WEBVTT - The War’s Impact on Palestinian Believers 0:00:07.940 --> 0:00:12.440 We were horrified when Hamas attacked Israel last October, but 0:00:12.440 --> 0:00:15.770 the events that followed also had an enormous impact on 0:00:15.770 --> 0:00:19.610 Palestinian believers in the Gaza Strip. Tom Doyle has been 0:00:19.610 --> 0:00:22.550 there many times. In just a few minutes, he brings 0:00:22.550 --> 0:00:25.400 us the stories of brothers and sisters who are dealing 0:00:25.400 --> 0:00:29.540 with the literal fallout. These are amazing testimonies from inside 0:00:29.540 --> 0:00:32.510 Gaza that we need to hear. Welcome to the land 0:00:32.510 --> 0:00:35.390 and the book. Doctor Charlie Dyer is a guy who 0:00:35.390 --> 0:00:38.420 spent his entire life studying, traveling, and writing about the 0:00:38.420 --> 0:00:41.420 Middle East. I'm John Geiger, and of course, Israel has 0:00:41.420 --> 0:00:43.970 been in the news a whole lot over this past year, 0:00:43.970 --> 0:00:47.600 and the Bible is jam packed with end times prophecies 0:00:47.600 --> 0:00:51.290 about epic world events, the regathering of the Jewish people 0:00:51.290 --> 0:00:54.560 to their homeland, and Jesus return. So it's crucial for 0:00:54.560 --> 0:00:56.930 us as believers, though, to have a proper understanding of 0:00:56.930 --> 0:01:00.230 Bible prophecy. So our view of the future is shaped 0:01:00.230 --> 0:01:03.200 by Scripture and not just today's headlines. Right, Charlie? 0:01:03.230 --> 0:01:05.509 That's right. John. And with this in mind, our friends 0:01:05.510 --> 0:01:08.569 at Life and Messiah have published a book titled God, 0:01:08.569 --> 0:01:11.990 Israel and Bible Prophecy and are offering it to listeners 0:01:11.990 --> 0:01:14.360 of the land in the book for a limited time. 0:01:14.360 --> 0:01:18.050 This informative book is focused on providing readers with deeper 0:01:18.050 --> 0:01:22.100 understanding and greater appreciation of what God has in store 0:01:22.130 --> 0:01:24.950 for Israel and the nations by digging into what the 0:01:24.950 --> 0:01:28.220 scriptures say about these issues. Now, if you're interested in 0:01:28.220 --> 0:01:31.790 learning more about what God has in store, visit Life 0:01:31.819 --> 0:01:35.030 in Messiah. Org and click on the Moody Radio button 0:01:35.030 --> 0:01:38.480 to find out how you can receive your copy of God, 0:01:38.480 --> 0:01:44.180 Israel and Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org. Well, another. 0:01:44.180 --> 0:01:46.550 Week has gone by, and at least up to the 0:01:46.550 --> 0:01:49.880 moment that we're recording this broadcast. Israel has yet to 0:01:49.910 --> 0:01:54.080 respond to Iran's missile attack on October the 1st. Why 0:01:54.080 --> 0:01:57.080 has Israel taken so long to respond, many wonder. 0:01:57.110 --> 0:01:59.270 Yeah, and it could be a be multiple reasons for 0:01:59.270 --> 0:02:02.060 the delay. Now, one could be the US pressure on 0:02:02.060 --> 0:02:06.890 Israel not to attack Iran's nuclear facilities or oil production facilities. 0:02:06.920 --> 0:02:10.040 In fact, Blinken was just in Israel earlier this week 0:02:10.040 --> 0:02:12.380 and is trying to push back on Israel to not 0:02:12.380 --> 0:02:16.070 respond too harshly. The final decision still belongs to Israel, 0:02:16.100 --> 0:02:19.070 but it does take time to explore and plan for 0:02:19.070 --> 0:02:22.370 all those different options. Another reason could be that it 0:02:22.370 --> 0:02:24.800 took time for the US to send and set up 0:02:24.800 --> 0:02:28.250 that Thad, our terminal High Altitude area defense system to 0:02:28.280 --> 0:02:32.540 Israel with additional protection against Iranian missiles. Well, that system 0:02:32.540 --> 0:02:35.900 is finally in place. Still another reason for Israel's delayed 0:02:35.900 --> 0:02:40.310 response could be the leak of US intelligence documents outlining 0:02:40.310 --> 0:02:44.570 Israel's potential attack plan. Those documents appeared on a pro-Iranian 0:02:44.570 --> 0:02:49.369 internet site and provided information gleaned from US intelligence. This 0:02:49.370 --> 0:02:52.430 could have caused Israel to pause and reassess its plans. 0:02:52.460 --> 0:02:55.430 But all of these aren't the only items that might 0:02:55.460 --> 0:02:58.730 have caused a delay. Last year's attack took place on 0:02:58.730 --> 0:03:02.930 Simchat Torah, the final day of Sukkot. This year that 0:03:02.930 --> 0:03:06.680 occurred on Friday. So it's possible Israel waited until this 0:03:06.680 --> 0:03:10.520 one year anniversary on the religious calendar was over. A 0:03:10.520 --> 0:03:14.600 drone attack launched by Hezbollah hit Prime Minister Netanyahu's home 0:03:14.600 --> 0:03:17.420 in Caesarea. Thankfully, he and his wife weren't there at 0:03:17.419 --> 0:03:20.690 the time. But there are reports that individuals in Iran's 0:03:20.690 --> 0:03:24.530 embassy in Beirut were involved in that attempted assassination, and 0:03:24.530 --> 0:03:28.310 that also could have changed Israel's selection of targets in Iran. 0:03:28.340 --> 0:03:31.940 And finally, Israel's broken up several Iranian spy rings in 0:03:31.940 --> 0:03:36.110 their country. One carried out hundreds of tasks, including photographing 0:03:36.110 --> 0:03:39.890 and collecting information on air bases and Israel's defense headquarters 0:03:39.890 --> 0:03:43.130 in Tel Aviv. Another ring was working to assassinate an 0:03:43.160 --> 0:03:46.460 Israeli nuclear scientist and the mayor of a large city, 0:03:46.460 --> 0:03:51.170 and also photographing key facilities and purchasing weapons. Now, shutting 0:03:51.170 --> 0:03:54.230 down spy networks takes time, and Israel wants to make 0:03:54.260 --> 0:03:57.530 sure they know what was collected and sent to Iran. Now, 0:03:57.530 --> 0:04:00.440 all this to say, Israel hasn't been sitting around doing 0:04:00.440 --> 0:04:03.050 nothing for the past several weeks. They've they've been busy 0:04:03.050 --> 0:04:06.110 preparing and as we might say, putting out fires to 0:04:06.140 --> 0:04:09.290 make sure their attack is successful. They're also working out 0:04:09.290 --> 0:04:13.130 plans to counter any expected Iranian response. But as I 0:04:13.160 --> 0:04:15.500 said last week, it's not a question of if Israel 0:04:15.500 --> 0:04:18.380 will respond, but when and how. And I think we 0:04:18.380 --> 0:04:21.200 could expect that response to happen very soon. In fact, 0:04:21.200 --> 0:04:23.660 it could even happen between the time we record this 0:04:23.660 --> 0:04:25.640 program and the time it airs. 0:04:25.670 --> 0:04:29.600 Charlie, any thought that the supposed leaked documents about this attack, 0:04:29.630 --> 0:04:33.470 this is all something of a smokescreen, misdirection, spycraft on 0:04:33.470 --> 0:04:35.839 the part of Israel? Or is that not really possible? 0:04:35.870 --> 0:04:39.050 You know, in the spy game, anything is possible. Although 0:04:39.050 --> 0:04:41.450 there are enough reports on this that it sounds like 0:04:41.480 --> 0:04:43.910 it actually was a literal leak that came out of 0:04:43.910 --> 0:04:47.510 the US defense area offices, and the information that was 0:04:47.510 --> 0:04:50.300 posted online did look credible. 0:04:50.330 --> 0:04:53.870 Well, following last week's killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, 0:04:53.900 --> 0:04:56.609 some were hoping it would open the door for negotiations 0:04:56.610 --> 0:05:00.089 to end the conflict in Gaza and release the hostages, 0:05:00.089 --> 0:05:03.060 what impact could his death have on the war? 0:05:03.150 --> 0:05:06.840 On the positive side, Sinwar's death eliminated the key military 0:05:06.839 --> 0:05:11.370 leader who embodied Hamas. Israel had earlier eliminated Ismail Haniyeh, 0:05:11.370 --> 0:05:14.550 who was the political leader of Hamas. But Sinwar was 0:05:14.550 --> 0:05:18.120 the architect of Hamas's attack on October 7th because he 0:05:18.120 --> 0:05:21.030 had become both the political and military head of Hamas 0:05:21.029 --> 0:05:24.150 following Haniya's death in August. Many thought his death would 0:05:24.150 --> 0:05:26.609 lead to the collapse of Hamas, and they hoped the 0:05:26.610 --> 0:05:30.000 remaining political leaders outside Gaza would then strike a deal 0:05:30.000 --> 0:05:33.510 with Israel and agree to return the hostages. And while 0:05:33.510 --> 0:05:38.220 that might still be possible, I'm less optimistic. Some are concerned. 0:05:38.250 --> 0:05:40.500 Sinwar might have ordered all the hostages to be killed 0:05:40.500 --> 0:05:43.859 following his death, though that's not known for certain. But 0:05:43.860 --> 0:05:47.310 even more than that, Hamas's charter in its preamble says 0:05:47.310 --> 0:05:50.580 Israel will exist and continue to exist until Islam will 0:05:50.580 --> 0:05:54.510 obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it. Their 0:05:54.510 --> 0:05:57.390 article seven quotes from the hadith saying the Day of 0:05:57.390 --> 0:06:01.409 Judgment won't come until Muslims fight Jews and kill them. 0:06:01.410 --> 0:06:03.750 And in terms of making a peace agreement or some 0:06:03.750 --> 0:06:06.870 sort of agreement with Israel. Article 13 says there is 0:06:06.870 --> 0:06:11.219 no solution for the Palestinian problem except by jihad. In 0:06:11.220 --> 0:06:14.070 other words, complete opposition to Israel is part of the 0:06:14.070 --> 0:06:17.550 very spiritual DNA of Hamas. And in light of that, 0:06:17.550 --> 0:06:19.830 I think they're going to continue fighting and hope that 0:06:19.830 --> 0:06:23.310 Iran or Hezbollah will wear down Israel enough to have 0:06:23.310 --> 0:06:25.950 them finally agree to a cease fire, at which point 0:06:25.980 --> 0:06:29.400 Hamas would hope to regather, rebuild and eventually resume their 0:06:29.400 --> 0:06:32.910 attacks instead of releasing the hostages. I think it's just 0:06:32.910 --> 0:06:35.100 as likely they will kill them, or at least some 0:06:35.100 --> 0:06:37.800 of them, to show their contempt if there's a bright 0:06:37.800 --> 0:06:40.349 spot in all this. It's the creative offer by the 0:06:40.350 --> 0:06:44.520 former CEO of SodaStream to give $100,000 to anyone who 0:06:44.520 --> 0:06:48.540 helps free Israeli hostages. The deadline was midnight this past 0:06:48.540 --> 0:06:51.779 Wednesday and sadly, no hostages have yet been released. But 0:06:51.779 --> 0:06:54.930 he's still hopeful. And I am as well. 0:06:55.080 --> 0:06:57.780 You're listening to The Land and the book with our host, 0:06:57.779 --> 0:07:00.990 Doctor Charlie Dyer. We're going through a set of top 0:07:00.990 --> 0:07:03.690 headlines from the Middle East. I'm John Gager, and thank 0:07:03.720 --> 0:07:06.120 you for being a part of the broadcast. Well, Charlie, 0:07:06.120 --> 0:07:08.610 cue the theme from Raiders of the Lost Ark as 0:07:08.610 --> 0:07:12.990 we ride with Indiana Jones into the ancient city of Petra. Okay, 0:07:12.990 --> 0:07:16.770 maybe not, but archaeologists in Petra recently discovered a hidden 0:07:16.770 --> 0:07:19.980 tomb underneath the treasury. Now, I read some about this, 0:07:19.980 --> 0:07:22.890 but what do we know so far about this discovery? 0:07:22.920 --> 0:07:25.500 Yeah. For those who've never been to Petra, the Treasury 0:07:25.500 --> 0:07:27.630 is the building at the end of the narrow seek 0:07:27.630 --> 0:07:30.239 leading into the city. It's actually the facade of a 0:07:30.240 --> 0:07:33.210 tomb that was carved into the cliff face. Most know 0:07:33.210 --> 0:07:36.240 it from the Indiana Jones movie. That third Raiders of 0:07:36.240 --> 0:07:39.420 the Lost Ark film. And anyone who's seen the movie, well, 0:07:39.420 --> 0:07:42.810 you need to know. After Indiana Jones walks inside, everything 0:07:42.810 --> 0:07:46.320 you see is pure Hollywood. Jordan hasn't allowed people inside 0:07:46.320 --> 0:07:49.530 there since 1997, but I've been in it before then. 0:07:49.530 --> 0:07:51.630 It really is just a large empty room with a 0:07:51.630 --> 0:07:55.710 few doorways leading into other empty rooms. That is, until now. 0:07:55.800 --> 0:08:00.390 These archaeologists unearthed a previously hidden tomb underneath the building 0:08:00.420 --> 0:08:03.480 earlier in the year. They used ground penetrating radar and 0:08:03.480 --> 0:08:06.600 discovered what they suspected was a tomb underneath the entrance. 0:08:06.600 --> 0:08:09.600 And then in August, they finally received permission to excavate. 0:08:09.630 --> 0:08:12.180 And they didn't find a hidden stash of silver or 0:08:12.180 --> 0:08:15.360 gold or the remains of the knights guarding the Holy Grail. 0:08:15.390 --> 0:08:18.570 But they did find the remains of 12 individuals, along 0:08:18.570 --> 0:08:22.020 with miscellaneous grave goods and other typical artifacts that they 0:08:22.020 --> 0:08:25.050 thought they found. One skeleton holding a ceramic cup that 0:08:25.050 --> 0:08:26.850 actually looked like one in the movie, but it turned 0:08:26.850 --> 0:08:29.820 out to be part of a juglet. They filmed the excavation, 0:08:29.820 --> 0:08:33.600 which aired as part of the Discovery Channel's Expedition Unknown 0:08:33.600 --> 0:08:37.080 television series, and actually aired on October 9th. Now, if 0:08:37.080 --> 0:08:39.570 you want to see that program, you can check online 0:08:39.570 --> 0:08:43.140 to see how you can access that episode in your area. 0:08:43.170 --> 0:08:46.890 Well, everybody knows olive oil is definitely healthy, but the 0:08:46.890 --> 0:08:51.689 solid waste left behind is not until now. Fen Olive, 0:08:51.690 --> 0:08:55.589 an Israeli startup, has developed an innovative process to turn 0:08:55.590 --> 0:08:59.700 the waste from processing olives into gluten free flour. Tell 0:08:59.730 --> 0:09:02.550 us about this latest innovation from Amazing Israel. 0:09:02.580 --> 0:09:05.370 Yeah, this I did find fascinating as well. After olives 0:09:05.370 --> 0:09:08.790 are crushed and squeezed for the oil. About 85% of 0:09:08.790 --> 0:09:12.030 the olive remains behind is pulp, which until now has 0:09:12.030 --> 0:09:16.589 been useless. It's toxic, acidic and smelly. Within 15 minutes 0:09:16.590 --> 0:09:20.070 of being squeezed, the waste matter starts to oxidize, leaving 0:09:20.070 --> 0:09:24.360 what's left unfit for human or animal consumption. And that's 0:09:24.360 --> 0:09:28.170 where Fen Olive sensed an opportunity to profit by doing good. 0:09:28.200 --> 0:09:31.140 After several years of research, they developed and patented a 0:09:31.140 --> 0:09:35.370 process to transform olive oil waste into olive flour. The 0:09:35.370 --> 0:09:38.520 flour is tasty, gluten free and high fiber, and can 0:09:38.520 --> 0:09:41.160 be used as a replacement for any flour in cooking 0:09:41.160 --> 0:09:44.730 or baking. Their process divides the waste into three components 0:09:44.730 --> 0:09:48.060 the pulp, which is transformed into the flour, the black 0:09:48.090 --> 0:09:51.300 water or waste water from pressing, and the olive seeds 0:09:51.300 --> 0:09:54.030 which can then be used for fuel. The process doesn't 0:09:54.030 --> 0:09:57.449 use chemicals or additives, and after separation the pulp is 0:09:57.450 --> 0:10:00.420 dried and ground into flour. The company is now in 0:10:00.420 --> 0:10:04.020 discussion with major olive millers in Israel and Europe on 0:10:04.020 --> 0:10:08.490 how to add the process into existing press operations. Turning 0:10:08.520 --> 0:10:12.960 olive processing waste into high quality, nutritious, low carb and 0:10:12.960 --> 0:10:18.300 low calorie flour to aid olive growers, processors and customers alike. 0:10:18.390 --> 0:10:22.650 That definitely sounds like something we would expect from Amazing Israel. 0:10:22.679 --> 0:10:25.170 Thank you Charlie. A few weeks back, you sent an 0:10:25.170 --> 0:10:27.480 email saying, John, you better get Ahold of Tom Doyle. 0:10:27.510 --> 0:10:30.150 He's got reports coming out of Gaza that our listeners 0:10:30.179 --> 0:10:33.480 need to hear, and I'm grateful for that tip. And boy, 0:10:33.480 --> 0:10:36.150 the conversation we're about to have with Tom will bring 0:10:36.150 --> 0:10:40.650 you stories from believers inside Gaza, their testimonies, their stand 0:10:40.650 --> 0:10:43.050 for Jesus as something that will encourage you. So I 0:10:43.050 --> 0:10:44.610 hope you'll stick around, and I hope you'll share us 0:10:44.610 --> 0:10:46.710 with a friend, by the way. Our website is The 0:10:46.740 --> 0:10:50.610 land and the book. Org. Tom Doyle next on the 0:10:50.610 --> 0:11:08.160 land and the book. When Hamas slaughtered more than 1100 0:11:08.190 --> 0:11:11.880 Israelis on October the 7th, our hearts were shattered. But 0:11:11.880 --> 0:11:14.550 in the year that has followed the pain, the destruction 0:11:14.550 --> 0:11:16.890 and the loss of life on both sides of the 0:11:16.890 --> 0:11:20.069 border has been horrific. There's an untold story in all 0:11:20.070 --> 0:11:23.100 of this. The impact of the war on believers in 0:11:23.100 --> 0:11:26.610 Gaza will take you there. Coming up first, though, let's 0:11:26.610 --> 0:11:29.010 pause for a creative idea on reaching out to our 0:11:29.010 --> 0:11:32.160 Muslim friends and neighbors with the gospel of Christ right 0:11:32.160 --> 0:11:36.089 here at home. One of the things you will encounter immediately, 0:11:36.090 --> 0:11:39.150 every time you talk with a muslim, is the issue 0:11:39.179 --> 0:11:42.209 that Jesus in their world, is definitely not the Son 0:11:42.210 --> 0:11:44.040 of God. So how can we possibly hope to have 0:11:44.040 --> 0:11:48.689 a conversation that doesn't get confrontational, but yet somehow conveys 0:11:48.720 --> 0:11:52.260 Jesus is the Son of God. Let's ask Stefano Fare, 0:11:52.290 --> 0:11:54.689 who's with call of Hope. How do we do this? 0:11:54.720 --> 0:11:57.420 Well, you know, John, I'm so often asked, how do 0:11:57.420 --> 0:12:00.810 I persuade the Muslim that Jesus is the Son of God? 0:12:00.840 --> 0:12:04.350 And I usually answer and say, we don't. We don't 0:12:04.350 --> 0:12:07.830 persuade them. We cannot. And I think that's the most 0:12:07.830 --> 0:12:12.570 important to learn. The only person who can persuade them 0:12:12.570 --> 0:12:17.010 is God himself. We can talk about it. Batteries. Give 0:12:17.010 --> 0:12:21.240 them a gospel. Gospel of John or a Gospel of Luke. 0:12:21.240 --> 0:12:25.589 Let them read and then just let the Lord do 0:12:25.590 --> 0:12:31.050 the work. We cannot persuade. We can just testify what 0:12:31.050 --> 0:12:34.020 we believe. But the Lord will do it. You know, 0:12:34.050 --> 0:12:36.060 I asked a friend of mine who was a muslim. 0:12:36.059 --> 0:12:38.969 I said, do you believe that Jesus is the Son 0:12:38.970 --> 0:12:42.720 of God? Yes. How did this come? He says, I 0:12:42.720 --> 0:12:45.960 don't know. It was there. The Lord gave it to me. 0:12:45.960 --> 0:12:48.780 I was able to accept it right away. 0:12:48.809 --> 0:12:51.239 Only the Lord can convince their hearts. So let's not 0:12:51.240 --> 0:12:54.450 try and wrench it in and somehow argue them into heaven. 0:12:54.480 --> 0:12:56.640 Stefano Ferrer is with call of Hope. Thanks for that 0:12:56.640 --> 0:13:01.650 very practical advice. Few Christians today have spent as much 0:13:01.650 --> 0:13:05.550 time meeting, loving and serving the people of Gaza as 0:13:05.550 --> 0:13:08.100 Tom Doyle. Tom fell in love with the Middle East 0:13:08.100 --> 0:13:11.880 on his first Bible Tour of the Holy Land in 1995. 0:13:11.910 --> 0:13:13.980 He became an official tour guide for the State of 0:13:13.980 --> 0:13:18.090 Israel and developed a passion for ministering to the Israeli people, 0:13:18.090 --> 0:13:22.260 Arabs and Jews alike. Tom and his wife Joanne felt 0:13:22.260 --> 0:13:25.650 a call from God to full time ministry there in 2001. 0:13:25.679 --> 0:13:31.050 In 2017, the Doyles launched Uncharted Ministries, which seeks to 0:13:31.080 --> 0:13:34.080 inspire the body of Christ to rise up and join 0:13:34.080 --> 0:13:37.350 the the New Great Awakening among Jews and Muslims in 0:13:37.350 --> 0:13:41.400 the Middle East and in uncharted territories around the world. Well, 0:13:41.429 --> 0:13:43.710 Tom and Joanne, interestingly, began working in the heart of 0:13:43.710 --> 0:13:48.180 the Islamic world shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11th. 0:13:48.179 --> 0:13:51.780 And they serve in places like Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, 0:13:51.780 --> 0:13:56.340 Syria and Palestinian territories of Israel. It's great to welcome 0:13:56.340 --> 0:13:58.560 you back to the land and the book, Tom. 0:13:58.590 --> 0:14:01.890 Oh, it's so good to be with you, John. Thank you. Well, before. 0:14:01.890 --> 0:14:04.020 We move into the war, introduce us to some of 0:14:04.020 --> 0:14:07.440 your most beloved brothers and sisters in Gaza. You've been 0:14:07.440 --> 0:14:10.260 there many times. Who would you like us to get 0:14:10.260 --> 0:14:10.980 to know? 0:14:11.070 --> 0:14:15.630 Yeah, well, you know, we've worked with a church in Gaza, 0:14:15.660 --> 0:14:19.260 the Gaza Baptist Church, that's an above ground church. And 0:14:19.290 --> 0:14:22.800 awesome what they've been able to withstand in the midst 0:14:22.800 --> 0:14:27.540 of the wars and continual Hamas control. But our heart 0:14:27.570 --> 0:14:30.690 really goes out to the secret church, the believers that 0:14:30.690 --> 0:14:33.870 have come out of Islam, that have stayed in Gaza, 0:14:33.900 --> 0:14:37.979 that are one by one, reaching other Muslims with the 0:14:38.010 --> 0:14:43.040 gospel of Jesus. And you talk about a receptive crowd. 0:14:43.040 --> 0:14:47.270 Even during this war, one of our friends, Muhammad, tells 0:14:47.270 --> 0:14:50.180 us that 20 to 30 people have come to faith 0:14:50.180 --> 0:14:53.420 in Christ. Just hearing the scriptures, just listening to the 0:14:53.420 --> 0:14:57.110 claims of Jesus, and just kind of comparing that to 0:14:57.140 --> 0:15:00.710 what they're seeing with Hamas and the hatred that that group, 0:15:00.740 --> 0:15:03.560 terrorist group has of their own people. And so on 0:15:03.560 --> 0:15:07.340 October 7th, John, as everybody was horrified and I always 0:15:07.340 --> 0:15:10.130 say this, it seemed like Israel got about two hours 0:15:10.130 --> 0:15:14.270 of sympathy and then the world just turned on them. Muhammad, 0:15:14.300 --> 0:15:19.190 a muslim background believer who is like an apostle Paul 0:15:19.190 --> 0:15:25.580 in Gaza, was texting and saying, we're being forced by 0:15:25.610 --> 0:15:30.050 Hamas to watch the parade of all the people that 0:15:30.080 --> 0:15:34.970 Hamas took. And he said, the people are cheering. And 0:15:34.970 --> 0:15:38.450 he said, But I'm standing here crying because no human 0:15:38.450 --> 0:15:42.940 being should be treated that way. So it's horrible. We're 0:15:42.940 --> 0:15:46.330 praying for them, and we're also praying for the believers 0:15:46.330 --> 0:15:50.470 in Gaza as they seek to spread the message. But 0:15:50.470 --> 0:15:53.980 think about this, John. At one point, there was a 0:15:53.980 --> 0:15:59.350 chance for these Muslim background families to get out and leave, 0:15:59.350 --> 0:16:01.420 and you could pay a fee for them to leave 0:16:01.420 --> 0:16:03.550 and go to Egypt and be out of the war, 0:16:03.580 --> 0:16:06.280 because there's continual bombings every day, and they're living in 0:16:06.280 --> 0:16:09.430 tents and all of that. And we were able to 0:16:09.430 --> 0:16:12.400 get some funds to them for them to leave. We 0:16:12.400 --> 0:16:14.920 didn't hear from them for a few days. And then 0:16:14.920 --> 0:16:17.170 finally they got Ahold of us and they said, we 0:16:17.170 --> 0:16:20.770 can't leave. We can't leave our people. God's called us 0:16:20.770 --> 0:16:23.710 to stay here, no matter how difficult it is. We 0:16:23.710 --> 0:16:26.860 may die, but we need to tell them about Jesus. 0:16:26.890 --> 0:16:31.000 We're staying. And if you've watched some of the news, 0:16:31.000 --> 0:16:34.390 and I'm sure you have the people that are listening, 0:16:34.390 --> 0:16:38.710 you know how immensely scary it would be for children 0:16:38.710 --> 0:16:41.410 to be near the bombs. The Gaza Strip is not 0:16:41.410 --> 0:16:44.380 a big area and they can't completely get away from it. 0:16:44.380 --> 0:16:48.670 So the light of the world still shining in Gaza, 0:16:48.700 --> 0:16:53.230 not leaving, not running away, sharing the message of Jesus. 0:16:53.230 --> 0:16:57.070 And we're just privileged to know incredible believers like that. 0:16:57.100 --> 0:16:59.830 This is the land and the book. I'm John Gager. 0:16:59.860 --> 0:17:02.710 Our guest, Tom Doyle, who along with his wife Joanne, 0:17:02.740 --> 0:17:05.649 began working in the heart of the Islamic world shortly 0:17:05.650 --> 0:17:08.830 after the terrorist attacks of September 11th. Let me ask you, 0:17:08.830 --> 0:17:10.989 is it even possible for you guys to minister to 0:17:11.020 --> 0:17:14.050 Gazan believers from a distance? And if so, what does 0:17:14.050 --> 0:17:15.310 that look like right now? 0:17:15.340 --> 0:17:18.609 Yeah, there's actually ways to communicate on the internet. We 0:17:18.609 --> 0:17:21.940 have to be careful. You cannot be too specific because 0:17:21.940 --> 0:17:24.850 there's no separation. It's not like the bad guys live 0:17:24.850 --> 0:17:28.359 over here and the good guys live here, right? They're 0:17:28.359 --> 0:17:30.879 in a refugee camp. And the refugee camp that they're 0:17:30.880 --> 0:17:34.900 in is the one that actually started the war with Israel. 0:17:34.900 --> 0:17:37.300 And so there's known terrorists there. And so they have 0:17:37.300 --> 0:17:40.630 to be careful with what they say and how they communicate. 0:17:40.630 --> 0:17:44.350 But just to see the faithfulness in the midst of 0:17:44.350 --> 0:17:49.540 living like that is so inspiring to us. And you know, John, 0:17:49.540 --> 0:17:51.970 for what you see on the news, these are people 0:17:51.970 --> 0:17:54.850 that have been redeemed. They've come out of the false 0:17:54.850 --> 0:17:58.540 religion of Islam, and they don't hate Israel. They wish 0:17:58.540 --> 0:18:01.600 they could live in Israel, and they wish that Hamas 0:18:01.600 --> 0:18:05.080 would be removed so they don't have to live under 0:18:05.080 --> 0:18:09.850 their tyranny. So, um, we are truly blessed to be 0:18:09.880 --> 0:18:14.020 able to even communicate with them. And then there's Muhammad, 0:18:14.050 --> 0:18:17.260 who is like the apostle Paul in Gaza that just 0:18:17.260 --> 0:18:22.810 sends these incredibly beautiful prayers to us and asking how 0:18:22.810 --> 0:18:26.350 we're doing. I mean, the last video we saw, they 0:18:26.350 --> 0:18:29.740 have 29 people living in one tent and the rain 0:18:29.740 --> 0:18:33.369 is coming through, and he's asking about how I'm doing. 0:18:33.369 --> 0:18:36.739 I had a recent health situation develop where I have 0:18:36.740 --> 0:18:39.650 cancer and I'm going through treatments at MD Anderson, and 0:18:39.650 --> 0:18:43.520 it's aggressive and we're asking people to pray. And there's 0:18:43.520 --> 0:18:47.390 Muhammad not even talking about his situation, saying, how are 0:18:47.390 --> 0:18:50.810 you doing, dear Tom? Praying. That's the faith of the 0:18:50.810 --> 0:18:54.200 believers that inspire us to live for Jesus. As we 0:18:54.200 --> 0:18:57.080 see horrible things happening in our country that we're not 0:18:57.080 --> 0:18:59.480 able to change. But you know what? We can live 0:18:59.480 --> 0:19:01.609 for Christ and be salt and light in the midst 0:19:01.609 --> 0:19:03.680 of it, just like they are in Gaza. Mm. 0:19:03.800 --> 0:19:06.409 Well, Tom, since you're seeing so many doctors, I'm going 0:19:06.440 --> 0:19:08.959 to ask you to play a doctor right now. All right, 0:19:08.960 --> 0:19:12.980 here's the question, doctor. Tom, what is wrong with our hearts? 0:19:13.010 --> 0:19:16.490 Too many of us paint the entire Palestinian population with 0:19:16.490 --> 0:19:20.030 one brush. These guys hate God's chosen people. They started 0:19:20.030 --> 0:19:22.970 a horrible war. How can we have compassion on them? 0:19:22.970 --> 0:19:26.030 But that's neither fair nor kind. Help us with our 0:19:26.030 --> 0:19:27.080 heart trouble. Tom. 0:19:27.109 --> 0:19:30.170 Yeah. I just think it's easy to take a snapshot 0:19:30.200 --> 0:19:33.290 of a people group and then just color them all 0:19:33.290 --> 0:19:36.040 the same way, and, I mean, it goes back, John, 0:19:36.040 --> 0:19:37.900 to the very first time I went into the Gaza 0:19:37.900 --> 0:19:41.980 Strip in 2001, got out of a taxi cab and 0:19:41.980 --> 0:19:44.770 was in Gaza City. So this is like maybe two 0:19:44.770 --> 0:19:47.650 months after nine over 11, and a muslim woman makes 0:19:47.650 --> 0:19:51.100 a beeline for me and comes up and actually grabs 0:19:51.100 --> 0:19:54.100 my forearm. I was shocked because they don't do that, 0:19:54.130 --> 0:19:57.550 you know, Muslim woman touching a man. She grabs my forearm. 0:19:57.550 --> 0:20:00.850 I said yes, and she said, you're from America, aren't you? 0:20:00.910 --> 0:20:02.500 And I said, yes, I am. And she said, well, 0:20:02.500 --> 0:20:06.130 I could tell by the color of your eyes. So. Oh, okay. 0:20:06.130 --> 0:20:10.480 And she said, did you see on September 11th, when 0:20:10.480 --> 0:20:14.440 the buildings fell in America and they showed people in 0:20:14.440 --> 0:20:18.280 Gaza cheering and giving candy and celebrating. And did you 0:20:18.280 --> 0:20:21.100 see that? And I said, well, yes, I did. And 0:20:21.100 --> 0:20:24.850 she said, well, not me. I was crying for those 0:20:24.850 --> 0:20:28.179 people because they didn't deserve to die. And I'm so 0:20:28.180 --> 0:20:32.140 sorry that happened. Please forgive us. And she tapped her 0:20:32.140 --> 0:20:35.470 chest to motion. She's tapping her heart and she turned 0:20:35.470 --> 0:20:38.140 on her heel and walked away. And you know what 0:20:38.170 --> 0:20:41.740 thought went through my mind, John? I thought this. There's 0:20:41.740 --> 0:20:46.000 human beings in Gaza. Yeah, they're not all in terrorist groups. 0:20:46.030 --> 0:20:48.760 I mean, they don't all think that way. And of course, 0:20:48.760 --> 0:20:52.030 the believers don't either. There are some people that that 0:20:52.030 --> 0:20:55.060 have a heart. And of course, Hamas is just swept 0:20:55.060 --> 0:20:59.500 over Palestinians who honor them more now in Gaza because 0:20:59.500 --> 0:21:02.260 of what they've done. But that doesn't mean there's everyone 0:21:02.260 --> 0:21:05.619 and of course, the remnant of the church. They think 0:21:05.619 --> 0:21:08.200 completely the opposite in Gaza. 0:21:08.230 --> 0:21:10.720 What is it that holds the people of Gaza back 0:21:10.720 --> 0:21:14.080 from turning to Christ? What are the biggest hurdles spiritually, 0:21:14.080 --> 0:21:15.910 when you minister there? What are you observing? 0:21:15.910 --> 0:21:19.150 If there is no fear of retribution, I wonder if 0:21:19.150 --> 0:21:23.980 anybody would be a muslim there except Hamas, because they're 0:21:23.980 --> 0:21:27.910 so thoroughly fed up with what the terrorist groups have 0:21:27.910 --> 0:21:32.110 done and how they've controlled them. Gaza sits on a beach. 0:21:32.140 --> 0:21:35.409 It's just miles from Ashdod and Ashkelon. This could be 0:21:35.440 --> 0:21:40.420 an incredible place for people to go and vacation. Yes. 0:21:40.450 --> 0:21:43.840 If it wasn't an enclave for terrorism. And the people 0:21:43.840 --> 0:21:47.950 are so sick about how they have been destroyed. But 0:21:47.950 --> 0:21:52.540 they are kept in fear. And because the Quran tells 0:21:52.540 --> 0:21:56.290 Muslims that they must fight against Christians and Jews because 0:21:56.290 --> 0:22:01.000 they rejected Muhammad. This has become holy to them, this war. 0:22:01.030 --> 0:22:05.230 This is this is becoming holy by keeping this war 0:22:05.260 --> 0:22:09.520 going on. It's an act of sacrifice for them to 0:22:09.550 --> 0:22:12.820 please Allah. And there are so many Muslims that are 0:22:12.820 --> 0:22:15.460 not buying it and saying, we want out. We don't 0:22:15.460 --> 0:22:18.820 want this. We don't want the sole objective of the 0:22:18.820 --> 0:22:23.020 Palestinian people to be wipe out Israel. And that's it. 0:22:23.170 --> 0:22:26.619 And so it's all out of fear. John, we have 0:22:26.650 --> 0:22:30.010 I found the truth.com. And when we first started playing 0:22:30.010 --> 0:22:33.909 videos of former Muslims that we film coming to faith 0:22:33.910 --> 0:22:37.240 in Christ. We were seeing about 4000 people a month 0:22:37.240 --> 0:22:39.910 watch them and we thought, okay, Lord, that's great. We 0:22:39.910 --> 0:22:42.730 wish there were more, right? We kept praying, kept working 0:22:42.730 --> 0:22:47.159 on things. Now, since October 7th, it's between 1 and 0:22:47.160 --> 0:22:50.890 2 million a month. Wow. And the questions we're getting, 0:22:50.890 --> 0:22:53.920 the people that are saying, tell me more about Jesus. 0:22:53.920 --> 0:22:56.020 What do I do? I live here, it's dangerous. Can 0:22:56.050 --> 0:23:00.010 we communicate privately? There are so many that are thoroughly 0:23:00.010 --> 0:23:02.590 fed up with Islam. We're never going to see them 0:23:02.590 --> 0:23:06.040 on the news, but we just have to believe in faith. 0:23:06.070 --> 0:23:08.380 God's going to move in their hearts and bring them 0:23:08.380 --> 0:23:09.490 to faith in Christ. 0:23:09.520 --> 0:23:12.250 Tom Doyle is our guest today on the land and 0:23:12.250 --> 0:23:15.699 the book. He's the founder of Uncharted Ministries. How about 0:23:15.700 --> 0:23:18.070 if we pause right now and we just give you 0:23:18.070 --> 0:23:22.060 some space to pray an unhurried prayer for the situation 0:23:22.060 --> 0:23:22.840 in Gaza? 0:23:23.619 --> 0:23:29.050 Lord Jesus, we know that only you can transform a 0:23:29.050 --> 0:23:34.080 person's heart. Only you can transform an entire people group. 0:23:34.080 --> 0:23:36.750 And we believe, Lord, it's going to start with the 0:23:36.750 --> 0:23:42.119 next generation. So we pray, Lord, for a great awakening 0:23:42.119 --> 0:23:46.200 in Gaza of people turning to faith in Christ, leaving Islam. 0:23:46.200 --> 0:23:50.490 And we pray, father, for this next generation, that they 0:23:50.490 --> 0:23:55.080 would get thoroughly acquainted by ministries that come alongside each 0:23:55.109 --> 0:23:57.540 other and work in the Gaza Strip so they can 0:23:57.540 --> 0:24:02.100 know who Jesus is. And Jesus called people to love 0:24:02.100 --> 0:24:05.669 one another, and they are growing up on a steady 0:24:05.700 --> 0:24:08.909 diet of hatred and a goal of wiping out a 0:24:08.910 --> 0:24:13.440 people group. Turn their hearts. Father, we pray that believers 0:24:13.440 --> 0:24:16.889 would flood the Gaza Strip with the love of Jesus, 0:24:16.920 --> 0:24:20.520 and this next generation of children would grow up not 0:24:20.520 --> 0:24:23.700 dressing up as suicide bombers when they're two and three 0:24:23.700 --> 0:24:27.929 years old, but dressing up as Bible characters, as people 0:24:27.930 --> 0:24:32.660 that have made a difference for Christ, who have seen 0:24:32.690 --> 0:24:36.530 amazing miracles, who have touched their whole people group, who 0:24:36.530 --> 0:24:39.590 have gone as missionaries to some of the worst places 0:24:39.590 --> 0:24:42.500 in the world. It starts with the children. God, would 0:24:42.500 --> 0:24:46.609 you do a holy awakening among them so this next 0:24:46.609 --> 0:24:52.280 generation can follow Jesus and not follow terrorism? And we pray, Lord, 0:24:52.310 --> 0:24:55.520 that this place would be a place that the world 0:24:55.520 --> 0:24:59.480 could look at and there would be no discussion needed. 0:24:59.480 --> 0:25:03.800 Jesus transformed this place. Jesus invaded the Gaza Strip and 0:25:03.800 --> 0:25:06.470 turned it from a place that we associate with hate 0:25:06.500 --> 0:25:09.949 to a place that we associate with love. So, father, 0:25:09.950 --> 0:25:13.220 we just pray for your spirit to move and for 0:25:13.250 --> 0:25:16.850 thousands to come to faith in Christ in this next generation, 0:25:16.850 --> 0:25:19.520 to be the ones that lead the way and turn 0:25:19.520 --> 0:25:24.260 Gaza into a place of not cursing, but blessing. And 0:25:24.260 --> 0:25:27.920 we pray this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. 0:25:27.950 --> 0:25:31.040 Amen. And let's continue to pray for Gaza throughout the 0:25:31.040 --> 0:25:34.610 days and weeks ahead. Thank you, Tom Doyle. Always a 0:25:34.609 --> 0:25:38.359 great visit. You bring the best stories and thanks for 0:25:38.390 --> 0:25:39.950 that prayer as well. Amen. 0:25:39.950 --> 0:25:42.110 Thank you John, my privilege. Thank you. 0:25:42.140 --> 0:25:44.210 And we'll continue to pray for you in your own 0:25:44.210 --> 0:25:47.180 health journey there and that whole challenge. And right now 0:25:47.180 --> 0:25:48.890 we want to welcome you to our next segment. It's 0:25:48.890 --> 0:25:52.220 Charlie Dyer back in the studio with Bible questions and 0:25:52.220 --> 0:26:03.109 answers here. Next on the land and the book. Of John. 0:26:06.950 --> 0:26:08.840 Hope your day is going well, and I hope the 0:26:08.840 --> 0:26:11.389 land in the book is encouraging you along your journey. 0:26:11.390 --> 0:26:15.169 I'm John Geiger with our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer, and again, 0:26:15.200 --> 0:26:17.060 we just appreciate your taking the time to spend with 0:26:17.060 --> 0:26:19.609 us here at The Land and the book. Well, Charlie 0:26:19.609 --> 0:26:21.740 Israel has been in the news so much this last 0:26:21.740 --> 0:26:24.320 year and the Bible is jam packed, of course, with 0:26:24.320 --> 0:26:27.740 end times prophecies, epic world events, the regathering of the 0:26:27.740 --> 0:26:32.090 Jewish people to their ancient homeland and ultimately Jesus return. 0:26:32.090 --> 0:26:34.190 It seems to me it's crucial for us as believers 0:26:34.190 --> 0:26:37.340 to have a proper understanding of Bible prophecy. So our 0:26:37.340 --> 0:26:40.250 view of the future is shaped by Scripture and not 0:26:40.250 --> 0:26:41.810 just today's headlines. Right? 0:26:41.840 --> 0:26:44.060 Yeah, it's definitely true. And with that in mind, our 0:26:44.060 --> 0:26:47.420 friends at Life and Messiah have published a book titled God, 0:26:47.420 --> 0:26:50.390 Israel and Bible Prophecy and are offering it to listeners 0:26:50.390 --> 0:26:52.399 of the land in the book for a limited time. 0:26:52.400 --> 0:26:55.639 This informative book is focused on providing readers with a 0:26:55.640 --> 0:26:59.390 deeper understanding and greater appreciation of what God has in 0:26:59.390 --> 0:27:02.210 store for Israel and the nations by digging into what 0:27:02.210 --> 0:27:04.970 the scriptures say about these issues. Now, if you're interested 0:27:04.970 --> 0:27:07.879 in learning more about what God has in store, visit 0:27:07.880 --> 0:27:10.730 Life in Messiah. Org and click on the Moody Radio 0:27:10.730 --> 0:27:13.490 button there to find out how you can receive your 0:27:13.490 --> 0:27:19.669 copy of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org. 0:27:20.000 --> 0:27:23.390 Never a shortage of questions as people open their Bibles, 0:27:23.390 --> 0:27:26.960 open their minds, read and ponder and we're always open 0:27:26.960 --> 0:27:28.850 to your questions. By the way, you can send yours 0:27:28.880 --> 0:27:33.590 to Charlie at the land and the book@moody.edu. Let's dig in. 0:27:33.830 --> 0:27:36.980 Here's Marilyn's question. Can you help me understand the difference 0:27:36.980 --> 0:27:41.330 between the angel's response to Zechariah's apparent doubt in Luke 0:27:41.330 --> 0:27:44.990 one versus the angel's response to Mary's question in the 0:27:45.020 --> 0:27:48.859 same chapter? Why wasn't she judged for her apparent doubt? 0:27:48.950 --> 0:27:50.689 I think the key is to look carefully at the 0:27:50.690 --> 0:27:54.859 objections raised by both Zechariah and Mary. When Zechariah responded 0:27:54.859 --> 0:27:57.709 to the angel's promise by saying, literally, how can I 0:27:57.710 --> 0:28:00.740 know this? Most translations add something like how can I 0:28:00.740 --> 0:28:03.260 know this for sure? Or how can I be certain 0:28:03.260 --> 0:28:06.320 to give the full sense of the question? His objection 0:28:06.320 --> 0:28:08.659 was that both he and his wife were old. He 0:28:08.660 --> 0:28:11.660 obviously understood the mechanics of how a wife could get pregnant, 0:28:11.660 --> 0:28:14.210 but he felt the promise couldn't be fulfilled because of 0:28:14.240 --> 0:28:17.990 their age and past inability to conceive. So he was 0:28:17.990 --> 0:28:21.080 doubting God's ability to do something that really God had 0:28:21.080 --> 0:28:23.780 shown to be possible in the past. As a priest, 0:28:23.810 --> 0:28:27.770 he should have remembered the stories about Samson's mother, Samuel's mother, 0:28:27.770 --> 0:28:30.139 and the child born to the Shunammite woman in the 0:28:30.140 --> 0:28:33.350 days of Elisha in two Kings four. Now, in contrast 0:28:33.380 --> 0:28:36.409 to the announcement made to Zachariah, the announcement to Mary 0:28:36.440 --> 0:28:38.990 was unprecedented. When the angel told her she was going 0:28:39.020 --> 0:28:40.850 to conceive in her womb and bear a son. Her 0:28:40.880 --> 0:28:44.660 her objection was really based on biological reality. How can 0:28:44.690 --> 0:28:47.150 this be since I'm a virgin? Up till this point 0:28:47.150 --> 0:28:49.970 in history, no child had ever been born apart from 0:28:49.970 --> 0:28:52.670 a man and a woman having sexual relations. So I 0:28:52.670 --> 0:28:55.700 don't see Mary doubting God's promise as much as expressing 0:28:55.700 --> 0:28:58.940 a lack of understanding about the process itself. Once the 0:28:58.940 --> 0:29:02.270 angel explained how it would take place, Mary immediately displayed 0:29:02.270 --> 0:29:05.810 a humble spirit of submission and faith. I'm the Lord's servant, 0:29:05.810 --> 0:29:07.670 she said. May it be to me as you have 0:29:07.670 --> 0:29:10.370 said so I see a real difference in their responses. 0:29:10.400 --> 0:29:13.430 Zechariah doubted God's ability to do something for him and 0:29:13.430 --> 0:29:16.400 his wife that God had already clearly done in the past. 0:29:16.430 --> 0:29:19.190 Mary only wondered how a woman could get pregnant apart 0:29:19.190 --> 0:29:22.550 from having sexual relations, something that was really a physical 0:29:22.550 --> 0:29:26.150 impossibility up till then, and her attitude following the explanation 0:29:26.150 --> 0:29:29.720 showed her immediate acceptance and submission to what God said, 0:29:29.720 --> 0:29:32.360 even when it seemed physically impossible. 0:29:32.390 --> 0:29:36.230 Bill takes us to the upcoming elections, saying, I've encountered 0:29:36.230 --> 0:29:39.980 three major reasons that people use for not voting at 0:29:39.980 --> 0:29:43.040 all for either party. One, in the end, is that 0:29:43.040 --> 0:29:46.340 you are voting for a person and both persons are evil. Second, 0:29:46.340 --> 0:29:48.890 voting for the lesser evil is still evil, and we 0:29:48.890 --> 0:29:51.530 should not vote for evil to support what's right. And third, 0:29:51.530 --> 0:29:53.120 this is a new one to me. He says Christians 0:29:53.120 --> 0:29:56.360 should not vote because God, Christ is King and we 0:29:56.360 --> 0:29:59.480 are rejecting God as king by voting for a human government. 0:29:59.510 --> 0:30:02.000 This is based, they say, in first Samuel eight. What 0:30:02.000 --> 0:30:02.750 do you say? 0:30:02.780 --> 0:30:06.680 Well, I think his response to the individuals demonstrates great wisdom. 0:30:06.680 --> 0:30:09.650 But the key difference between Bible times and today is 0:30:09.650 --> 0:30:11.570 that in both the Old and New Testament, people really 0:30:11.570 --> 0:30:13.460 didn't have a say in who was in charge. They 0:30:13.460 --> 0:30:16.340 didn't vote for a king or for the Roman emperor, 0:30:16.340 --> 0:30:18.470 but they could rest in the knowledge that God set 0:30:18.500 --> 0:30:21.950 up and took down kings, and their responsibility was to 0:30:21.980 --> 0:30:25.970 obey those in authority. So when Paul wrote Romans 13 one, 0:30:26.000 --> 0:30:29.210 you obey those in authority. Nero was the emperor. However, 0:30:29.210 --> 0:30:31.430 since God put us under the authority of a government 0:30:31.430 --> 0:30:33.740 that allows us to have a say in who can lead, 0:30:33.740 --> 0:30:36.950 I believe participating in the election process is part of 0:30:36.950 --> 0:30:40.910 placing ourselves in obedience to the authority over us. Christ 0:30:40.910 --> 0:30:42.830 was King of kings at the time of Nero. Yet 0:30:42.830 --> 0:30:45.680 Paul still said in Romans 13, be subject to the 0:30:45.680 --> 0:30:49.850 governing authorities. The authorities that existed had been established by God. 0:30:49.880 --> 0:30:53.840 To deliberately choose not to participate by voting, in one sense, 0:30:53.840 --> 0:30:56.840 is rebelling against the system of government to which were 0:30:56.840 --> 0:31:00.320 to be in obedience. Rulers, both in Bible times and today. 0:31:00.350 --> 0:31:03.470 They're not always believers. They they weren't then. They aren't today. 0:31:03.620 --> 0:31:05.960 In many cases. And yet we're to pray for them. 0:31:05.990 --> 0:31:08.510 First Timothy two. We're to submit to them as long 0:31:08.510 --> 0:31:11.360 as they don't demand that we disobey God. In acts 0:31:11.360 --> 0:31:14.180 chapter four, it says that in the system of government 0:31:14.180 --> 0:31:16.640 God has provided for us. I believe one way to 0:31:16.670 --> 0:31:19.190 obey God is to vote for the person or party 0:31:19.190 --> 0:31:23.030 most aligned with his values. No system is perfect, but 0:31:23.030 --> 0:31:25.490 choosing not to vote is simply being unwilling to take 0:31:25.520 --> 0:31:29.360 time to carefully and prayerfully seek God's will in the matter. 0:31:29.540 --> 0:31:32.180 The bottom line is that I believe you're right on target. 0:31:32.210 --> 0:31:34.430 We do have the freedom in our country to choose 0:31:34.430 --> 0:31:36.800 not to vote, but those who choose to do so 0:31:36.800 --> 0:31:39.830 also need to understand they're choosing to accept the results 0:31:39.830 --> 0:31:43.070 of that choice. Personally, I never tell someone whom they 0:31:43.070 --> 0:31:45.140 need to vote for, but I do encourage them to 0:31:45.170 --> 0:31:47.300 know what the issues are that are at stake in 0:31:47.300 --> 0:31:50.180 any election, and then to seek God's wisdom to do 0:31:50.210 --> 0:31:51.080 what's best. 0:31:51.320 --> 0:31:54.500 Norm says, I thought one of your recent guests answers 0:31:54.500 --> 0:31:58.670 was inaccurate. He suggested a prophetic sign Is Israel coming 0:31:58.670 --> 0:32:01.459 back to the land in 1948? But this was a 0:32:01.460 --> 0:32:04.850 political result of Zionism. The Bible says that the Messiah 0:32:04.850 --> 0:32:07.640 is to regather Israel. Can you clarify, please? 0:32:07.670 --> 0:32:10.580 Yeah, actually, I think both positions are correct. Now let 0:32:10.580 --> 0:32:13.490 me explain. It's true that at his return, Jesus will 0:32:13.490 --> 0:32:15.710 gather the nation and bring them back to the land. 0:32:15.710 --> 0:32:19.220 And that's mentioned in passages like Jeremiah chapter 30. Jeremiah 0:32:19.220 --> 0:32:23.510 chapter 31. Ezekiel 36 mentions it. Jesus himself said it 0:32:23.510 --> 0:32:27.290 in Matthew 24, verses 30 and 31. But it's also 0:32:27.290 --> 0:32:30.020 true that Israel are certainly a part of the nation 0:32:30.020 --> 0:32:32.720 has to be in the land before the start of 0:32:32.720 --> 0:32:35.570 the seven year tribulation period. They need to be there 0:32:35.570 --> 0:32:37.940 so the Antichrist can confirm a covenant with them for 0:32:37.940 --> 0:32:40.640 seven years. And so the temple can be rebuilt and 0:32:40.640 --> 0:32:44.900 then defiled. That's mentioned in Daniel 927 and in second 0:32:44.900 --> 0:32:49.130 Thessalonians two, and in revelation 11. In Matthew 24, Jesus 0:32:49.130 --> 0:32:52.070 describes that defilement of the temple and says, let those 0:32:52.070 --> 0:32:54.410 who are in Judea then flee. Will they have to 0:32:54.440 --> 0:32:56.810 be in Judea if they're going to flee from that point? 0:32:56.960 --> 0:32:59.090 I think the best passage that helps me know all 0:32:59.090 --> 0:33:02.750 these things together is Ezekiel 38 and 39, that invasion 0:33:02.750 --> 0:33:05.840 of Gog and Magog in 38. It says the invasion 0:33:05.840 --> 0:33:08.600 takes place following the return of the nation to the land. 0:33:08.630 --> 0:33:11.210 He says in future years, God will invade a land 0:33:11.210 --> 0:33:14.000 that's recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many 0:33:14.000 --> 0:33:16.700 nations to the mountains of Israel. But at the end 0:33:16.700 --> 0:33:19.120 of the passage, once the war has happened, once God 0:33:19.150 --> 0:33:21.490 has defeated the enemy, God says a key result of 0:33:21.490 --> 0:33:23.740 the battle is the return of Israel to the land. 0:33:23.770 --> 0:33:26.980 So in chapter 39 he says, therefore, this is what 0:33:26.980 --> 0:33:29.410 the sovereign Lord says, I will now bring Jacob back 0:33:29.410 --> 0:33:32.770 from captivity and have compassion on all the people of Israel. 0:33:32.800 --> 0:33:35.620 So they're there before the battle. But one of the 0:33:35.620 --> 0:33:37.660 results of the battle is that God brings them back, 0:33:37.660 --> 0:33:39.850 which tells me that there has to be a remnant 0:33:39.850 --> 0:33:42.580 in Israel prior to the start of the fulfillment of 0:33:42.580 --> 0:33:44.170 those end time prophecies. 0:33:44.200 --> 0:33:46.300 You're listening to the land and the book with our host, 0:33:46.300 --> 0:33:49.030 Doctor Charlie Dyer, and your questions are welcome at the 0:33:49.030 --> 0:33:53.620 land and the book@moody.edu. Dale asks, is it possible that 0:33:53.620 --> 0:33:57.130 the events described in Ezekiel 38 and 39 are the 0:33:57.160 --> 0:33:59.230 same as the battle of Armageddon? 0:33:59.260 --> 0:34:01.900 Yeah. Isn't it interesting, John, that suddenly our questions just 0:34:01.900 --> 0:34:03.730 tend to come in on the same subject and we 0:34:03.730 --> 0:34:05.290 present them in the order they come in, but in 0:34:05.290 --> 0:34:07.420 this case, two different people, but two different questions on 0:34:07.450 --> 0:34:10.390 that passage. Well, I don't see the Battle of Gog 0:34:10.450 --> 0:34:14.830 Magog and the Battle of Armageddon being the same event, uh, 0:34:14.860 --> 0:34:17.970 the Battle of Magog in Ezekiel 38 and 39 is 0:34:17.969 --> 0:34:20.280 said to occur when Israel's in the land in peace 0:34:20.280 --> 0:34:22.500 and safety. In fact, he says, in the very beginning, 0:34:22.530 --> 0:34:24.630 he will invade a land that's recovered from war, whose 0:34:24.630 --> 0:34:27.210 people were gathered from many nations. And now all of 0:34:27.210 --> 0:34:30.120 them live in safety. And the man says, I'm going 0:34:30.150 --> 0:34:33.810 to attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people. Well, that's true 0:34:33.810 --> 0:34:36.719 for Israel during the first half of the coming tribulation period, 0:34:36.719 --> 0:34:39.480 but not for the second half. And that's important, because 0:34:39.480 --> 0:34:42.239 the gathering at Armageddon prior to the battle of the 0:34:42.239 --> 0:34:45.390 seven year period is in revelation 16. It's one of 0:34:45.390 --> 0:34:48.240 the last bowls of judgment right toward the end of 0:34:48.239 --> 0:34:51.210 the tribulation period. The difference in timing tells me that 0:34:51.210 --> 0:34:53.819 the battles take place at different times. So the battle 0:34:53.820 --> 0:34:55.890 of Gog Magog happens when Israel is back in the 0:34:55.890 --> 0:34:59.070 land at peace. The gathering at Armageddon takes place at 0:34:59.070 --> 0:35:02.160 the end of the tribulation, just before Christ's return, which 0:35:02.160 --> 0:35:05.279 is a time when Israel has been experiencing incredible difficulty 0:35:05.280 --> 0:35:08.609 and troubles, according to what Jesus said in Matthew 24. 0:35:08.640 --> 0:35:11.610 I personally think the battle of Armageddon is really a 0:35:11.610 --> 0:35:14.580 gathering at Armageddon, or a campaign at Armageddon rather than 0:35:14.610 --> 0:35:17.430 the final battle, because the battle doesn't actually take place 0:35:17.430 --> 0:35:19.739 until right at the time of Christ's return. 0:35:19.770 --> 0:35:22.590 Ghani has a question for us. In my personal study 0:35:22.590 --> 0:35:25.170 of the life of Paul, I came across what seems 0:35:25.170 --> 0:35:27.989 to be a contradiction in the Bible concerning the time 0:35:27.989 --> 0:35:30.120 of his conversion on the way to Damascus. Can you 0:35:30.120 --> 0:35:32.580 help me out here? Acts nine verse seven says that 0:35:32.580 --> 0:35:35.580 those who were with Paul heard a voice but saw 0:35:35.610 --> 0:35:38.610 no one. But in chapter 22, verse nine, it says, 0:35:38.610 --> 0:35:40.950 they saw the light, but they did not hear the 0:35:40.950 --> 0:35:43.830 voice of him who spoke with Paul. What's going on? 0:35:43.860 --> 0:35:46.200 Yeah, I actually remember this coming up during my second 0:35:46.230 --> 0:35:48.810 year in Greek in Bible College, which takes me back 0:35:48.840 --> 0:35:51.509 a long time. Uh, while in English those verses do 0:35:51.540 --> 0:35:54.540 appear to contradict, in Greek they don't. The Greek word 0:35:54.540 --> 0:35:57.090 for hearing in both is acuo, which can have a 0:35:57.090 --> 0:35:59.219 range of meaning when it's followed by a word in 0:35:59.219 --> 0:36:01.830 the accusative case, which is what it is in chapter nine. 0:36:01.830 --> 0:36:04.440 It refers to the extent of hearing that is. In 0:36:04.440 --> 0:36:07.950 this verse Paul says they actually heard something being spoken, 0:36:07.950 --> 0:36:10.109 but when it was followed by a word in the 0:36:10.110 --> 0:36:13.080 genitive case, as in chapter 22, it's referring to the 0:36:13.110 --> 0:36:15.450 meaning of the sound. That is, those who are traveling 0:36:15.450 --> 0:36:18.480 with Paul didn't understand what was being said, even though 0:36:18.480 --> 0:36:21.540 they did hear something. So both statements are correct in 0:36:21.540 --> 0:36:24.270 the way a quote uses each one within its context. 0:36:24.270 --> 0:36:26.520 And I think the NIV, the New American Standard, and 0:36:26.520 --> 0:36:30.569 the ESV all try to convey that sense in their translations. 0:36:30.600 --> 0:36:33.600 I have loved these questions today, especially those that point 0:36:33.630 --> 0:36:36.270 us toward the future. And your question is welcome again 0:36:36.270 --> 0:36:39.720 at the land and the book@moody.edu. Hey, when was the 0:36:39.719 --> 0:36:42.239 last time you visited our website? Lots of cool stuff 0:36:42.239 --> 0:36:46.710 there and you'll find us at The Land and the book.org. 0:36:46.739 --> 0:37:02.759 I'm looking forward to Charlie Dyer's devotional. It's next. When 0:37:02.760 --> 0:37:06.870 you're in a desert. Water is liquid gold. Nothing is 0:37:06.870 --> 0:37:10.529 more important or precious than water. Charlie, you have spent 0:37:10.530 --> 0:37:14.339 enough time in Israel's deserts to know firsthand the importance 0:37:14.340 --> 0:37:15.480 of water, I presume? 0:37:15.510 --> 0:37:18.840 Absolutely. And I've seen people who didn't have enough water 0:37:18.840 --> 0:37:20.640 and got into trouble as a result. 0:37:20.640 --> 0:37:22.890 And yet, water in the desert is the focus of 0:37:22.890 --> 0:37:24.299 your devotional coming up, right? 0:37:24.330 --> 0:37:25.319 Absolutely. 0:37:25.350 --> 0:37:28.710 All right. We're looking forward to that conversation. His devotional 0:37:28.710 --> 0:37:32.370 following this Holy Land experience. Let's check out this testimony. 0:37:36.330 --> 0:37:39.090 Hi, my name is Judy and this is my Holy 0:37:39.120 --> 0:37:42.870 Land experience. One of the things that has impressed me 0:37:42.870 --> 0:37:48.210 as we tour around Israel is the many people groups 0:37:48.210 --> 0:37:51.630 who are here. Some of them are visiting from other countries. 0:37:51.630 --> 0:37:55.620 Some of them are indigenous to this area. But I 0:37:55.620 --> 0:37:59.700 see that many tribes and many tongues, and it's happening 0:37:59.700 --> 0:38:02.850 right here, right in front of our very eyes, and 0:38:02.850 --> 0:38:06.450 I can imagine it happening in the New Jerusalem. 0:38:06.480 --> 0:38:09.090 Hi, my name is Mary and this is my Holy 0:38:09.090 --> 0:38:12.360 Land experience, a trip that I've looked forward to for 0:38:12.360 --> 0:38:16.469 a long time, and now it is a reality. And 0:38:16.469 --> 0:38:20.220 what I am experiencing is the Bible coming alive in 0:38:20.219 --> 0:38:23.609 front of my eyes, seeing all of those things that 0:38:23.610 --> 0:38:26.910 we read about in the Bible and hearing about them 0:38:26.910 --> 0:38:30.090 and Charlie telling us about them. And the history has 0:38:30.090 --> 0:38:31.680 just been completely amazing. 0:38:33.360 --> 0:38:36.510 Water in the desert. Where are we going today, Charlie? 0:38:36.540 --> 0:38:39.060 Well, we're going to head to job chapter 38 and 0:38:39.060 --> 0:38:41.850 Isaiah 35, and I'm going to try and put those 0:38:41.850 --> 0:38:45.150 two passages together. But right now, as our bus pulls 0:38:45.150 --> 0:38:47.970 into the parking lot here at Qumran, I first want 0:38:48.000 --> 0:38:50.190 to give you a chance to use the restrooms. We'll 0:38:50.219 --> 0:38:52.439 then meet over by the entrance and walk out onto 0:38:52.440 --> 0:38:55.050 the site. And be sure to bring your headset along 0:38:55.050 --> 0:38:59.100 because the site could be crowded. Okay, we've all done 0:38:59.100 --> 0:39:01.890 so follow me out onto the site. Now I'm going 0:39:01.920 --> 0:39:04.680 to take you on an abbreviated tour of Qumran. We're 0:39:04.680 --> 0:39:06.780 skipping most of the ruins and heading out to the 0:39:06.780 --> 0:39:10.410 covered area there in the distance. What makes Qumran special 0:39:10.440 --> 0:39:13.740 are the ancient scrolls discovered here, the Dead Sea Scrolls. 0:39:13.739 --> 0:39:16.739 But those scrolls aren't here now. They're in Jerusalem. And 0:39:16.739 --> 0:39:19.650 had they not been discovered here, this site would never 0:39:19.650 --> 0:39:23.220 have become a national park. The site itself is actually 0:39:23.219 --> 0:39:26.370 something of a disappointment, though the discovery made here is 0:39:26.370 --> 0:39:30.149 one of the most significant in the past 100 years. Okay, 0:39:30.180 --> 0:39:32.700 we're now out at the overlook. Just across the way 0:39:32.700 --> 0:39:35.670 is the most iconic photo you will see from Qumran 0:39:35.700 --> 0:39:38.759 Cave four. The different caves in this area are numbered 0:39:38.760 --> 0:39:41.370 based on the order in which the scrolls were discovered. 0:39:41.400 --> 0:39:45.630 This cave contained the largest number of scrolls and fragments found. 0:39:45.630 --> 0:39:49.529 In fact, over 75% of the Dead Sea Scrolls and 0:39:49.530 --> 0:39:54.480 scroll fragments collected so far were found in this one cave. Now, 0:39:54.480 --> 0:39:56.850 on most trips, I'll share briefly about the history of 0:39:56.880 --> 0:40:00.270 Qumran and the Essenes, and then turn everyone loose, and 0:40:00.270 --> 0:40:02.460 some of you can explore the rest of the site, 0:40:02.460 --> 0:40:05.070 while others can shop in the store, and others can 0:40:05.070 --> 0:40:07.350 go to the snack area and purchase a soda or 0:40:07.350 --> 0:40:10.440 ice cream. But before we scatter, let me point out 0:40:10.440 --> 0:40:14.339 one other detail. Qumran has no natural water supply like 0:40:14.340 --> 0:40:17.190 a stream or a well. It existed because of the 0:40:17.190 --> 0:40:20.580 rainfall that fell up in the mountains and rushed down 0:40:20.580 --> 0:40:22.860 the cliffs just in front of you. If you look 0:40:22.860 --> 0:40:25.230 carefully at the cliffs, you can trace a line down 0:40:25.230 --> 0:40:28.469 where the rocks change color. If there's a heavy rain 0:40:28.469 --> 0:40:31.350 up in the hills, the water rushes into the canyons 0:40:31.350 --> 0:40:35.520 in the wilderness and eventually becomes a roaring waterfall, cascading 0:40:35.520 --> 0:40:38.130 down the face of the cliff and through the gorge 0:40:38.130 --> 0:40:41.129 just below. On the way to the Dead Sea. The 0:40:41.130 --> 0:40:44.130 Essenes who lived here diverted some of that water into 0:40:44.130 --> 0:40:47.580 Qumran to fill their cisterns and reservoirs, and that's where 0:40:47.580 --> 0:40:50.489 they received the water that sustained them through the rest 0:40:50.489 --> 0:40:53.100 of the year. Now, standing here right now, it's hard 0:40:53.100 --> 0:40:56.730 to imagine that a community, even a relatively small community, 0:40:56.760 --> 0:41:00.630 could survive from such infrequent floods. But a number of 0:41:00.630 --> 0:41:02.669 years ago, I was here when just such a flood 0:41:02.670 --> 0:41:06.299 took place. In fact, the water washed across the road 0:41:06.300 --> 0:41:09.330 below and trapped us here for two hours, but I 0:41:09.330 --> 0:41:11.790 didn't mind at all. The water pouring over the side 0:41:11.790 --> 0:41:15.629 and down the cliff face was absolutely majestic. It was 0:41:15.630 --> 0:41:18.180 dark brown from all the dirt being carried along by 0:41:18.180 --> 0:41:20.640 the force of the current. That was one of my 0:41:20.670 --> 0:41:24.300 aha moments in Israel, because it shined a spotlight on 0:41:24.300 --> 0:41:27.390 several passages from the Bible. And while we're here, let 0:41:27.390 --> 0:41:29.880 me share some of those with you. The first comes 0:41:29.880 --> 0:41:32.460 from the Book of Job. Job and his friends engaged 0:41:32.460 --> 0:41:36.239 in a protracted debate over the cause for job's misfortune. 0:41:36.239 --> 0:41:39.930 In job six, job said his friends were as undependable 0:41:39.930 --> 0:41:43.380 as the desert wadis that overflow with water in the winter, 0:41:43.380 --> 0:41:45.990 but that ceased to flow in the dry season and 0:41:45.989 --> 0:41:49.170 in the heat vanish from their channels. They were around 0:41:49.170 --> 0:41:51.840 when things were going well, but when things got tough, 0:41:51.840 --> 0:41:55.050 their help vanished, like the water in those wadis that 0:41:55.050 --> 0:41:58.350 stopped flowing in the summer. The cycle of debate between 0:41:58.350 --> 0:42:01.890 job and his friends ends when God himself shows up 0:42:01.890 --> 0:42:05.040 to question job, and God asked a series of questions 0:42:05.040 --> 0:42:08.860 to demonstrate the job. That job also didn't understand how 0:42:08.890 --> 0:42:12.219 life really works. God asked, who cuts a channel for 0:42:12.219 --> 0:42:14.950 the torrents of rain and a path for the thunderstorm 0:42:14.950 --> 0:42:17.950 to water? A land where no man lives, a desert 0:42:17.950 --> 0:42:21.190 with no one in it, to satisfy a desolate wasteland 0:42:21.190 --> 0:42:24.730 and make it sprout with grass. Why did God design 0:42:24.730 --> 0:42:28.120 a system that sends torrents of rain down channels in 0:42:28.120 --> 0:42:32.500 deserted regions? God provides water to cause grass to sprout 0:42:32.500 --> 0:42:36.070 in areas where even humans don't live. And God asked 0:42:36.070 --> 0:42:39.040 job to explain why he designed it that way, which 0:42:39.070 --> 0:42:42.530 of course, job wasn't able to do. More than a 0:42:42.530 --> 0:42:45.730 thousand years after the time of job, the prophet Isaiah 0:42:45.760 --> 0:42:49.029 used the same imagery of streams in the desert to 0:42:49.060 --> 0:42:53.410 picture God's coming, deliverance, redemption, and blessing for his people. 0:42:53.440 --> 0:42:56.680 Here's part of how he describes it in Isaiah 35. 0:42:56.710 --> 0:42:59.860 The desert and the parched land will be glad. The 0:42:59.860 --> 0:43:03.160 wilderness will rejoice and blossom like the crocus. It will 0:43:03.190 --> 0:43:07.870 burst into bloom. It will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. Then, 0:43:07.870 --> 0:43:10.660 picking up in verses six and seven, he adds, water 0:43:10.660 --> 0:43:14.110 will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. 0:43:14.140 --> 0:43:17.410 The scorched land will become a pool. The thirsty ground, 0:43:17.410 --> 0:43:21.760 bubbling springs in the haunts where jackals once lay. Grass 0:43:21.760 --> 0:43:25.899 and reeds and papyrus will grow. God's promised deliverance will 0:43:25.900 --> 0:43:29.530 be as dramatic as a roaring wall of water sweeping 0:43:29.530 --> 0:43:33.279 through the wilderness, turning the dead barren ground into a 0:43:33.280 --> 0:43:37.629 carpet of green. Watching the normally barren cliffs above Qumran 0:43:37.630 --> 0:43:42.939 turn almost instantly into a roaring waterfall was impressive. Not actually. 0:43:42.940 --> 0:43:45.700 It was awe inspiring. If you want to see what 0:43:45.700 --> 0:43:48.219 I mean, go to our land in the Book Facebook 0:43:48.219 --> 0:43:51.640 page and watch the short video I'll post there, which 0:43:51.640 --> 0:43:54.760 I took on that day. In other trips, I saw 0:43:54.760 --> 0:43:57.910 the impact those storms had on the wilderness itself. I 0:43:57.910 --> 0:44:01.930 have photos of red, yellow and white flowers dotting hillsides 0:44:01.930 --> 0:44:05.980 carpeted in fresh green grass. I watched shepherds lead their 0:44:05.980 --> 0:44:09.279 flocks and herds to graze on hillsides that, just a 0:44:09.280 --> 0:44:12.730 few weeks before, seemed to be covered in nothing but rock. 0:44:12.760 --> 0:44:16.060 God's presence shone in his ability to bring rain to 0:44:16.090 --> 0:44:19.960 even the most barren of locations in Israel's wilderness was 0:44:19.960 --> 0:44:22.840 a visible object lesson to the people of the land 0:44:22.840 --> 0:44:26.080 from the time of job and throughout the Old Testament. 0:44:26.110 --> 0:44:29.020 The God who could bring about streams in the desert 0:44:29.020 --> 0:44:32.560 was the God who also promised to strengthen the feeble hands, 0:44:32.560 --> 0:44:35.169 steady the knees that give way, and say to those 0:44:35.170 --> 0:44:39.040 with fearful hearts, be strong, and do not fear. Isaiah's 0:44:39.040 --> 0:44:42.220 message of hope from the streams in the desert was 0:44:42.219 --> 0:44:45.759 that God will come to save you. Well, it's time 0:44:45.760 --> 0:44:47.950 to head back into the store to grab a snack. 0:44:47.980 --> 0:44:50.020 You can also shop, but be sure to use the 0:44:50.020 --> 0:44:53.230 restrooms one last time before we head south for our 0:44:53.230 --> 0:44:56.620 long drive to the hotel. Before we leave though, what 0:44:56.620 --> 0:44:59.230 lessons can you take with you from your time here? 0:44:59.260 --> 0:45:04.720 Looking at the barren cliffs above Qumran. Let me suggest two. First, 0:45:04.719 --> 0:45:08.620 remember from job that we don't always understand God's ways. 0:45:08.650 --> 0:45:12.040 Job felt abandoned by his friends and by his God. 0:45:12.070 --> 0:45:15.610 He had no clue about the cosmic battle between God 0:45:15.610 --> 0:45:19.600 and Satan taking place over his life. He felt forsaken 0:45:19.600 --> 0:45:23.020 by God. Though God told Satan, job was the prime 0:45:23.020 --> 0:45:26.680 example of a person who was blameless and upright. God 0:45:26.710 --> 0:45:30.580 had to remind job that job didn't understand how everything 0:45:30.580 --> 0:45:33.790 in the world fit together, but that God did. Those 0:45:33.790 --> 0:45:37.480 cliffs above us are reminders that we might face obstacles 0:45:37.480 --> 0:45:40.360 that seem powerful and daunting. But we have a God 0:45:40.360 --> 0:45:43.300 who's infinitely greater and who loves us with a love 0:45:43.300 --> 0:45:47.109 that will keep us through the desert times in our lives. 0:45:47.140 --> 0:45:50.920 He understands even when we don't. And then second, remember 0:45:50.920 --> 0:45:53.500 from Isaiah that in the proper time God will send 0:45:53.530 --> 0:45:56.860 his streams in the desert. He can replace barrenness with 0:45:56.860 --> 0:46:00.430 blessing and discouragement with deliverance. You might not see it 0:46:00.430 --> 0:46:02.680 right now, but I can assure you that there are 0:46:02.680 --> 0:46:05.680 times when a section of that cliff will be obscured 0:46:05.680 --> 0:46:09.400 by a cascading river of water. The timing belongs to God, 0:46:09.430 --> 0:46:12.220 but he will come, just as he said in Isaiah 0:46:12.250 --> 0:46:16.960 35 verse four. Whatever your current struggles, whatever spiritual drought 0:46:16.960 --> 0:46:20.650 you might be experiencing, keep looking up, be strong, do 0:46:20.650 --> 0:46:23.320 not fear, and then watch for God to bring his 0:46:23.320 --> 0:46:27.280 time of spiritual refreshing just for you. 0:46:27.460 --> 0:46:30.670 Well, I love that reminder that hope is there. Thank 0:46:30.700 --> 0:46:33.969 you Charlie. Great devotional as always, and the entire program 0:46:33.969 --> 0:46:36.219 is yours to listen to at our website, The Land 0:46:36.219 --> 0:46:39.250 and the book org. Head to our Facebook page to 0:46:39.280 --> 0:46:42.580 check out that waterfall video Charlie's talking about as well. 0:46:42.610 --> 0:46:45.370 That'll do it for our program today. I'm John Gager 0:46:45.370 --> 0:46:48.370 for our producer, Dan Anderson. Our host, Charlie Dyer. Have 0:46:48.370 --> 0:46:50.560 a great day. Thanks for listening to The Land and 0:46:50.560 --> 0:46:53.530 the book, a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of 0:46:53.530 --> 0:46:55.180 Moody Bible Institute.