380 S1: Because we'll say, hmm, I guess I really blew it. 509 00:29:12,380 --> 00:29:15,260 S1: You know, I didn't invest eternally as I ought to have. 510 00:29:15,260 --> 00:29:16,550 S1: Or am I reading too far into it? 511 00:29:16,550 --> 00:29:18,440 S2: No, I think you're exactly right. I think that the 512 00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:20,300 S2: fact that he wipes tears from our eyes says that 513 00:29:20,300 --> 00:29:22,940 S2: we won't have kind of a remorse. But I think 514 00:29:22,940 --> 00:29:25,310 S2: when it happens, we'll go. This is fair. I got 515 00:29:25,310 --> 00:29:28,010 S2: exactly what I deserve. And yes, I did fail in 516 00:29:28,010 --> 00:29:28,940 S2: what I should have done for. 517 00:29:28,940 --> 00:29:32,390 S1: Christ, Pat says. I have read in various commentaries that 518 00:29:32,390 --> 00:29:35,000 S1: the Apostle Paul was released from his imprisonment in Rome 519 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:37,610 S1: and traveled on, as was his plan to a missionary 520 00:29:37,610 --> 00:29:40,880 S1: journey to Spain. Then later on in his return to Rome, 521 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:43,160 S1: he was imprisoned a second time, which ended up in 522 00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:46,280 S1: his execution. But I've read elsewhere, however, that Paul was 523 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:49,340 S1: never released from his imprisonment in Rome. Is there a 524 00:29:49,340 --> 00:29:52,820 S1: reliable church tradition that verifies Paul was indeed imprisoned in 525 00:29:52,820 --> 00:29:54,050 S1: Rome twice? 526 00:29:54,410 --> 00:29:57,050 S2: Even better than the church tradition? I think the Bible 527 00:29:57,050 --> 00:29:59,660 S2: helps us answer this question. You know, Luke gives us 528 00:29:59,660 --> 00:30:02,300 S2: a very detailed itinerary of Paul's travels in the different 529 00:30:02,300 --> 00:30:04,880 S2: missionary journeys in the book of acts, but there are 530 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:07,430 S2: points in some things Paul says in his letters that 531 00:30:07,430 --> 00:30:10,220 S2: don't match up with the book of acts. For example, Philemon, 532 00:30:10,220 --> 00:30:13,280 S2: verse 22, Paul writes one more thing prepare a guest 533 00:30:13,280 --> 00:30:15,469 S2: room for me, because I hope to be restored to 534 00:30:15,470 --> 00:30:18,290 S2: you and answer to your prayers. Well, Paul never visited 535 00:30:18,290 --> 00:30:21,320 S2: Colossae during his missionary journey, but he was planning on 536 00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:24,800 S2: doing so. Evidently, according to that verse in first Timothy 537 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:27,980 S2: one verse three, Paul says to Timothy, I urged you 538 00:30:27,980 --> 00:30:30,650 S2: when I went to Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus, so 539 00:30:30,650 --> 00:30:33,620 S2: that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrine. 540 00:30:33,620 --> 00:30:35,390 S2: But there was never a time in the book of 541 00:30:35,390 --> 00:30:38,660 S2: acts when Paul left Timothy in Ephesus, while he traveled 542 00:30:38,660 --> 00:30:42,830 S2: on into Macedonia, and then in Titus one five, Paul wrote, 543 00:30:42,830 --> 00:30:45,470 S2: the reason I left you in Crete was. And then 544 00:30:45,470 --> 00:30:49,370 S2: he gives an explanation. But he never stopped or ministered 545 00:30:49,370 --> 00:30:51,950 S2: in Crete. He only passed through on his way to Rome, 546 00:30:51,950 --> 00:30:54,140 S2: on as a prisoner on the ship. And it tells 547 00:30:54,140 --> 00:30:57,260 S2: me that Paul likely visited Colossae, and that he certainly 548 00:30:57,260 --> 00:31:02,120 S2: visited Ephesus again, leaving Timothy there and Crete leaving Titus there. 549 00:31:02,150 --> 00:31:04,940 S2: And one final detail Paul wrote the book of Romans 550 00:31:04,940 --> 00:31:07,600 S2: from Corinth toward the end of. His third missionary journey, 551 00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:10,270 S2: and in Romans 15 he told him he hoped to 552 00:31:10,270 --> 00:31:13,150 S2: visit Rome while passing through on his way to Spain. 553 00:31:13,330 --> 00:31:16,000 S2: That suggests he had a plan to preach the gospel 554 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:18,070 S2: there in Spain. Now, if I put all that together, 555 00:31:18,070 --> 00:31:21,250 S2: I suspect when Paul was released from prison in Rome, 556 00:31:21,250 --> 00:31:23,950 S2: he traveled first to Spain. He then went back to 557 00:31:23,950 --> 00:31:28,210 S2: Crete and Ephesus, where he also went inland and visited Colossae. 558 00:31:28,210 --> 00:31:30,580 S2: And then he left Titus in Ephesus and traveled to 559 00:31:30,580 --> 00:31:34,300 S2: Troas and on to Philippi. And somewhere in Macedonia is 560 00:31:34,300 --> 00:31:36,880 S2: likely where he was arrested for the second time, and 561 00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:39,219 S2: then taken to Rome, not even having time to go 562 00:31:39,220 --> 00:31:42,640 S2: back and retrieve his cloak, which he then tells Timothy 563 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:44,020 S2: to bring to him in Rome. 564 00:31:44,350 --> 00:31:46,930 S1: Why do you think Luke left us hanging at the 565 00:31:46,930 --> 00:31:50,230 S1: end of acts? One scholar suggests that perhaps Luke died 566 00:31:50,230 --> 00:31:53,620 S1: before Paul was brought before Nero. Do you think that's plausible? 567 00:31:53,620 --> 00:31:57,580 S1: Is there any reliable church tradition that gives us additional information? 568 00:31:57,610 --> 00:31:59,680 S2: Yeah, well, I think the reason Luke ended the book 569 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:01,660 S2: of acts as he did, was to show the gospel 570 00:32:01,660 --> 00:32:03,790 S2: had arrived in Rome, which at that time was the 571 00:32:03,790 --> 00:32:07,150 S2: center of the Gentile universe. The book of Luke and 572 00:32:07,150 --> 00:32:09,100 S2: acts together are something like a funnel. You know, Luke 573 00:32:09,100 --> 00:32:12,040 S2: moves from starting with the decree of Caesar from Rome, 574 00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:14,230 S2: all the way down to the events in Jerusalem, with 575 00:32:14,230 --> 00:32:16,570 S2: the death and resurrection of Jesus. And the book of 576 00:32:16,570 --> 00:32:19,840 S2: Acts then begins in Jerusalem and describes the impact of 577 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:23,320 S2: Christ's death and resurrection until it arrives back in Rome 578 00:32:23,320 --> 00:32:25,900 S2: at the end of acts. So Luke stopped in Rome 579 00:32:25,900 --> 00:32:28,240 S2: because it was the equivalent of saying the gospel had 580 00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:31,900 S2: now reached the world in terms of Luke dying before 581 00:32:31,930 --> 00:32:34,870 S2: Paul appeared before Nero. I can say for certain, Luke 582 00:32:34,870 --> 00:32:37,900 S2: hadn't died before Paul was brought before Nero. And I 583 00:32:37,900 --> 00:32:40,750 S2: say that because of two verses in second Timothy. In 584 00:32:40,750 --> 00:32:44,590 S2: second Timothy 411, Paul says, only Luke is with me, 585 00:32:44,590 --> 00:32:47,710 S2: describing his final time in Rome. And then in verses 586 00:32:47,710 --> 00:32:51,100 S2: 16 to 17 he describes his appearing before Nero. So 587 00:32:51,100 --> 00:32:53,500 S2: Luke was with Paul right up to the very end, 588 00:32:53,500 --> 00:32:55,450 S2: and I find that really encouraging. 589 00:32:55,450 --> 00:32:58,210 S1: It's the land and the book from Moody Radio, our host, 590 00:32:58,210 --> 00:33:01,870 S1: Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John Jaeger, loving your questions. This 591 00:33:01,870 --> 00:33:05,020 S1: one from Bernie. Hebrews nine verse four refers to the 592 00:33:05,020 --> 00:33:07,930 S1: altar of incense as being located within the Holy of 593 00:33:07,930 --> 00:33:10,840 S1: Holies with the Ark of the covenant in Exodus 30, 594 00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:13,840 S1: verse six, the incense altar is described as being in 595 00:33:13,840 --> 00:33:16,690 S1: front of the curtain by the ark of the testimony. 596 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:19,150 S1: How do we reconcile these differences? 597 00:33:19,150 --> 00:33:22,300 S2: Yeah, there are several possible explanations, but the one I 598 00:33:22,300 --> 00:33:26,650 S2: personally prefer is having the word translated golden altar in 599 00:33:26,650 --> 00:33:30,280 S2: Hebrews nine verse four, understood as referring to a golden 600 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:33,880 S2: censer like the censer. Aaron and later High Priest, filled 601 00:33:33,880 --> 00:33:36,880 S2: with incense and coals from that altar, and then took 602 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:38,860 S2: inside the veil to the Holy of Holies on the 603 00:33:38,860 --> 00:33:42,820 S2: Day of Atonement. In Leviticus 1612 and 13, Aaron was 604 00:33:42,820 --> 00:33:44,830 S2: to take that censer full of burning coals from the 605 00:33:44,830 --> 00:33:48,250 S2: altar before the Lord, and take him behind the curtain. 606 00:33:48,250 --> 00:33:51,040 S2: While the Greek word used in Hebrews nine normally refers 607 00:33:51,040 --> 00:33:53,920 S2: to the altar of incense, that same Greek word is 608 00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:57,310 S2: used to refer to a censor in the Septuagint translation 609 00:33:57,310 --> 00:34:00,880 S2: of Ezekiel eight and in Second Chronicles 26. In the 610 00:34:00,880 --> 00:34:03,400 S2: same way, I believe the word in Hebrews nine can 611 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:06,100 S2: be understood to refer to a censer rather than just 612 00:34:06,100 --> 00:34:08,560 S2: the altar of incense. I believe it is clear in 613 00:34:08,560 --> 00:34:11,440 S2: the Old Testament that the altar of incense was located 614 00:34:11,440 --> 00:34:14,350 S2: outside the veil, but on the day of Atonement, coals 615 00:34:14,350 --> 00:34:16,750 S2: from that altar, along with the incense that would normally 616 00:34:16,750 --> 00:34:19,330 S2: be placed on that altar, were brought into the Holy 617 00:34:19,330 --> 00:34:22,330 S2: of Holies before God's presence above the cherubim on the 618 00:34:22,330 --> 00:34:26,049 S2: mercy seat. So in that sense, the incense censer, functioning 619 00:34:26,050 --> 00:34:28,090 S2: in the same way as the altar that is representing 620 00:34:28,090 --> 00:34:31,090 S2: the prayers of God's people before the Lord was indeed 621 00:34:31,090 --> 00:34:33,219 S2: brought inside the Holy of Holies. 622 00:34:33,219 --> 00:34:36,760 S1: Brian says. Isaiah 40, verse 22 mentions the circle of 623 00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:39,459 S1: the earth. Was this a reference to the spherical shape 624 00:34:39,460 --> 00:34:42,280 S1: of our world? Of course, the secular humanists would try 625 00:34:42,280 --> 00:34:45,700 S1: to explain this away somehow, but please give me your opinion. 626 00:34:45,790 --> 00:34:48,670 S2: Yeah, I don't believe it's a reference to the spherical 627 00:34:48,670 --> 00:34:51,400 S2: shape of the earth. It makes perfect sense if we 628 00:34:51,400 --> 00:34:53,620 S2: just realize how people in that day viewed the world 629 00:34:53,620 --> 00:34:56,110 S2: using their own human senses. Now, if you've ever stood 630 00:34:56,110 --> 00:34:58,930 S2: on a flat plane, like, like in the Midwest, or 631 00:34:59,110 --> 00:35:01,510 S2: when I lived in Texas for years, or on a 632 00:35:01,510 --> 00:35:04,060 S2: high mountain and then looked out on the horizon, well, 633 00:35:04,060 --> 00:35:06,790 S2: the earth has a circular appearance. That is, you can 634 00:35:06,790 --> 00:35:10,120 S2: turn in 360 degrees and you can see the horizon 635 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:11,800 S2: all the way around. So it appears to be a 636 00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:14,920 S2: complete circle with the sky then stretched out above like 637 00:35:14,920 --> 00:35:17,770 S2: a dome. And the people in that day then watched 638 00:35:17,770 --> 00:35:19,840 S2: the movement of the sun, the moon, the stars as 639 00:35:19,840 --> 00:35:23,169 S2: they circled overhead. And as a result, in this passage, 640 00:35:23,170 --> 00:35:25,899 S2: I believe Isaiah is describing the world as it was 641 00:35:25,900 --> 00:35:28,870 S2: perceived by those in his day to help them understand 642 00:35:28,870 --> 00:35:32,410 S2: the grandeur of God. God sits above the circle or 643 00:35:32,410 --> 00:35:34,839 S2: vault of the earth and stretches out the heavens like 644 00:35:34,840 --> 00:35:37,719 S2: a curtain. Now, compared to such a god, the human rulers, 645 00:35:37,719 --> 00:35:40,150 S2: he goes on to say, who were threatening Israel are 646 00:35:40,150 --> 00:35:44,020 S2: insignificant in their power. Now, one last detail. Some might say, well, 647 00:35:44,020 --> 00:35:47,530 S2: that's rather unscientific to describe creation that way, but I 648 00:35:47,530 --> 00:35:49,569 S2: don't see that as a problem since we do exactly 649 00:35:49,570 --> 00:35:52,359 S2: the same thing. You know, my smartphone tells me the 650 00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:56,440 S2: exact minute for sunrise and sunset each day. But of course, 651 00:35:56,440 --> 00:35:59,710 S2: we know the sun doesn't technically rise or set in 652 00:35:59,710 --> 00:36:02,980 S2: a scientific sense. It's the Earth's rotation around that gives 653 00:36:02,980 --> 00:36:06,460 S2: the appearance of the sun rising. Yet we still. Use 654 00:36:06,460 --> 00:36:09,310 S2: that same kind of terminology because it describes what appears 655 00:36:09,310 --> 00:36:12,489 S2: to happen from our own human perspective. Now, that's similar 656 00:36:12,489 --> 00:36:15,279 S2: to what Isaiah was doing in using the terminology that 657 00:36:15,280 --> 00:36:17,320 S2: was in place in his own day. 658 00:36:17,650 --> 00:36:20,860 S1: Last question will the saints who die during the tribulation 659 00:36:20,860 --> 00:36:24,040 S1: come back with Christ to fight in the battle of Armageddon? 660 00:36:24,460 --> 00:36:27,760 S2: Well, according to revelation 24, the answer is no. Jesus 661 00:36:27,760 --> 00:36:31,060 S2: returns to earth in revelation 19, and then revelation 20 says, 662 00:36:31,060 --> 00:36:32,620 S2: and I saw the souls of those who had been 663 00:36:32,620 --> 00:36:36,279 S2: beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus, and they come 664 00:36:36,280 --> 00:36:38,170 S2: to life and reign with Christ a thousand years. So 665 00:36:38,170 --> 00:36:41,410 S2: it appears that the martyred tribulation saints are not resurrected 666 00:36:41,410 --> 00:36:43,390 S2: until after Jesus returns. 667 00:36:43,420 --> 00:36:46,750 S1: Interesting question. And there's more to come. Charlie's devotional. It's 668 00:36:46,750 --> 00:36:49,960 S1: next here on Moody Radio's The Land and the book. 669 00:37:02,850 --> 00:37:05,100 S1: So are you a big 4th of July fan? I'll 670 00:37:05,100 --> 00:37:08,400 S1: never forget when our first granddaughter came along. She described 671 00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:13,100 S1: it Charlie as 4th July, 4th July. And I understand, though, 672 00:37:13,100 --> 00:37:16,670 S1: that not the 4th of July, but somebody else's proclamation 673 00:37:16,670 --> 00:37:19,310 S1: of liberty is very much in the focus of your 674 00:37:19,310 --> 00:37:20,210 S1: devotional today. 675 00:37:20,210 --> 00:37:21,800 S2: It is today, John. All right. 676 00:37:21,800 --> 00:37:24,560 S1: Leviticus 2510 is where we're headed. You say, what's that 677 00:37:24,560 --> 00:37:27,710 S1: got to do with proclaiming liberty? You'll find out after 678 00:37:27,710 --> 00:37:29,390 S1: this Holy Land experience. 679 00:37:33,190 --> 00:37:37,420 S5: Hi, I'm Kathleen. I've read so many times of the 680 00:37:37,420 --> 00:37:42,940 S5: Exodus and Moses trekking through the desert, and I pictured 681 00:37:42,940 --> 00:37:48,580 S5: this flat surface. And guess what? Now I know why 682 00:37:48,580 --> 00:37:54,160 S5: all the Jews complained. Yeah, that ground is anything but level. 683 00:37:54,160 --> 00:37:58,180 S5: It just is such a horrible trek. I don't know 684 00:37:58,180 --> 00:38:00,040 S5: how they did it for 40 years. 685 00:38:00,370 --> 00:38:04,120 S6: Hi, my name is Lynn and my Holy Land experience 686 00:38:04,120 --> 00:38:08,020 S6: was an awakening to me. I always thought that the 687 00:38:08,020 --> 00:38:13,899 S6: wilderness was a flat, plain, dry and just very desolate. 688 00:38:13,900 --> 00:38:16,630 S6: But when we were at the Wadi Kilte and I 689 00:38:16,630 --> 00:38:20,020 S6: saw those hills up and down, and I thought to myself, 690 00:38:20,020 --> 00:38:22,870 S6: you know, that's so much like life. You have the 691 00:38:22,870 --> 00:38:27,129 S6: mountaintop experiences, the low valleys where you run into problems. 692 00:38:27,130 --> 00:38:29,680 S6: But God is with you all the time, molding you, 693 00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:32,020 S6: shaping you to do his will. 694 00:38:33,989 --> 00:38:35,820 S1: All right, Charlie, I'm looking forward to hearing what you've 695 00:38:35,820 --> 00:38:39,360 S1: got to say about proclaiming liberty in your devotional today. 696 00:38:39,390 --> 00:38:42,160 S2: Well, thanks, John. Well, this coming week, Americans celebrate the 697 00:38:42,160 --> 00:38:45,810 S2: 4th of July, the day in 1776 when the Continental 698 00:38:45,810 --> 00:38:49,500 S2: Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. You know, in Canada, 699 00:38:49,500 --> 00:38:52,650 S2: this week also marks Canada Day, the day Britain made 700 00:38:52,650 --> 00:38:56,520 S2: Canada a self-governing dominion within the British Empire. Now, growing 701 00:38:56,520 --> 00:38:59,700 S2: up in Pennsylvania, I made my pilgrimage to Philadelphia to 702 00:38:59,700 --> 00:39:02,609 S2: visit Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, and I learned 703 00:39:02,610 --> 00:39:06,390 S2: that Independence Hall was originally the Pennsylvania State House. In fact, 704 00:39:06,390 --> 00:39:10,890 S2: it wasn't until 1824, when the now elderly French Revolutionary 705 00:39:10,890 --> 00:39:15,090 S2: War hero Marquis de Lafayette returned to Philadelphia and referred 706 00:39:15,090 --> 00:39:18,270 S2: to the building as the House of independence, and that's 707 00:39:18,270 --> 00:39:21,839 S2: when the current name gained popularity. The Liberty Bell has 708 00:39:21,840 --> 00:39:25,320 S2: a similar history. The Bell was originally commissioned to commemorate 709 00:39:25,320 --> 00:39:29,610 S2: the 50th anniversary of William Penn's Charter of Privileges, the 710 00:39:29,610 --> 00:39:33,540 S2: state's original constitution, and there were three versions of the bell. 711 00:39:33,570 --> 00:39:36,839 S2: The first version, imported from England, cracked when it was 712 00:39:36,840 --> 00:39:41,280 S2: originally rung shortly after being hung in 1753. It was 713 00:39:41,280 --> 00:39:44,280 S2: then melted down and a second version was recast later 714 00:39:44,280 --> 00:39:47,940 S2: that spring, but no one was pleased with how it sounded, 715 00:39:47,940 --> 00:39:50,520 S2: so the local foundry melted it down and tried a 716 00:39:50,520 --> 00:39:54,780 S2: third time, but that sound was still disappointing. Another bell 717 00:39:54,780 --> 00:39:57,270 S2: was brought from England, but it didn't sound any better. 718 00:39:57,270 --> 00:40:00,330 S2: So the original bell, now in its third version, is 719 00:40:00,330 --> 00:40:03,359 S2: what remained in place. The crack in the bell didn't 720 00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:06,090 S2: happen when the bell sounded to announce the signing of 721 00:40:06,090 --> 00:40:09,900 S2: the Declaration of Independence. Hairline cracks had appeared over time, 722 00:40:09,900 --> 00:40:13,500 S2: but the major crack that made the bell unusable happened 723 00:40:13,500 --> 00:40:17,970 S2: in 1846, when it was rung to celebrate Washington's birthday. 724 00:40:17,969 --> 00:40:20,580 S2: But by then it had also taken on a new name. 725 00:40:20,580 --> 00:40:24,810 S2: The bell was originally simply called the Statehouse bell, but 726 00:40:24,810 --> 00:40:27,690 S2: it was used as a cover drawing in an 1837 727 00:40:27,690 --> 00:40:31,950 S2: edition of an anti-slavery magazine, and it was the abolitionists 728 00:40:31,950 --> 00:40:34,950 S2: who named it the Liberty Bell, in large part because 729 00:40:34,950 --> 00:40:38,339 S2: of the inscription written on it. And that lengthy introduction 730 00:40:38,340 --> 00:40:41,520 S2: now brings me to my message for today. The inscription 731 00:40:41,520 --> 00:40:44,009 S2: on the Liberty Bell is a quotation from the King 732 00:40:44,010 --> 00:40:48,690 S2: James Version of Leviticus 2510 proclaim liberty throughout all the 733 00:40:48,690 --> 00:40:53,250 S2: land onto all the inhabitants thereof. The abolitionists saw in 734 00:40:53,250 --> 00:40:57,690 S2: this quote a biblical injunction to free all slaves and prisoners, 735 00:40:57,690 --> 00:41:01,200 S2: and their name for the bell stuck. But that leads 736 00:41:01,200 --> 00:41:03,810 S2: us to a book of the Bible that's uncharted territory 737 00:41:03,810 --> 00:41:08,280 S2: for many believers today. Leviticus, with its detailed emphasis on offerings, 738 00:41:08,280 --> 00:41:13,830 S2: purification rituals, festivals and numerous other regulations, seems almost overwhelming 739 00:41:13,830 --> 00:41:16,919 S2: to church age saints. And in many ways that's sad, 740 00:41:16,920 --> 00:41:19,770 S2: because even though the church is not Israel, nor are 741 00:41:19,770 --> 00:41:22,650 S2: we under the law, yet, Leviticus has much to say 742 00:41:22,650 --> 00:41:26,160 S2: about practical holiness. It helps us understand what it means 743 00:41:26,160 --> 00:41:29,430 S2: to live in a way that reflects God's holiness. One 744 00:41:29,430 --> 00:41:32,520 S2: practical aspect of all this is God's proclamation of the 745 00:41:32,520 --> 00:41:36,300 S2: year of Jubilee in Leviticus 25. Every seventh year was 746 00:41:36,300 --> 00:41:38,250 S2: to be a sabbatical year when the people were to 747 00:41:38,250 --> 00:41:41,940 S2: let the land lie fallow. But immediately after the seventh 748 00:41:41,940 --> 00:41:45,480 S2: of these sabbatical years, spanning a cycle of 49 years, 749 00:41:45,480 --> 00:41:49,470 S2: God then announced a jubilee year, consecrate the 50th year, 750 00:41:49,469 --> 00:41:53,100 S2: and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. 751 00:41:53,100 --> 00:41:55,650 S2: It shall be a jubilee for you. Each one of 752 00:41:55,650 --> 00:41:58,469 S2: you is to return to his family property, and each 753 00:41:58,469 --> 00:42:01,620 S2: to his own clan. At first this additional year sounds 754 00:42:01,620 --> 00:42:04,080 S2: like a year of hardship. Do not so, and do 755 00:42:04,080 --> 00:42:07,830 S2: not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines, 756 00:42:07,830 --> 00:42:10,380 S2: for it is a jubilee and is to be holy 757 00:42:10,380 --> 00:42:13,320 S2: for you. Eat only what is taken directly from the 758 00:42:13,320 --> 00:42:16,469 S2: fields for two years in a row. Israel isn't to 759 00:42:16,469 --> 00:42:19,739 S2: sow seed or tend its vines. They could only eat 760 00:42:19,739 --> 00:42:22,230 S2: what they had stored up before or what grew of 761 00:42:22,230 --> 00:42:25,680 S2: itself during that period. In essence, God called on the 762 00:42:25,680 --> 00:42:29,670 S2: people once every generation to exercise the supreme test of 763 00:42:29,670 --> 00:42:33,600 S2: obedience and trust. Can you trust God to meet your 764 00:42:33,600 --> 00:42:36,870 S2: physical needs for two years, and God did promise to 765 00:42:36,870 --> 00:42:39,450 S2: meet those needs. I will send you such a blessing 766 00:42:39,450 --> 00:42:41,850 S2: in the sixth year that the land will yield enough 767 00:42:41,850 --> 00:42:45,450 S2: for three years. The year of Jubilee wasn't simply about 768 00:42:45,450 --> 00:42:48,029 S2: trusting God to meet their needs. It was also a 769 00:42:48,030 --> 00:42:50,790 S2: time for people to return to their own property. That is, 770 00:42:50,790 --> 00:42:53,160 S2: those who had been forced to sell their land because 771 00:42:53,160 --> 00:42:56,730 S2: of financial necessity were now to have their land returned. 772 00:42:56,730 --> 00:42:59,250 S2: In essence, those who had bought the land weren't actually 773 00:42:59,250 --> 00:43:01,859 S2: buying it. They were just buying the number of crops 774 00:43:01,860 --> 00:43:04,920 S2: it would produce until the next year of Jubilee. God 775 00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:07,380 S2: was very clear on the issue of land ownership. The 776 00:43:07,380 --> 00:43:10,410 S2: land must not be sold permanently because the land is 777 00:43:10,410 --> 00:43:14,400 S2: mine and you are but aliens and my tenants. God 778 00:43:14,400 --> 00:43:16,950 S2: also provided strict laws when it came to selling someone 779 00:43:16,950 --> 00:43:20,219 S2: into slavery. If one of your countrymen becomes poor among 780 00:43:20,219 --> 00:43:22,560 S2: you and sells himself to you, do not make him 781 00:43:22,560 --> 00:43:24,720 S2: work as a slave. He is to be treated as 782 00:43:24,719 --> 00:43:28,020 S2: a hired worker or a temporary resident among you. He 783 00:43:28,020 --> 00:43:30,299 S2: is to work for you until the year of Jubilee. 784 00:43:30,300 --> 00:43:33,000 S2: Then he and his children are to be restored. He 785 00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:35,469 S2: will go. To his own clan and to the property 786 00:43:35,469 --> 00:43:39,640 S2: of his forefathers. Slavery is commonly practiced in that day 787 00:43:39,640 --> 00:43:42,489 S2: was not to be practiced by Israel. The year of 788 00:43:42,489 --> 00:43:46,509 S2: jubilee guaranteed freedom. History tells us that Israel struggled to 789 00:43:46,510 --> 00:43:50,740 S2: obey these regulations. In Jeremiah 34, the prophet described a 790 00:43:50,739 --> 00:43:54,250 S2: time of extreme distress when King Zedekiah made a covenant 791 00:43:54,250 --> 00:43:57,370 S2: with all the people in Jerusalem to proclaim freedom for 792 00:43:57,370 --> 00:44:00,670 S2: the slaves. Everyone was to free his Hebrew slaves, both 793 00:44:00,670 --> 00:44:03,250 S2: male and female. No one was to hold a fellow 794 00:44:03,250 --> 00:44:06,280 S2: Jew in bondage. So all the officials and people who 795 00:44:06,280 --> 00:44:09,340 S2: entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their 796 00:44:09,340 --> 00:44:12,850 S2: male and female slaves and no longer hold them in bondage. 797 00:44:12,850 --> 00:44:16,750 S2: They agreed and set them free. But afterward they changed 798 00:44:16,750 --> 00:44:19,330 S2: their minds and took back the slaves they had freed 799 00:44:19,330 --> 00:44:22,780 S2: and enslaved them again. And God judged the people for 800 00:44:22,780 --> 00:44:25,960 S2: their disobedience. You have not obeyed me. You have not 801 00:44:25,960 --> 00:44:29,800 S2: proclaimed freedom for your fellow countrymen. So I now proclaim 802 00:44:29,800 --> 00:44:33,250 S2: freedom for you, declares the Lord. Freedom to fall by 803 00:44:33,250 --> 00:44:37,600 S2: the sword and plague and famine. God used the sabbatical 804 00:44:37,600 --> 00:44:40,510 S2: years and the year of jubilee as object lessons for 805 00:44:40,510 --> 00:44:43,839 S2: his people. Practical examples of what it meant to walk 806 00:44:43,840 --> 00:44:48,640 S2: by faith, trusting God and treat others with dignity and respect. 807 00:44:48,640 --> 00:44:51,310 S2: And it was no accident that the year of Jubilee 808 00:44:51,310 --> 00:44:55,000 S2: began as the Day of Atonement was ending. Have the 809 00:44:55,000 --> 00:44:58,270 S2: trumpets sounded everywhere on the 10th day of the seventh month, 810 00:44:58,270 --> 00:45:01,750 S2: on the Day of Atonement, sound the trumpet throughout your land. 811 00:45:01,900 --> 00:45:05,170 S2: The Day of Atonement was God's provision for sin, and 812 00:45:05,170 --> 00:45:08,710 S2: it's followed immediately by a trumpet blast announcing the start 813 00:45:08,710 --> 00:45:12,190 S2: of the 50th year, the year of Jubilee, to proclaim 814 00:45:12,190 --> 00:45:16,450 S2: liberty throughout the land. John Peter Lange perhaps focused on 815 00:45:16,450 --> 00:45:20,050 S2: that connection when he wrote the proclamation of Freedom was 816 00:45:20,050 --> 00:45:23,740 S2: the most appropriate. Just after the great reconciliation of the 817 00:45:23,739 --> 00:45:28,239 S2: people with God had been symbolically completed. There's so much 818 00:45:28,239 --> 00:45:30,940 S2: more we could say. But what does the 4th of July, 819 00:45:30,969 --> 00:45:34,330 S2: the Liberty Bell, and Leviticus 2510 have to do with 820 00:45:34,330 --> 00:45:38,560 S2: you this coming week? How about this? God has set 821 00:45:38,560 --> 00:45:41,170 S2: us free from the penalty and power of sin in 822 00:45:41,170 --> 00:45:45,220 S2: our lives. He's given us spiritual liberty, and yet we 823 00:45:45,219 --> 00:45:48,910 S2: still find ourselves struggling, just like Israel did when they 824 00:45:48,910 --> 00:45:51,820 S2: weren't allowed to plant or harvest for an additional year. 825 00:45:51,820 --> 00:45:54,670 S2: But God says to us, just like he said to them, 826 00:45:54,670 --> 00:45:58,090 S2: trust me and follow my instructions. I will go before 827 00:45:58,090 --> 00:46:01,090 S2: you and meet your needs. And throughout this journey, I 828 00:46:01,090 --> 00:46:05,290 S2: will teach you lessons that can only be learned this way. Or, 829 00:46:05,290 --> 00:46:08,739 S2: as the songwriter put it, trust and obey, for there's 830 00:46:08,739 --> 00:46:11,590 S2: no other way to be happy in Jesus but to 831 00:46:11,590 --> 00:46:17,350 S2: trust and obey. Do so and you will discover true liberty. 832 00:46:17,350 --> 00:46:21,250 S1: Thank you Charlie, very appropriate, very seasonal and as always, 833 00:46:21,250 --> 00:46:25,029 S1: very biblical. Really appreciate that. Well, you know, we would 834 00:46:25,030 --> 00:46:26,740 S1: love it if you'd share an email with us. Let 835 00:46:26,739 --> 00:46:29,440 S1: us know how the broadcast is impacting your life. Making 836 00:46:29,440 --> 00:46:32,020 S1: a difference for you. Why don't you connect with us 837 00:46:32,020 --> 00:46:35,830 S1: at The Land and the book at Moody Dot Edu? 838 00:46:35,830 --> 00:46:40,359 S1: That's the land and the book@moody.edu. And we encourage you 839 00:46:40,360 --> 00:46:44,560 S1: to visit our website at the Land and the book.org 840 00:46:45,100 --> 00:46:47,919 S1: for Danny Anderson, our producer, Charlie Dyer, our host, I'm 841 00:46:47,920 --> 00:46:50,650 S1: John Gager, thanking you for listening to The Land and 842 00:46:50,650 --> 00:46:53,500 S1: the book, a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of 843 00:46:53,500 --> 00:46:55,029 S1: Moody Bible Institute.