1 00:00:08,210 --> 00:00:13,640 S1: Ostracized, alone, disoriented. If you've left Islam to follow Jesus, 2 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:17,180 S1: that's often how you feel. You've left your family, community, 3 00:00:17,180 --> 00:00:20,660 S1: and everything you've known behind. You may have found a 4 00:00:20,660 --> 00:00:24,530 S1: loving church community, but no one really understands what it's 5 00:00:24,530 --> 00:00:26,990 S1: been like for you today on the land. In the book, 6 00:00:26,990 --> 00:00:30,440 S1: we're going to look at the Ex-Muslims Guide to Christianity, 7 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:34,250 S1: help for former Muslims who now follow Christ. Welcome to 8 00:00:34,250 --> 00:00:37,010 S1: our one hour flyover of the Middle East. The land 9 00:00:37,010 --> 00:00:39,830 S1: and the book seated in the pilot's chair. As always. 10 00:00:39,830 --> 00:00:44,750 S1: Captain Charlie Dyer serving as Charlie's first officer. I'm John Gager. Hey, 11 00:00:44,750 --> 00:00:46,729 S1: maybe you wonder, how do you share the gospel with 12 00:00:46,729 --> 00:00:50,630 S1: a Jewish person? Because of cultural, historical, and religious differences, 13 00:00:50,630 --> 00:00:54,560 S1: it can be challenging to navigate a gospel conversation with 14 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:57,740 S1: somebody from a Jewish background. You ever wondered how the 15 00:00:57,740 --> 00:00:59,390 S1: quote professionals do it? 16 00:00:59,390 --> 00:01:01,850 S2: And to answer that question, our friends at Life and 17 00:01:01,850 --> 00:01:04,760 S2: Messiah want to mail you samples of the tracks their 18 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:07,910 S2: staff use as they present the gospel. This will serve 19 00:01:07,910 --> 00:01:10,340 S2: a dual purpose. It will equip you with methods of 20 00:01:10,340 --> 00:01:13,789 S2: presenting the gospel, and also supply you with tracks you 21 00:01:13,790 --> 00:01:16,550 S2: can share with your Jewish friends and neighbors. Life in 22 00:01:16,550 --> 00:01:19,460 S2: Messiah's Prayer is that these tracks will help further the 23 00:01:19,459 --> 00:01:22,640 S2: spread of the gospel among the Jewish people. To receive 24 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:25,190 S2: this helpful assortment of tracks, all you need to do 25 00:01:25,190 --> 00:01:28,250 S2: is visit Life in Messiah org and click on the 26 00:01:28,250 --> 00:01:33,500 S2: Moody Radio button there for more information. That's Life in messiah.org. 27 00:01:33,500 --> 00:01:36,380 S2: Now don't miss out on this great opportunity. 28 00:01:36,380 --> 00:01:38,870 S1: This week we're really excited to shift our focus a 29 00:01:38,870 --> 00:01:41,930 S1: bit away from regular day to day headlines from the 30 00:01:41,930 --> 00:01:45,620 S1: Middle East to explore recent archaeological stories out of Israel 31 00:01:45,620 --> 00:01:47,930 S1: making the news. We've got a lot of listeners, Charlie, 32 00:01:47,930 --> 00:01:51,050 S1: who are very interested in this. So this is for you. 33 00:01:51,050 --> 00:01:54,620 S1: Story number one, one of the key difficulties in archaeology 34 00:01:54,620 --> 00:01:58,310 S1: is trying to determine an exact chronology of the past. 35 00:01:58,310 --> 00:02:01,490 S1: Carbon 14 dating, of course, has helped, though. There's a 36 00:02:01,490 --> 00:02:05,180 S1: phenomenon known as Hallstatt plateau, which interferes with the use 37 00:02:05,180 --> 00:02:08,990 S1: of radiocarbon dating during the Iron Age, stretching from around 38 00:02:08,990 --> 00:02:12,410 S1: the time of Solomon to the Babylonian captivity. But now 39 00:02:12,410 --> 00:02:15,230 S1: researchers at the Weizmann Institute believe they've been able to 40 00:02:15,230 --> 00:02:20,480 S1: establish an absolute chronology for discoveries using new dating techniques. 41 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:23,359 S1: So what exactly is the breakthrough that they've discovered? 42 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:25,610 S2: Yeah, and this might take people by surprise, because most 43 00:02:25,610 --> 00:02:29,899 S2: people assume carbon 14 dating provides a fairly accurate timeline 44 00:02:29,900 --> 00:02:32,780 S2: for history, since it's based on the constant rate of 45 00:02:32,780 --> 00:02:37,100 S2: decay of carbon 14. In the atmosphere, living organisms absorb 46 00:02:37,100 --> 00:02:39,500 S2: these atoms into their tissue until they die, at which 47 00:02:39,500 --> 00:02:45,050 S2: point the carbon 14 undergoes radioactive decay, turning into nitrogen 14. 48 00:02:45,230 --> 00:02:48,710 S2: The problem is that plots of carbon 14 graphs hit 49 00:02:48,740 --> 00:02:53,359 S2: a flat area, or plateau, between around 804 hundred BC. 50 00:02:53,690 --> 00:02:57,380 S2: It's referred to in archaeology as the Hallstatt Plateau, after 51 00:02:57,380 --> 00:03:00,350 S2: a city in Austria. The city gave its name to 52 00:03:00,350 --> 00:03:03,829 S2: the dominant European culture during that period, and the Hallstatt 53 00:03:03,830 --> 00:03:07,790 S2: plateau refers to a change in solar activity that influenced 54 00:03:07,790 --> 00:03:12,560 S2: the radiocarbon production worldwide during those centuries. In other words, 55 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:17,300 S2: carbon 14 dating has a glitch worldwide that unfortunately corresponds 56 00:03:17,300 --> 00:03:20,450 S2: to much of the Kingdom period for Israel and Judah. Now, 57 00:03:20,450 --> 00:03:24,230 S2: these researchers used a combination of approaches to help overcome 58 00:03:24,230 --> 00:03:29,000 S2: the Hallstatt plateau. First, they focused on one site Jerusalem. 59 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:32,300 S2: Because of the extensive excavations at that area, they were 60 00:03:32,300 --> 00:03:37,160 S2: able to collect more than 100 radiocarbon measurements on organic material. 61 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:41,240 S2: They conducted multiple radiocarbon measurements to get the highest level 62 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:44,870 S2: of accuracy and precision for each specimen, and they were 63 00:03:44,870 --> 00:03:47,660 S2: able to match each item to its precise location at 64 00:03:47,660 --> 00:03:51,800 S2: the site. They then used 100 calendar dated tree rings 65 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:55,850 S2: from well known worldwide archives. Combining the tree ring dating 66 00:03:55,850 --> 00:03:58,700 S2: with the radiocarbon method, they were able to obtain a 67 00:03:58,700 --> 00:04:03,710 S2: more precise and detailed determination of the radiocarbon concentration in 68 00:04:03,710 --> 00:04:07,790 S2: the atmosphere at that time. Finally, they also used two 69 00:04:07,790 --> 00:04:12,170 S2: well-established historically dated events in Jerusalem an earthquake at the 70 00:04:12,170 --> 00:04:16,160 S2: time of King Uzziah that took place around 759 BC, 71 00:04:16,339 --> 00:04:19,430 S2: and the destruction of the city by the Babylonians in 72 00:04:19,430 --> 00:04:24,169 S2: 586 BC, and combining the archaeological evidence that matched these 73 00:04:24,170 --> 00:04:28,370 S2: two fixed points with their more precise carbon 14 calibrations, 74 00:04:28,370 --> 00:04:32,330 S2: they established a detailed chronology of Jerusalem, and the results 75 00:04:32,330 --> 00:04:37,849 S2: closely matched the Bible with archaeological discoveries. For example, post-earthquake 76 00:04:37,850 --> 00:04:41,570 S2: redevelopment in Jerusalem is now understood to have begun under 77 00:04:41,570 --> 00:04:45,650 S2: King Uzziah rather than Hezekiah, and that matches passages like 78 00:04:45,650 --> 00:04:49,430 S2: Amos one one and Zechariah 14 five, which clearly placed 79 00:04:49,430 --> 00:04:52,760 S2: the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah. The study 80 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:55,969 S2: also shows that the city's expansion began at least a 81 00:04:55,970 --> 00:04:59,990 S2: century earlier than many scholars had previously thought, again, more 82 00:04:59,990 --> 00:05:03,800 S2: accurately matching the timeline pictured in the Bible. Now aligning 83 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:09,110 S2: archaeological discoveries with carbon 14 dating and. Chronology and fixed 84 00:05:09,110 --> 00:05:13,310 S2: historical dates provided a greater precision, and in the process 85 00:05:13,310 --> 00:05:16,400 S2: helps remind us again of the accuracy of God's Word. 86 00:05:16,430 --> 00:05:20,900 S1: Fascinating. Well, researchers are now using artificial intelligence to help 87 00:05:20,900 --> 00:05:24,590 S1: fill in the blanks for illegible or damaged ancient texts 88 00:05:24,589 --> 00:05:27,320 S1: and tablets. How does this new system work? 89 00:05:27,350 --> 00:05:31,910 S2: Well, the system employs masked language modeling that uses context 90 00:05:31,910 --> 00:05:35,030 S2: to predict missing words in a phrase or sentence. The 91 00:05:35,029 --> 00:05:41,450 S2: researchers first fed Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic texts 22,144 sentences 92 00:05:41,450 --> 00:05:44,780 S2: from the Old Testament into the system. They then tested 93 00:05:44,779 --> 00:05:49,070 S2: the system on the remaining 536 sentences that they hadn't fed. 94 00:05:49,070 --> 00:05:51,739 S2: In trying to have it predict words or phrases that 95 00:05:51,740 --> 00:05:55,070 S2: they would leave out. The model they developed is called 96 00:05:55,070 --> 00:05:59,300 S2: em Bible. Em Bible. The value of the system is 97 00:05:59,300 --> 00:06:01,940 S2: the help it will provide to translators when new texts 98 00:06:01,940 --> 00:06:05,180 S2: are are found and they're constantly being discovered. Many have 99 00:06:05,180 --> 00:06:09,590 S2: been partially destroyed by earthquakes or natural or human related incidents, 100 00:06:09,589 --> 00:06:13,099 S2: so their partial and not complete. This system will provide 101 00:06:13,100 --> 00:06:17,719 S2: translators with suggested reconstructions of the missing parts of texts. 102 00:06:17,750 --> 00:06:20,150 S2: It's also possible the model will be able to help 103 00:06:20,150 --> 00:06:23,779 S2: reconstruct plausible text from thousands of fragments found at sites 104 00:06:23,779 --> 00:06:27,950 S2: like Qumran, many of which are still remaining undecipherable after 105 00:06:27,950 --> 00:06:32,390 S2: nearly 80 years following their discovery. Now, artificial intelligence won't 106 00:06:32,390 --> 00:06:35,239 S2: replace the wisdom and skill of linguists, but it could 107 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:38,300 S2: become a crucial aid by poring through thousands of possible 108 00:06:38,300 --> 00:06:42,110 S2: options to offer the most logical possibilities for the translator, 109 00:06:42,110 --> 00:06:45,229 S2: based on all other available texts. And that could be 110 00:06:45,230 --> 00:06:48,410 S2: a great help in more rapidly advancing our understanding of 111 00:06:48,410 --> 00:06:51,529 S2: the Bible in its cultural and historical context. 112 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:53,570 S1: Today, on the land in the book, our host, Doctor 113 00:06:53,570 --> 00:06:56,420 S1: Charlie Dyer, is working us through a list of recent 114 00:06:56,420 --> 00:07:00,349 S1: archaeological stories that I think are intriguing to just about everybody. 115 00:07:00,350 --> 00:07:05,150 S1: The Temple Mount Sifting Project uncovered clay tokens that might 116 00:07:05,150 --> 00:07:08,300 S1: have been part of the system for purchasing offerings for 117 00:07:08,300 --> 00:07:11,000 S1: use in the temple. What do these tokens look like 118 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:12,980 S1: and how would they have been used? 119 00:07:12,980 --> 00:07:15,770 S2: Yeah, the Temple Mount Sifting Project has actually been going 120 00:07:15,770 --> 00:07:19,400 S2: now for 20 years, and it's still uncovering details that 121 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:21,440 S2: help us understand what life was like at the time 122 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:24,620 S2: of the Bible. They've been slowly combing through tons of 123 00:07:24,620 --> 00:07:27,770 S2: debris and dirt that was dumped outside Jerusalem's Old City 124 00:07:27,770 --> 00:07:32,210 S2: back in 1999, when Islamic officials dug underneath the southeast 125 00:07:32,210 --> 00:07:35,510 S2: corner of the Temple Mount to build an underground mosque. Now, 126 00:07:35,510 --> 00:07:38,540 S2: these particular items were uncovered several years ago, but were 127 00:07:38,540 --> 00:07:42,440 S2: only just recently published. Other relatively small, less than four 128 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:45,560 S2: inches in size, and they're clay tokens that were imprinted 129 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:47,989 S2: on the front side and indented or pinched in on 130 00:07:47,990 --> 00:07:50,840 S2: the back. They aren't the same as the seals placed 131 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:53,900 S2: on documents. The one token has an impression of a 132 00:07:53,900 --> 00:07:57,050 S2: wine jug on it, with an inscription in Greek, a, 133 00:07:57,050 --> 00:08:00,440 S2: based on some passages in the Mishnah. The archaeologists believe 134 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:02,989 S2: these might have been used to indicate payment for the 135 00:08:02,990 --> 00:08:07,100 S2: different sacrifices used during the three annual feasts, when tens 136 00:08:07,100 --> 00:08:10,730 S2: of thousands of pilgrims would flock to Jerusalem, the pilgrims 137 00:08:10,730 --> 00:08:14,090 S2: would pay for the sacrifice at one location and be 138 00:08:14,090 --> 00:08:16,790 S2: handed their clay token, which they would then take up 139 00:08:16,790 --> 00:08:20,330 S2: on the Temple Mount to exchange for the appropriate sacrifice. 140 00:08:20,510 --> 00:08:23,180 S2: The fact that one of the tokens contains Greek letters 141 00:08:23,180 --> 00:08:27,020 S2: while the other was written in Aramaic, suggests the cosmopolitan 142 00:08:27,020 --> 00:08:29,750 S2: nature of these gatherings. As Jews from all over the 143 00:08:29,750 --> 00:08:32,420 S2: world would come to Jerusalem, the list of those on 144 00:08:32,420 --> 00:08:34,940 S2: the day of Pentecost in Acts two helps explain the 145 00:08:34,940 --> 00:08:37,970 S2: need for tokens for those who could speak either Greek 146 00:08:37,970 --> 00:08:40,730 S2: or Aramaic, and these little tokens date back to the 147 00:08:40,730 --> 00:08:43,970 S2: time of Herod the Great, and show the logistical details 148 00:08:43,970 --> 00:08:46,130 S2: that were put in place to have the operation of 149 00:08:46,130 --> 00:08:49,550 S2: the temple run smoothly, even during the busiest of times. 150 00:08:49,550 --> 00:08:51,860 S2: And sadly, John, they probably also were used to help 151 00:08:51,860 --> 00:08:54,530 S2: somebody from cheating. You had to have your token before 152 00:08:54,530 --> 00:08:56,750 S2: you could offer your sacrifice, and you paid at a 153 00:08:56,750 --> 00:08:59,540 S2: secure spot and then got your sacrifice elsewhere. 154 00:08:59,540 --> 00:09:03,380 S1: Interesting. Well, a Phoenician era pendant from the First Temple 155 00:09:03,380 --> 00:09:06,980 S1: period and a merchant's stone box from the Second Temple 156 00:09:06,980 --> 00:09:10,160 S1: period are two of the more recent discoveries put on 157 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:14,150 S1: display in Jerusalem. What is the significance of both objects? 158 00:09:14,150 --> 00:09:16,580 S2: Well, there are just additional examples of the kinds of 159 00:09:16,580 --> 00:09:19,610 S2: discoveries that add depth and texture to our understanding of 160 00:09:19,610 --> 00:09:22,910 S2: life in Bible times. The pendant, which they also think 161 00:09:22,910 --> 00:09:26,720 S2: could possibly be an earring, is 3000 years old and 162 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:30,020 S2: was discovered in excavations just south of the Temple Mount. 163 00:09:30,020 --> 00:09:32,510 S2: It was found again a decade ago, but was largely 164 00:09:32,510 --> 00:09:35,780 S2: overlooked until last year. The piece is small. It's just 165 00:09:35,780 --> 00:09:38,510 S2: over a 10th of an inch high. It's shaped like 166 00:09:38,510 --> 00:09:41,600 S2: a four handled basket and is made of electrum, which 167 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:44,960 S2: is a compound of both gold and silver. The archaeologists 168 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:48,020 S2: determined that it was of Phoenician origin and is dated 169 00:09:48,020 --> 00:09:51,110 S2: to the 10th century BC, which would place it around 170 00:09:51,110 --> 00:09:54,469 S2: the time of King Solomon. Well, the Bible says Hiram, 171 00:09:54,470 --> 00:09:57,260 S2: king of tyre, sent laborers to help both David and 172 00:09:57,260 --> 00:10:00,620 S2: Solomon with their building projects. So it's even possible this 173 00:10:00,620 --> 00:10:03,380 S2: could be a pendant or earring worn by one of 174 00:10:03,380 --> 00:10:07,270 S2: those workers. The second discovery takes us forward. In time 175 00:10:07,270 --> 00:10:10,600 S2: a thousand years to the Second Temple period, a stone 176 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:14,290 S2: container about a foot square with nine compartments was found 177 00:10:14,290 --> 00:10:17,020 S2: in the city of David, inside one of the ancient 178 00:10:17,020 --> 00:10:20,439 S2: stores along the roadway. It was likely used to display 179 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:23,860 S2: small items for sale to pilgrims. The sides of the 180 00:10:23,860 --> 00:10:27,580 S2: box were blackened, suggesting it was charred when the Romans 181 00:10:27,580 --> 00:10:30,580 S2: took the city and then burned it in AD 70. 182 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:34,090 S2: These relatively small discoveries are the kind of finds that 183 00:10:34,090 --> 00:10:36,970 S2: help bring Bible times to life by reminding us of 184 00:10:36,970 --> 00:10:39,339 S2: the day to day lives of these people who walk 185 00:10:39,370 --> 00:10:42,850 S2: the streets of Jerusalem during the time of both temples. 186 00:10:42,970 --> 00:10:45,730 S1: And that's a look at archaeological discoveries that are making 187 00:10:45,730 --> 00:10:48,340 S1: the headlines these days. Hey, do you know anybody who 188 00:10:48,340 --> 00:10:51,280 S1: has said, I just have too much encouragement going on 189 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:54,190 S1: in my life right now, too much encouragement? I didn't 190 00:10:54,190 --> 00:10:57,699 S1: think so. Everybody could use a bit more encouragement, including 191 00:10:57,700 --> 00:11:00,160 S1: the team at this station. So why not email them, 192 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,380 S1: call them, or send them a postcard or note to 193 00:11:02,380 --> 00:11:05,170 S1: say thank you for airing the land and the book. 194 00:11:05,170 --> 00:11:08,320 S1: Appreciate your passing on that word of encouragement. Well, a 195 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:11,350 S1: full program today, including a look at the Ex-Muslims guide 196 00:11:11,350 --> 00:11:15,340 S1: to Christianity. Fascinating practical advice coming up next on the 197 00:11:15,340 --> 00:11:32,230 S1: land and the book. You were born Muslim, you will 198 00:11:32,230 --> 00:11:36,490 S1: die Muslim. You know what Allah says about infidels? These 199 00:11:36,490 --> 00:11:39,130 S1: are the words that Kenza Haddock grew up with. Yet 200 00:11:39,130 --> 00:11:42,819 S1: meeting Jesus Christ changed everything for her. But how does 201 00:11:42,820 --> 00:11:45,940 S1: an Ex-muslim learn to live the Christian life? What are 202 00:11:45,940 --> 00:11:49,060 S1: the hurdles that must be overcome? Well, that's our focus. 203 00:11:49,059 --> 00:11:52,390 S1: Coming up, you're listening to The Land and the book 204 00:11:52,390 --> 00:11:55,719 S1: from Moody Radio. I'm John Gager, inviting you to think 205 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:57,610 S1: with me for just a moment about some ways that 206 00:11:57,610 --> 00:12:00,100 S1: you and I can share the love of Jesus with 207 00:12:00,100 --> 00:12:03,910 S1: our Muslim neighbors and coworkers and friends. You know, when 208 00:12:03,910 --> 00:12:06,580 S1: we think about ministering to Muslims, sometimes we get so 209 00:12:06,580 --> 00:12:10,120 S1: spun up and technique and questions and concerns, we forget 210 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:13,540 S1: that good old fashioned love makes all the difference. And 211 00:12:13,540 --> 00:12:17,080 S1: maybe that's the best strategy. Call of Hope's president, Stefano 212 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:20,319 S1: Farah joins us. And how can we really love Muslims 213 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:22,540 S1: in a way that means something to them? 214 00:12:22,690 --> 00:12:27,280 S3: You know, our missionaries, when they are reaching out to Muslims, 215 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:31,929 S3: they very often help them. You know, in Lebanon, for example, 216 00:12:31,929 --> 00:12:35,530 S3: they bring them blankets and food, and then always the 217 00:12:35,530 --> 00:12:38,290 S3: people ask them and say, why on earth are you 218 00:12:38,290 --> 00:12:41,860 S3: helping us? And then the answer is, well, because Jesus 219 00:12:41,860 --> 00:12:44,740 S3: loves you and this is why I love you. So 220 00:12:44,740 --> 00:12:49,390 S3: the same thing in our life. Why not just going 221 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:53,350 S3: to your neighbor who is a muslim and bringing him 222 00:12:53,350 --> 00:12:56,200 S3: a cake? I mean, yes, he would look at you 223 00:12:56,200 --> 00:13:00,340 S3: something like, what are you doing? But they will be 224 00:13:00,340 --> 00:13:04,030 S3: really touched, you know, uh, you really know that I'm 225 00:13:04,030 --> 00:13:07,720 S3: your neighbor and you have this love to just come 226 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:11,290 S3: and bring that to me. Or maybe this person has 227 00:13:11,290 --> 00:13:13,929 S3: a problem with the papers they have to fill for 228 00:13:13,929 --> 00:13:18,100 S3: the government. Why not offering them? Hey, I can help you. 229 00:13:18,130 --> 00:13:21,670 S3: You know, these are little signs of love. And they 230 00:13:21,670 --> 00:13:25,030 S3: will ask themselves, why are you doing that? And the 231 00:13:25,030 --> 00:13:26,949 S3: answer is because Jesus loves you. 232 00:13:27,250 --> 00:13:30,040 S1: Stefano Farah is with call of Hope us. Thanks for 233 00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:36,010 S1: those thoughts. Kenza Haddock was born in Casablanca, Morocco. She 234 00:13:36,010 --> 00:13:38,949 S1: moved to the United States with her family at age 12. 235 00:13:38,980 --> 00:13:41,679 S1: As a young adult, Kenza was called by God when 236 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:45,430 S1: she had a dream about Jesus, so she ultimately renounced 237 00:13:45,429 --> 00:13:49,390 S1: Islam and became an ambassador for Christ. Today, Kenza is 238 00:13:49,390 --> 00:13:53,320 S1: a licensed professional counselor. She speaks at church events and conferences, 239 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:56,410 S1: telling her story of how God saved her from persecution 240 00:13:56,410 --> 00:13:59,800 S1: during and after her coming to faith in Christ. We 241 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:01,479 S1: are so glad to have you with us today, Kenza. 242 00:14:01,510 --> 00:14:02,260 S1: Thank you. 243 00:14:02,530 --> 00:14:04,600 S4: Thank you so much for having me, John. 244 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:08,230 S1: Well, you were once convinced that God hated you and 245 00:14:08,230 --> 00:14:11,440 S1: you went through a period of depression and hopelessness. Describe 246 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:13,030 S1: that season for you. 247 00:14:13,210 --> 00:14:17,320 S4: Yes, absolutely. So I grew up in an Islamic household 248 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:22,000 S4: and Islam is based on works. And looking back, my 249 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:25,240 S4: personality is very determined. And so I felt like I 250 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:29,979 S4: had to just achieve a bunch of works in order 251 00:14:29,980 --> 00:14:33,340 S4: for me to achieve salvation, so that I could gain 252 00:14:33,340 --> 00:14:38,440 S4: favor with the God of my understanding. Allah. And I 253 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:41,890 S4: felt like the more I worked, it's like taking two 254 00:14:41,890 --> 00:14:45,790 S4: steps forward just to get knocked back three steps. And 255 00:14:45,790 --> 00:14:51,340 S4: in Islam, any negative circumstances that happen in your life, John, 256 00:14:51,340 --> 00:14:56,380 S4: they're considered just bad consequences or punishment from Allah. And 257 00:14:56,380 --> 00:14:59,260 S4: so I went through that in my life, and by 258 00:14:59,260 --> 00:15:03,490 S4: the age of 23, I was convinced that God hated me. 259 00:15:03,790 --> 00:15:06,430 S4: And I remember one time I was sitting on the 260 00:15:06,430 --> 00:15:11,980 S4: couch one night contemplating ending my life, and in my 261 00:15:11,980 --> 00:15:15,670 S4: mind I was convinced he hated me. Yes, and that 262 00:15:15,670 --> 00:15:18,580 S4: was the first time I threw out all of the 263 00:15:18,580 --> 00:15:23,740 S4: Islamic rituals. I didn't wash up before I prayed. I 264 00:15:23,740 --> 00:15:26,830 S4: just threw myself on the ground and cried out to 265 00:15:26,830 --> 00:15:29,530 S4: whoever would hear me out. And I said, God, I 266 00:15:29,530 --> 00:15:32,500 S4: know you hate me. I know I don't have any 267 00:15:32,500 --> 00:15:36,490 S4: favor with you. Just show me the way to you. 268 00:15:36,490 --> 00:15:38,890 S4: And I cried myself to sleep. 269 00:15:39,130 --> 00:15:42,370 S1: Well, ultimately you did become a follower of Jesus. What 270 00:15:42,370 --> 00:15:44,920 S1: was that moment like? How did that happen for you? 271 00:15:45,550 --> 00:15:49,300 S4: So the night I cried myself to sleep, I had 272 00:15:49,300 --> 00:15:51,609 S4: a dream. I had a dream that it was the 273 00:15:51,610 --> 00:15:54,880 S4: end times. And in my dream, I was looking out 274 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:58,990 S4: of the window. And I saw the sky open. And 275 00:15:58,990 --> 00:16:01,900 S4: I saw a man in a white robe descending from 276 00:16:01,900 --> 00:16:05,290 S4: the sky. Now, mind you, I grew up my whole 277 00:16:05,290 --> 00:16:08,830 S4: entire life. Up until this point, anxiety was a part 278 00:16:08,830 --> 00:16:13,180 S4: of my normal everyday life. That night in my dream, 279 00:16:13,180 --> 00:16:15,880 S4: I felt this peace that I had never felt in 280 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:19,660 S4: my life. It was a peace that I couldn't even comprehend. 281 00:16:19,660 --> 00:16:23,200 S4: And as he came down, I knew this man was 282 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:26,230 S4: Jesus and I knew he was coming down with authority. 283 00:16:26,230 --> 00:16:28,780 S4: And I knew he was more than a prophet. And 284 00:16:28,780 --> 00:16:32,620 S4: as he approached me, I woke up. And I wish 285 00:16:32,620 --> 00:16:34,300 S4: I could tell you, I woke up and gave my 286 00:16:34,300 --> 00:16:37,870 S4: life to Jesus and everything was great. But that wasn't 287 00:16:37,870 --> 00:16:38,560 S4: the case. 288 00:16:39,070 --> 00:16:42,700 S1: Well, how did you and when did you finally receive Christ? 289 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:47,800 S4: It wasn't until about ten months later I did some research. Discreetly. 290 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:50,500 S4: I went to the library, did some research, and I 291 00:16:50,500 --> 00:16:52,900 S4: knew that I had to leave the state. I lived 292 00:16:52,900 --> 00:16:55,210 S4: in Virginia back then. I knew I had to leave 293 00:16:55,210 --> 00:16:59,830 S4: the state for safety reasons, because leaving Islam violates Sharia law, 294 00:16:59,830 --> 00:17:04,210 S4: which violates apostasy law. It's punishable by death. And so 295 00:17:04,210 --> 00:17:07,840 S4: I left to South Carolina to start my life from scratch. 296 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:11,320 S4: And John, I didn't know how to get saved. I 297 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:14,470 S4: had no idea. And I was talking to a friend 298 00:17:14,470 --> 00:17:16,900 S4: on the phone. I called a friend, shared my dream 299 00:17:16,900 --> 00:17:20,980 S4: with him, and he was a Christian friend. And right 300 00:17:20,980 --> 00:17:23,620 S4: then and there I was in a parking lot on 301 00:17:23,619 --> 00:17:27,729 S4: the phone. He opened his Bible and shared Romans ten nine. 302 00:17:27,730 --> 00:17:30,790 S4: He said, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus 303 00:17:30,790 --> 00:17:34,480 S4: Christ is Lord, and believe in your heart that God 304 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:38,199 S4: raised him from the dead, then you're saved. And I said, really? 305 00:17:38,380 --> 00:17:40,899 S4: And I was saved right then and there. 306 00:17:41,020 --> 00:17:43,990 S1: She grew up in Morocco, moved to the United States, 307 00:17:43,990 --> 00:17:47,440 S1: and found Christ as Savior. Kenza Haddock has written the 308 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:50,709 S1: Ex-Muslims Guide to Christianity. I want to get to the 309 00:17:50,710 --> 00:17:52,960 S1: question of how did your parents respond to your decision? 310 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:55,389 S1: But not before I take you back just a moment 311 00:17:55,390 --> 00:17:58,270 S1: to what you just shared kind of triggered something in me. 312 00:17:58,270 --> 00:18:01,389 S1: You're saying that in the United States, you felt the 313 00:18:01,390 --> 00:18:05,200 S1: threat of your choice to leave Islam, maybe putting you 314 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:08,740 S1: in a danger point. That seems a little shocking for some. Explain. 315 00:18:08,740 --> 00:18:13,690 S4: Oh, absolutely. Yes. So when I was raised Muslim, even 316 00:18:13,690 --> 00:18:18,609 S4: in the United States, I believed that Sharia law superseded 317 00:18:18,609 --> 00:18:22,149 S4: the law of the land. I mean, just like as believers, 318 00:18:22,150 --> 00:18:26,410 S4: we believe that if, for example, someone tells us to 319 00:18:26,410 --> 00:18:30,310 S4: bow down to a different God, we wouldn't do such 320 00:18:30,310 --> 00:18:34,179 S4: a thing. It was a similar thing in Islam. And 321 00:18:34,180 --> 00:18:37,180 S4: so leaving Islam is punishable by. 322 00:18:37,180 --> 00:18:38,200 S5: Death even. 323 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:39,850 S1: In the United States. Do you feel that there are 324 00:18:39,850 --> 00:18:43,570 S1: many in your shoes who would share that similar fear? 325 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:49,300 S4: Oh, absolutely. I remember growing up watching someone who was 326 00:18:49,300 --> 00:18:52,270 S4: in my shoes, I can't remember. I believe her name 327 00:18:52,270 --> 00:18:57,130 S4: was Rifka, and she left her family. And I remember 328 00:18:57,130 --> 00:19:01,869 S4: watching her on TV and my parents said that if 329 00:19:01,869 --> 00:19:04,660 S4: that were their daughter, they would bring her back and 330 00:19:04,660 --> 00:19:09,730 S4: punish her severely, and she would have to renounce her religion. 331 00:19:10,180 --> 00:19:10,870 S5: Yeah. 332 00:19:10,990 --> 00:19:14,649 S1: So then to that question, how did your parents ultimately 333 00:19:14,650 --> 00:19:16,150 S1: respond to your decision? 334 00:19:16,630 --> 00:19:21,580 S4: So months after I gave my life to Jesus, I 335 00:19:21,580 --> 00:19:25,570 S4: met my husband and later on we got married. I 336 00:19:25,570 --> 00:19:29,260 S4: was pregnant with our first born, and we were in 337 00:19:29,260 --> 00:19:32,889 S4: our home and all of a sudden we hear it 338 00:19:32,890 --> 00:19:36,490 S4: wasn't knocking and was banging on the doors. Windows. And 339 00:19:36,490 --> 00:19:38,590 S4: my family had shown up in our home in South 340 00:19:38,590 --> 00:19:42,580 S4: Carolina and they were trying to open our windows, doors, 341 00:19:42,580 --> 00:19:46,120 S4: taking pictures of our cars. And long story short, they 342 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:49,480 S4: were trying to. That was their first attempt in trying 343 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:52,600 S4: to get me to go back with them. I asked 344 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:55,240 S4: my husband not to confront them because I know what 345 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:58,090 S4: the Koran says. And so we called the police because 346 00:19:58,090 --> 00:20:00,399 S4: we had to get it on record. And the police 347 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:04,330 S4: officer kindly explained to them that this is the United States. 348 00:20:04,330 --> 00:20:07,900 S4: I have the freedom to worship the God of Israel 349 00:20:07,900 --> 00:20:12,100 S4: if I want to, and I can just do that. 350 00:20:12,100 --> 00:20:15,640 S4: And ever since then, they've come back over and over 351 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:20,800 S4: and honestly, God has protected me over and over, just 352 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:23,260 S4: going back to the first time they've shown up. I 353 00:20:23,260 --> 00:20:26,860 S4: was scared to death, but every time they've shown up 354 00:20:26,859 --> 00:20:30,490 S4: after that, I feared less and less and less because 355 00:20:30,490 --> 00:20:32,740 S4: I've seen God's faithfulness through it all. 356 00:20:33,250 --> 00:20:35,950 S1: As a young adult, Kenzo was called by God when 357 00:20:35,950 --> 00:20:39,670 S1: she had a dream about Jesus, so she ultimately renounced Islam, 358 00:20:39,670 --> 00:20:43,570 S1: became an ambassador for Christ today. Kenzo speaks at church 359 00:20:43,570 --> 00:20:46,480 S1: events and conferences telling her story. It's an honor to 360 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:48,790 S1: have her with us on the land and the book. 361 00:20:49,090 --> 00:20:51,159 S1: You say in the book, Islam is one of the 362 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:55,030 S1: devil's tools to keep people in bondage. Those are strong words. 363 00:20:55,030 --> 00:20:56,080 S1: Defend your claim. 364 00:20:56,650 --> 00:21:02,740 S4: Yes, absolutely. So Islam is based on the belief that 365 00:21:02,740 --> 00:21:07,630 S4: the deity of Christ is nonexistent. I mean, that's what 366 00:21:07,630 --> 00:21:11,800 S4: Islam is founded upon. Muhammad claims that he received a 367 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:19,719 S4: revelation that counteracts that the deity crucifixion and the resurrection 368 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:23,859 S4: of Christ didn't happen. It repudiates it. And so if 369 00:21:23,859 --> 00:21:27,340 S4: all of that doesn't happen, it puts mankind back into 370 00:21:27,340 --> 00:21:30,940 S4: the bondage of works. I mean, think about it. The 371 00:21:30,940 --> 00:21:36,340 S4: enemy had lost a war when when Jesus got crucified, 372 00:21:36,340 --> 00:21:39,220 S4: he rose from the dead. I mean, I think it's in. 373 00:21:39,220 --> 00:21:44,109 S4: I don't remember if it's in Colossians, it says that 374 00:21:44,109 --> 00:21:46,570 S4: Jesus made a spectacle of the enemy. 375 00:21:46,990 --> 00:21:48,430 S1: Triumphing over them. 376 00:21:48,430 --> 00:21:49,420 S5: Yes, yes. 377 00:21:49,420 --> 00:21:52,689 S4: Triumphing over them with the cross. And so after that, 378 00:21:52,690 --> 00:21:55,149 S4: I mean, I think it was like about 600 years 379 00:21:55,150 --> 00:22:00,160 S4: after that, Muhammad receives this revelation in a cave that 380 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:06,370 S4: directly contradicts God's Word and puts mankind back into works 381 00:22:06,369 --> 00:22:11,980 S4: and bondage. And yeah, absolutely. Because God is His word. 382 00:22:11,980 --> 00:22:20,290 S4: And also the way Islam characterizes God's character is so 383 00:22:20,290 --> 00:22:25,270 S4: wrong and it's so contradictory to how we believe God is. 384 00:22:25,270 --> 00:22:27,790 S4: I mean, we as believers understand that God is a 385 00:22:27,790 --> 00:22:32,500 S4: triune God versus Muslims. They don't believe that the way 386 00:22:32,500 --> 00:22:36,940 S4: Muslims do describe God is like a spiritual Pharaoh. He's 387 00:22:36,940 --> 00:22:41,170 S4: a dictator who is not interested in a relationship with anyone. 388 00:22:41,380 --> 00:22:45,879 S1: Kenza Haddock has written the Ex-Muslims Guide to Christianity and 389 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:48,429 S1: I have to ask you, you know, have these successive 390 00:22:48,430 --> 00:22:52,870 S1: visits from your parents become a little bit less confrontational, 391 00:22:52,869 --> 00:22:56,350 S1: a little more cordial, or is there still a strong 392 00:22:56,350 --> 00:22:58,209 S1: inclination to try and take you back? 393 00:22:58,690 --> 00:23:03,100 S4: We have a no contact order now, and so at 394 00:23:03,100 --> 00:23:08,919 S4: this point, unfortunately, they send different people because South Carolina 395 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:13,000 S4: law prohibits sending the same person within a certain amount 396 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:16,300 S4: of time. And so they're strategic with it. And so 397 00:23:16,300 --> 00:23:19,990 S4: to answer your question, no, they have not become less cordial. 398 00:23:19,990 --> 00:23:24,910 S4: They're still coming after us. They're still persecuting us. But 399 00:23:24,910 --> 00:23:28,360 S4: God has been faithful in it all. I mean, he 400 00:23:28,359 --> 00:23:31,420 S4: really has. And he's shown his faithfulness and he has 401 00:23:31,420 --> 00:23:35,050 S4: shown his sovereignty, and he has shown truly that his 402 00:23:35,050 --> 00:23:38,350 S4: eye is on the sparrow and he cares about us. 403 00:23:38,590 --> 00:23:41,949 S1: In your book, The Ex-Muslims Guide to Christianity, you say 404 00:23:41,950 --> 00:23:44,560 S1: what I find most disturbing about Islam is that some 405 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:47,439 S1: of it walks close to the truth in a few ways, 406 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:50,200 S1: and then distorts it. Give us an example or two. 407 00:23:50,650 --> 00:23:56,649 S4: Yeah, absolutely. So for example, Islam starts out with Adam 408 00:23:56,650 --> 00:24:00,790 S4: and Eve, right? And so it talks about how God 409 00:24:00,790 --> 00:24:04,900 S4: created Adam and Eve. And so it starts very similar. 410 00:24:04,900 --> 00:24:08,500 S4: But then it says when Adam and his wife, this 411 00:24:08,500 --> 00:24:11,740 S4: is the Koran, it says when Adam and his wife sinned, 412 00:24:11,740 --> 00:24:16,030 S4: they repented. And so that contradicts what the Word of 413 00:24:16,030 --> 00:24:20,170 S4: God says. That's one. So it starts out with creation. 414 00:24:20,170 --> 00:24:23,590 S4: There's a contradiction. Number two, I mean, there are so 415 00:24:23,590 --> 00:24:29,710 S4: many contradictions. Another one, they believe that Abraham almost sacrificed Ishmael, 416 00:24:29,710 --> 00:24:33,970 S4: not Isaac. And so they believe Ishmael was the chosen one. 417 00:24:34,150 --> 00:24:36,820 S1: What's the one thing that you want an ex-muslim to 418 00:24:36,820 --> 00:24:38,590 S1: walk away from this book with? 419 00:24:40,060 --> 00:24:44,679 S4: To understand that, um, it took me years to grasp 420 00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:49,060 S4: what Hebrews four six says and actually walk it out 421 00:24:49,060 --> 00:24:52,300 S4: and it says to approach the throne of grace boldly, right? 422 00:24:52,300 --> 00:24:54,730 S4: To receive grace and mercy in our time of need, 423 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:59,290 S4: and to understand that God, our God, our father, is relational. 424 00:24:59,470 --> 00:25:03,669 S4: It took me years to walk that out and understand it, 425 00:25:03,670 --> 00:25:08,470 S4: and it takes perseverance, and it's going to take years 426 00:25:08,470 --> 00:25:14,890 S4: to unlearn the distortions and the poison and Ex-muslim had 427 00:25:14,890 --> 00:25:20,140 S4: learned from Islam. And it's okay, but just stay perseverant 428 00:25:20,140 --> 00:25:24,909 S4: in God's Word. Just keep walking with God. Hang in there, 429 00:25:24,910 --> 00:25:28,930 S4: fellowship with the Holy Spirit and he will sustain you. 430 00:25:28,930 --> 00:25:32,650 S4: God is relational, God is faithful, and God is for you. 431 00:25:32,990 --> 00:25:36,440 S1: Man, boy, those are great words and encouraging words too. 432 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:40,070 S1: From Kenzie Haddock, who's written the Ex-Muslims Guide to Christianity, 433 00:25:40,070 --> 00:25:43,010 S1: a link to her book and her website is at ours. 434 00:25:43,010 --> 00:25:46,550 S1: The land and the book. Org. Kenza, thank you for 435 00:25:46,550 --> 00:25:47,270 S1: your time. 436 00:25:47,300 --> 00:25:49,160 S4: Thank you so much for having me. 437 00:25:49,190 --> 00:25:51,890 S1: And Charlie Dyer will be back. You know what's coming next. 438 00:25:51,890 --> 00:25:55,670 S1: Bible questions and answers here on the land and the book. 439 00:26:06,930 --> 00:26:09,810 S1: Welcome back to the land and the book. I'm John Gager. 440 00:26:09,810 --> 00:26:11,790 S1: I love this segment where we take a look at 441 00:26:11,790 --> 00:26:15,209 S1: your questions about the Bible. You know, everybody takes a 442 00:26:15,210 --> 00:26:17,040 S1: copy of the Bible and comes at it from a 443 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:21,420 S1: different background, different life, and comes up with different questions. Charlie. 444 00:26:21,420 --> 00:26:22,470 S1: It's amazing, isn't it? 445 00:26:22,470 --> 00:26:25,020 S2: It is. But that's what makes it so fascinating with 446 00:26:25,020 --> 00:26:26,639 S2: this question and answer segment. 447 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:29,159 S1: Well, speaking of questions, maybe one of yours is how 448 00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:31,950 S1: do I share the gospel with a Jewish friend? Because 449 00:26:31,950 --> 00:26:35,580 S1: of cultural, historical, and religious differences, it sometimes kind of 450 00:26:35,580 --> 00:26:39,449 S1: challenging to navigate a gospel conversation with somebody from a 451 00:26:39,450 --> 00:26:43,080 S1: Jewish background. You ever wonder, though, how the quote professionals 452 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:43,650 S1: do it? 453 00:26:43,650 --> 00:26:45,929 S2: Well, to answer that question, our friends at Life in 454 00:26:45,930 --> 00:26:48,689 S2: Messiah want to mail you samples of the tracks their 455 00:26:48,690 --> 00:26:51,570 S2: staff use as they share the gospel. This will serve 456 00:26:51,570 --> 00:26:54,150 S2: a dual purpose of equipping you with methods of presenting 457 00:26:54,150 --> 00:26:57,060 S2: the gospel, and also supplying you with tracks you can 458 00:26:57,060 --> 00:27:00,330 S2: share with your Jewish friends and neighbors. Life in Messiah's 459 00:27:00,330 --> 00:27:02,700 S2: Prayer is that these tracks will help further the spread 460 00:27:02,700 --> 00:27:05,669 S2: of the gospel among the Jewish people. Now, to receive 461 00:27:05,670 --> 00:27:08,159 S2: this helpful assortment of tracks, all you need to do 462 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:11,250 S2: is visit Life in Messiah org and click on the 463 00:27:11,250 --> 00:27:16,139 S2: Moody Radio button for more information. That's life in Messiah org. 464 00:27:16,170 --> 00:27:18,900 S2: Don't miss out on this great opportunity. 465 00:27:18,900 --> 00:27:22,350 S1: And now question number one for the day from Alan. 466 00:27:22,350 --> 00:27:25,230 S1: He says, I recently read that Jesus might have worked 467 00:27:25,230 --> 00:27:28,740 S1: more with stone than with wood, because stone was easier 468 00:27:28,740 --> 00:27:32,250 S1: to find in Israel than trees. I remember from our 469 00:27:32,250 --> 00:27:34,710 S1: trip to Israel that the mangers were usually made from 470 00:27:34,710 --> 00:27:37,230 S1: stone rather than wood. Well, I looked up the term 471 00:27:37,230 --> 00:27:41,129 S1: for carpenter in my Concordance and Bible dictionary. The Greek 472 00:27:41,130 --> 00:27:45,570 S1: term tekton denotes any craftsman, but especially a worker in wood. 473 00:27:45,570 --> 00:27:49,800 S1: So might Jesus have worked with stone more than wood? 474 00:27:50,070 --> 00:27:52,260 S2: Well, you know, it's a straightforward question, but the answer 475 00:27:52,260 --> 00:27:55,169 S2: is a little bit more complex. That word tekton in 476 00:27:55,170 --> 00:27:58,110 S2: Greek is only used twice in the New Testament, both 477 00:27:58,109 --> 00:28:02,340 S2: times referring to Jesus's father in Matthew 13 and Mark six. 478 00:28:02,550 --> 00:28:04,320 S2: The problem comes when we look at the word in 479 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:07,320 S2: other places to see how it was used. For example, 480 00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:12,030 S2: in the Septuagint translation of Second Kings 22, Josiah orders 481 00:28:12,030 --> 00:28:14,459 S2: those working on the temple to be paid, and the 482 00:28:14,460 --> 00:28:18,359 S2: writer identifies three groups of workmen the carpenters, the builders, 483 00:28:18,359 --> 00:28:21,869 S2: and the masons, and he uses tekton for the first group. 484 00:28:21,869 --> 00:28:24,179 S2: The second group comes from a word that refers to 485 00:28:24,180 --> 00:28:27,690 S2: construction in general. The third comes from a noun that 486 00:28:27,690 --> 00:28:29,610 S2: describes a city wall. In other words, they were people 487 00:28:29,609 --> 00:28:32,790 S2: who worked with stone. They were the stonemasons. And so 488 00:28:32,790 --> 00:28:36,090 S2: in this case, the word tekton appears to describe woodworkers 489 00:28:36,090 --> 00:28:40,260 S2: as opposed to general builders or stonemasons. However, in Second 490 00:28:40,260 --> 00:28:43,260 S2: Samuel five, verse 11, the word tekton is used of 491 00:28:43,260 --> 00:28:47,340 S2: both carpenters and stonemasons. In fact, the Septuagint literally says 492 00:28:47,340 --> 00:28:51,180 S2: Hiram sent David's workers. That's the tekton of wood and workers. 493 00:28:51,180 --> 00:28:54,060 S2: Same word of stone. So in general the word was 494 00:28:54,060 --> 00:28:56,970 S2: used of carpenters. But there are instances when it was 495 00:28:56,970 --> 00:29:00,360 S2: used of someone who worked in stone. It's possible Joseph, 496 00:29:00,360 --> 00:29:03,090 S2: as a craftsman, worked on both, but there was also 497 00:29:03,090 --> 00:29:05,490 S2: a level of skill and expertise that it was involved 498 00:29:05,490 --> 00:29:09,000 S2: in both crafts that suggest generally a division of labor. 499 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:11,970 S2: So it's possible the gospel writers were using the word 500 00:29:11,970 --> 00:29:14,430 S2: in its more normal sense of Carpenter. Now I feel 501 00:29:14,430 --> 00:29:16,800 S2: like I'm dancing between them all. But the bottom line is, 502 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:18,930 S2: I don't think we know for sure. I tend to 503 00:29:18,930 --> 00:29:22,200 S2: stick with Carpenter, but in actuality both are possible. 504 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:25,230 S1: Thank you Charlie at our land in the book Facebook page, 505 00:29:25,230 --> 00:29:29,640 S1: all kinds of videos, photos and comments. Charlie, recently you 506 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:32,040 S1: posted a short video of the Garden Tomb and among 507 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:35,760 S1: the many encouraging responses was a very negative one that said, quote, 508 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:39,300 S1: Jesus died and he's not coming back. Get over it. 509 00:29:39,300 --> 00:29:42,360 S1: End quote. Well, apart from deleting the comment, how would 510 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:44,100 S1: you respond to that individual? 511 00:29:44,100 --> 00:29:46,980 S2: Yeah, I'd say the evidence for the existence of Jesus, 512 00:29:46,980 --> 00:29:50,730 S2: including his death and resurrection, is overwhelming to anyone who's 513 00:29:50,730 --> 00:29:53,250 S2: willing to look at the evidence with open eyes. We 514 00:29:53,250 --> 00:29:55,860 S2: have more evidence about the life, death, and resurrection of 515 00:29:55,860 --> 00:29:58,140 S2: Jesus than we do about the life and death of 516 00:29:58,140 --> 00:30:01,890 S2: Julius Caesar. And most of the evidence about Jesus was 517 00:30:01,890 --> 00:30:04,950 S2: written shortly after the events took place, by those who 518 00:30:04,950 --> 00:30:07,770 S2: knew him personally, or who had access to those who 519 00:30:07,770 --> 00:30:11,100 S2: knew him. Paul provides a compelling list of eyewitnesses to 520 00:30:11,100 --> 00:30:14,970 S2: Jesus's resurrection in first Corinthians 15. You know, he says, 521 00:30:14,970 --> 00:30:17,370 S2: he appeared to Peter and the 12, and after that 522 00:30:17,370 --> 00:30:20,700 S2: to more than 500. And then he mentions the apostles, 523 00:30:20,700 --> 00:30:23,010 S2: and finally he says, and, and and to me also. 524 00:30:23,010 --> 00:30:25,560 S2: So there were more than 500 eyewitnesses to the fact 525 00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:28,230 S2: Jesus rose from the dead. You know, John, any lawyer 526 00:30:28,230 --> 00:30:31,230 S2: would love to have his court case tried with 500 527 00:30:31,230 --> 00:30:34,740 S2: witnesses on his side. But there's one last point. These 528 00:30:34,740 --> 00:30:38,160 S2: people not only claim to have seen Jesus following his resurrection, 529 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:40,350 S2: they were willing to be tortured and put to death 530 00:30:40,350 --> 00:30:42,570 S2: for that claim. You know, if they'd simply made it 531 00:30:42,570 --> 00:30:45,510 S2: up or were lying. There's something about facing a painful, 532 00:30:45,510 --> 00:30:49,740 S2: agonizing death that would tempt someone to fess up and admit, oh, 533 00:30:49,830 --> 00:30:52,800 S2: it really didn't happen. But they didn't. They were brutally 534 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:55,290 S2: murdered for their conviction that Jesus had risen from the 535 00:30:55,290 --> 00:30:58,469 S2: dead and that they had seen him. So Jesus is alive. 536 00:30:58,470 --> 00:31:00,180 S2: And more than that, he lets us know that he's 537 00:31:00,180 --> 00:31:02,490 S2: coming back. You can choose to believe it or not, 538 00:31:02,490 --> 00:31:05,850 S2: but you can't escape the eternal consequences of that choice. 539 00:31:05,850 --> 00:31:08,970 S2: And that's. What makes such an arrogant statement so frightening? 540 00:31:08,970 --> 00:31:12,810 S2: Someday everyone will acknowledge Jesus is alive and that he's Lord, 541 00:31:12,810 --> 00:31:15,900 S2: but that admission could come too late for those unwilling 542 00:31:15,930 --> 00:31:18,330 S2: to bend their knee now and accept him as Savior 543 00:31:18,330 --> 00:31:19,590 S2: and Lord in this life. 544 00:31:19,620 --> 00:31:23,340 S1: Todd asks, what does Psalm 96 verse ten mean when 545 00:31:23,340 --> 00:31:26,640 S1: it says, the world shall not be moved? Yea. 546 00:31:26,640 --> 00:31:29,400 S2: And the exact phrase there is the Lord reigns. The 547 00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:32,550 S2: world is firmly established. It cannot be moved. Now. That 548 00:31:32,550 --> 00:31:36,000 S2: same phrase, interestingly enough, is found in Psalm 93, verse one, 549 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:38,070 S2: and I believe the phrase has the idea of God's 550 00:31:38,070 --> 00:31:41,880 S2: reign being demonstrated in the reality that he has firmly 551 00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:44,730 S2: established the created order. We see from the fixed order 552 00:31:44,730 --> 00:31:47,250 S2: of the sun, the moon, the stars, to the regular 553 00:31:47,250 --> 00:31:50,340 S2: cycles of nature. The way the world itself runs is 554 00:31:50,340 --> 00:31:53,850 S2: an example of God's powerful control. And the psalmist also 555 00:31:53,850 --> 00:31:56,880 S2: then says, God's power will be demonstrated in his rule 556 00:31:56,880 --> 00:31:59,790 S2: over the nations and people. In other words, what we 557 00:31:59,790 --> 00:32:03,480 S2: see demonstrated in nature itself will someday be visible in 558 00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:06,600 S2: the nations as he comes to rule over humanity. 559 00:32:06,620 --> 00:32:09,260 S1: From Moody Radio, This is the Land and the book 560 00:32:09,260 --> 00:32:12,020 S1: with our host, Charlie Dyer, I'm John Gager. It's question 561 00:32:12,020 --> 00:32:15,290 S1: time Bible questions, this one from Steve. Can you recommend 562 00:32:15,290 --> 00:32:19,850 S1: a book on Levitical offerings, whole burnt offerings, trespass offerings, 563 00:32:19,850 --> 00:32:24,200 S1: peace meal, sin, red heifer, scapegoat, etc. and their fulfillment 564 00:32:24,200 --> 00:32:27,560 S1: in Christ. Also what each part of the animal represented 565 00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:30,980 S1: like the head, shoulder, legs, kidneys and the significance of 566 00:32:30,980 --> 00:32:33,890 S1: all this. God obviously went into great detail for these 567 00:32:33,890 --> 00:32:37,580 S1: offerings and it has to be for significant reasons. Any thoughts? 568 00:32:37,580 --> 00:32:40,100 S2: Yeah, there are a large number of works available, and 569 00:32:40,100 --> 00:32:43,910 S2: unfortunately they run the gamut from a straightforward explanation to 570 00:32:43,910 --> 00:32:48,290 S2: rather fanciful typological presentations. Now here are three you might 571 00:32:48,290 --> 00:32:51,740 S2: want to explore. The first is a reprint titled Christ 572 00:32:51,740 --> 00:32:55,790 S2: in the Sacrificial Offerings and Other Bible Studies in Leviticus, 573 00:32:55,790 --> 00:32:58,550 S2: and it's by James M gray. He was the president 574 00:32:58,550 --> 00:33:02,810 S2: of Moody Bible Institute back from 1904 to 1934. Now 575 00:33:02,810 --> 00:33:05,270 S2: it's a little more typological in its approach than I 576 00:33:05,270 --> 00:33:07,910 S2: would be, but there's still some good material in it. 577 00:33:07,910 --> 00:33:10,970 S2: The second, it's a commentary on Leviticus in the Bible, 578 00:33:10,970 --> 00:33:14,540 S2: knowledge commentary in the Old Testament side of it. This 579 00:33:14,540 --> 00:33:17,600 S2: section in the commentary was written by Dwayne Lindsay, who 580 00:33:17,600 --> 00:33:19,940 S2: taught at Dallas Seminary. And it takes less of a 581 00:33:19,940 --> 00:33:23,510 S2: typological approach and pretty straightforward. And finally, a fellow I 582 00:33:23,510 --> 00:33:25,580 S2: really like is Wayne Stiles. We've had him as a 583 00:33:25,580 --> 00:33:29,240 S2: guest on the program. He wrote on the offerings in Leviticus, 584 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:33,110 S2: and you can find it by googling Wayne Stiles blog 585 00:33:33,110 --> 00:33:36,560 S2: offerings in Leviticus. And it's also a very good, very 586 00:33:36,560 --> 00:33:38,090 S2: straightforward Stephen. 587 00:33:38,090 --> 00:33:41,780 S1: Says, I need some clarity on Deuteronomy 27 and Joshua eight. 588 00:33:41,780 --> 00:33:44,210 S1: In these accounts, half of the tribes stood on Mount 589 00:33:44,240 --> 00:33:46,970 S1: Gerizim and gave a blessing, and half of the tribe 590 00:33:46,970 --> 00:33:50,240 S1: stood on Mount Ebal, issuing a curse. It appears that 591 00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:52,610 S1: the Levites stood in the valley between the two groups 592 00:33:52,610 --> 00:33:55,640 S1: with the Ark of the testimony. However, the Levites are 593 00:33:55,640 --> 00:33:58,790 S1: listed on Mount Gerizim, giving a blessing, and then the 594 00:33:58,790 --> 00:34:00,980 S1: passage goes on to explain. It was the Levites in 595 00:34:00,980 --> 00:34:04,640 S1: the valley issuing a curse rather than those on Mount Ebal. 596 00:34:04,640 --> 00:34:07,460 S1: Any way to explain all this? Yeah. 597 00:34:07,460 --> 00:34:09,620 S2: And I think they can be harmonized if you view 598 00:34:09,620 --> 00:34:13,010 S2: it in phases. In phase one, Joshua went to the 599 00:34:13,010 --> 00:34:16,580 S2: top of Mount Ebal, built an altar where sacrifices were offered. 600 00:34:16,580 --> 00:34:19,189 S2: Now the sacrifices had to be offered by priests who 601 00:34:19,190 --> 00:34:21,650 S2: were from the tribe of Levi. And remember this all 602 00:34:21,650 --> 00:34:23,960 S2: priests are from the tribe of Levi. But not all 603 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:28,310 S2: Levites were priests then. Phase two Joshua descends from Mount 604 00:34:28,310 --> 00:34:31,250 S2: Ebal along with the priests into the valley. He copies 605 00:34:31,250 --> 00:34:33,620 S2: the law of Moses in the presence of Israel, and 606 00:34:33,620 --> 00:34:35,930 S2: he reads the words of the covenant to the people. 607 00:34:35,930 --> 00:34:38,210 S2: Now this took place in the valley with Israel on 608 00:34:38,210 --> 00:34:40,969 S2: both sides of the covenant, facing those who carried it. 609 00:34:40,969 --> 00:34:43,310 S2: That is, the priests were there who were Levites. It 610 00:34:43,310 --> 00:34:47,810 S2: says in verse 33. Finally, phase three, the Levites recited 611 00:34:47,810 --> 00:34:50,509 S2: the words of the Cursings to the people who responded 612 00:34:50,510 --> 00:34:53,480 S2: with Amen. And then they might also have recited the 613 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:56,239 S2: words of the blessing, though that's not specifically stated in 614 00:34:56,239 --> 00:35:00,109 S2: the Deuteronomy 27 passage. Now I harmonized the different positions 615 00:35:00,110 --> 00:35:03,500 S2: this way. The Levites were divided into two groups. We 616 00:35:03,500 --> 00:35:07,190 S2: know from numbers 26. There were 23,000. In the tribe 617 00:35:07,190 --> 00:35:10,489 S2: of Levi, a smaller number were priests, while the larger 618 00:35:10,489 --> 00:35:13,520 S2: number were Levites who assisted the priests. I assume it 619 00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:16,250 S2: was the larger number who were on Mount Gerizim. The 620 00:35:16,250 --> 00:35:18,320 S2: priests were the ones who went up with Joshua to 621 00:35:18,320 --> 00:35:20,120 S2: the top of the mountain, and who were also in 622 00:35:20,120 --> 00:35:22,700 S2: the valley with him. So the bottom line, the group 623 00:35:22,700 --> 00:35:25,670 S2: on Mount Ebal offering the sacrifices, and the group later 624 00:35:25,670 --> 00:35:28,010 S2: then in the valley, holding the ark and shouting the 625 00:35:28,010 --> 00:35:31,219 S2: blessings and cursings to the people are the priests. The 626 00:35:31,219 --> 00:35:33,529 S2: group standing on Mount Gerizim with the other tribes are 627 00:35:33,530 --> 00:35:36,110 S2: the bulk of the tribe of Levi, who were Levites 628 00:35:36,110 --> 00:35:37,700 S2: but not priests. 629 00:35:37,940 --> 00:35:41,209 S1: In Psalm 82, verses six and seven it says, I said, 630 00:35:41,210 --> 00:35:44,960 S1: you are gods, sons of the Most High. All of you. Nevertheless, 631 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:48,080 S1: like men, you shall die and fall like any prince. 632 00:35:48,080 --> 00:35:50,990 S1: Todd asks, is this a reference to a divine council 633 00:35:50,989 --> 00:35:54,140 S1: in heaven, as some say? If so, how can they die? 634 00:35:54,140 --> 00:35:56,300 S2: Yeah, I don't take this as a reference to some 635 00:35:56,300 --> 00:35:59,810 S2: divine council. Rather, I see the psalmist drawing a parallel 636 00:35:59,840 --> 00:36:03,170 S2: between God as the ultimate judge and these wicked rulers 637 00:36:03,170 --> 00:36:05,810 S2: or judges in his day, who set themselves up as 638 00:36:05,810 --> 00:36:08,680 S2: having the. Power of life and death over others. They 639 00:36:08,680 --> 00:36:11,800 S2: saw themselves as gods, lowercase g, in the sense that 640 00:36:11,800 --> 00:36:14,770 S2: they could actually sentence someone to life or death. But 641 00:36:14,770 --> 00:36:17,470 S2: now the psalmist is calling on God, the final judge, 642 00:36:17,469 --> 00:36:20,680 S2: to summon these human judges to account for their actions. 643 00:36:20,830 --> 00:36:24,250 S2: So I take what's being described as human rulers who, 644 00:36:24,250 --> 00:36:27,759 S2: because of their power, pridefully, saw themselves as being godlike 645 00:36:27,760 --> 00:36:29,830 S2: in the sense of deciding the fate of others. But 646 00:36:29,830 --> 00:36:32,110 S2: he says they're going to experience a far different outcome 647 00:36:32,110 --> 00:36:35,410 S2: when they appear before the real judge, God himself. 648 00:36:35,410 --> 00:36:38,710 S1: Thank you Charlie, love those questions and love the answers. 649 00:36:38,710 --> 00:36:41,620 S1: Looking forward to Charlie's devotional. It's next on the land 650 00:36:41,620 --> 00:36:57,510 S1: and the book. In a digital age like ours. The 651 00:36:57,510 --> 00:37:01,290 S1: old expression stop the presses has almost lost its meaning, 652 00:37:01,290 --> 00:37:04,230 S1: but we still get the idea. It's the land and 653 00:37:04,230 --> 00:37:06,780 S1: the book from Moody Radio. Charlie Dyer is here with 654 00:37:06,780 --> 00:37:10,529 S1: segment four and his devotional and stop the presses. Charlie 655 00:37:10,530 --> 00:37:13,170 S1: is leading to what? Today in your devotional. 656 00:37:13,290 --> 00:37:16,200 S2: It's going to lead to a fascinating account with, uh, 657 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:18,510 S2: Haman and the king and Esther. 658 00:37:18,510 --> 00:37:20,879 S1: Okay, that's a great, great story, and I can't wait 659 00:37:20,880 --> 00:37:23,489 S1: to dig into it. First, though, let's pause and listen 660 00:37:23,489 --> 00:37:25,710 S1: to this testimony from an Israel traveler. 661 00:37:29,580 --> 00:37:32,009 S6: My name is Doug Sewell. My favorite part of the 662 00:37:32,010 --> 00:37:35,580 S6: trip is impossible to answer as only one thing. It's 663 00:37:35,580 --> 00:37:38,819 S6: kind of like asking me, gee, what's your favorite part 664 00:37:38,820 --> 00:37:41,430 S6: of a Jag convertible? You know, it takes the whole 665 00:37:41,430 --> 00:37:44,550 S6: thing coming together, and it really is something that you 666 00:37:44,550 --> 00:37:47,760 S6: have to come and experience to put the whole thing together. 667 00:37:47,760 --> 00:37:49,920 S6: And when you do, it's just fantastic. 668 00:37:49,950 --> 00:37:52,950 S7: My name is Sue Sewell. I'm from Austin, Texas, and 669 00:37:52,950 --> 00:37:57,150 S7: this is my third trip to Jerusalem and to Israel, 670 00:37:57,270 --> 00:38:00,480 S7: and I just would keep coming back every time there's 671 00:38:00,480 --> 00:38:06,330 S7: something new and mesmerizing about it. This trip has been 672 00:38:06,330 --> 00:38:10,320 S7: the Judean wilderness. It is amazing to me that Christ 673 00:38:10,320 --> 00:38:14,280 S7: could go there and resist Satan. It is just so 674 00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:16,500 S7: powerful and I love being here. 675 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:21,140 S1: All right, Esther, chapter eight is our text, and Charlie 676 00:38:21,140 --> 00:38:24,170 S1: will stop the presses and let you have at it. 677 00:38:24,170 --> 00:38:27,140 S2: Well, our devotional today takes us to the ancient city 678 00:38:27,140 --> 00:38:31,520 S2: of Susa in Persia. That's modern day Iran, where 225 679 00:38:31,520 --> 00:38:34,970 S2: miles east of ancient Babylon. And our destination is the 680 00:38:34,969 --> 00:38:39,170 S2: magnificent palace built by Darius the Great, but now occupied 681 00:38:39,170 --> 00:38:43,819 S2: by Xerxes, also known as King Ahasuerus. Today the palace 682 00:38:43,820 --> 00:38:46,820 S2: area is in ruins, but from the pieces still remaining, 683 00:38:46,820 --> 00:38:49,640 S2: you get an idea of how magnificent it was. Built 684 00:38:49,640 --> 00:38:54,020 S2: on a raised platform covering 250 acres, the site was 685 00:38:54,020 --> 00:38:58,220 S2: and still is impressive. It included a residential palace, a 686 00:38:58,219 --> 00:39:02,120 S2: magnificent audience hall and a monumental entrance gate. The building 687 00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:06,200 S2: was designed to impress and it definitely met those expectations. 688 00:39:06,200 --> 00:39:09,319 S2: But even more impressive was the reality that this was 689 00:39:09,320 --> 00:39:12,410 S2: only the Winter Palace for the Persian kings, and even 690 00:39:12,410 --> 00:39:17,270 S2: larger ceremonial palace complex was built further east at Persepolis. 691 00:39:17,270 --> 00:39:20,209 S2: But we're not here today to focus on the location 692 00:39:20,210 --> 00:39:24,230 S2: or even the architectural remains discovered at Susa. We're here 693 00:39:24,230 --> 00:39:27,950 S2: to focus on an event that took place on June 25th, 694 00:39:27,950 --> 00:39:35,000 S2: 474 BC 2497 years ago this coming week. As near 695 00:39:35,000 --> 00:39:37,430 S2: as I can tell, that's the first day in history 696 00:39:37,430 --> 00:39:42,200 S2: when someone stood up and yelled, stop the presses! Now, today, 697 00:39:42,290 --> 00:39:45,380 S2: even that phrase needs a bit of explanation. As you mentioned, John, 698 00:39:45,380 --> 00:39:48,740 S2: it comes from those quaint days, not too long ago 699 00:39:48,739 --> 00:39:52,669 S2: when most people got their information by actually reading a newspaper. 700 00:39:52,700 --> 00:39:56,930 S2: In those pre-internet days, reporters would gather local, national and 701 00:39:56,930 --> 00:39:59,899 S2: international news, and then the stories would be arranged and 702 00:39:59,900 --> 00:40:03,620 S2: set in type before large presses printed and collated the 703 00:40:03,620 --> 00:40:06,950 S2: different pages. It was a time consuming job, done on 704 00:40:06,950 --> 00:40:09,560 S2: a tight deadline, because the paper had to be ready 705 00:40:09,560 --> 00:40:13,070 S2: for distribution early the next morning. But sometimes a late 706 00:40:13,070 --> 00:40:16,070 S2: breaking story would turn up after the paper had gone 707 00:40:16,070 --> 00:40:18,830 S2: to bed and the presses were busy churning out the 708 00:40:18,830 --> 00:40:21,589 S2: copies for the next day. If the story was of 709 00:40:21,590 --> 00:40:24,680 S2: sufficient importance that it had to be included, the editor 710 00:40:24,680 --> 00:40:28,250 S2: would shout out stop the presses, and the writers, editors, 711 00:40:28,250 --> 00:40:32,090 S2: and layout specialists would frantically rearrange everything to add the 712 00:40:32,090 --> 00:40:35,150 S2: new front page story while still trying to make their 713 00:40:35,150 --> 00:40:40,430 S2: printing deadline. So what happened on June 25th, 474 BC, 714 00:40:40,460 --> 00:40:43,880 S2: to have someone shout out, stop the presses and produce 715 00:40:43,880 --> 00:40:47,120 S2: new copy? The new headline might have read something like 716 00:40:47,120 --> 00:40:51,200 S2: this Miraculous Deliverance of the Jewish People, and the lead 717 00:40:51,200 --> 00:40:55,279 S2: paragraph would have added Kings supports Jewish right to self-defense. 718 00:40:55,280 --> 00:40:59,600 S2: Lead antagonist hanged. Sounds exciting, doesn't it? Well, let's see 719 00:40:59,600 --> 00:41:03,200 S2: what's behind this sudden rewrite. We've all heard the story 720 00:41:03,200 --> 00:41:06,109 S2: of Haman and Mordecai. Haman was one of the original 721 00:41:06,110 --> 00:41:09,770 S2: anti-Semites when he's first introduced in Esther three one, he's 722 00:41:09,770 --> 00:41:14,450 S2: called Haman, son of Hamidreza. The Agagite most pass over 723 00:41:14,450 --> 00:41:17,989 S2: the family connection, but it's crucial to the story. Haman 724 00:41:17,989 --> 00:41:21,980 S2: is a descendant of Agag, the Amalekite God ordered Saul 725 00:41:22,010 --> 00:41:26,000 S2: to destroy all the Amalekites because of their persistent opposition 726 00:41:26,000 --> 00:41:30,380 S2: to Israel, but Saul the Benjamite failed. Now one of 727 00:41:30,380 --> 00:41:33,560 S2: Agagu's descendants, has returned to a place of prominence, and 728 00:41:33,560 --> 00:41:37,009 S2: very quickly his wrath is directed against a Jew of 729 00:41:37,010 --> 00:41:40,130 S2: the tribe of Benjamin named Mordecai, son of yea, the 730 00:41:40,130 --> 00:41:43,670 S2: son of Shimei, the son of Kish. Mordecai was a 731 00:41:43,670 --> 00:41:47,600 S2: benjamite from the line of Saul. When Mordecai refused to 732 00:41:47,600 --> 00:41:51,650 S2: honor Haman, Haman wanted revenge, but as Esther three six 733 00:41:51,650 --> 00:41:55,520 S2: makes clear, he wanted it on a grand scale. Having 734 00:41:55,520 --> 00:41:58,700 S2: learned who Mordecai's people were, he scorned the idea of 735 00:41:58,700 --> 00:42:02,240 S2: killing only Mordecai. Instead, Haman looked for a way to 736 00:42:02,239 --> 00:42:06,200 S2: destroy all Mordecai's people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom 737 00:42:06,200 --> 00:42:10,550 S2: of Xerxes. Long before Hitler, Haman thought to impose his 738 00:42:10,550 --> 00:42:14,540 S2: own Final Solution on the Jewish people. Haman bribed the 739 00:42:14,540 --> 00:42:16,730 S2: king into allowing him to set a date to kill 740 00:42:16,730 --> 00:42:19,009 S2: all the Jews. It would take time to set the 741 00:42:19,010 --> 00:42:22,640 S2: wheels in motion and publish the edict throughout the entire empire. 742 00:42:22,640 --> 00:42:27,650 S2: So on April 17th, 474 BC, Haman got the presses rolling. 743 00:42:27,650 --> 00:42:31,280 S2: The royal secretaries were summoned and the decrees were prepared. 744 00:42:31,280 --> 00:42:35,060 S2: Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces 745 00:42:35,060 --> 00:42:38,570 S2: with the orders to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, 746 00:42:38,570 --> 00:42:41,750 S2: young and old women and little children on a single day, 747 00:42:41,750 --> 00:42:45,110 S2: the 13th day of the 12th month, the month of Adar, 748 00:42:45,110 --> 00:42:49,190 S2: and to plunder their goods. D-Day destruction day for the 749 00:42:49,190 --> 00:42:53,690 S2: Jews was to be March 7th, 743 BC, just under 750 00:42:53,690 --> 00:42:56,900 S2: 11 months away. The story is it unfolds in the 751 00:42:56,900 --> 00:43:00,080 S2: book of Esther's, thrilling though God has never once mentioned 752 00:43:00,080 --> 00:43:02,990 S2: by name, his fingerprints are all over the events that 753 00:43:02,989 --> 00:43:08,450 S2: transpire Mordecai's delivered. Esther is honored. Haman is exposed and killed, 754 00:43:08,450 --> 00:43:12,590 S2: but a major problem still remains. The earlier edict has 755 00:43:12,590 --> 00:43:15,500 S2: already been issued and sent out over two months ago, 756 00:43:15,500 --> 00:43:19,310 S2: and each copy contained the. Royal seal, meaning even the 757 00:43:19,310 --> 00:43:23,240 S2: king himself couldn't revoke it. These recent events are newsworthy, 758 00:43:23,239 --> 00:43:26,210 S2: but what can be done? And to use the old phrase, 759 00:43:26,210 --> 00:43:28,820 S2: this is when the King and Mordecai shout out hold 760 00:43:28,820 --> 00:43:32,149 S2: the presses! Well, not quite, but it's almost as dramatic. 761 00:43:32,150 --> 00:43:35,330 S2: Here's how it's recorded. In Esther eight, the king tells 762 00:43:35,330 --> 00:43:38,239 S2: Mordecai and Esther to write another decree in the king's 763 00:43:38,239 --> 00:43:41,330 S2: name in behalf of the Jews, as seems best to you, 764 00:43:41,330 --> 00:43:44,150 S2: and seal it with the king's signet ring, for no 765 00:43:44,150 --> 00:43:46,580 S2: document written in the king's name, and sealed with his 766 00:43:46,580 --> 00:43:50,089 S2: ring can be revoked at once. The royal secretaries were 767 00:43:50,090 --> 00:43:53,509 S2: summoned on the 23rd day of the third month. By 768 00:43:53,510 --> 00:43:59,660 S2: the way, that's June 25th, 474 BC, 2497 years ago 769 00:43:59,660 --> 00:44:02,540 S2: this coming week. Now back to the story. They wrote 770 00:44:02,540 --> 00:44:05,600 S2: out all Mordecai's orders to the Jews and to the satraps, 771 00:44:05,600 --> 00:44:10,190 S2: governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India 772 00:44:10,190 --> 00:44:12,950 S2: to Kush. These orders were written in the script of 773 00:44:12,950 --> 00:44:16,100 S2: each province and the language of each people, and also 774 00:44:16,100 --> 00:44:19,009 S2: to the Jews in their own script and language. Mordecai 775 00:44:19,010 --> 00:44:21,860 S2: wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches 776 00:44:21,860 --> 00:44:24,830 S2: with the king's signet ring, and sent them by mounted 777 00:44:24,830 --> 00:44:28,910 S2: couriers who rode fast horses especially bred for the king. 778 00:44:29,000 --> 00:44:32,240 S2: The newest edition of the edict was spread to each 779 00:44:32,239 --> 00:44:35,090 S2: provincial capital, and then from there it was distributed to 780 00:44:35,090 --> 00:44:38,509 S2: each city, town and village in the province. And what 781 00:44:38,510 --> 00:44:41,390 S2: did the new edict say? The king's edict granted the 782 00:44:41,390 --> 00:44:44,840 S2: Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves, 783 00:44:44,840 --> 00:44:48,440 S2: to destroy, kill and annihilate any armed force of any 784 00:44:48,440 --> 00:44:51,859 S2: nationality or province that might attack them and their women 785 00:44:51,860 --> 00:44:54,680 S2: and children, and to plunder the property of their enemies. 786 00:44:54,680 --> 00:44:57,170 S2: The day appointed for the Jews to do this in 787 00:44:57,170 --> 00:45:00,500 S2: all the provinces of King Xerxes was the 13th day 788 00:45:00,500 --> 00:45:03,650 S2: of the 12th month, the month of Adar. That's the 789 00:45:03,650 --> 00:45:07,250 S2: same day given in the original edict. For two months 790 00:45:07,250 --> 00:45:10,100 S2: the enemies of the Jews had been harassing them, hurling 791 00:45:10,100 --> 00:45:12,800 S2: insults and threats, telling the Jews the very day they 792 00:45:12,800 --> 00:45:15,890 S2: would die. And then suddenly a second decree arrives from 793 00:45:15,890 --> 00:45:18,980 S2: the king, telling the Jews they're free to defend themselves 794 00:45:18,980 --> 00:45:22,820 S2: and destroy those who had planned on destroying them. Oops! 795 00:45:22,820 --> 00:45:25,700 S2: And when the day came, the Jews struck down all 796 00:45:25,700 --> 00:45:28,370 S2: their enemies with the sword. The command to stop the 797 00:45:28,370 --> 00:45:30,980 S2: presses and issue a new decree turned a time of 798 00:45:30,980 --> 00:45:36,080 S2: threat and annihilation into victorious celebration. And God orchestrated it 799 00:45:36,080 --> 00:45:40,880 S2: all almost 2500 years ago this coming week. So what 800 00:45:40,880 --> 00:45:43,580 S2: difference should this account make in our lives today? Let 801 00:45:43,580 --> 00:45:48,020 S2: me suggest two one personal and one national first. Personally, 802 00:45:48,020 --> 00:45:50,569 S2: this story in Esther reminds us of the reality that 803 00:45:50,570 --> 00:45:53,750 S2: God often works behind the scenes to watch over and 804 00:45:53,750 --> 00:45:57,380 S2: protect his children. Whatever problems or threats or struggles you're 805 00:45:57,380 --> 00:45:59,990 S2: facing today, go to God in prayer and ask for 806 00:45:59,989 --> 00:46:02,930 S2: his help. He might not send a fiery angel down 807 00:46:02,930 --> 00:46:05,930 S2: from heaven or part the Red sea you're facing, but 808 00:46:05,930 --> 00:46:08,089 S2: you can trust him to work in an amazing way 809 00:46:08,090 --> 00:46:10,700 S2: to come to your aid. And second, this story is 810 00:46:10,700 --> 00:46:13,969 S2: a reminder that God's promise to Abraham and his descendants 811 00:46:13,969 --> 00:46:17,089 S2: in Genesis 12 three is still true. I will bless 812 00:46:17,090 --> 00:46:20,450 S2: those who bless you and whoever curses you, I will curse. 813 00:46:20,480 --> 00:46:24,200 S2: As believers, we need to stand against anti-Semitism and show 814 00:46:24,200 --> 00:46:27,020 S2: our love and support for both the Jewish people and 815 00:46:27,020 --> 00:46:30,470 S2: the nation of Israel. Doing so aligns you with God, 816 00:46:30,469 --> 00:46:32,930 S2: and that's a good side to be on. 817 00:46:33,110 --> 00:46:36,439 S1: And that's a great and very timely reminder. Thank you Charlie. 818 00:46:36,560 --> 00:46:39,319 S1: As always, we thank you for spending time with us, 819 00:46:39,320 --> 00:46:42,319 S1: and we thank the management at this station for providing 820 00:46:42,320 --> 00:46:45,200 S1: room for this broadcast. We call the land and the book. 821 00:46:45,200 --> 00:46:48,140 S1: I'm John Geiger for our host, Charlie Dyer, our producer, 822 00:46:48,140 --> 00:46:50,839 S1: Dan Anderson. Thank you for listening. The land and the 823 00:46:50,840 --> 00:46:53,510 S1: book is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of 824 00:46:53,510 --> 00:46:55,010 S1: Moody Bible Institute.