1 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:10,039 S1: Hope you're in the mood for a good hike. We're 2 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:14,120 S1: about to climb four famous mountains in Scripture. Along the way, 3 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:17,760 S1: the Bible's overarching story emerges. And better yet, we encounter 4 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:21,240 S1: God Himself in His Word. Hey, welcome to the land 5 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:24,200 S1: and the book with host Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John 6 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:27,720 S1: Gieger and Charlie. Last week we celebrated the 15th anniversary 7 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:30,760 S1: of the land and the book offering a prize collection 8 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:34,400 S1: of three of your Moody Publishers books. Who owns the land? 9 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:37,320 S1: Experiencing the land of the book. And what does the 10 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:39,920 S1: Bible say about the future? And here are some of 11 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:43,360 S1: the emails we received from our five winners. Rachel Lopucki 12 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,240 S1: listens in North Branch, Michigan and told us, I love 13 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:48,800 S1: the advice on how to understand and talk with Jewish 14 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:52,479 S1: people about Christ. I listened on Wmpc radio. Thank you 15 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:55,160 S1: for the enlightening explanations of Scripture. 16 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:58,160 S2: Yeah, Nancy Peck comments I've been listening to the land 17 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:00,950 S2: in the book since the very first program and so 18 00:01:00,950 --> 00:01:04,910 S2: thankful for station KMBC Spokane. I love hearing about all 19 00:01:04,910 --> 00:01:08,310 S2: the amazing things happening in Israel, and always enjoy the 20 00:01:08,310 --> 00:01:11,470 S2: question and answer segment. I love going up to Jerusalem 21 00:01:11,470 --> 00:01:13,750 S2: with you in the devotional time as well. 22 00:01:13,790 --> 00:01:17,390 S1: Suzanne has been listening at least ten years on Winapi 23 00:01:17,709 --> 00:01:20,430 S1: also with her smartphone. Now she listens to the podcast. 24 00:01:20,430 --> 00:01:23,350 S1: She says I can listen now, whenever and wherever I want, 25 00:01:23,390 --> 00:01:26,069 S1: often replaying to hear certain topics again. 26 00:01:26,510 --> 00:01:30,270 S2: And Paul's moody Radio Indiana listener from Greenfield, and he wrote, 27 00:01:30,270 --> 00:01:33,270 S2: I've been listening since the beginning. I like the current events. 28 00:01:33,270 --> 00:01:35,670 S2: I hear things I don't hear from other sources, and 29 00:01:35,670 --> 00:01:39,030 S2: I particularly like the devotional. It's a second devotional on 30 00:01:39,030 --> 00:01:41,030 S2: Saturday morning after my quiet time. 31 00:01:41,190 --> 00:01:43,229 S1: Diane Lamb has listened to the land in the book 32 00:01:43,230 --> 00:01:47,190 S1: for nine years. Over, she says, I love the insights 33 00:01:47,190 --> 00:01:49,950 S1: from your guests. The answers to listener's questions have taught 34 00:01:49,950 --> 00:01:53,430 S1: me things I didn't know. Thank you so much. Well, 35 00:01:53,430 --> 00:01:56,510 S1: we sure wish we could have awarded everybody a collection 36 00:01:56,510 --> 00:01:59,060 S1: of these three books, Charlie, but rest assured, we'll have 37 00:01:59,060 --> 00:02:01,020 S1: a book blast in the near future and maybe you'll 38 00:02:01,020 --> 00:02:03,860 S1: win that. Hey, before we get to today's current events 39 00:02:03,860 --> 00:02:06,580 S1: this quick thought. Did you know that most Jewish people 40 00:02:06,580 --> 00:02:09,700 S1: have never heard the gospel? Each week we talk about 41 00:02:09,700 --> 00:02:12,020 S1: Israel and the Jewish people, and it's so important to 42 00:02:12,020 --> 00:02:15,299 S1: remember that they, like everyone else, need to hear the 43 00:02:15,300 --> 00:02:16,139 S1: good news. 44 00:02:16,660 --> 00:02:19,260 S2: Life in Messiah, a ministry that's been in existence for 45 00:02:19,260 --> 00:02:22,860 S2: over 135 years, is devoted to sharing the gospel with 46 00:02:22,860 --> 00:02:25,660 S2: Jewish people around the world. And now they're offering a 47 00:02:25,700 --> 00:02:29,620 S2: gift to moody listeners. This free e-book, Reaching Jewish People 48 00:02:29,620 --> 00:02:32,580 S2: for Messiah, highlights the need for the gospel among the 49 00:02:32,580 --> 00:02:35,619 S2: Jewish people. It will equip you with practical ways to 50 00:02:35,660 --> 00:02:38,100 S2: share the good News with them. Now, to receive this 51 00:02:38,100 --> 00:02:41,660 S2: free e-book, visit Life in Messiah org and click on 52 00:02:41,700 --> 00:02:45,180 S2: the Moody Radio logo. Sign up today to get your copy. 53 00:02:45,220 --> 00:02:47,020 S2: That's life in Messiah. 54 00:02:48,340 --> 00:02:51,020 S1: Plenty to talk about in the Middle East. Israel as 55 00:02:51,020 --> 00:02:53,980 S1: a nation has been anxiously holding its breath as it 56 00:02:53,980 --> 00:02:57,490 S1: follows the twists and turns of President Trump's proposed peace 57 00:02:57,490 --> 00:03:00,890 S1: plan with Hamas. What details do we know right now? 58 00:03:00,930 --> 00:03:04,090 S1: As of our recording time, Charlie? And realistically, can the 59 00:03:04,090 --> 00:03:06,010 S1: plan result in lasting peace? 60 00:03:06,330 --> 00:03:08,850 S2: Well, here's what we know right now. Hamas says it's 61 00:03:08,850 --> 00:03:12,369 S2: committed to release all Israeli hostages, which they've been reluctant 62 00:03:12,370 --> 00:03:15,769 S2: to do because they'll lose their main bargaining chip. In return, 63 00:03:15,889 --> 00:03:22,050 S2: Israel will release about 2000 Palestinian prisoners, including terrorists serving 64 00:03:22,050 --> 00:03:25,049 S2: life sentences for murder. They haven't yet agreed on the 65 00:03:25,050 --> 00:03:28,850 S2: specific prisoners to be released, and that's part of the negotiation. 66 00:03:29,210 --> 00:03:31,930 S2: It's less clear what Hamas has agreed to when it 67 00:03:31,930 --> 00:03:35,530 S2: comes to relinquishing power and laying down its weapons. They 68 00:03:35,530 --> 00:03:38,050 S2: said they would lay down their arms only when Israel 69 00:03:38,050 --> 00:03:41,530 S2: ends its occupation. But they view the very existence of 70 00:03:41,530 --> 00:03:45,210 S2: the State of Israel as an occupation. Israel's concerned about 71 00:03:45,210 --> 00:03:48,970 S2: Hamas's willingness to accept the plan's map, showing a gradual 72 00:03:48,970 --> 00:03:53,170 S2: Israeli withdrawal from Gaza after the hostages are released. There 73 00:03:53,210 --> 00:03:55,370 S2: are a myriad of questions and concerns that need to 74 00:03:55,370 --> 00:03:58,920 S2: be ironed out before any agreement can be finalized, and 75 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:02,520 S2: only then would it start to be implemented. There's some optimism. 76 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:04,920 S2: A deal will be reached, and there's even talk of 77 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:08,240 S2: President Trump flying to the region for a signing ceremony. 78 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,120 S2: But all this leads to the most crucial question of all. 79 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:14,360 S2: Even if Hamas agrees to release the hostages, lay down 80 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:17,320 S2: its arms and cede control of Gaza, will it result 81 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,120 S2: in lasting peace? And sadly, I think the answer will 82 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:24,880 S2: ultimately be no. Hamas's original charter remains intact. It calls 83 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:27,880 S2: for the total liberation of Palestine, and by that they 84 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:31,400 S2: mean the entire land of Israel. In the past, released 85 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:36,840 S2: terrorists returned home to terrorism. They're an Islamic fundamentalist organization, 86 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:39,479 S2: and that means they can't accept a lasting peace with 87 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:43,080 S2: Israel or allow a Jewish state to control any land 88 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:46,480 S2: originally conquered for Allah. If they're allowed to remain as 89 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:49,600 S2: an organization in Gaza, they'll try to return to power. 90 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:53,240 S2: Even if they disband, another organization will arise to take 91 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:55,860 S2: their place. It might have a different name, but it 92 00:04:55,860 --> 00:04:58,580 S2: will still have the same strategic goals. Now, I just 93 00:04:58,580 --> 00:05:02,060 S2: hope President Trump doesn't force Israel to accept a bad 94 00:05:02,060 --> 00:05:05,380 S2: agreement that might provide short term peace, but that will 95 00:05:05,380 --> 00:05:07,860 S2: only result in more vicious attacks later. 96 00:05:07,900 --> 00:05:11,859 S1: Yeah. That's wise. Well, in Israel, even archaeology often finds 97 00:05:11,860 --> 00:05:15,740 S1: itself enmeshed in political debates. The City of David again 98 00:05:15,779 --> 00:05:18,779 S1: made the news recently for political reasons rather than for 99 00:05:18,779 --> 00:05:23,540 S1: archaeological discoveries. When Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the site, 100 00:05:23,660 --> 00:05:26,060 S1: why was his visit so controversial? 101 00:05:26,580 --> 00:05:29,300 S2: Well, when Secretary of State Rubio visited the city of 102 00:05:29,300 --> 00:05:32,539 S2: David to help inaugurate the Pilgrim roadway, his visit was 103 00:05:32,540 --> 00:05:36,060 S2: criticized by the UN and by Palestinian activists and by 104 00:05:36,060 --> 00:05:39,380 S2: many journalists who viewed it as, quote, an endorsement of 105 00:05:39,380 --> 00:05:43,540 S2: Israeli settlement projects in occupied territory. Now, I've been to 106 00:05:43,580 --> 00:05:45,659 S2: that site many times. It's actually one of the most 107 00:05:45,700 --> 00:05:51,660 S2: remarkable excavations underway in Israel today. The controversy isn't about archaeology. 108 00:05:51,660 --> 00:05:55,330 S2: It's really about competing narratives on claims to the land, 109 00:05:55,529 --> 00:05:59,370 S2: our Israelis, European colonizers? Or do the Jewish people have 110 00:05:59,370 --> 00:06:02,450 S2: a legitimate claim to the land as the indigenous people 111 00:06:02,450 --> 00:06:05,650 S2: who lived there for 4000 years? The City of David 112 00:06:05,650 --> 00:06:11,050 S2: excavations support Israel's clear link to the land historically and archaeologically, 113 00:06:11,050 --> 00:06:14,050 S2: and that's why those who oppose Israel are opposed to 114 00:06:14,089 --> 00:06:18,210 S2: this excavation and to the US participating in this event. Now, 115 00:06:18,210 --> 00:06:20,770 S2: I don't often recommend books on this program, but I 116 00:06:20,770 --> 00:06:23,690 S2: do want to recommend one here. It's called When the 117 00:06:23,690 --> 00:06:28,210 S2: Stones Speak by Doron Spielman. It's a fascinating history of 118 00:06:28,210 --> 00:06:32,010 S2: this excavation, and it's a great defense of Israel's historical 119 00:06:32,010 --> 00:06:35,250 S2: connection to the land. From the foundations of the palace 120 00:06:35,250 --> 00:06:38,690 S2: built by David to Hezekiah's Tunnel and the Pool of Siloam, 121 00:06:38,690 --> 00:06:41,970 S2: to the discovery of seal impressions with names of individuals 122 00:06:41,970 --> 00:06:44,810 S2: from the Bible to the pilgrim roadway. The amount of 123 00:06:44,810 --> 00:06:48,170 S2: evidence discovered at this site connecting the Jewish people to 124 00:06:48,210 --> 00:06:51,570 S2: the land is overwhelming, and that's why those opposed to 125 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:55,760 S2: Israel are trying so hard to discredit this excavation so 126 00:06:55,760 --> 00:06:57,440 S2: they can dismiss the evidence. 127 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:00,760 S1: Doctor Charlie Dyer is a noted Middle East scholar, Old 128 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:03,560 S1: Testament expert, and a whole lot more. Leading us through 129 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,920 S1: a list of current events stories this week, the Dead 130 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:09,920 S1: Sea Scrolls were discovered over 70 years ago, but they 131 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:13,880 S1: continue to reveal their secrets. And now researchers have unveiled 132 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:16,640 S1: a new method that could further transform the study of 133 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:19,240 S1: the scrolls. What is it and how does it work? 134 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:24,000 S2: Well, the new method combines multispectral imaging along with artificial intelligence. 135 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:26,440 S2: The project is seeking to bridge the gap between the 136 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:29,920 S2: physical scrolls and the writings they preserve by analyzing not 137 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:32,840 S2: just the texts, but also the handwriting differences of the 138 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:35,120 S2: scribes who wrote them. When we think of the Dead 139 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:37,440 S2: Sea Scrolls, we think of those larger scrolls that are 140 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:41,920 S2: fairly complete. But upwards of 25,000 fragments were found from 141 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:45,560 S2: up to 950 different manuscripts. Some of the fragments are 142 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,840 S2: tiny pieces with just a few letters or words. Piecing 143 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:52,510 S2: them together has been a laborious process. The researchers are 144 00:07:52,510 --> 00:07:55,710 S2: teaching the program to distinguish between the ink, the parchment 145 00:07:55,710 --> 00:07:59,150 S2: and any other elements within each image. They tested the 146 00:07:59,150 --> 00:08:02,950 S2: method on several scroll fragments and the initial results are promising. Now, 147 00:08:02,950 --> 00:08:06,110 S2: their goal is to match handwriting across the different fragments 148 00:08:06,150 --> 00:08:08,550 S2: or the scrolls to help match up the pieces, and 149 00:08:08,550 --> 00:08:11,390 S2: then to try to learn more about the individual scribes 150 00:08:11,390 --> 00:08:14,830 S2: who copied them. That's definitely a major challenge, but they 151 00:08:14,870 --> 00:08:18,350 S2: hope the use of artificial intelligence, along with the collaboration 152 00:08:18,350 --> 00:08:21,990 S2: of additional scholars and researchers, will move the project closer 153 00:08:21,990 --> 00:08:25,110 S2: to its goal of extracting every bit of information from 154 00:08:25,110 --> 00:08:29,230 S2: the scrolls, including details about the individuals who helped write them. 155 00:08:29,270 --> 00:08:32,069 S1: Charlie, any kind of a timeline or ballpark estimate on 156 00:08:32,070 --> 00:08:33,390 S1: when this might be achieved? 157 00:08:33,670 --> 00:08:36,190 S2: They've not even given a timeline at all now. The 158 00:08:36,190 --> 00:08:38,110 S2: nice thing is with with the use of computers and 159 00:08:38,110 --> 00:08:42,229 S2: artificial intelligence, the process has been speeded up greatly. But 160 00:08:42,350 --> 00:08:43,429 S2: there is no deadline. 161 00:08:43,750 --> 00:08:46,950 S1: Well, we all know the importance of blood for sustaining life. 162 00:08:46,950 --> 00:08:50,380 S1: One group in Israel has developed a cutting edge solution 163 00:08:50,380 --> 00:08:54,179 S1: to provide sufficient blood in emergencies to help save lives. 164 00:08:54,420 --> 00:08:57,380 S1: What's this latest innovation out from amazing Israel? 165 00:08:57,820 --> 00:09:01,300 S2: This fascinating innovation was developed by a company called Plasma Free. 166 00:09:01,340 --> 00:09:05,540 S2: That is, plasma free. The device they made is called 167 00:09:05,540 --> 00:09:09,380 S2: clear plasma. It's a disposable filter that's attached to the 168 00:09:09,380 --> 00:09:11,900 S2: line leading from a bag of plasma to the patient. 169 00:09:12,140 --> 00:09:16,220 S2: The filter eliminates a protein responsible for dissolving blood clots. Now, 170 00:09:16,220 --> 00:09:19,339 S2: when someone suffering from massive bleeding, the first goal is 171 00:09:19,340 --> 00:09:22,460 S2: to stop the bleeding and keep the patient from bleeding out. 172 00:09:22,700 --> 00:09:25,780 S2: But the plasma given to the patient contains proteins that 173 00:09:25,780 --> 00:09:30,059 S2: actually act against blood clotting. Other solutions are currently being used, 174 00:09:30,059 --> 00:09:34,700 S2: but each has limitations. The clear plasma filter removes the 175 00:09:34,700 --> 00:09:38,300 S2: proteins just before the plasma enters the patient's body. In 176 00:09:38,300 --> 00:09:42,580 S2: clinical trials, patients using the device required fewer plasma units, 177 00:09:42,620 --> 00:09:46,740 S2: needed fewer red blood cell transfusions, showed lower risk of 178 00:09:46,740 --> 00:09:51,010 S2: massive bleeding, and exhibited no side effects. The device is 179 00:09:51,010 --> 00:09:53,610 S2: approved in Israel, and the company is now working with 180 00:09:53,610 --> 00:09:57,250 S2: the FDA to begin large scale trials in America at 181 00:09:57,250 --> 00:10:01,930 S2: developing a cost effective solution for plasma transfusions that still 182 00:10:01,929 --> 00:10:05,050 S2: permit blood to clot. Now, that's the kind of innovation 183 00:10:05,050 --> 00:10:08,410 S2: that we've come to expect and appreciate out of amazing Israel. 184 00:10:08,650 --> 00:10:11,530 S1: Thank you Charlie. That's a look at current events. Our 185 00:10:11,530 --> 00:10:14,010 S1: email address. If you'd like to get your Bible question 186 00:10:14,010 --> 00:10:16,810 S1: that's a segment three on the program is the Land 187 00:10:16,809 --> 00:10:20,810 S1: and the book at Moody's. Gerald Peterson, always glad to 188 00:10:20,809 --> 00:10:23,730 S1: hear from you and reply back to you personally as 189 00:10:23,730 --> 00:10:27,170 S1: you email us at the land and the Book at Moody's. 190 00:10:28,370 --> 00:10:30,770 S1: Look forward to getting your question and then maybe airing 191 00:10:30,770 --> 00:10:35,689 S1: it on a future broadcast. Eden, Sinai, Tabor and Zion 192 00:10:35,890 --> 00:10:39,050 S1: in the Bible. These four mountain top encounters with God 193 00:10:39,250 --> 00:10:42,170 S1: unify the Bible's grand story. We're about to hike up 194 00:10:42,170 --> 00:10:44,410 S1: all four of them. Hope you've got the energy for it. 195 00:10:44,410 --> 00:10:47,160 S1: Next here on the land and the book. Hey, thanks 196 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:49,800 S1: for listening and thanks for sharing us with your friends. 197 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:09,160 S1: For mountain top encounters with God. Eden, Sinai, Tabor and 198 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:13,520 S1: Zion unify the Bible's grand story. The earliest Christians read 199 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:17,959 S1: scripture with attentiveness to symbols and images like mountains. Well, 200 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:20,359 S1: as you and I dig deeper, we can connect seemingly 201 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:23,760 S1: disparate stories and encounter God in His Word. This is 202 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:26,280 S1: the land and the book I'm John Geiger. Hope you're 203 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:29,160 S1: ready to do some mountain climbing today. And while you're 204 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:31,800 S1: lacing up your hiking boots, let's think about ideas that 205 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:34,320 S1: help us love our Jewish neighbors and friends with the 206 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:38,520 S1: love of Christ. The Old Testament is rich with prophecy. 207 00:11:38,559 --> 00:11:40,800 S1: How much of that, though, can you really talk about 208 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:44,280 S1: in a conversation with your Jewish friend? For example, what 209 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:48,180 S1: about Daniel's prophecies concerning the Maccabees and the events of Hanukkah. 210 00:11:48,580 --> 00:11:51,020 S1: Roy Schwartz is with Chosen People Ministries. Are we on 211 00:11:51,020 --> 00:11:52,780 S1: safe ground talking about this kind of stuff? 212 00:11:52,820 --> 00:11:55,660 S3: Sure. For a Gentile to know about Hanukkah. Are you 213 00:11:55,700 --> 00:11:58,740 S3: kidding me? Especially to know that it was spoken of 214 00:11:58,740 --> 00:12:01,020 S3: by the Jewish prophet Daniel. Don't get into the New 215 00:12:01,020 --> 00:12:05,380 S3: Testament necessarily. Just talk about the reality that God, through 216 00:12:05,380 --> 00:12:11,619 S3: the prophet Daniel, foreshadowed and foresaw the actual events of 217 00:12:11,740 --> 00:12:16,020 S3: Antiochus and the events of Hanukkah. Now, most Christians don't 218 00:12:16,020 --> 00:12:18,900 S3: know that, but I suggest you study that and see 219 00:12:18,900 --> 00:12:22,339 S3: how Daniel and Hanukkah fit together, and that will blow 220 00:12:22,340 --> 00:12:24,500 S3: the mind of a Jewish person that you are interested 221 00:12:24,500 --> 00:12:25,020 S3: in those things. 222 00:12:25,059 --> 00:12:26,300 S1: All right. So maybe we need to do a little 223 00:12:26,300 --> 00:12:28,780 S1: work on our own history and then reach out and 224 00:12:28,780 --> 00:12:31,900 S1: share those prophecies from Daniel as a tool to bring 225 00:12:31,900 --> 00:12:34,380 S1: you to the life of your unsaved Jewish friend. Roy 226 00:12:34,380 --> 00:12:36,780 S1: Schwartz is with Chosen People Ministries. Always a pleasure to 227 00:12:36,780 --> 00:12:41,579 S1: have him in the studio. Michael Niebauer is a pastor 228 00:12:41,580 --> 00:12:45,250 S1: and director of Heritage Mission, which trains churches and leaders 229 00:12:45,250 --> 00:12:48,890 S1: to start worship services in care facilities. He's written the 230 00:12:48,890 --> 00:12:52,210 S1: book Four Mountains Encountering God in the Bible From Eden 231 00:12:52,210 --> 00:12:54,970 S1: to Zion. Hey, welcome to the land in the book, Michael. 232 00:12:55,330 --> 00:12:56,370 S4: Thanks. Great to be here. 233 00:12:56,650 --> 00:12:58,530 S1: Hey, let me stop you right away with an observation 234 00:12:58,530 --> 00:13:01,970 S1: that I think other listeners might share. That is, I've 235 00:13:01,970 --> 00:13:05,410 S1: never thought of the Garden of Eden being on a mountain. 236 00:13:05,450 --> 00:13:07,250 S1: Where do we see that in Scripture? And why is 237 00:13:07,250 --> 00:13:08,490 S1: that evaded many of us? 238 00:13:09,010 --> 00:13:12,650 S4: Yes, that's a great question. I get asked that a lot. Um, 239 00:13:13,010 --> 00:13:17,770 S4: Ezekiel mentions and references Eden as a mountain, and that 240 00:13:17,770 --> 00:13:20,689 S4: is something that a lot of Christians took as a, 241 00:13:20,690 --> 00:13:24,010 S4: as a given for years. There are even towns in 242 00:13:24,010 --> 00:13:27,730 S4: America named Mount Eden. So this was something that that 243 00:13:27,730 --> 00:13:29,730 S4: that folks knew and it kind of got lost in 244 00:13:29,730 --> 00:13:32,569 S4: the shuffle. But you see it actually in the text 245 00:13:32,570 --> 00:13:36,490 S4: itself of Genesis, where you see the river of life 246 00:13:36,490 --> 00:13:40,490 S4: and the water flowing down in four streams at the bottom. 247 00:13:40,490 --> 00:13:45,600 S4: You're you're given the topography of a mountaintop right there. 248 00:13:45,840 --> 00:13:48,160 S4: And so the the Garden of Eden, what we think 249 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:51,200 S4: of that is was located at the, the top, um, 250 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:55,240 S4: around the summit of the mountain with the waters, those 251 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:57,679 S4: four rivers at the base of the mountain. 252 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:00,200 S1: All right. That makes sense. I mean, uh, and thank 253 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:02,679 S1: you for pointing out that Ezekiel passage. I just never, 254 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:06,439 S1: never saw that. Well, perhaps the most significant event associated 255 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:10,000 S1: with Eden is our fall from Mount Eden. And I 256 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:13,640 S1: wonder sometimes if modern believers lack a proper biblical sorrow 257 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:16,640 S1: for what happened in Eden. We're not happy about it. 258 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:19,960 S1: But in our Tik Tok Venmo eBay world, we're we're 259 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:22,640 S1: so satisfied with our stuff. We've never learned to be 260 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:25,120 S1: horrified at our sin. I think your response? 261 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:28,480 S4: Yes. And I think that's true. And when you read 262 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:32,280 S4: that account again, when when you see the consequences of 263 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:37,160 S4: sin playing out in Genesis three, you really sit with 264 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:42,150 S4: that text. You see just the incredible brokenness that happens 265 00:14:42,150 --> 00:14:46,670 S4: everywhere in that text. So not only the brokenness, of course, 266 00:14:46,670 --> 00:14:51,510 S4: between human relationships, but also are the severance of our 267 00:14:51,510 --> 00:14:55,030 S4: connection with God. And one of the things I noticed 268 00:14:55,110 --> 00:14:58,150 S4: reading the text, and when you read early Christians, when 269 00:14:58,150 --> 00:15:02,910 S4: you look at Scripture, when folks are close to God, 270 00:15:03,310 --> 00:15:06,670 S4: they in a sense are are wearing his glory like 271 00:15:06,710 --> 00:15:10,750 S4: a garment. And so, um, when Adam and Eve sin 272 00:15:10,750 --> 00:15:13,430 S4: and they realize they're, they're naked, one of the reasons 273 00:15:13,430 --> 00:15:16,310 S4: they realize they're naked is that they're no longer clothed 274 00:15:16,310 --> 00:15:20,270 S4: in God's glory. They're no longer surrounded with it, and 275 00:15:20,270 --> 00:15:24,590 S4: there's that frailty underneath. So I think that is this 276 00:15:24,590 --> 00:15:27,630 S4: part of Genesis three that I think doesn't get played 277 00:15:27,630 --> 00:15:31,550 S4: up enough, that we lose this great intimacy with God, 278 00:15:32,030 --> 00:15:34,470 S4: that we're we're not as close to him, that we 279 00:15:34,630 --> 00:15:38,750 S4: essentially are surrounded by his glory anymore. And what's left 280 00:15:38,750 --> 00:15:42,060 S4: underneath is the the frailty of our bodies that are 281 00:15:42,060 --> 00:15:44,620 S4: now susceptible to sin and death. 282 00:15:45,460 --> 00:15:47,460 S1: I love your take on what you call the false 283 00:15:47,460 --> 00:15:50,420 S1: mountain of Babel. I never quite saw it that way, 284 00:15:50,420 --> 00:15:53,380 S1: but that has to be right. What's our best guess 285 00:15:53,380 --> 00:15:56,460 S1: as to where this infamous tower was built? And what 286 00:15:56,460 --> 00:15:57,740 S1: else do we need to know, Michael? 287 00:15:58,180 --> 00:16:02,500 S4: The precise location. It's really hard to say where that 288 00:16:02,500 --> 00:16:04,740 S4: is or where that could have been, but I think 289 00:16:04,740 --> 00:16:08,740 S4: the main point of this passage is that human beings 290 00:16:08,740 --> 00:16:12,940 S4: are trying to construct their own mountain. So in a way, 291 00:16:12,980 --> 00:16:16,580 S4: mountains are supposed to be these places where where God 292 00:16:16,580 --> 00:16:20,220 S4: invites us into to encounter him, where we can have 293 00:16:20,220 --> 00:16:24,540 S4: a relationship with God, that's that's initiated by God. Whereas 294 00:16:24,580 --> 00:16:27,820 S4: with Babel, human beings are a sense saying, hey, we 295 00:16:27,860 --> 00:16:30,500 S4: are going to build our own mountain and we expect 296 00:16:30,540 --> 00:16:34,180 S4: God to come to us on our terms. And so 297 00:16:34,180 --> 00:16:38,450 S4: in many ways, Babel is the complete opposite of Mount Eden. In. 298 00:16:38,890 --> 00:16:42,090 S4: It's a complete reversal, rather than it being a Eden 299 00:16:42,130 --> 00:16:45,570 S4: as a place where God has created for us to 300 00:16:45,610 --> 00:16:48,610 S4: live and dwell and be with him, we try to 301 00:16:48,610 --> 00:16:52,650 S4: create something and then ask God to come to us 302 00:16:52,690 --> 00:16:53,770 S4: on our terms. 303 00:16:54,130 --> 00:16:56,490 S1: Of course, we modern Christians would never do that. 304 00:16:57,010 --> 00:16:57,810 S4: Yeah that's right. 305 00:16:58,370 --> 00:17:01,770 S1: You know, I think again, this story like that of 306 00:17:01,770 --> 00:17:05,129 S1: Eden just is a very sad one in our culture. 307 00:17:05,130 --> 00:17:08,650 S1: We're just we're just seemingly wired for happy, happy, happy 308 00:17:08,690 --> 00:17:12,290 S1: emoticons with smiley faces and and all that kind of stuff. 309 00:17:12,530 --> 00:17:17,290 S1: But until and unless we properly dwell in the sadness 310 00:17:17,290 --> 00:17:20,130 S1: of these stories, I think we're missing out on some things. 311 00:17:20,170 --> 00:17:22,930 S1: You know, it's like the old painter Bill Alexander used 312 00:17:22,930 --> 00:17:25,129 S1: to say on PBS, to show light, you have to 313 00:17:25,130 --> 00:17:25,929 S1: have dark. 314 00:17:25,970 --> 00:17:28,730 S4: Yeah. In the book, I'm trying to get people to 315 00:17:28,770 --> 00:17:33,130 S4: see themselves in these passages. Yes. In our sin, we 316 00:17:33,170 --> 00:17:36,530 S4: are like the people building that Tower of Babel. How 317 00:17:36,530 --> 00:17:39,919 S4: many times do we do something and we want to 318 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:41,760 S4: say to the world, look at me, look at what 319 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:45,120 S4: I've done, only to discover actually on the other end 320 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:47,640 S4: of that, a lot of sadness, because in response, we've 321 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:52,880 S4: actually isolated ourselves. We've created more of an island unto ourselves. 322 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:55,879 S4: So I think, I think so much of reading Scripture 323 00:17:55,880 --> 00:18:00,639 S4: is being able to see ourselves in the characters, to 324 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:02,840 S4: see our sin in it, but also to see our 325 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:03,960 S4: sorrow as well. 326 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:06,919 S1: This is the land and the book. I'm John Gager, 327 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:09,480 S1: and if you just joined us, we're talking with Michael 328 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:13,080 S1: Niebauer about four mountains that do a remarkable work of 329 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:17,760 S1: explaining scripture. And his book is titled Four Mountains. We 330 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:20,040 S1: come now to the story of Mount Sinai. Place it 331 00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:22,280 S1: on a map as best you can and give us 332 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:23,400 S1: a quick overview. Michael. 333 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:27,600 S4: Well, yeah, we know with Sinai we've got it somewhere 334 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:30,760 S4: after the Red sea and before the Promised Land. So 335 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:36,710 S4: that gives us an orientation to it. And Sinai really is, 336 00:18:36,750 --> 00:18:41,109 S4: is the symbol of the beginning of God's rescue effort 337 00:18:41,150 --> 00:18:45,310 S4: that God begins to rescue his people out of slavery 338 00:18:45,310 --> 00:18:48,470 S4: in Egypt. But then he's got to get that long 339 00:18:48,470 --> 00:18:52,510 S4: process of teaching them who he is again. You know, 340 00:18:52,550 --> 00:18:56,030 S4: after Babel, um, I think so much of of what 341 00:18:56,030 --> 00:18:58,910 S4: happens when we, we sin is that not only do 342 00:18:58,910 --> 00:19:02,790 S4: we distance ourselves from God, but we also begin to 343 00:19:02,830 --> 00:19:07,750 S4: forget who God is. We have to relearn his character 344 00:19:07,750 --> 00:19:10,590 S4: and his goodness. You know, so I think so much 345 00:19:10,590 --> 00:19:13,230 S4: of what God is doing on Sinai with the giving 346 00:19:13,230 --> 00:19:16,629 S4: of the law and the calling up of Moses, you know, 347 00:19:16,670 --> 00:19:18,550 S4: you can think of it almost as a kind of 348 00:19:18,590 --> 00:19:22,629 S4: rehabilitation process. If somebody were to get out of jail, 349 00:19:23,150 --> 00:19:25,550 S4: they need to go through this process of of learning 350 00:19:25,550 --> 00:19:28,190 S4: how to to live life again in a free world. 351 00:19:28,190 --> 00:19:30,550 S4: And I think so much of what's happening there on 352 00:19:30,550 --> 00:19:34,669 S4: Sinai is God having to do that long work because 353 00:19:34,670 --> 00:19:38,930 S4: human beings are stubborn to teach them his character and 354 00:19:38,930 --> 00:19:43,650 S4: his goodness. And I think those clouds on Sinai are 355 00:19:43,690 --> 00:19:47,410 S4: a great symbol of that, because those clouds show that 356 00:19:47,410 --> 00:19:50,850 S4: that God is making himself known again in a very 357 00:19:50,850 --> 00:19:55,730 S4: special way. But he's still inaccessible. Yeah. The clouds, we 358 00:19:55,730 --> 00:19:59,250 S4: they know God's glory is there. But outside of Moses, 359 00:19:59,290 --> 00:20:02,609 S4: the Israelites know they can't in their sin, go up 360 00:20:02,609 --> 00:20:06,410 S4: and approach God. So I think Sinai really it's this 361 00:20:06,410 --> 00:20:09,889 S4: way of showing, hey, God is making himself known again, 362 00:20:10,290 --> 00:20:13,370 S4: but that full access to his glory again, it's not 363 00:20:13,369 --> 00:20:16,970 S4: going to come until he deals decisively with with sin 364 00:20:16,970 --> 00:20:18,010 S4: through Jesus Christ. 365 00:20:18,050 --> 00:20:20,810 S1: Yeah. And again, though, I think there's a disconnect, uh, 366 00:20:20,810 --> 00:20:24,050 S1: with us today. Uh, you know, we're not so big 367 00:20:24,050 --> 00:20:27,649 S1: on the holiness of God, the otherness of God. We 368 00:20:27,890 --> 00:20:31,050 S1: we're not real good at fearing God. But that's exactly 369 00:20:31,050 --> 00:20:33,689 S1: what's portrayed here. And even though we have access to 370 00:20:33,730 --> 00:20:37,840 S1: the father through Jesus Christ. He's still holy. He's still other. 371 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:39,120 S1: And we still need to fear. 372 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:44,360 S4: Absolutely, yes. So that God's glory is is light and fire. 373 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:47,480 S4: And when you read through the Old Testament, you know, 374 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:51,440 S4: so many of these stories are about people trying to 375 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:55,320 S4: access that glory while not dealing with their sin. And 376 00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:58,240 S4: that and that fire consumes them. Yeah. And so that 377 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:02,280 S4: that need to not only acknowledge God's holiness, but to 378 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:06,440 S4: take seriously the cultivation of holiness in our own life. 379 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:10,320 S1: Doctor Michael Niebauer has written the book Four Mountains Encountering 380 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:13,000 S1: God in the Bible From Eden to Zion. Let's get 381 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:15,800 S1: ready to hike up mount Tabor next. What are the 382 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:18,399 S1: big takeaways from the story of Mount Tabor? 383 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:23,440 S4: Yes, well, Mount Tabor is one of the peaks of 384 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:29,399 S4: the ministry of Jesus in the Gospels. Jesus takes Peter, James, 385 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:34,470 S4: and John up this mountain, And his glory is revealed. 386 00:21:34,470 --> 00:21:37,870 S4: And what's happening there in Tabor is one is Jesus 387 00:21:37,869 --> 00:21:42,510 S4: is showing to his disciples that he truly is God, 388 00:21:42,510 --> 00:21:46,790 S4: that God's glory is not reflected in Jesus, but is 389 00:21:46,830 --> 00:21:50,630 S4: actually shining through him and shining through his face. And 390 00:21:50,630 --> 00:21:54,750 S4: this is supposed to tell us that when we encounter Jesus, 391 00:21:54,750 --> 00:21:58,190 S4: we are encountering the very glory of God, the same 392 00:21:58,190 --> 00:22:00,510 S4: glory that we see on Eden, the same glory that 393 00:22:00,510 --> 00:22:04,669 S4: we see on Sinai and Tabor is also supposed to 394 00:22:04,670 --> 00:22:08,510 S4: reveal to us then, as Christians, what our final hope 395 00:22:08,550 --> 00:22:12,230 S4: should be, what we should long for more than anything 396 00:22:12,230 --> 00:22:15,629 S4: else in this world, and the world to come is 397 00:22:15,630 --> 00:22:19,550 S4: to see Jesus face to face, and in so doing, 398 00:22:19,550 --> 00:22:22,790 S4: behold the glory of God. And this is one of 399 00:22:22,790 --> 00:22:26,350 S4: the main reasons why Moses makes an appearance on Tabor. 400 00:22:26,790 --> 00:22:31,109 S4: If you remember, on Mount Sinai, God essentially grants Moses 401 00:22:31,220 --> 00:22:34,060 S4: A kind of one wish in the world. Moses, if 402 00:22:34,100 --> 00:22:36,580 S4: you could have anything in the world, what would you want? 403 00:22:36,619 --> 00:22:38,500 S4: And Moses says, I would want to see you face 404 00:22:38,500 --> 00:22:41,900 S4: to face. But God says On Sinai, Moses, you can't 405 00:22:41,900 --> 00:22:45,020 S4: do that. So Moses got to hide behind a rock 406 00:22:45,020 --> 00:22:47,859 S4: and God passes behind it. And Moses gets a glimpse 407 00:22:47,859 --> 00:22:52,380 S4: of God's glory from behind. Well, on Tabor, that's where 408 00:22:52,380 --> 00:22:57,380 S4: Moses's dream comes true, because Moses discovers there that if 409 00:22:57,380 --> 00:23:00,740 S4: he wants to behold God face to face, he's going 410 00:23:00,740 --> 00:23:03,260 S4: to have to do that by looking into the eyes 411 00:23:03,260 --> 00:23:06,660 S4: of Jesus. And I think for us, we we should 412 00:23:06,660 --> 00:23:10,460 S4: see ourselves like Moses. We should want as our greatest 413 00:23:10,460 --> 00:23:14,020 S4: wish in the world to see God face to face. 414 00:23:14,020 --> 00:23:16,540 S4: And we know if we believe and trust in Jesus 415 00:23:16,540 --> 00:23:19,859 S4: as Lord and God, we'll get to ascend another mountain, 416 00:23:19,859 --> 00:23:23,899 S4: Mount Zion, and see Jesus face to face and behold 417 00:23:23,900 --> 00:23:25,180 S4: his glory forever. 418 00:23:25,580 --> 00:23:28,459 S1: Wow, what a great picture you've painted! What else should 419 00:23:28,460 --> 00:23:30,170 S1: we know about Mount Zion? Michael. 420 00:23:30,850 --> 00:23:34,609 S4: Yes. Well, again, in revelation, the last chapters of revelation, 421 00:23:35,090 --> 00:23:38,050 S4: we see this as the grand finale of the Bible. 422 00:23:38,170 --> 00:23:40,970 S4: And if we notice on Mount Zion, we we see 423 00:23:40,970 --> 00:23:43,210 S4: a lot of the same things that we saw in 424 00:23:43,210 --> 00:23:47,250 S4: our other mountains. We see the trees of Eden. When 425 00:23:47,250 --> 00:23:50,210 S4: we see and we see the tree of life, we 426 00:23:50,210 --> 00:23:53,730 S4: see God's glory encountered just as we we saw God's 427 00:23:53,730 --> 00:23:58,210 S4: glory on Sinai. And of course, we see Jesus there. 428 00:23:58,570 --> 00:24:02,810 S4: And what's incredible there is we see Jesus standing next 429 00:24:02,810 --> 00:24:05,609 S4: to the tree of life. And it's supposed to be 430 00:24:05,609 --> 00:24:09,970 S4: this sign that just as Adam and Eve longed to 431 00:24:10,290 --> 00:24:14,570 S4: partake of that tree of life and to behold God's 432 00:24:14,570 --> 00:24:19,689 S4: glory perfectly forever and ever, we will get to ascend 433 00:24:19,690 --> 00:24:23,690 S4: this mountain of Zion, and we'll get to partake of 434 00:24:23,730 --> 00:24:28,129 S4: that tree of life as we sit and stare into 435 00:24:28,130 --> 00:24:31,919 S4: the very eyes of God in Jesus Christ. So I 436 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:34,879 S4: think for us, I mean that image of Zion that 437 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:37,879 S4: we see in revelation, I think that is supposed to 438 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:42,600 S4: be the picture that captures our imagination. Yeah. You know, 439 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:44,360 S4: I think so much of the time, right, when we 440 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:47,120 S4: think about the future, we get these pictures of of 441 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:50,120 S4: our life ahead, right? For some of us, it's we're 442 00:24:50,119 --> 00:24:54,000 S4: looking forward to retirement or looking forward to maybe some 443 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:57,480 S4: accomplishment and work in the future. Or maybe we've got 444 00:24:57,480 --> 00:24:59,040 S4: a picture of what we want our kids to do 445 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:01,040 S4: when we grow up. We all have these pictures in 446 00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:02,800 S4: our mind of what we want to see happen in 447 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:06,000 S4: the future. And I think what God is doing in 448 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:09,920 S4: revelation there in those last chapters is he's saying this 449 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:14,280 S4: should be that picture, that more than anything else of 450 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:17,720 S4: our longing is to climb that mountain of Zion, to 451 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:20,800 S4: be surrounded by all those incredible trees that are for 452 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:23,800 S4: the healing of the nations, to be there next to 453 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:26,479 S4: the tree of life, by the cool waters of the 454 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:29,429 S4: river of life. and of course, to look into the 455 00:25:29,430 --> 00:25:31,910 S4: eyes of Jesus and to know that his name is 456 00:25:31,910 --> 00:25:33,390 S4: written on our foreheads. 457 00:25:33,910 --> 00:25:37,470 S1: What a marvelous, marvelous series of paintings you've created for us. 458 00:25:37,790 --> 00:25:40,510 S1: Thank you so much for your time today, Michael. I 459 00:25:40,550 --> 00:25:43,550 S1: have loved this journey for mountains. Check out the book 460 00:25:43,590 --> 00:25:46,230 S1: a link at our website. Thanks so much for your time, Michael. 461 00:25:46,390 --> 00:25:48,149 S4: Thank you so much. I appreciate you being on. 462 00:25:48,150 --> 00:25:51,150 S1: And coming up. A visit with Gerald Peterman. He's looking 463 00:25:51,150 --> 00:25:53,750 S1: at some questions that I think will intrigue you. That's 464 00:25:53,750 --> 00:26:11,030 S1: next on the land and the book. Welcome back to 465 00:26:11,070 --> 00:26:14,310 S1: the land and the book. I'm John Yeager across from me, 466 00:26:14,590 --> 00:26:17,790 S1: Gerald Peterman of the Moody Bible Institute faculty, a man 467 00:26:17,790 --> 00:26:20,190 S1: who knows the word, loves the word, teaches the word, 468 00:26:20,470 --> 00:26:22,910 S1: and is happy to answer any questions you might have 469 00:26:22,910 --> 00:26:26,700 S1: about the word. No question. Too simple. None too complex, right? 470 00:26:26,740 --> 00:26:28,419 S5: Right. I just love them all. 471 00:26:28,780 --> 00:26:32,380 S1: Okay, well, before we get to our first question of 472 00:26:32,380 --> 00:26:35,459 S1: the day, you might be asking yourself, how do I 473 00:26:35,500 --> 00:26:38,780 S1: share the gospel with my Jewish friend? It's a good question, 474 00:26:38,780 --> 00:26:41,900 S1: and many people wonder that. And the question recognizes the 475 00:26:41,900 --> 00:26:45,179 S1: need for a sensitive approach to sharing with Jewish people. 476 00:26:45,220 --> 00:26:47,860 S1: That's a great starting point, by the way, to be sensitive. Well, 477 00:26:48,100 --> 00:26:50,580 S1: our friends at Life in Messiah want to help answer 478 00:26:50,580 --> 00:26:53,460 S1: that question, and they've put together a series of very 479 00:26:53,460 --> 00:26:56,260 S1: helpful articles on how you can share the good news 480 00:26:56,420 --> 00:27:00,460 S1: with Jewish people around you. You'll learn about Jewish cultural sensitivities, 481 00:27:00,460 --> 00:27:05,740 S1: how anti-Semitism affects Jewish evangelism, the importance of messianic prophecy, 482 00:27:05,740 --> 00:27:08,620 S1: and a whole lot more. Now, to access these articles, 483 00:27:08,619 --> 00:27:12,180 S1: just visit Life in Messiah. Org click on the Moody 484 00:27:12,180 --> 00:27:14,979 S1: Radio logo there and sign up, and you'll receive the 485 00:27:14,980 --> 00:27:18,180 S1: articles that will equip you with practical ways to share 486 00:27:18,180 --> 00:27:22,260 S1: the good news with Jewish people around you, or maybe online. Again, 487 00:27:22,260 --> 00:27:28,410 S1: you'll find the moody radio icon at Life in Messiah. Okay. 488 00:27:28,609 --> 00:27:32,130 S1: Welcome to the Q&A segment with Doctor Gerald Peterman. Are 489 00:27:32,130 --> 00:27:32,730 S1: you ready? 490 00:27:32,890 --> 00:27:33,810 S5: I am ready. 491 00:27:33,850 --> 00:27:36,290 S1: Let's get right to John's question. He takes us to 492 00:27:36,330 --> 00:27:40,850 S1: Matthew five verse 19 asking it says those who annul 493 00:27:40,850 --> 00:27:44,330 S1: the commands will be least in the kingdom of God. 494 00:27:44,690 --> 00:27:47,130 S1: The people hearing this would have understood it to mean 495 00:27:47,130 --> 00:27:49,810 S1: the mosaic commands. Are we to understand that? To mean 496 00:27:49,810 --> 00:27:53,010 S1: that we are still to obey the Mosaic Law? This 497 00:27:53,010 --> 00:27:56,370 S1: would conflict with what Jesus and Paul say later. Some 498 00:27:56,369 --> 00:27:58,530 S1: people use this to demonstrate that we still have to 499 00:27:58,570 --> 00:28:01,209 S1: keep Sabbath and other mosaic commands. Your thoughts. 500 00:28:01,609 --> 00:28:05,010 S5: I'm glad John has brought us this question. Let's start 501 00:28:05,010 --> 00:28:10,290 S5: by reading Matthew 519. Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the 502 00:28:10,290 --> 00:28:12,889 S5: least of these commandments and teaches others to do the 503 00:28:12,890 --> 00:28:15,409 S5: same will be called least in the kingdom. But whoever 504 00:28:15,410 --> 00:28:18,330 S5: does them and teaches them will be called great in 505 00:28:18,330 --> 00:28:23,210 S5: the kingdom. The short answer is no, we're not required 506 00:28:23,210 --> 00:28:28,070 S5: to obey mosaic legislation and its 613 commandments. Now, how 507 00:28:28,070 --> 00:28:30,869 S5: do we know this answer? We know this answer because 508 00:28:31,190 --> 00:28:34,350 S5: the sacrifice of the New Covenant has come. Our Lord 509 00:28:34,350 --> 00:28:37,750 S5: Jesus Christ and he has died, and he has rose. 510 00:28:38,190 --> 00:28:41,430 S5: And now we're under the new covenant. And the laws 511 00:28:41,430 --> 00:28:44,550 S5: of the Old covenant no longer apply to us. Now, wait. 512 00:28:44,550 --> 00:28:48,030 S5: We'll come back to the Old Testament in just a minute. So, no, 513 00:28:48,070 --> 00:28:51,230 S5: we're not required to obey the commandments of Moses. But 514 00:28:51,750 --> 00:28:55,750 S5: why would Jesus say this? Well, this is Matthew five. 515 00:28:55,790 --> 00:28:59,030 S5: What is Matthew doing for us? Matthew is writing history. 516 00:28:59,070 --> 00:29:01,630 S5: He's writing history of what happened while our Lord was 517 00:29:01,630 --> 00:29:04,390 S5: on earth, and while our Lord was on earth. It 518 00:29:04,390 --> 00:29:08,350 S5: was prior to the coming of the New Covenant. He 519 00:29:08,350 --> 00:29:12,110 S5: was speaking to an audience still living under the Old Covenant. 520 00:29:12,150 --> 00:29:15,070 S5: So of course he would say this. That is, you 521 00:29:15,110 --> 00:29:19,030 S5: keep the commandments. This is what you're obligated to do. Now, 522 00:29:19,070 --> 00:29:22,660 S5: thanks be to God after his resurrection and Ascension were 523 00:29:22,660 --> 00:29:26,340 S5: under the New Covenant, and the law doesn't act anymore 524 00:29:26,380 --> 00:29:29,500 S5: as covenant requirements for us. It acts as a book 525 00:29:29,540 --> 00:29:33,340 S5: chock full of wisdom and all sorts of other great insights. 526 00:29:33,460 --> 00:29:37,140 S1: Okay, hope that's helpful. John. Thank you for that question. Yours, 527 00:29:37,180 --> 00:29:39,100 S1: by the way, is welcome with an email to the 528 00:29:39,100 --> 00:29:44,020 S1: land and the book at Moody's, Jeff refers to a 529 00:29:44,020 --> 00:29:48,460 S1: previous listener question posed about those who never heard of Jesus. 530 00:29:48,460 --> 00:29:52,460 S1: He says, doctor Peterman mentioned that God sends human messengers 531 00:29:52,460 --> 00:29:55,140 S1: to those in search of him. And yet, I suspect 532 00:29:55,140 --> 00:29:57,540 S1: he says, most people who have lived on our planet 533 00:29:57,540 --> 00:30:00,100 S1: have never heard the name of Jesus. How was God 534 00:30:00,100 --> 00:30:02,820 S1: to judge them righteously or rightly? 535 00:30:03,300 --> 00:30:05,900 S5: I know this is a really, really tough question, and 536 00:30:05,900 --> 00:30:08,860 S5: I'm so glad that Jeff is following up. Um, really 537 00:30:08,860 --> 00:30:11,300 S5: appreciate it when listeners do that, when they when they 538 00:30:11,300 --> 00:30:14,140 S5: follow up a question, it just shows that they're engaged. 539 00:30:14,580 --> 00:30:18,860 S5: So we previously talked about God working with such people 540 00:30:18,860 --> 00:30:23,010 S5: as Cornelius. And Cornelius was seeking him. And then God 541 00:30:23,010 --> 00:30:26,690 S5: sent Peter to Cornelius. Read acts chapter ten. It's just wonderful, 542 00:30:26,690 --> 00:30:30,490 S5: wonderful stuff. The short answer is this God can judge 543 00:30:30,490 --> 00:30:37,209 S5: everyone righteously based on general revelation, where he shows himself 544 00:30:37,210 --> 00:30:41,090 S5: in conscience and he shows himself in creation. A good 545 00:30:41,090 --> 00:30:44,810 S5: example of this is Psalm 19 the heavens declare the 546 00:30:44,810 --> 00:30:48,450 S5: glory of God. The sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day 547 00:30:48,450 --> 00:30:52,850 S5: to day pours out speech. Night to night reveals knowledge. 548 00:30:53,330 --> 00:30:56,010 S5: There is no speech, nor are there words whose voice 549 00:30:56,010 --> 00:31:00,650 S5: is not heard. Their voice goes out throughout all the earth, 550 00:31:00,690 --> 00:31:03,170 S5: their words to the end of the world. That is, 551 00:31:03,170 --> 00:31:07,330 S5: no one is excluded from the revelation of seeing God's 552 00:31:07,330 --> 00:31:11,370 S5: glory and power in his handiwork. And Paul draws on 553 00:31:11,370 --> 00:31:14,090 S5: this very thing in the beginning of Romans. We go 554 00:31:14,090 --> 00:31:17,890 S5: to Romans one verse 18. Paul says, the wrath of 555 00:31:17,890 --> 00:31:21,360 S5: God is revealed from heaven against all those who suppress 556 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:25,160 S5: the truth in unrighteousness. For the things that can be 557 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:30,200 S5: known about God, his eternal power, his divine nature, have 558 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:34,160 S5: been clearly perceived through what has been made, so they 559 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:37,480 S5: are without excuse. Later in the chapter, What does Paul do? 560 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:42,040 S5: He goes on to talk about those who see truths. 561 00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:46,760 S5: I mean real, genuine truths about the only God in creation. 562 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:49,480 S5: And what do they do? They abandon the truth and 563 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:53,960 S5: they create idols. And then the wrath comes. You travel 564 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:57,240 S5: all over the world and you see this happening repeatedly, 565 00:31:57,240 --> 00:32:01,400 S5: all sorts of cultures in their own special ways, creating 566 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:05,600 S5: idols for themselves. And God holds us all accountable based 567 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:08,440 S5: on the special revelation we received and the response we 568 00:32:08,440 --> 00:32:09,120 S5: make to it. 569 00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:12,880 S1: Yeah, a very practical question from Anna, and I suspect 570 00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:16,360 S1: there are parents out there listening. Her question when should 571 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:20,550 S1: I give up praying for a prodigal daughter. It's been years. 572 00:32:20,910 --> 00:32:24,510 S5: Wow. You can hear the, uh, the pain in this question. 573 00:32:25,030 --> 00:32:27,310 S5: And I'm sure there's been heartache in the lives of 574 00:32:27,310 --> 00:32:30,550 S5: many of our listeners. Yes, that's very similar. So this 575 00:32:30,550 --> 00:32:35,910 S5: is a precious question. My short answer is, Anna, never 576 00:32:35,910 --> 00:32:38,790 S5: give up. And I know that's a hard answer to hear. 577 00:32:39,390 --> 00:32:45,070 S5: And I know that, um, it's sometimes emotionally easier for 578 00:32:45,070 --> 00:32:48,910 S5: us to give up hope than to have hope. Sometimes 579 00:32:48,910 --> 00:32:53,390 S5: hope just seems to drain us emotionally, whereas giving up 580 00:32:53,710 --> 00:32:55,750 S5: seems to put us in a place where we're not 581 00:32:55,750 --> 00:32:59,430 S5: going to feel as much. I don't recommend going there, 582 00:32:59,430 --> 00:33:03,230 S5: although I am tempted to go there many times. Let 583 00:33:03,230 --> 00:33:07,350 S5: me appeal to a scriptural example. We go to First 584 00:33:07,350 --> 00:33:12,670 S5: Samuel chapter one. Whom do we encounter? We encounter Elkanah 585 00:33:12,830 --> 00:33:16,230 S5: with his two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. And what does 586 00:33:16,230 --> 00:33:19,540 S5: the story tell us? The story tells us that after years, 587 00:33:20,100 --> 00:33:25,700 S5: Hannah is barren, no children, but Peninnah has sons and daughters. 588 00:33:25,700 --> 00:33:30,660 S5: Note the plural. So how long has it been since 589 00:33:31,060 --> 00:33:33,460 S5: Hannah's been buried? It's hard to know. 5 or 6 years? 590 00:33:33,460 --> 00:33:37,500 S5: 8 or 10 years. Maybe longer. But keep on reading 591 00:33:37,500 --> 00:33:40,980 S5: for Samuel one. And we find that she prays as 592 00:33:40,980 --> 00:33:45,820 S5: she weeps and grieves for what she's sad over. She 593 00:33:45,820 --> 00:33:49,060 S5: prays to the Lord that he would give her a child. Now, 594 00:33:49,060 --> 00:33:53,340 S5: what might we say in the 21st century? We might say, Hannah, 595 00:33:53,380 --> 00:33:55,340 S5: give it up, girl. It's been. It's been long enough. 596 00:33:55,420 --> 00:33:58,420 S5: Come on, you know you got to get on with life. 597 00:33:58,780 --> 00:34:02,380 S5: But thanks be to God, she does not. And then 598 00:34:02,700 --> 00:34:08,180 S5: keep reading the story. Samuel is born. And what a blessing. Now, 599 00:34:08,420 --> 00:34:11,940 S5: I'm sure that following my prescription is going to be 600 00:34:11,940 --> 00:34:14,779 S5: really hard. Don't give up. But this is what our 601 00:34:14,780 --> 00:34:18,450 S5: Lord Jesus says in the beginning of Luke 18, he 602 00:34:18,450 --> 00:34:21,370 S5: told them a parable to the effect that they ought 603 00:34:21,370 --> 00:34:25,490 S5: to always pray and never give up. It'll be hard. 604 00:34:25,969 --> 00:34:29,530 S5: It'll be very hard. But I'd say, keep praying. 605 00:34:30,090 --> 00:34:33,450 S1: And I hope that's an encouragement to you. Alan takes 606 00:34:33,450 --> 00:34:36,690 S1: us to Jeremiah chapter 48. It says in verses one 607 00:34:36,730 --> 00:34:40,370 S1: through 46 that Moab will be destroyed and their people 608 00:34:40,370 --> 00:34:44,609 S1: taken into captivity by Babylon. Verse 47 says, yet will 609 00:34:44,610 --> 00:34:48,210 S1: I bring again the captivity of Moab. In the latter days, 610 00:34:48,330 --> 00:34:51,690 S1: says the Lord, thus far is the judgment of Moab. 611 00:34:52,090 --> 00:34:55,250 S1: Now were the latter days referring to the decree of Cyrus, 612 00:34:55,250 --> 00:34:57,690 S1: or were they referring to a future time such as 613 00:34:57,690 --> 00:34:58,770 S1: Christ's return? 614 00:34:59,290 --> 00:35:02,890 S5: Looks like Alan is beginning to answer his own question 615 00:35:02,890 --> 00:35:05,850 S5: as he as he talks with us and gives some options. 616 00:35:05,850 --> 00:35:08,129 S5: I think he's moving in a really good direction. So 617 00:35:08,130 --> 00:35:12,770 S5: I take it that the latter days in Jeremiah 48 618 00:35:12,810 --> 00:35:17,589 S5: refer to Some distant time, almost certainly the millennial reign 619 00:35:17,590 --> 00:35:21,150 S5: of Christ. We find this same expression in latter days 620 00:35:21,150 --> 00:35:25,469 S5: or last days, for instance, in Deuteronomy, for when you 621 00:35:25,510 --> 00:35:28,790 S5: are in distress and when all these things come upon you, 622 00:35:29,110 --> 00:35:31,430 S5: and in the last days, you will return to the 623 00:35:31,430 --> 00:35:34,430 S5: Lord your God and listen to his voice. Um, this 624 00:35:34,510 --> 00:35:37,030 S5: I'm laughing, I'm laughing. But this is a sad thing. 625 00:35:37,070 --> 00:35:40,109 S5: But this is actually a sad thing. Israel has a 626 00:35:40,150 --> 00:35:42,310 S5: long history of not listening. 627 00:35:42,350 --> 00:35:42,830 S1: Yeah. 628 00:35:43,230 --> 00:35:46,989 S5: But there's this prediction in the last days that they 629 00:35:46,989 --> 00:35:51,509 S5: will listen. And folks, look at history. It hasn't happened yet. 630 00:35:51,989 --> 00:35:53,989 S5: So I take it that the last day is being 631 00:35:54,030 --> 00:35:58,190 S5: talked about in both passages, Jeremiah 48 and Deuteronomy four. Ah, 632 00:35:58,190 --> 00:36:01,230 S5: the millennial Kingdom, where God will work in a way 633 00:36:01,230 --> 00:36:04,870 S5: that's even more astounding and powerful than he's ever done before. 634 00:36:05,030 --> 00:36:08,149 S1: Mhm. Wow, what a day that will be. I hope 635 00:36:08,150 --> 00:36:11,070 S1: you're ready for that day. If you don't know with 636 00:36:11,070 --> 00:36:14,060 S1: certainty that you are ready, that you've made Jesus the 637 00:36:14,060 --> 00:36:16,500 S1: leader of your life, the forgiveness of your sins. A 638 00:36:16,500 --> 00:36:19,940 S1: volunteer is thrilled to talk with you. I'm serious. Thrilled 639 00:36:19,940 --> 00:36:22,100 S1: to talk with you. Pray with you. Answer your questions 640 00:36:22,100 --> 00:36:24,900 S1: right now. Why don't you connect as you call eight, 641 00:36:24,940 --> 00:36:29,660 S1: eight eight? Need him. That's 888. Need him. There's no cost. 642 00:36:29,940 --> 00:36:31,819 S1: Nobody's going to try to sell you anything because there's 643 00:36:31,820 --> 00:36:35,580 S1: nothing to buy. It's a frank, open, honest conversation about 644 00:36:35,620 --> 00:36:38,299 S1: what it means to know Jesus as your Savior. It's 645 00:36:38,300 --> 00:36:40,460 S1: a Bible word. It means the one in charge of you. 646 00:36:40,780 --> 00:36:43,300 S1: And again, the phone number to call is eight, eight, eight. 647 00:36:43,340 --> 00:36:46,700 S1: Need him. Don't go away. We've got one more segment 648 00:36:46,700 --> 00:36:49,379 S1: here on the broadcast to come. It's a devotional with 649 00:36:49,380 --> 00:36:51,620 S1: our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer. I think you'll love what 650 00:36:51,620 --> 00:36:53,980 S1: you hear. So keep it here on Moody Radio's The 651 00:36:53,980 --> 00:36:56,819 S1: Land and the book, and thank you for sharing us 652 00:36:56,820 --> 00:37:12,210 S1: with your friends. Welcome back to the land and the 653 00:37:12,210 --> 00:37:16,290 S1: book segment four with Charlie Dyer, I'm John Yeager. Charlie, uh, 654 00:37:16,290 --> 00:37:18,130 S1: you know, everybody's different in the way they relate to 655 00:37:18,170 --> 00:37:21,730 S1: their mates. I often will begin a conversation, though, and 656 00:37:21,730 --> 00:37:23,610 S1: there's something that needs to be cleared up by saying, 657 00:37:23,930 --> 00:37:29,129 S1: I have a confession to make. And, Charlie, that's a 658 00:37:29,130 --> 00:37:31,330 S1: statement that sort of has something to do with your 659 00:37:31,330 --> 00:37:34,370 S1: devotional today, I think. But, uh, give us a bit 660 00:37:34,370 --> 00:37:34,930 S1: of a hint. 661 00:37:35,090 --> 00:37:36,890 S2: Yeah, it does, although in this case it's going to 662 00:37:36,890 --> 00:37:40,569 S2: be a positive confession rather than usually a negative confession. 663 00:37:40,570 --> 00:37:43,330 S2: But in fact, I'm starting a series on great confessions 664 00:37:43,330 --> 00:37:45,049 S2: of the Bible, and this will be the first of 665 00:37:45,130 --> 00:37:45,690 S2: that series. 666 00:37:45,730 --> 00:37:47,170 S1: It's going to be good, and it's going to be 667 00:37:47,170 --> 00:37:49,250 S1: a lot better than anything I ever share with my wife. 668 00:37:49,250 --> 00:37:51,489 S1: I can assure you that right now, though, let's get 669 00:37:51,489 --> 00:37:54,210 S1: this Holy Land experience. In a testimony from somebody who's 670 00:37:54,210 --> 00:37:56,730 S1: traveled to the Holy Land and has a memory they 671 00:37:56,730 --> 00:37:58,090 S1: want to share with you and me. 672 00:38:02,250 --> 00:38:05,370 S6: One of the things that has really impressed me about 673 00:38:05,370 --> 00:38:11,879 S6: this particular tour is how organized the group has been like. 674 00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:16,160 S6: I've read about different tours, and I really believe that 675 00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:19,919 S6: this tour has visited more places than any other tour 676 00:38:19,920 --> 00:38:23,840 S6: that I've ever read about. I remember getting the book 677 00:38:24,080 --> 00:38:27,840 S6: by Doctor Dyer about a Christian's travel to the Holy Land, 678 00:38:27,840 --> 00:38:31,440 S6: and being able to study about the different places and 679 00:38:31,440 --> 00:38:35,600 S6: cross-reference them in my Bible before coming here. And we 680 00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:39,480 S6: got a map and, um, we just got so many 681 00:38:39,520 --> 00:38:43,320 S6: things that were in addition to over and above any 682 00:38:43,320 --> 00:38:46,719 S6: other tour that I've read about. We received a journal 683 00:38:46,719 --> 00:38:49,359 S6: that we could take on our trip, and I have 684 00:38:49,360 --> 00:38:53,160 S6: been writing in it and taking notes. We received so 685 00:38:53,160 --> 00:38:56,759 S6: many different things that are helping me a bag, you know, 686 00:38:56,800 --> 00:39:01,919 S6: the travel bag that we could take, name tag, luggage tags. 687 00:39:02,080 --> 00:39:06,520 S6: I just was very impressed by this group and how 688 00:39:06,520 --> 00:39:11,029 S6: you have organized things and just given to us to 689 00:39:11,070 --> 00:39:12,590 S6: make the trip better. 690 00:39:14,390 --> 00:39:17,109 S1: All right, Charlie, my confessions not always great, but your 691 00:39:17,110 --> 00:39:20,310 S1: confession today or the biblical confession you're taking us to. 692 00:39:20,350 --> 00:39:21,990 S1: That is worth hearing about. 693 00:39:22,310 --> 00:39:26,629 S2: Uh, well, the Bible definitely is in this day of Facebook, TikTok, 694 00:39:26,750 --> 00:39:30,870 S2: WhatsApp messenger, telegram and Instagram. So much of what passes 695 00:39:30,870 --> 00:39:36,149 S2: for communication is little more than self-absorbed, narcissistic drivel. Now, 696 00:39:36,190 --> 00:39:38,350 S2: don't get me wrong, messages don't have to be long 697 00:39:38,350 --> 00:39:42,469 S2: and ponderous to be memorable or effective. The Gettysburg Address 698 00:39:42,469 --> 00:39:45,989 S2: took two minutes for President Lincoln to deliver, but it's 699 00:39:45,989 --> 00:39:47,910 S2: come to be known as one of the greatest speeches 700 00:39:47,910 --> 00:39:51,670 S2: in American history. In contrast, almost no one can recite 701 00:39:51,710 --> 00:39:56,030 S2: even one line from Edward Everett's two hour oration delivered 702 00:39:56,030 --> 00:40:00,589 S2: that same day. Lincoln's 271 words have had a far 703 00:40:00,590 --> 00:40:06,510 S2: greater impact than Everett's 13,600. The Bible contains a number 704 00:40:06,510 --> 00:40:10,220 S2: of great confessions. Infections, memorable messages spoken at key points 705 00:40:10,219 --> 00:40:12,779 S2: in history and over the next eight weeks, I want 706 00:40:12,820 --> 00:40:16,180 S2: to focus on eight of those confessions. Today's journey takes 707 00:40:16,180 --> 00:40:18,700 S2: us to the ruins of the ancient city of Shechem. 708 00:40:18,940 --> 00:40:22,700 S2: Shechem is definitely off the beaten track for most tourists today. 709 00:40:22,980 --> 00:40:25,820 S2: The ruins sit in the modern city of Nablus, one 710 00:40:25,820 --> 00:40:29,859 S2: of today's more volatile Arab towns. One of my most 711 00:40:29,860 --> 00:40:32,500 S2: memorable visits to the town took place a number of 712 00:40:32,500 --> 00:40:35,580 S2: years back, when I was leading a student group to 713 00:40:35,620 --> 00:40:38,660 S2: the land. On one of our free days, we arranged 714 00:40:38,660 --> 00:40:41,299 S2: with a shopkeeper in the Old City of Jerusalem to 715 00:40:41,340 --> 00:40:44,060 S2: rent an Arab bus for an impromptu tour of the 716 00:40:44,060 --> 00:40:51,420 S2: sites in the area. Shabaan took us to Gibeah of Saul, AI, Gibeon, Bethel, Shiloh, Shechem, 717 00:40:51,460 --> 00:40:55,779 S2: Jacob's well, and Samaria. It was an unforgettable day in 718 00:40:55,780 --> 00:40:59,500 S2: an unair conditioned bus. When we arrived in Shechem, there 719 00:40:59,500 --> 00:41:03,100 S2: was a moment when a seemingly unfriendly crowd started to gather. 720 00:41:03,420 --> 00:41:05,779 S2: Shabaan went over and spoke to them in Arabic and 721 00:41:05,780 --> 00:41:09,930 S2: they immediately started smiling. Later I asked Siobhan, what did 722 00:41:09,930 --> 00:41:12,210 S2: you say to them? Oh, I just told them you 723 00:41:12,210 --> 00:41:16,090 S2: were tourists, he said, standing at Shechem, with Mount Gerizim 724 00:41:16,090 --> 00:41:18,850 S2: rising up to our south and Mount Ebal to our north. 725 00:41:18,890 --> 00:41:22,370 S2: I could imagine the great scene when Israel gathered here 726 00:41:22,370 --> 00:41:26,089 S2: with Joshua to recite the blessings and curses of the covenant. 727 00:41:26,570 --> 00:41:28,650 S2: But today I want us to move forward in time. 728 00:41:28,650 --> 00:41:32,490 S2: 15 years. The seven year conquest has passed, and Israel 729 00:41:32,489 --> 00:41:35,450 S2: has spent the last eight years expanding into the land 730 00:41:35,450 --> 00:41:39,890 S2: promised them by God. Joshua just turned 110, and he's 731 00:41:39,890 --> 00:41:42,370 S2: nearing the end of his life. His time of leading 732 00:41:42,370 --> 00:41:44,890 S2: men into battle is past, and he spent the last 733 00:41:44,890 --> 00:41:47,650 S2: several years building up the town he received as an 734 00:41:47,650 --> 00:41:50,730 S2: inheritance in the portion of land allotted to him in 735 00:41:50,730 --> 00:41:55,330 S2: the tribe of Ephraim. But something is bothering Joshua at 110. 736 00:41:55,370 --> 00:41:58,450 S2: He issues an urgent summons to all the leaders of Israel. 737 00:41:58,810 --> 00:42:02,650 S2: Meet me in Shechem. He specifically called for the elders 738 00:42:02,650 --> 00:42:05,800 S2: of Israel, and for their heads, and their judges and 739 00:42:05,800 --> 00:42:09,719 S2: their officers. Joshua then makes the 12 mile journey back 740 00:42:09,719 --> 00:42:13,200 S2: to Shechem. His initial gathering here happened after the first 741 00:42:13,200 --> 00:42:16,520 S2: of his three major military campaigns. But even though the 742 00:42:16,520 --> 00:42:20,160 S2: major battles are now over, skirmishes still need to be fought, 743 00:42:20,400 --> 00:42:23,080 S2: and perhaps the reluctance of some tribes to finish the 744 00:42:23,080 --> 00:42:26,320 S2: job is what's bothering him. Or maybe it's the growing 745 00:42:26,360 --> 00:42:29,520 S2: tolerance of the idolatry and false worship of the people 746 00:42:29,520 --> 00:42:32,320 S2: still living in the land, instead of purging the land 747 00:42:32,320 --> 00:42:35,239 S2: of false worship. Israel is starting to act more and 748 00:42:35,239 --> 00:42:39,080 S2: more like the people God had condemned. But whatever the reason, 749 00:42:39,120 --> 00:42:42,160 S2: the aged Joshua now wants the leadership of all Israel 750 00:42:42,160 --> 00:42:46,000 S2: to come together for one last meeting with him, Joshua 751 00:42:46,040 --> 00:42:49,640 S2: begins his final message to Israel by rehearsing from God's 752 00:42:49,640 --> 00:42:53,320 S2: perspective all the things God had done for the nation, 753 00:42:53,320 --> 00:42:57,120 S2: from Abraham through the patriarchs, through Moses and the Exodus, 754 00:42:57,120 --> 00:42:59,400 S2: all the way up to the conquest of the land. 755 00:42:59,440 --> 00:43:03,320 S2: God had faithfully done everything he'd promised. But before someone 756 00:43:03,320 --> 00:43:06,540 S2: could accuse Joshua of being a senile man living in 757 00:43:06,540 --> 00:43:09,620 S2: the past. He quickly moved from the then and there 758 00:43:09,900 --> 00:43:13,380 S2: to the here and now, and in doing so, Joshua 759 00:43:13,380 --> 00:43:16,700 S2: delivers one of the great confessions of the Bible. This 760 00:43:16,700 --> 00:43:20,660 S2: is in Joshua 24. And there he says, now therefore 761 00:43:20,780 --> 00:43:23,860 S2: fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and truth, 762 00:43:23,860 --> 00:43:26,620 S2: and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond 763 00:43:26,620 --> 00:43:30,259 S2: the river and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And 764 00:43:30,260 --> 00:43:32,980 S2: if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, 765 00:43:32,980 --> 00:43:36,180 S2: choose for yourselves today whom you will serve, whether the 766 00:43:36,219 --> 00:43:39,140 S2: gods which your fathers served, which were beyond the river, 767 00:43:39,260 --> 00:43:41,660 S2: or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you 768 00:43:41,700 --> 00:43:44,979 S2: are living. But as for me and my house, we 769 00:43:44,980 --> 00:43:49,500 S2: will serve the Lord. Joshua's call was a call to commitment. 770 00:43:49,780 --> 00:43:52,259 S2: Serving the true God of Israel required the people to 771 00:43:52,300 --> 00:43:56,180 S2: turn away from all other so-called gods. It didn't matter 772 00:43:56,180 --> 00:43:58,700 S2: if they were the gods of their ancient ancestors, or 773 00:43:58,700 --> 00:44:01,580 S2: the gods worshipped by the Hebrew slaves in Egypt, or 774 00:44:01,580 --> 00:44:05,129 S2: the gods of their pagan neighbors. Joshua was demanding a 775 00:44:05,130 --> 00:44:09,170 S2: sweeping commitment on the part of the next generation of leadership. 776 00:44:09,850 --> 00:44:12,649 S2: I can almost see Joshua scratching out a line in 777 00:44:12,650 --> 00:44:15,930 S2: the dirt with his sandal, and then deliberately stepping across 778 00:44:15,930 --> 00:44:19,530 S2: that line before turning to challenge all the leaders gathered 779 00:44:19,530 --> 00:44:23,570 S2: before him. Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve. 780 00:44:24,090 --> 00:44:28,170 S2: Joshua left no doubt as to his own personal commitment. 781 00:44:28,330 --> 00:44:30,730 S2: But as for me and my house, we will serve 782 00:44:30,730 --> 00:44:35,930 S2: the Lord. Joshua's great confession capped a 110 year life 783 00:44:35,930 --> 00:44:38,529 S2: sold out to the Lord. Few of us will ever 784 00:44:38,530 --> 00:44:42,290 S2: experience the length of life that Joshua had, but everyone 785 00:44:42,290 --> 00:44:45,489 S2: can have the same commitment, the same strength of purpose 786 00:44:45,489 --> 00:44:48,410 S2: to use his or her life, however long or short, 787 00:44:48,410 --> 00:44:51,770 S2: in the service for God. William Borden only lived to 788 00:44:51,770 --> 00:44:54,810 S2: be 25 years old. The heir to the Borden family 789 00:44:54,810 --> 00:44:57,890 S2: fortune walked away from a life of ease to become 790 00:44:57,890 --> 00:45:00,770 S2: a missionary to the most needy of the world. When 791 00:45:00,770 --> 00:45:03,440 S2: someone told him he was throwing his life away. He 792 00:45:03,440 --> 00:45:08,040 S2: wrote two words in his Bible no reserves. After graduating 793 00:45:08,040 --> 00:45:11,680 S2: from college, Borden turned down several high paying jobs so 794 00:45:11,680 --> 00:45:14,399 S2: he could stay focused on his goal of reaching out 795 00:45:14,400 --> 00:45:17,600 S2: to a particular group of Muslims in China. He wrote 796 00:45:17,600 --> 00:45:21,320 S2: two more words in his Bible at that time no retreats. 797 00:45:21,880 --> 00:45:24,400 S2: He sailed for China, but stopped first in Egypt to 798 00:45:24,440 --> 00:45:28,760 S2: learn Arabic. While there, he contracted spinal meningitis and died 799 00:45:28,760 --> 00:45:31,880 S2: within a month. When his belongings were returned home, they 800 00:45:31,880 --> 00:45:36,320 S2: found a third statement in his Bible no regrets. Was 801 00:45:36,320 --> 00:45:40,759 S2: his life a waste? Hardly. William Borden's commitment and passion 802 00:45:40,760 --> 00:45:44,799 S2: helped spur on a wave of missionary activity. Joshua lived 803 00:45:44,800 --> 00:45:48,919 S2: to be 110 William Borden, just 25, but both lived 804 00:45:48,920 --> 00:45:52,160 S2: by the same credo. For Joshua it was. But as 805 00:45:52,160 --> 00:45:54,840 S2: for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. 806 00:45:55,320 --> 00:45:59,960 S2: For Borden, it was no reserves, no retreats, no regrets. 807 00:46:00,790 --> 00:46:03,990 S2: So what about you? It's never too late to begin 808 00:46:03,989 --> 00:46:08,750 S2: writing your great confession. But remember, only one life will 809 00:46:08,790 --> 00:46:12,670 S2: soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last. 810 00:46:12,989 --> 00:46:16,069 S1: Boy. That's powerful. Very powerful. Thank you. Charlie. This is 811 00:46:16,070 --> 00:46:18,310 S1: a devotional you might well want to hear again. You 812 00:46:18,310 --> 00:46:20,710 S1: can do that if you check out our podcast. It's 813 00:46:20,710 --> 00:46:24,989 S1: available at the website, the land and the book. And 814 00:46:25,030 --> 00:46:27,710 S1: having found that podcast yourself, we hope you'll share it 815 00:46:27,710 --> 00:46:30,430 S1: with a friend. You've got folks in your world, your 816 00:46:30,469 --> 00:46:33,670 S1: circle of influence that would love to get better connected 817 00:46:33,670 --> 00:46:35,790 S1: with what God is doing in the Holy Land, and 818 00:46:35,790 --> 00:46:38,350 S1: share that podcast with them, would you? We're at the 819 00:46:38,350 --> 00:46:42,750 S1: land and the book. Well, as always, time goes by 820 00:46:42,750 --> 00:46:44,910 S1: too quickly, but we thank you for hanging out. I 821 00:46:44,910 --> 00:46:47,390 S1: want to say thanks to our producer, Dan Anderson. Our host, 822 00:46:47,430 --> 00:46:50,870 S1: Charlie Dyer. I'm John Gieger. The land and the book 823 00:46:50,910 --> 00:46:53,790 S1: is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody 824 00:46:53,790 --> 00:46:54,910 S1: Bible Institute.